NASW was recognized at a recent meeting of the National Transitions of Care Coalition Advisory Task Force for developing a cultural competency tool and for assisting in the creation of a patient hospital guide. NASW developed the NTOCC cultural competence tool, which draws on the association's standards and indicators for the achievement of cultural competence in social work practice, to educate health care professionals about the topic as it influences transitions of care. The resource includes basic information about culture and cultural competence, as well as strategies to enhance professionals' cultural competence. The document concludes...

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A lesbian who helped raise her ex-partner's adopted children has custodial rights under Montana law, that state's highest court recently ruled in a case with NASW involvement. In Kulstad v. Maniaci, the Montana Supreme Court upheld, by a vote of 6-1, a 2008 district court decision to award Michelle Kulstad shared custody of the two children that Barbara Maniaci — Kulstad's ex-partner of 10 years — adopted while they were together. Maniaci sought to deny Kulstad a relationship with the children after they separated, claiming that Kulstad was not a legal parent to the children. By siding with Kulstad, the district court, and now ...

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Hollywood writers and producers who have given accurate portrayals of characters with mental health issues in their movies and television shows were honored in October. NASW California Chapter members attend the 2009 Voice Awards. From left, they are: Tina Pederson, Suzanne Dworak-Peck, Nancy Anderson and George Anderson. NASW was a program partner for the 2009 Voice Awards. The event, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, recognizes writers and producers who have provided dignified and respectful depictions of people with mental health problems. The ceremony also honors people outside of Tinseltow...

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Unreasonable Terror I applaud the candid commentary from Elizabeth Clark, contradictory to Don Gilkinson, LCSW (Letters, November 2009 News). Indeed, our profession is based on ethics. Sarah Palin incited unreasonable terror with her inflammatory rhetoric for her own political gain by manipulating the meaning of "death panels." This is clearly unethical human behavior and an attempt to mislead. Continue on, Elizabeth Clark: Call it what it is. Kathleen M. Clark, LCSW, BCD Austin, Texas   Don't Lump Communities As a social worker who uses bilateral hearing aids, I was pleasantly surprised to see that a Legal Issue of the Month was d...

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NASW strongly supported the U.S. House passing the Affordable Health Care for America Act., H.R. 3962, in November, which included a Medicare provision allowing clinical social workers to bill independently for serving certain nursing home residents. In an alert sent to members Nov. 10, NASW Executive Director Elizabeth J. Clark noted that she sent a letter on behalf of the association to House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., commending Pelosi and her colleagues for introducing H.R. 3962. Clark explained that professional social workers have a broad perspective on the range of physical, social, emotional, and environmental factors t...

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President Barack Obama has signed NASW-supported legislation that expands federal authority to investigate and prosecute hate crimes based on victims' actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. Prior to Congress passing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act as an amendment to a defense spending bill, federal jurisdiction had been limited to attacks based on victims' race, color, religion or national origin. "We must stand against crimes that are meant not only to break bones, but to break spirits — not only to inflict harm, but to instill fear," Obama remarked at an Oct. ...

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Social work delegate Floyd Allen interacts with children at the Awlady Orphanage in Egypt, one of several site visits. As part of the Social Workers Across Nations, or SWAN, initiative, NASW Executive Director Elizabeth J. Clark led a People to People social work delegation to Egypt in October. The trip was the latest social work exchange involving NASW that promotes greater understanding of the profession among countries. Twenty-five social workers participated in the delegation that visited Egypt's ancient cities of Cairo and Alexandria. Clark noted that Cairo continues to make strides into the future while facing the challenges of ov...

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Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., calls for increased federal spending to reduce child abuse and neglect deaths. October 2009 was a busy month for child welfare advocates. Nationwide, they observed the second annual Step Up for Kids Week, Oct. 5-9. The public awareness campaign, sponsored by the Every Child Matters Education Fund and co-sponsored by NASW, aims to get policymakers to shift spending priorities toward families and children. Many national leaders in child protection, law enforcement and education joined policymakers in Washington for the "We Can Do Better" child abuse and neglect deaths summit, Oct. 22-23. Ahead of the summit, ...

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October 2009 Board's Action Context Finances Received the pre-audited financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, and the fiscal year 2009-10 financial report for the two-month period ending Aug. 31, 2009. NASW's total asset position in this pre-audit report was down 3.6 percent from the prior year. As of Aug. 31, assets increased to $15 million due to the recovery of financial marke...

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Situated along the banks of the Rio Grande in New Mexico, halfway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, is the reservation of the Santo Domingo Pueblo people. Archeologists estimate that the Pueblo people have been living off the same land and in the same adobe structures anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 years. They've survived European conquests, wars and the encroachment of Western society, holding fast to their traditional culture and centuries-old way of life. Like so many other American Indian and Alaskan Native peoples, though, the Santo Domingo Pueblo disproportionately suffer from a lack of access to quality health care, the provision of ...

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