Winter Issue 2024

Section Connection Newsletter Explores Foster Care, Anti-Racism

Articles in the latest SPS Section Connection newsletter include a personal story about one person's journey in the foster care system, and a look at the need for self-reflection regarding racism.

Holistic Defense Advocates

Holistic Defense Advocates are social workers embedded in a public defender's office to support a hoistic defense to the court. The goal is to lower a defendant's charges and to encourage community-based treatment.

Sex Offender Registries Can Produce Unintended Consequences

"The existing public registry system has not produced proof of its effectiveness in reducing sexual offenses or in positively affecting the lives of people listed on their database," writes Lee King, DCC, LCSW, a member of the SPS Social Work and the Courts committee.

Mental Health Concerns Increase

An article from the School Social Work SPS committee explores increases in mental health concerns for young people, and how school social workers can help.

How to Retain Millennials in the Social Work Profession

Millennials are looking for better, more open communication between employees and managers and a respectful wotk environment.

QMB Program Helps Medicare Beneficiaries With Limited Income Pay For Services

NASW resource helps soical workers who work with clients in the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program.

NASW Reviews CMS Proposed Policy Change on Fees

The association submitted a 23-page letter last year to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding payments under the Physician Fee Schedule.

Guide Helps Social Workers Connect People to Health Insurance Coverage Through ACA Marketplace

Those who will lose, or have already lost, Medicaid or CHIP coverage, can apply on the ACA Marketplace.

Chapters Battle Book Bans: Different States, Different Laws

Missouri, Texas and Florida chapters discuss book bans in their states and what they are doing to combat them.

NASW-New Jersey: Honoring Native American Heritage

The New Jersey Chapter offered a program to explore the experiences of Native American trauma and resilience.

NASW-New Mexico: The Big Conversation

This chapter program explored the origins, mechanisms and meaning of sex/gender differences.

NASW-California: Working With LGBTQ+ Community

The California Chapter launched a new group for members who work with the LGBTQ+ community to share resources, find support and build community.

NASW-North Dakota: Effective Group Supervision

This program focused on the basics of clinical supervision in a group format and examined the purpose and function of supervision.

Chapter Conferences

Upcoming chapter conferences

Editor's Note

Change can be good: Social Work Advocates moves to a quarterly publication schedule in 2024 and adds more content.

Social Work Priorities Part of Senate Bill

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee advances key social work priorities as part of the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act.

World Social Work Day Promotes Life in Harmony

Buen Vivir: Shared Future for Transformative Change is the theme for World Social Work Day 2024, which will be celebrated on March 19.

NASW-Ohio Director Receives Excellence Award

Danielle Smith, who leads NASW's Ohio Chapter, received the Excellence in a State Issue Campaign award for her work in the state's fight against bans on abortion and gender-affirming care.

NASW's Sarah Butts to Serve on Student Loan Relief Commission

The Biden-Harris adminstration appointed NASW's director of public policy to serve on the Student Loan Relief Commission.

NASW Attends Launch of Senate Mental Health Caucus

The U.S. Senate Mental Health Caucus will work to find bipartisan solutions for the nation's mental health crisis.

Mattel Honors Social Worker With Doll

NASW Social Work Pioneer® Wilma Mankiller inspired the creation of a Barbie doll in her honor for her fearless work to speak up for Indigenous and human rights.

Social Work Pioneers Learn About New Challenges, Community-Building

The NASW Foundation inducted 25 social workers into its Pioneers program in 2023, and honored them during an event in Washington, D.C.

BSW Student Board Representative Wants to Pursue Law and Social Work

Hana Kisswani is enrolled in the BSW/JD program at Seton hall University in New Jersey. She says she wants to "integrate law and social work and do nonprofit work with juveniles."

Montana Board President Has Seen Chapter Grow Under His Leadership

Gavin Wisdom, who formed a committee to find a new Montan Chapter executive director, says the chapter now has a full board for the first time in six years, inclduing a "wonderful" ED, Nathan Stahley.

Trust-Building is Key in Helping Black Male Youth Raised in Public Systems

Book stresses the importance of listening to the concerns of Black youth.

Self-Care Among Updates to Latest Edition of Ethical Standards in Social Work

The book includes up-to-date references to pertinent literature and new case examples that help social workers apply the Code of Ethics to a range of challenging circumstances.