NASW News

Profession needs to break down its silos I write in response to Ms. Des Montaignes’s letter (March 2013) regarding the current inadequacies of mental health services for patients and overwhelmed families. In addition to the many fine points she makes, I would add that many social workers who do not directly practice in the mental health field are remarkably undertrained to detect symptoms of anxiety, depression, or suicidal risk. I have devoted much of my career addressing these unfortunate splits in our field. Insurance coverage rewards medications and very short term interventions, when we well know that the combination of though...

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NASW President Jeane Anastas held two speaking engagements in February 2013. On Feb. 18, Anastas was the special guest speaker at San Diego State University, where she presented on workforce trends and job opportunities in social work. Anastas also led an informal discussion of LGBTQIA issues in social work.   “We were extremely honored by her presence,” said Tera Stefani, director of membership and communication at the NASW California Chapter. “I have already received a great deal of positive feedback regarding the time she shared with us; the informal discussion of LGBTQIA issues, dinner, and especially her p...

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Lunchtime Series examines effect of childhood trauma on juvenile justice system involvement. The Lunchtime Series webinar “Use of Trauma Informed Assessments of Youth entering the Juvenile Justice System” explores the impact of early childhood trauma on juvenile justice involvement. The webinar also discusses the need for social workers to become trauma informed and to use a range of assessments that help determine exposure to adverse childhood experiences. “Studies show that young people who have been exposed to childhood trauma have a higher propensity to be in the juvenile justice system,” said Mel Wilson, manage...

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The Connecticut Department of Children and Families and the Connecticut Department of Social Services both agreed to hire social workers with these degrees to fill social work positions at their agencies, as opposed to hiring applicants with degrees in other fields of study. “We used classic social work community organizing methods, and approached this situation from many different angles to get this done,” said Christine Limone, director of political advocacy for NASW-Connecticut. “This is important for the vulnerable families of Connecticut. We made our case that child protective workers who are social workers have bette...

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Group campaigns for lawmakers to pass social work title protection law and create licensing board. NASW’s Guam Chapter celebrated a major victory for social workers and residents in November. The chapter was instrumental in convincing the 31st Guam Legislature to pass social work title protection into law and to create a social work licensing board. Ovita Rebanio Perez (photo above right), president of the NASW Guam Chapter, said a grant from the NASW Social Work Reinvestment Initiative that started in 2008 fueled the campaign to make social work title protection a reality for the U.S. territory, which is located in the western Pacif...

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U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., who is also a social worker, was named chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations in December. She is the first woman to hold the position. The committee has jurisdiction over all discretionary-spending legislation in the Senate. It is one of the most powerful Senate committees, allocating federal funds to numerous government agencies, departments and organizations annually. “With a strong social work and community organization background, Senator Mikulski has been known to push for spending on social programs and expanded federal research,” NASW says in an advocacy blog post. Mikul...

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a final set of regulations that address several key areas under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, which was passed in 2009, some existing HIPAA requirements were amended as the HITECH Act was implemented in phases. The Omnibus Rule, which HHS issued in January, finalizes the HIPAA regulations affected by HITECH and adds new provisions, such as protections for genetic information. NASW Associate Counsel Sherri Morgan said the HIPAA Omnibus Rule addresses areas such a...

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Sponsorship ads will air on NPR during March, and will reach an audience of more than 20 million, said Gail Woods Waller, NASW’s communications director. The promotion of Social Work Month will specifically be heard on the shows “All Things Considered,” “The Diane Rehm Show,” and “Morning Edition.” A Social Work Month toolkit offers a list of 100 ideas for members to use to get the word out. With more than 650,000 social workers in the U.S., reaching out to non-social workers during March is a way for members to network, collaborate and meet new colleagues, Waller said. NASW staff has also drafted...

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NASW hosts third and final session of forum, a highlight of which focused on Title IV-E waivers. The University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill, in partnership with the Children’s Home Society of America, created a three-part discussion series to examine problems in the child welfare system. The third and final part of the series, called “The Wicked Problems of Child Welfare and their Incomplete Solutions,” was hosted at the NASW national office in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 21 and 22. The three parts were: “Innovation and Flexibility: How Can Title IV-E Waiver Authority Best Be Used to...

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NASW offers several new Tools and Techniques and Practice Perspectives for winter 2013: Tools and Techniques Making Interdisciplinary Collaboration Work. Interdisciplinary collaboration can be one of the most rewarding, yet challenging, aspects of social work practice. This resource offers ways for NASW members to work more effectively with other disciplines. Quick Guide for Front Line Social Workers to the Upcoming Changes. This Tools and Techniques gives members a look at what to expect as a result of changes made by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. The guide lists the key changes that social workers sh...

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