NASW News

After months of engaging stakeholders, including social workers, to develop a national strategy, the Obama administration in July announced its strategic plan to effect a 25 percent reduction in the annual number of new HIV infections in the U.S. by the year 2015. Right now, an estimated 56,300 Americans are infected each year with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. To lower that number to 42,225 in the next five years, the White House wants to reallocate funding and refocus prevention efforts toward those at highest risk of being infected — namely minorities, substance abusers and men who have sex with men. “Not every person or g...

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NASW’s Luisa Lopez, Rebecca Myers, Elizabeth J. Clark and Robert Carter Arnold attended the global conference in Hong Kong. NASW was part of a June gathering of more than 2,500 social workers from more than 110 countries charged with drafting a global social work action plan for the future. The three leading global social work organizations — The International Federation of Social Workers, the International Association of Schools of Social Work and the International Council on Social Welfare — endorsed an agenda June 14 in Hong Kong during the 2010 Joint World Conference of Social Work and Social Development: The Agenda...

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Lynn Paltrow, National Advocates for Pregnant Women Treatment — rather than persecution — for people with substance use disorders was the common message conveyed by speakers at a Capitol Hill briefing on drug policy reform. NASW was a partnering sponsor of New Directions: A Public Health and Safety Approach to Drug Policy, which brought social workers, educators, law enforcement and advocates of drug policy reform to Washington in June. U.S. Rep. Robert Scott, D-Va., said the time is right for a fresh look at U.S. drug policy, including drug conviction incarcerations. “Rehabilitation ... costs less than just locking ...

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NASW staff coordinate the webinar production for the first-ever Meet the Authors Book Chat at the national office. From left: Rochelle Wilder, project coordinator, professional development; Stephanie Chambers, manager of credentialing and continuing education; and Yvette Mulkey, Specialty Practice Sections manager. NASW Specialty Practice Sections (SPS) and NASW Press partnered to present the first Meet the Authors Book Chat in a webinar format. “We wanted to partner with NASW Press’s great books that are practice-specific,” said Yvette Mulkey, SPS manager for professional development and marketing. Lisa M. O’Hear...

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June 2010 Board's Action Context Finance Received the financial reports for the period ending May 31, 2010. As of May 31, NASW’s total asset position was $14.4 million. Overall, assets increased by $123,000 compared to the same time last year. The increase was attributed to the increased value of investments by $574,000 compared to May 31, 2009. For the 11 months ending May 31, total revenu...

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NASW’s 2009 InterSections in Practice annual bulletin about social workers and the military has won the 2010 APEX Award for Publication Excellence. This is the fourth time a Specialty Practice Sections publication has won the award. “I’m particularly proud of the 2009 annual bulletin (PDF), but the honor goes to everyone who had a hand in putting it together,” said NASW Specialty Practice Sections Manager Yvette Mulkey. She said both social workers in the military and those who work with servicemembers contributed. SPS members can access the award-winning issue, which explores the emotional effects of war on servicem...

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The NASW National Board of Directors’ Executive Committee approved the sanctioning of Patricia Caruana on June 25, 2010, based on a self-report and a subsequent report submitted by colleagues to the Maryland Chapter. According to the self-report, Caruana developed a personal and sexual relationship with a client participating in couples therapy. Caruana terminated services with the client and later terminated services with the client’s partner after being confronted by the partner. The National Ethics Committee (NEC) Intake Subcommittee reviewed the matter and accepted it for adjudication. The committee determined the scope of the...

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David K. Mineta (no photo) was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate in June to be deputy director of demand reduction for the Office of National Drug Control Policy. NASW wrote a confirmation endorsement letter to lawmakers on behalf of Mineta earlier this year. According the ONDCP, Mineta oversees ONDCP’s Office of Demand Reduction, which focuses on promoting drug prevention and drug treatment programs, as well as the agency’s newly created programs for individuals in recovery from addiction. Richard Gil Kerlikowske, director of the ONDCP, said Mineta’s “appointment underscores this administration’s and th...

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From the Director It is no secret that it has been a difficult year so far. Our nation has been struggling in a variety of ways, and individuals, families and communities have suffered as a result. Social workers are facing serious challenges that threaten our ability to serve our clients. These challenges include external forces such as the economic collapse, political issues such as reforming our health care system, and internal concerns including workforce challenges. From Frances Perkins to Dorothy Height, social workers have historically provided an important voice to overcome these problems. To address our current issues, we must r...

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End-of-life care can entail numerous issues and emotions — not only for the client, but also for the client’s family and caregivers. Because of its complexity, the “timing is definitely right for social workers to collectively convene and address critical issues in end-of-life care from our own perspective,” said NASW Executive Director Elizabeth J. Clark. NASW will bring together social workers skilled in end-of-life and palliative care for its second annual practice conference, “Social Work’s Critical Role in End-of-Life Care,” Aug. 3-4 in Boston. “We are creating a platform for candid an...

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