NASW News

How much help are social workers to their clients if they are stressed, sick or tired and haven't made time for self-care? Obviously the professional value they have to offer may be compromised, but social workers in particular - professionals who are often trained to focus on the needs of others - often neglect their own well-being. As a result, they may suffer not only in their professional lives, but in their personal lives as well. Social workers and stress. In 2004, NASW conducted a benchmark national study that provided a wide range of information regarding social workers' roles and work environments. The findings pointed to an impend...

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— Lyn Stoesen, News Staff   NASW has recently taken several significant steps in efforts to bolster the public's understanding of the profession through increased involvement with the entertainment industry and by leveraging the considerable communications resources of schools of social work to inform national media outreach. These efforts also tie into the 2009 National Professional Social Work Month, held in March, which focuses on the theme "Purpose and Possibility" [see related story in this issue]. NCN transition In one significant move, the NASW Communications Network has been incorporated as part of the NASW Foundation...

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NASW's Social Work Reinvestment Initiative gained support from other social work organizations in the fall, helping to unify support of the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr., Social Work Reinvestment Act. At the end of September, 81 cosponsors in the U.S. House cosponsored the legislation (H.R. 5447), which proposes to establish a Social Work Reinvestment Commission to study policy issues associated with recruitment, retention, research, and reinvestment in the social work profession. Democratic presidential candidate and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama recently joined colleagues in the Senate in cosponsoring the companion bill (S. 285...

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In recent months, NASW has worked to support efforts to improve long-term care services, including participating in conferences, Capitol Hill briefings and meetings with organizations that promote quality care. "Many aspects of long-term care are integrally related to social work practice," explained NASW Aging Practice Associate Chris Herman. "We continue to advocate policies and research that recognize and advance our professional values." In October, Herman attended a conference offered by NCCNHR: The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (formerly the National Citizen's Coalition for Nursing Home Reform) on quality care. N...

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NASW Pioneer® Margery Carpenter was recognized by the International Council on Social Welfare at its 80th anniversary in Tours, France. She was honored for the many years of leadership and service provided to the organization. Carpenter has attended 18 of the 22 conferences. She has been a volunteer coordinator of the U.S. Council, ICSW, for many years.   Loren Gelberg-Goss (no photo) was quoted in the Bend Bulletin in Bend, Ore., in a story about how the roles of aunts and uncles have changed in recent years. The story mentioned Bend residents Kyle and Heidi Weaver who spend several days each week with their niece Morgan, 6, and ...

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Remember Crime Victims I read with interest your article about offender reentry ["Conference Examines Prisoner Reentry," February]. I do believe that communities and social workers must get on board to assist in the safe and successful reentry of released offenders, but you seem to have forgotten about the innocent victims of these offenders' crimes. When we talk about offender reentry, one of the points we must consider is making sure that we are providing services and safety to the offenders' victims. If victims and victim-service providers are not at the table, we are not serving anybody well. I have spent over 33 years in corrections &...

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NASW's Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) staff and volunteers were planning to reach out to members until the final days of this year's energized and historic race for the presidency. PACE is the political action arm of NASW. As a political action committee, PACE endorses and financially contributes to federal candidates from any party who support NASW's policy agenda. Earlier this year, PACE trustees endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. In an effort to assist social workers in understanding the difference in platforms between Obama and his challenger, Republican presidential candidate John McCain, NASW PAC...

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The U.S. Council on International Social Welfare hosted a steering committee meeting in honor of its lead organization, the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW), at NASW's national office in January. The U.S. Council on International Social Welfare serves as the U.S. chapter of ICSW, a group that represents a wide range of national and international member organizations and seeks to advance social welfare, social development and social justice. ICSW works closely with its sister international organizations, the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW). Ove...

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— Lyn Stoesen, News Staff   NASW's Legal Defense Fund has filed a number of friend-of-the-court briefs that address legal issues of concern to social workers. NASW joined a brief related to the testimony of clinical social workers as sentence mitigation specialists as well as a brief related to civil rights remedies in peer sexual harassment cases. The association also filed a brief supporting gay and lesbian parents who seek court review of child custody matters. The LDF also filed a brief asking the United States Supreme Court to accept a case addressing psychotherapist-patient privilege, and another in the Ohio Supreme Court ...

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NASW's Legal Defense Fund Board of Trustees voted in November to approve a grant request for legal fees to a social worker involved in a case in which he declined to release client records without a custodial parent's consent. The board approved a grant of $2,391 to NASW Illinois Chapter member Brian Klaung. Klaung requested the funds to aid with legal fees after legal action was filed against him by the noncustodial mother of two minors who received Klaung's services. Klaung had filed a child abuse report, identifying the mother as the abuser. The mother's attorney subpoenaed Klaung's records, but Klaung did not provide the documents becau...

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