An article on ithacajournal.com says Alzheimer’s disease is the best-known and most common cause of dementia, affecting more than 5 million Americans. And that number is going to get bigger and bigger, NASW member Kim Evanoski says in the article, as the population ages. As a community “we need to help and support people …” said Evanoski, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in working with people with dementia. She is also co-founder of the Memory Maker Project, which uses the arts, music and cultural institutions to reach out to people with memory loss and dementia. The nonprofit’s events incl...

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John Yanson, an artist in Washington, D.C., created the poster (right) for Social Work Month 2015 and NASW’s 60th anniversary. The theme is Social Work Paves the Way for Change. NASW celebrated Social Work Month 2015 in March with the theme “Social Work Paves the Way for Change.” Along with promoting what social workers have done to make positive changes in society, this year’s campaign also served as the kickoff to NASW’s 60th anniversary celebration. The social work profession and NASW have helped bring about major positive changes in American society over the past six decades, said NASW CEO Angelo McClain....

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Angelo McClain, Ph.D., LICSW According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 50 percent of Americans will experience some mental health issues over their lifetimes. The most common mental illnesses in the United States are anxiety and mood disorders. In any given year, about 25 percent of adults experience a mental health issue. The estimated impact in terms of loss of productivity in the workplace is approximately $63 billion. Among the estimated 44 million adults and 13.7 million children affected by mental illness, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates that less than half get hel...

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The U.S. Department of Defense named Keita M. Franklin as the new director of the DoD Suicide Prevention Office. The DoD said this action marks the elevation of DSPO leadership to a career senior executive service position and reinforces the department’s commitment to decreasing the incidence of suicide and increasing resiliency across the armed forces. “I am very pleased to have Dr. Franklin take the lead in this very important mission,” Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Jessica Wright said in a statement. Franklin, a licensed clinical social worker, has a Ph.D. in social work from Virginia Commonwea...

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Scholarships, fellowships will advance health care training, education. Social Work HEALS (Healthcare, Education and Leadership Scholars) is a collaborative effort that aims to strengthen the health care social work workforce in the U.S. by awarding social workers at the bachelor’s level and above with scholarships and fellowships that advance their health care training and education. Social Work HEALS is a joint effort by NASW and the Council on Social Work Education that was created in January and made possible by a five-year grant from the New York Community Trust. The grant was awarded to both organizations. “NASW is honore...

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Publication will include important events from association’s history, as part of 60th anniversary celebration this year To commemorate NASW’s anniversary this year, the association is teaming up with a seasoned membership and alumni firm to produce a special 60th anniversary membership directory. The directory will include a multipage section featuring important events in the association’s history, similar to NASW’s online interactive timeline of the past 60 years. Members will also have an opportunity to submit their own text, graphics and photos highlighting their own special moments and celebrations. NASW chapter...

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The recipients of NASW’s 2014 National Awards and the NASW Foundation Recognition Awards were recently announced. A ceremony to honor the seven individuals will be held later this month in conjunction with NASW’s Annual Leadership Meeting in Washington, D.C. NASW National Awards Social Worker of the Year: Ana Bonilla-Galdamez Bonilla-Galdamez is a school social worker at the Alexandria City Public Schools and currently works at the Charles Barrett Elementary School. She created and led a mentorship program that pairs students who need one-on-one attention with a mentor in the community. She also created a parents’ suppor...

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Longtime senator and social worker supports profession U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (photo right), D-Md., a social worker who has served in Congress longer than any other woman in history, announced in early March that she will not seek re-election and will retire in 2016. NASW immediately issued a statement of appreciation to Mikulski for her 38 years of leadership in Congress and for her strong and unwavering support of the social work profession and issues important to social workers. “With almost two years remaining before her final term ends, NASW stands ready to work with Sen. Mikulski in her efforts to enact legislation that be...

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After years of advocacy work, the NASW North Carolina Chapter is celebrating good news for new social work graduates. While Medicaid in the state has directly enrolled and reimbursed licensed clinical social workers, or LCSWs, for about 10 years, Chapter Executive Director Kathy Boyd announced that Medicaid has now agreed to also directly enroll licensed clinical social worker associates, or LCSWAs, who are new graduates working to obtain their LCSWs. The LCSW is a required license in North Carolina for those who wish to practice clinically, Boyd said. The LCSW requires an MSW from a Council on Social Work Education-accredited school of soc...

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Criminal justice system should be focus of reform In her letter to the editor, printed in the February 2015 issue of the NASW News, Phyllis LaVigna states that “NASW’s social action should be focused on our vulnerable population-not police reform.” Events in Ferguson, Mo., and elsewhere clearly demonstrate the vulnerability of black men in the criminal justice system. A review of statistics concerning incarceration further highlights this reality. Given the vulnerability of this population, social workers have a responsibility to address all factors contributing to it and advocate for needed change. It is not only appropr...

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