Thank you for your membership with NASW. Take a look at our upcoming Chapter events in August 2024. Read more about the 2024 Conference, upcoming webinars (earn CEs!), national and state updates, and more.

Please note that the Chapter has updated its email address associated with our mass emailing platform. We will now send Chapter emails from info.naswwa@socialworkers.org; please add this email and the socialworkers.org domain to your address book or safe senders list.

Jeremy Arp, MSW, ACSW

Executive Director, NASW-WA

(he/him)

See You at the 2024 NASW-WA Statewide Conference!

Social Workers: You are invited to the 2024 NASW-WA Conference scheduled for Sept. 19-21, 2024, hosted at the picturesque Northern Quest Resort Casino near Spokane. Explore enriching keynotes, engaging sessions, and the opportunity to earn 12 CEs. RSVP now to secure your spot and discover more about our esteemed speakers here.

Join us for professional growth and networking opportunities tailored for social workers in Washington State. Registration is open through August 29, 2024 -- Save your spot today!

Sponsorship opportunities are still available - Please do reach out if you have any questions!

Legislative Updates

The Legislative Action Committee did not meet in July, but will commence meetings this month. The LAC meets monthly to prepare for the upcoming legislative session and to plan our Chapter's annual Policy Conference event. The LAC will send out a survey soon to get member's input regarding some of the items that passed in 2024, including E2SHB 2247, which continues the legislature's work to decrease barriers to the behavioral health workforce. One provision (in Sec. 21) outlines that the Department of Health Secretary shall study and make recommendations on changing the disciplining authority for professions regulated under chapter 18.225 RCW to separate boards or commissions for each profession. The LAC meets in August to finalize a survey seeking our Chapter member's input to help clarify our Chapter's position. If you have thoughts you'd like to share with the Chapter, please reach out to Jeremy Arp at jarp.naswwa@socialworkers.org.

Social Work Licensure Compact Update

NASW, NASW Chapters, and partners worked to pass Social Work Compact legislation in 2023 and 2024. More states will work to pass legislation in their states in 2025. In preparation for the work to set up the Compact's functionality, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced the Licensure Portability Grant Program investment in a multi-state social worker licensure compact (read the July 16 HSS announcement here). 



The work ahead includes set up of the Commission, the governing body made up of states who have joined the compact. The Commission is responsible for creating regulations that administer and govern the compact. The Council of State Governments (CSG) maintains a website that outlines the Commission's scope and will feature upcoming meeting schedules. CSG outlines:

The Social Work Compact reached activation status in April 2024. The Compact Commission will convene for the first time in September 2024. After the initial meeting, the Commission will continue to adopt rules and bylaws to carry out the compact and determine the process for creating a shared data system among member states. The Commission hopes to begin taking applications in the Fall 2025.

NASW-WA will share any updates, including any calls for comments, as they are available. We look forward to the work ahead!

DOH Policy Updates

DOH Rulemaking Workshop: Continuing Education (08/23/2024)

NASW-WA shares rulemaking notices as received from the Washington Department of Health. Please review the notice below regarding rulemaking related to continuing education. 

As part of the recommendations to the Washington State Legislature, the Department of Health is hosting a rulemaking workshop focusing on continuing education for the master’s level counselors. The focus of this conversation will be reducing barriers within continuing education. Please join the Department with the links below as we host a rulemaking workshop to discuss potential language (click here for the notice).

NASW-WA PACE Endorsements

The Chapter's Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) committee actively engages in endorsing candidates for the Primary and General elections. The committee made preliminary endorsements for statewide and legislative candidates in June and July. PACE members will continue to review the Primary results and make decisions on campaign donations in the months ahead of November!

If you share our commitment to supporting worthy candidates, we invite you to contribute to PACE's efforts by making a donation. Stay tuned for further updates and ways to get involved!

VOTE in Elections This November!

Thank you to all who voted in the Primary Elections on August 6th! NASW-WA reminds you to register to vote and to participate in the General Elections! Click here to register to vote today! 

NASW-WA supports voter engagement work through Voting is Social Work! Here are some tips to help you get involved:

REGISTER and “pledge to participate” at www.votingissocialwork.org. 

LEARN about the many resources that Voting is Social Work offers. To access online resources, click here.

ZOOM FORMAT: An Hour with Private Practice: Questions & Answers

NASW Members Only...FREE

When: Third Friday of the Month 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. ET

An Hour with Private Practice (HOPP): Questions & Answers is a free members-only question-and-answer session that provides members with important clinical social work updates affecting the delivery of mental health services in a private solo or group practice. Join us in 2024 to take part in the discussion, ask questions, and comment on private practice topics.

Next Session: August 2024 - No meeting

Friday, September 20, 2024 (12 - 1 pm ET) 9 - 10 am PST

“Best Documentation Practices: Artificial Intelligence, Medicaid, Private Insurers, Medicare…….”  

Presenter:  Mirean Coleman, LICSW, CT - NASW Director of Clinical Practice

Register in advance for this meeting.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Tips & Tools:

Attention Clinical Social Workers Who Are Optum Providers. Optum Behavioral Health Care has informed NASW that a second wave of recovery overpayments will take place between August 2-8, 2024.The recovery may impact clinical social workers who are Optum Behavioral Health Care providers and provided services to Medicare Advantage Plan beneficiaries and were reimbursed incorrectly at 100 percent of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Physician Fee Schedule. The recovery seeks 25 percent of the 100 percent reimbursement. The Social Security Act, Section 1833 (a)(1)(F), confirms that clinical social workers are paid 75 percent of the physician fee schedule.

Clinical Practice Information Survey Requires Your Immediate Completion. NASW and the American Medical Association, with assistance from Mathematica, are leading a national Clinical Practice Information survey of clinical social workers and other healthcare professionals to collect updated and accurate data on practice costs and the hours of patient care that social workers provide. The data is important to ensuring fair and accurate payment. The survey has been endorsed by over 170 medical societies and associations.

Virtual Professional Development Opportunities for Social Workers in Aging

NASW regularly collaborates with federal agencies and national organizations to enhance service delivery to older adults and to advance public policy benefitting older people. Professional development programming represents one strategy to achieve these goals. This document describes several virtual, national-level professional development programs that are relevant to social workers and offered by organizations with which NASW collaborates. Each program is free, and continuing education credits are not available. Programs are listed from most to least recent and include information about on-demand access.

Call for Presenters

Are you interested in presenting a workshop for NASW-WA? We have an open call for presenters for our ongoing continuing education series held throughout the year (live, virtual, or recorded).

Click here for more information about what we're looking for!

Chapter Classifieds

NASW-WA offers a space on our website for text-only classified ads. Go to: https://naswwa.socialworkers.org/Membership/Classifieds.

Stay up to date on the newest NASW-WA Continuing Education courses!