Thank you for your membership with NASW. Take a look at our upcoming Chapter events in September 2024 and beyond. Read more about the 2024 Conference, upcoming webinars (earn CEs!), national and state updates, and more. Welcome to all of new and continuing social work students as the new school year commences!

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!

The 2024 NASW-WA Conference will occur this week in Airway Heights, WA at the Northern Quest Resort & Casino. Social workers will have the opportunity to network and learn together during this unique event. Many thanks to the Conference Planning Committee for organizing the conference, choosing speakers, and working hard to make this happen!

Special thanks to this year's sponsors -- their generous support helped offset the costs and provided a valuable way to connect organizations and schools of social work.

Our hope is to have future in-person and hybrid opportunities for social workers to continue to build connections. Stay tuned!

Legislative Updates

The Chapter's Legislative Action Committee (LAC) continues to meet in advance of the 2025 Legislative Session in Washington. E2SHB 2247 requires the Washington Department of Health (DOH) to study and make recommendations on changing the disciplining authority for master's level behavioral health professionals from the Secretary to separate boards or commissions for each profession. The Secretary's findings and recommendations must, at a minimum, include whether the disciplining authority for each profession should be a board or a commission; the recommended membership of each board or commission, which must include a majority of members who are members of the regulated professions and at least one public member; an estimate of the fiscal impact of changing the disciplining authority for the professions; and a transition plan for changing the disciplining authorities, including recommended statutory changes.

The same bill includes provisions that make changes to continuing education, allowing the Department of Health Secretary to set continuing education requirements for professions. NASW-WA is seeking input from social workers to inform our comments. We anticipate that professions will recommend a significant transition by proposing to shift the licensed social workers advisory board to a governing board. This change would empower social workers in Washington State to have a more direct influence on decisions impacting their profession and licensure. Currently, the advisory board lacks authority over licensure matters, and recently continuing education was moved from statute to rule which allows DOH to determine continuing education requirements. A governing board (such as that for the Psychology Board), on the other hand, would have the ability to enact rules and practices that significantly affect the social work field including discipline and continuing education requirements. Governing boards also typically have public members and professional members (those would be licensed social workers). 

By allowing licensed social workers to play a pivotal role in decision-making processes, NASW-WA aims to enhance the profession and advance professionalism in social work practice.

Your feedback on this proposed transition is crucial in shaping the future of social work in Washington State. Please take a moment to respond to our poll here.

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 meet and make decisions on campaign donations in the months ahead of November!

Our National PACE made an initial round of endorsements for Congressional seats and the President. Read more here. There are more national endorsements to come!

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!

DOH Policy Updates

The Washington Department of Health (DOH) continues to implement legislation from the last two years, including working to decrease barriers to the behavioral health workforce. Please take a moment to review the notice from DOH below:

Thank you to those who were able to attend the Department of Health feedback sessions regarding the draft recommendations for rule and statute changes that would reduce licensing barriers to entering or remaining in behavioral health professions. If you were not able to attend, we would still like to hear from you! Below is a link to the recommendations, and a link to a survey to help us gather data on your feedback. The last two sessions are being processed and will be posted on our website.

We would appreciate your response to the survey whether or not you were able to attend one of the feedback sessions. They survey is anonymous and closes September 10th at midnight. You will be able to indicate your level of support or opposition to the draft recommendations, and provide feedback on the process the department has used to engage with you in this work.

Link to survey

Link to recommendations

For those who have questions regarding the recommendation to create an alternate pathway for the LICSW exam. The Department was tasked with a specific scope in section 5 of 1724 to review and make recommendations on the exam specifically for the Social Work profession. Because of this and the documented barriers with the national exam for social work the recommendation does not include exam alternatives for the other behavioral health professions.

We appreciate your time and sharing your feedback! If you have any trouble accessing the survey or any questions, please contact Brandon Williams at 1724publiccomment@doh.wa.gov.

Social Work Licensure Compact has been enacted multiple states and has reached activation status, however interstate compact licenses are not available yet. The implementation process for the compact will take 12 to 24 months according to the Council of State Governments.

The Compact also establishes a Commission, which includes delegates from each state's regulatory authority that work to set up an infrastructure for the interstate compact licenses. The first meeting of the Commission will occur on September 17, 2024. For more details on how to attend this public meeting, click here.

National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month in 2024 will be celebrated from September 15 to October 15. The month-long observance recognizes the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latina/o/x Americans to the United States. Read the President's Proclamation here.

Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month at https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/

Award Nominations Open for Social Work Month 2025! 

Each March, NASW-WA honors the accomplishments of social workers and community members during our Social Work Month Celebration.

Do you know someone who should be recognized? Nominations are open for our 2025 Awards! Read the award descriptions and more online here.

Once you are ready to nominate, click the "Award Nomination Form" button to submit a nomination! Please submit your nomination by January 31, 2025.

VOTE in Elections This November!

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: 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:

September is National Suicide Prevention Month

The National Association of Social Workers recognizes National Suicide Prevention Month. Social workers play a vital role in treating and supporting those impacted by suicide. This announcement provides resources to assist social workers in their suicide prevention efforts. Please visit the Tips and Tools for Social Workers webpage at https://www.socialworkers.org/Practice/Tips-and-Tools-for-Social-Workers/National-Suicide-Prevention-Month

Social Workers Can Help with The Substance Use Crisis

The role of social workers in substance use treatment is multifaceted, and they possess the necessary skills, knowledge, and educational resources to offer psychosocial services to individuals, families, and communities that may be experiencing substance use problems. Social workers are important healthcare providers in assisting individuals with substance use disorders as they help remove barriers to treatment. (Read more: https://www.socialworkers.org/Practice/Tips-and-Tools-for-Social-Workers/Social-Workers-Can-Help-with-The-Substance-Use-Crisis)

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!