Monthly News & Updates

SPECIAL FEATURE

Caption: Front and center, NASW-MO Executive Director Cassie E. Brown testifies in front of the Missouri House Healthcare Reform Committee.

On January 23, NASW-MO Executive Director, Cassie E. Brown, testified in coalition with mental health professional provider organizations and others in favor of audio-only telehealth, supporting Rep. Melanie Stinnett’s bill, HB 1907 in the House Healthcare Reform Committee.

Brown says, “The mental health professional organizations, including NASW-MO, MOPA, MMHCA, and the Missouri School Psychologists, have begun meeting together regularly to find points of connection in our organizations.” MOPA is the Missouri Psychological Association and MMHCA is the Missouri Mental Health Counselors Association.

Ethically Speaking



Boundaries and the NASW Code of Ethics

Boundaries have different meanings, depending on context. Boundaries may be professional or personal and may overlap. Choosing not to give a personal cell phone number to a client is both a professional and a personal boundary.  Not answering the phone during a client session is a professional boundary. Some boundaries have more flexibility, and some are based on personal decision-making. A boundary may be choosing not to stay at work, after hours, every day because of the pressure to complete more work.  Some boundaries are mandates. The National Association of Social Workers (2021) makes it clear that, “under no circumstance” should a social worker have a romantic or sexual relationship with a client.