NASW is in the process of collecting comments for its triennial Delegate Assembly.

The Delegate Assembly is the body responsible for setting program priorities and broad public and professional policy for NASW.

The event sets program priorities for a three-year period; in this case, fiscal years 2015-18.

The culminating event takes place Aug. 2, 2014. On that day, delegates will conduct final discussion and voting using a specially designed website.

The discussion process for Delegate Assembly for NASW members and delegates has already begun.

It serves as the primary communication center for all activities and offers the opportunity to post and exchange comments with other NASW members and delegates.

There is one bylaws amendment proposal that seeks to dissolve the Delegate Assembly structure and assign its functions to committees and the NASW board of directors, while retaining member input and participation on policy panels.

The Delegate Assembly policy statements are guides for the association when considering positions on certain issues, and for practitioners to address their concerns. Any updates to the policies are published in Social Work Speaks.

The automatically referred policies for the 2014 Delegate Assembly:

• Affirmative Action
• Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs
• Child Abuse and Neglect
• Cultural and Linguistic Competence in the Social Work Profession
• Disasters
• Early Childhood Care and Services
• Education of Children and Youths
• Electoral Policy
• End-of-life Care
• Gender, Ethnic and Race-based Workplace Discrimination
• Homelessness
• Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Issues
• Long-term Care
• Physical Punishment of Children
• Public Child Welfare
• Racism
• Role of Government, Social Policy and Social Work
• School Truancy and Dropout Prevention
• Women in the Social Work Profession
• Women’s Issues
• Youth Suicide

There are a total of 277 delegates, of which 221 delegates will have voting privileges. The delegates without voting privileges comprise 55 chapter executive directors and NASW CEO Angelo McClain. These delegates have speaking privileges during Delegate Assembly.