Federal Budget Targets SNAP, Medicaid, ACA, Housing By Josette Keelor, News contributor The Trump administration has proposed $763 billion in budget cuts over the next 10 years. These cuts would repeal the Affordable Care Act and eliminate the Medicaid expansion, as well as greatly change how the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) functions and set up work requirements for many who receive government subsidies — all programs that affect the people social workers strive to help. For now, these are all what-ifs, because luckily for those who rely on supplemental government assistance, the U.S. House of Representa...

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Americans do not view money positively. In fact, 62 percent count it as a source of stress, according to the American Psychological Association's 2017 Stress in America Survey. Rita Wolfsohn U.S. News & World Report reported on this trend and interviewed NASW member Reeta Wolfsohn for its article on the subject.   One important step in practicing financial self-care is to "reframe a negative thought into a positive thought," said Wolfsohn, president of the Center for Financial Social Work, based in Asheville, N.C.  "A lot of people get stuck because they've made really poor financial decisions,...

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Angelo McClain, PhD, LICSW NASW Chief Executive Officer The July 2018 issue of the NASW News marks the end of a 63-year era. Since its inception in 1955, NASW has published the NASW News. For many of us, the News has been our connection to the broader profession and our primary means of obtaining news about our professional association. In August, we will launch Social Work Advocates, a magazine format for delivering news about NASW and providing more in-depth feature stories and news articles. The things that are familiar to readers of NASW News will still be included in Social Work Advocates. Transitioning from the news...

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More member-only content in this month’s issue: NASW says goodbye to the News New online platform will enhance member communication NASW, Foundation awards honor eight NASW launches Online CE Institute Foundation disaster fund raises $30,000 for hurricane regions NASW members, read the full digital edition of the July 2018 NASW News.

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Transferring information about your social work license from state to state may be less of a strain in coming years. According to Mary Jo Monahan, CEO of the Association of Social Work Boards, professional licensing portability and social work practice mobility is catching up with 21st century technology. "We're living in a mobile society," she said. "Social workers move. Clients move as well." Because of this, ASWB — the nonprofit organization dedicated to social work regulation — is making strides to implement social work practice mobility from state to state a faster, smoother and possibly cheaper process. The A...

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More member-only content in this month’s issue: Voter engagement teach-in on Capitol Hill to take place during NASW national conference NASW bimonthly magazine launches in August Report spurs efforts to stop child maltreatment deaths ASWB works to streamline practice mobility Commission makes headway in advancing macro practice National Academies reaches funding goal for study NASW members, read the full digital edition of the June 2018 NASW News.

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When a refugee from a civil war in her home country was charged with terrorism, the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Alexandria, Va., defended her against the charge. “In her case, it was really important that a social worker was on it because there was such a large component of cultural competency in it,” said Tameka S. Parker, BS, MSW, who then was a mitigation investigation intern at the federal public defender’s office. “The cultural competency was: to her, she was not doing anything wrong. She was charged with terrorism because she sent medical supplies — gauze pads — to an organization deem...

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President Trump’s urging to deport the estimated 11 million people in the U.S. who are undocumented is causing fear among immigrant communities, according to an article in Time magazine. The new approach has led to a boom of new arrests. “When everyone’s a target, no one is safe,” said NASW member Luis Zayas, dean of the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin, who was interviewed for the story. The article also focused on the trauma children of undocumented immigrants face. A number of recent research papers have reported that the prospect of losing one’s parent can inflict ...

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As I am writing this column, the spring semester is winding down and I have a few minutes to reflect on recent events. The theme that emerges is the leadership demonstrated by young people in social advocacy efforts. The students of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School have kept up their efforts and have been joined by many more students across the country. They have worked with great intention to maintain the focus on gun safety in our schools and in our country, and found their voices in a cause that touches many Americans. At the end of April, I had the opportunity to participate in a Healthcare Education and Leadership S...

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More member-only content in this month's issue: Preconference workshop will focus on reframing elder abuse NASW launches podcast during Social Work Month Survey shows good job market for MSWs Congressional briefing looks at school violence Ohio students gain hands-on social work experience NASW members, read the full digital edition of the May 2018 NASW News.

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