On May 28th at 12:00 pm, NASW-MA will be hosting its inaugural Membership Open House. Come to learn about membership benefits, ask questions, and network with other social workers. Registration coming soon! Questions? Contact: nschutz.naswma@socialworkers.org.

Are you a BSW or MSW student looking to get more involved with NASW-MA? Apply to become a Student Ambassador! Student Ambassadors serve as liaisons between NASW-MA and their schools of social work. Student Ambassadors help keep students informed about current advocacy campaigns and have the opportunity participate in major NASW-MA events throughout the year.

For more information, contact Noël Schutz, LCSW, Membership and Advocacy Manager. 

Learn more and apply here! Deadline to apply is August 2, 2021.

Contact us at chapter.naswma@socialworkers.org to get virtual access details for any of these meetings or view our calendar at naswma.org/events.

Presented by Sherry Cohen, MEd, LICSW

Presented by David Nefussy & Lisa Blanchard

This series of 3 webinars will be a safe space for clinicians of color to learn the first steps to developing a private practice. Hear from clinicians who have successfully developed part-time and full-time practices. Topics will include defining your practice, payment options, effective and efficient documentation and more. 1.5 CEUs for each session.

Join the Central Region for a discussion on The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah.

Hundreds of web-based continuing education offerings are available to social workers for free or low-cost on NASW's Online CE Institute, including many of the webinars related to COVID-19 that NASW-MA offered earlier this year.

If you would like to provide testimony for any of our legislative priority bills this session, please complete this form. There is no limit to the amount of bills you can sign-up for. Legislative committees usually accept in-person and written testimony. However, due to the ongoing pandemic, we anticipate that committees will likely be accepting written testimony only. We will contact you when hearings begin to let you know what options there are to provide testimony.

The new legislative session began in January. This session we are prioritizing 9 bills that support our mission to advance professional social work practice throughout the Commonwealth and advocates for equity and justice for all people. Please ask your legislators to co-sponsor any of our bills, by visiting our action center and sending pre-drafted emails asks to your state senator and state representative.

Did you hear the news? Therapy Matcher received a state grant of $50,000! That is enabling us to dramatically reduce the membership fee for the 2021-2022 year to only $95! Join now, before the official start of the year in July. Referrals are pouring in, and we can send screened and personalized referrals to your practice. Join a community of private practitioners and take advantage of networking opportunities with fellow clinicians. Contact Barbara Burka to discuss or go to naswma.org/therapymatcher. 

In order to be compliant, you can take a FREE course through DPH, worth 2 CEUs: chapter260training.org/courses/training.

The Private Practice Google Group is an exclusive member benefit powered by social work colleagues from across the state and NASW-MA. By signing up you'll receive timely updates from your colleagues about ethics, billing and insurance, and other critical private practice issues. You can also pose your own questions to the group to crowd source answers from colleagues. NASW-MA also uses this platform to send important clinical alerts to members.

Sign up to join the group by sending an email to chapter.naswma@socialworkers.org with "Join Google Group" in the subject line.

This year’s Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) aims to support approximately 130 providers who commit to four years of practice at an eligible organization with awards up to $50,000. Please note, this will be the last opportunity to apply for student loan repayment under the MassHealth DSRIP Statewide Investments Program. This final application cycle includes 50 slots dedicated to Master’s prepared unlicensed behavioral health providers in community-based behavioral health organizations who intend to become licensed in the next year. Click here for program details and information on how to apply. Applications are due by June 7, 2021 at 5:00 pm EST. An informational presentation was recorded for this program. It can be accessed here.

NASW-MA member SuMing Sullivan, LICSW, will be facilitating an 8-session Racial Healing Group for people of Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent who wish to unpack their racial identity. The group will begin in mid-May and will meet virtually on Mondays from 12:00 -1:30 pm. Download the flyer here.

For additional information or to register, please email SuMing: sumingsullivanlicsw@gmail.com.

Learn more here.

The Social Workers Assistance Network (SWAN) is a NASW Massachusetts Chapter-sponsored colleague assistance program. SWAN provides professional consultation and referral to any social worker who may be experiencing personal issues that could impact their personal or professional lives. These difficulties may include stress due to the Covid-19 pandemic, chemical dependence, depression, anxiety, marital and family issues, and concern for a colleague. The SWAN Commission is comprised of volunteer social workers who are committed to assisting their colleagues. SWAN is a confidential service. All contacts and information shared is privileged and private. Learn more about this service and member benefit here.

NASW invites professional social workers to participate in the development of the 13th edition of Social Work Speaks. We plan to revise 23 policy statements over the next 3 years. Ideal candidates will include social work practitioners and faculty who have practice experience and expertise in statement topics. Social workers of color, LGBTQIA+ people, those with disabilities and others with lived experiences, being part of marginalized communities, are encouraged to apply. Prospective authors can apply https://www.socialworkers.org/swspeaksauthors. Apply by May 10, 2021.

In collaboration with the Department of Defense, The Council of State Governments (CSG) is partnering with the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), and other organizations representing social work, including NASW, to develop an interstate compact for licensure portability. Recognizing both the importance and complexity of social work licensure, CSG has gathered a team of leaders and experts from our nation’s top professional organizations to discuss the background and importance of this project. You are invited to join state leaders, subject matter experts, and members of the profession for a robust conversation on the future of social work licensure and mobility on May 20, 2021 at 2:00 pm.