SOCIAL WORKERS LEADING FOR JUSTICE |
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Hello,
Under normal circumstances we'd be celebrating the end of the formal legislative session, which would've ended July 31. The 2019-2020 formal legislative has now been extended to the end of the calendar year, but I wanted to take a moment to lift up the incredible legislative wins our small but mighty policy team, with your help, has accomplished so far. Between January 2019 and July 2020, we helped sign the following into law:
🏳️🌈 Banning LGBTQ conversion therapy
🧢 Repealing the family welfare cap ("cap on kids")
🐾 Limiting clawbacks on mental health providers
👻 Eliminating insurance company "ghost networks"
🍎 Securing $1M in funding to close the "SNAP gap"
🏘 Establishing a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the COVID-19 emergency
🗳 Expanding voting options in response to COVID-19
As we work to pass the rest of our legislative agenda and get ready for the 2021-2022 legislative session, be sure to sign-up for our Legislative Alert Network (LAN) here to get timely calls to action straight to your inbox.
I also want to remind you that the licensing renewal dates have changed. Now, instead of renewing on October 1 of the even year of the licensing period, you renew on your birthday every two years. Additional details on this below in the Clinical and Private Practice section.
We have many virtual continuing education webinars scheduled for this fall to help you meet your continuing education needs as your own licensing renewal date approaches. We already have 30 CEUs worth of virtual continuing education scheduled this fall, with more in the works! Jump down to the Continuing Education & Events section of this email for additional details or visit naswma.org/CEwebinars.
Be well,
Rebekah
Rebekah Gewirtz
Executive Director
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- Racial Justice
- Membership Hub
- Continuing Education & Events
- Social Work Action Center
- Clinical and Private Practice
- Notes from the Field
- Licensing Test Prep
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Statement on Police Reform & Social Work |
The national police reform conversation increasingly identifies the need to divest resources from police departments to social services and identify alternatives to police, like social workers.
In anticipation of the state-level police reform legislation that is currently being negotiated by the House and Senate, we released this statement on July 13, written by members of our NASW-MA Criminal Justice Committee with in-depth knowledge of the Massachusetts criminal-legal system, highlighting the NASW-MA's response and recommendations on needed police reform.
See the Social Work Action Center below for more on what you can do to help us get the most progressive bill possible signed into law.
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VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
Moving Toward Antiracism: Developing Actions for Social Work Academic Institutions
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With more than a dozen social work programs across the state graduating thousands of BSW and MSW students in Massachusetts each year, this virtual event is designed to move social work schools along in their journeys to become antiracist institutions where racial justice is embedded across all activities, including in hiring, student retention, in classrooms, and at field placements. We will hear from a keynote, a panel discussion featuring decision makers at schools of social work, and participants will have a choice of workshops.
Moving Toward Antiracism will take place Tuesday, August 18, from 9:30 am - 4:00 pm and is for administrators, faculty, and staff at schools of social work in Massachusetts and beyond. Six (6) CEUs available.
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VIRTUAL DISCUSSION
Social Workers for Racial Justice Book Club: White Rage
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Join us for an online discussion of the book White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson on Thursday, August 20, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.
This discussion, worth 2 CEUs, will be facilitated by Gary Bailey, Assistant Dean for Community Engagement and Social Justice and Professor of Practice, Simmons University School of Social Work.
We encourage participants to secure their copy of the book from BIPOC-owned bookstores. See ideas here.
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Join a Member Group - Take Action for Racial Justice |
Help NASW-MA move the needle on racial justice by joining one of our member-led groups that explicitly works on advancing racial justice:
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Legislative Advocacy Committee (LAC) - Social workers determine NASW-MA's legislative agenda, selecting and advocating for policies that enhance professional social worker practice and/or social, economic, and racial justice. Each piece of legislation is examined for its racial justice impact.
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Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) Committee - Social workers participate in the endorsement process for statewide elected offices and social workers running for local office. PACE members also work on the political campaigns of PACE-endorsed candidates. Each candidate seeking NASW-MA’s endorsement must answer questions about their commitment to racial justice.
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Criminal Justice Committee - Social workers work on criminal justice policy by organizing resources and advocacy efforts such as providing testimony and partnering with legislators. The CJC also addresses matters related to clinical practice that exist at the intersection of criminal justice and trauma/substance use/mental health.
Contact Noel Schutz, Membership & Advocacy Manager, to learn more our join any of these member-led groups: [email protected].
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NASW-MA's Globe Letter In Support of Massachusetts Bail Fund |
On July 23, we proudly published a letter in The Boston Globe defending the Massachusetts Bail Fund, an organization founded and led by social workers. Our letter, titled "Mass. Bail Fund is Rooted in Social Justice," can be read here and is in response to an article that painted an unfair picture of the organization's critical work. This letter was written in collaboration with members of our Criminal Justice Committee.
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Get Referrals for Your Practice, Join Therapy Matcher Today! |
Are you an NASW-MA member in private practice? Join Therapy Matcher now to lock-in a new, lower member rate of just $225 per year while accessing personalized referrals designed to make your life easier.
Not an NASW-MA member? Join NASW now and receive introductory membership to Therapy Matcher with personalized referrals for FREE through December 2020!
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Nominate Your Social Work Hero to be Featured in Our Member Highlights! |
We are committed to celebrating the work and commitment of social workers to our communities. Routinely, NASW-MA will highlight nominated social workers across our social media platforms.
In the coming weeks and months we will feature social workers on the frontlines of our duel crisises: COVID-19 and racism.
So far we've highlighted Marie Andrée Pierre-Victor and Carla Monteiro.
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Seeking Student Ambassador for the 2020-2021 Academic Year |
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 opportunities and have the opportunity participate in major NASW-MA events throughout the year.
In addition to boosting your resume, benefits include:
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An opportunity to network and connect with social work students and professionals across the state
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Free admission to NASW-MA events throughout the academic year
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A free License Test Prep Course upon completion of the program, valued at $155
- ...And more!
For more information, contact Noël Schutz, Membership and Advocacy Manager.
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Did You Know Your Region of the State Has a Facebook Group? Virtually Connect with Other Social Workers in Your Region |
Every region of NASW-MA Chapter has its own Facebook group. Join yours today to connect with peers and stay in-the-know about social work happenings and related events in your area!
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In Your Inbox: Social Work Voice
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Later this month you will receive the July/August issue of Social Work Voice.
Highlights from this issue include:
- Legislative Roundup and Fighting Together for Racial Justice
- Leading on Telehealth Advocacy
- Using Our Values to Guide Self-Care
- Flattening the Mental Health Curve During the Pandemic: New Tools for Social Workers
- ...and much more!
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Have an upcoming event, job opening, or other opportunity to share with the social work community? Advertise with us! All ads appear on our website and are published in Social Work Voice. The ad deadline for the September/October issue is August 21. Email Jamie Klufts for more information. |
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CONTINUING EDUCATION & EVENTS |
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Moving Toward Antiracism: Developing Actions for Social Work Academic Institutions
Earn 6 CEUs!
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With more than a dozen social work programs across the state graduating thousands of BSW and MSW students in Massachusetts each year, this virtual event is designed to move social work schools along in their journeys to become antiracist institutions where racial justice is embedded across all activities, including in hiring, student retention, in classrooms, and at field placements. We will hear a keynote from Dean Marianne Yoshioka (Smith School for Social Work), a panel discussion featuring decision makers at schools of social work, and a choice of workshops.
Moving Toward Antiracism will take place Tuesday, August 18, from 9:30 am - 4:00 pm and is for administrators, faculty, and staff at schools of social work in Massachusetts and beyond. Six (6) CEUs available.
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Social Workers for Racial Justice Book Club: White Rage
Earn 2 CEUs!
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Join us for a virtual discussion of the book White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson on Thursday, August 20, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.
This virtual discussion, worth 2 CEUs, will be facilitated by Gary Bailey, Assistant Dean for Community Engagement and Social Justice and Professor of Practice, Simmons University School of Social Work.
We encourage participants to secure their copy of the book from BIPOC-owned bookstores. See ideas here.
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Making the State House Work for You
Earn 1.5 CEUs
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Participants will be given an overview of the Massachusetts legislature, legislative process, how to contact and lobby legislators, as well as how to utilize their offices as a resource for clients. A variety of lobbying techniques and advocacy strategies will be covered. This presentation will also review the historical and current makeup of the legislative body regarding limited diversity (racial, socioeconomic, and educational). We will also discuss the impact of institutional racism in advocacy and legislation, in which disenfranchised groups are disincentivized to participate in civic democracy or engage with legislators.
Presented by Sophie Hansen, LCSW, State Government Relations Manager, Commonwealth Care Alliance
Thursday, September 10, 2020
Virtual
12:00 - 1:30 pm
If you registered for Symposium 2020, you may be eligible to register for this program for free. Please contact [email protected] before registering.
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The Power of Shame
Earn 1.5 CEUs
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Shame is a common sequelae to trauma and often an underlying cause of behaviors that bring people to the attention of helping professionals. This workshop will explore the role shame plays in such behaviors, and cover implications for treatment approaches, and challenges to countertransference management.
Presented by Lynn Sanford, LICSW, Author of Strong at the Broken Places: Building Resiliency in Survivors of Trauma
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Virtual
12:00 - 1:30 pm
If you registered for Symposium 2020, you may be eligible to register for this program for free. Please contact [email protected] before registering.
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The Art of Diagnosis
Earn 1.5 CEUs
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Although a large component of the daily work of social workers is to diagnose psychiatric illnesses, there is little education on how to do that well. This training teaches how to differentially diagnose using specific questions and provides distinct tools that clinicians can use in clinical sessions.
Presented by Jennifer Berton, PhD, LICSW, CADC-II, Founder and Principal Clinician, The Rose Center for Learning
Thursday, September 17, 2020
Virtual
12:00 - 1:30 pm
If you registered for Symposium 2020, you may be eligible to register for this program for free. Please contact [email protected] before registering.
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Let’s Get Physical: The Science of Sexuality and Aging
Earn 3 CEUs
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Jane Fleishman, PhD, MEd, MS, is an AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator. She is on a mission to promote the sexual well-being of older adults in senior living communities as an educator, writer, researcher, podcaster, and blogger. She co-hosts a podcast, www.ourbetterhalf.net with Dr. Rosara Torrisi. She trains staff on sexuality and aging in assisted living communities, senior centers, gerontology, and hospice conferences. She works at the intersection of age, sex, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and class. She believes that sexuality is a human right especially for older adults. Given the societal taboos about discussing sexuality especially when it centers on older adults, this breakout session will offer clinicians a unique opportunity to apply current research and resources to their clinical and administrative practice with older adults. The focus of this highly-interactive breakout session is on improving clinicians’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes around sexuality in their work with an aging population.
This event was planned and organized by NASW-MA's Central Regional Council.
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Virtual
9:00 am - 12:15 pm
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Misery or Mastery (TM): How to Write an Insurance Friendly and Clinically Relevant Treatment Plan
Earn 1.5 CEUs
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Translate your intuition into logical and insurance friendly documentation. Protect your income. Avoid legal nightmares. Learn to implement The Golden Thread to justify medical necessity.
Presented by Beth Rontal, LICSW, Founder and Trainer, Documentation Wizard
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Virtual
12:00 - 1:30 pm
If you registered for Symposium 2020, you may be eligible to register for this program for free. Please contact [email protected] before registering.
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Providing Gender-Affirming Clinical Care: An Introductory Course
Earn 1.5 CEUs
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Providing Gender-Affirming Clinical Care supports therapists with gender diverse clients to provide sensitive, relevant, and insightful counseling and/or medical treatment referrals.
Presented by Dr. Ruben Hopwood, MDiv, PhD, Director, Hopwood Counseling & Consulting, LLC
Thursday, September 24, 2020
Virtual
12:00 - 1:30 pm
If you registered for Symposium 2020, you may be eligible to register for this program for free. Please contact [email protected] before registering.
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Wired to Connect: The Surprising Link Between Brain Science and Strong, Healthy Relationships
Earn 1.5 CEUs
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This workshop will provide an update on the neuroscience of human relationships and will offer concrete strategies to help clinicians work with clients to build stronger neural pathways for connection leading to more rewarding relationships.
Presented by Amy Banks, MD, Author of Wired to Connect:
The Surprising Link Between Brain Science and Strong, Healthy Relationships
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Virtual
12:00 - 1:30 pm
If you registered for Symposium 2020, you may be eligible to register for this program for free. Please contact [email protected] before registering.
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Suitcase Stories: Amplifying Immigrant and Refugee Voices
Earn 1.5 CEUs
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Suitcase Stories® is a signature program of the International Institute of New England that raises the profile of refugees and immigrants while fostering community through the art of storytelling. In this session featuring live performances by guest storytellers, explore how the stories we tell about immigrant and refugee experiences influence how others view their neighbors, and the world.
Presented by Cheryl Hamilton, Director, Suitcase Stories, International Institute of New England
Thursday, October 1, 2020
Virtual
12:00 - 1:30 pm
If you registered for Symposium 2020, you may be eligible to register for this program for free. Please contact [email protected] before registering.
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Save the Date: School Social Work Conference
School Social Work Under Pandemic Conditions: Navigating Our Roles
Earn 5.5 CEUs!
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Online registration is open for our Annual School Social Work Conference. Join us virtually on Friday, October 9. This year's conference will host keynote speakers from the BRYT Program (Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition) to address issues of opportunities, strategies, and challenges for social workers working in school settings at the start of this challenging 2020-21 school year.
Friday, October 9, 2020
Virtual
8:00 am - 3:00 pm
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Social Workers as Advocates for Justice in the Criminal "Justice” System
Earn 1.5 CEUs
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From police arrest to mass incarceration, this seminar will review the inequities of our criminal justice system and the most effective ways for social workers to advocate for their individual clients as well as for systemic change. Additional information will also be provided on opportunities for social workers to be hired by defense attorneys to work on behalf of their clients.
Presented by Norma Wassel, Director of the Social Services Advocates for the Public Defender Division at the Committee for Public Counsel Services
Monday, October 19, 2020
Virtual
12:00 - 1:30 pm
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Latinx Health Disparities: The Covid Effect
Earn 1.5 CEUs
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Description coming
Presented by Yvonne Ruiz, PhD, LICSW, Associate Professor, Salem State University School of Social Work
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Virtual
12:00 - 1:30 pm
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Awards Celebration: Postponed to December 2020 |
Our 47th Annual Awards Celebration has been tentatively postponed to December 1, 2020. We look forward to honoring the contributions of these amazing social workers and allies with you then.
Details and registration coming soon!
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Symposium 2020: Postponed to April 15-16 2021 |
Earlier this spring, we made the decision to POSTPONE Symposium 2020 due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. This is a reminder that if you already registered, all of your registration items, including workshop and intensive selections, will automatically transfer to 2021, at the current cost to attend.
The dates for our postponed conference, which will include our keynote speaker Dr. Joy DeGruy and all 90+ workshops and intensives, is April 15-16, 2021. Please mark your calendars.
Symposium 2020 registrants will receive certain virtual continuing education opportunities listed above for FREE this fall. Contact us for more information: [email protected]
Please feel free to also reach out to [email protected] for more information about Symposium or with any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you at Symposium in 2021!
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Online Continuing Education Available 24/7 through the CE Institute |
Hundreds of web-based continuing education offerings are available to social workers for free or low-cost on NASW's Online CE Institute |
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SOCIAL WORK ACTION CENTER |
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State Health Care/Telehealth Legislation Momentum |
Last week a state-level health care/telehealth bill (HB4888) unanimously passed the House. A version of this bill previously passed the Senate. This bill is very important for social workers in clinical practice as it would extend telehealth pay parity into the future.
The differences between the versions of the bill passed in the different branches will now be ironed out in a conference committee of 3 Senators and 3 Representatives. There is a lot of political will and pressure to see this through. We will update you as advocacy opportunities arise.
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Update on Police Reform Bill |
We've been hard at work lobbying the House and Senate to pass a police reform bill that creates police accountability and advances racial justice. A version of the bill has now passed both the Senate and House and is in conference committee where the differences between the two bills will be negotiated.
You can take action by contacting your state representative or senator and asking them to weigh in with the conference committee in support of a strong police reform bill that would prioritize Black lives by:
- Limiting qualified immunity
- Eliminating the requirement for School Resource Officers (SROs) in schools
- Creating a behavioral health commission that would explore alternatives to police in emergency response, including dispatching teams of social workers in certain instances
- For more provisions we support check out our action alert to our Legislative Alert Network here.
Members of the conference committee are:
Senators: Sonia Chang-Diaz (D-Boston), Will Brownsberger (D-Belmont), Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester)
Representatives: Claire Cronin (D-Easton), Carlos Gonzalez (D-Boston), Timothy Whalen (R-Brewster)
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Pause on Evictions and Foreclosures Extended to October 17 |
The moratorium on evictions and foreclosures we successfully advocated for was due to expire on August 18, but has just been extended to October 17. This is an important housing justice win as we work to mitigate the social and economic toll of COVID-19.
As part of the Emergency Task Force on Coronavirus & Equity we are continuing our advocacy for housing justice by supporting the Housing Stability Act.
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CLINICAL AND PRIVATE PRACTICE |
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BCBSMA Announces Telehealth Payment Parity Beyond COVID-19 |
On July 23, Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA announced that they will now reimburse mental health telehealth sessions at the same rate as in-person visits beyond the current COVID-19 public health emergency. This includes both video and telephonic telehealth services.
Our Director of Clinical Practice and Managed Care Commission have relentlessly advocated for fair telehealth reimbursement during COVID-19 and after.
This announcement is a huge relief for clinical social workers all over the Commonwealth and a major win for clients who rely on telehealth to get the mental health services they need.
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HHS Will Extend the Public Health Emergency Period |
Per a tweet sent by HHS spokesman Michael Caputo, HHS intends to extend the public health emergency (PHE) period by 90 days. The current expiration date was July 25. The new expiration date is October 25. As you know, the telehealth flexibilities under Medicare are attached to this federal PHE. This will be the second extension the agency has provided.
Hopefully, commercial and self-funded plans will also extend their telehealth flexibility period. NASW is reaching out to them to advocate for telehealth permanence. Note that some plans stopped paying for out-of-network telehealth already.
Finally, at least one bill has been introduced in Congress to enable interstate practice flexibility. This would apply to numerous types of clinicians, in addition to clinical social workers. We will provide more information about that soon, including advocacy plans around these bills.
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COVID-19: Practice Guidelines for Reopening Social Work Practices |
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Telemental Health During COVID-19 |
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Our staff are hard at work each day making sure we convey the most up-to-date information to you on the ever-evolving rules and regulations around tele-mental health in response to COVID-19. We update this page routinely as the insurance and health care landscape adapts and changes. Bookmark this page and check back frequently to learn about telehealth and its impacts on your practice during this time.
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Licensing Changes for 2020-2021: Renewal Cycle Changes
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- In the past, all licenses came up for renewal on October 1 in even years.
- From here on, licenses will expire on your birthdate, starting with the first birthday AFTER October 1, 2020.
- Note that this could mean that your next renewal date will be significantly longer than two years from your last, depending on when your birth date falls.
- The number of CEUs will remain the same for each licensee – 30 for LICSWs, 20 for LCSWs, and so on - no matter the length of time between renewals.
- The Board of Registration has not granted any extensions for renewal dates or CEUs at this time.
- MA regulations allow for up to 100% of CEUs to be received through in-person or distance learning.
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Licensing Changes for 2020-2021: Domestic and Sexual Violence Training Requirement for Licensure |
- A new state law, “An Act Relative to Domestic Violence” mandates domestic violence and sexual assault training for social workers and other medical providers.
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The law is often referred to as Chapter 260
- It is a one-time requirement, beginning with this next license renewal cycle.
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DPH has a free online course that fulfills this requirement: https://chapter260training.org/courses/training/
- NASW-MA is expecting to be able to offer an in-person and/or online webinar course that will also fill the requirement
- Currently awaiting DPH approval for a course designed by an expert in the field from Simmons School of Social Work
- We will keep the membership posted as soon as the course becomes available.
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Valuable Member Benefit: Join the NASW-MA Private Practice Google Group |
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 [email protected] with "Join Google Group" in the subject line. |
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11th Annual Asian American Mental Health Forum: Pathways to Access & Mental Wellness
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NASW-MA is a co-sponsor of the 11th Annual Asian American Mental Health Forum: Pathways to Access & Mental Wellness with keynote speaker, Dr. Nhi-Ha Trinh, panelists & afternoon workshops.
9:30am-3:00pm... virtually via Zoom
Saturday, August 15th
(Must register by Monday, August 10th)
As always, the Forum is free. Social Work CEUs are again provided by forum sponsor, NASW-MA, to the delight & thanks of the Forum planners!
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From the Office of the Child Advocate: We All Need Help Sometimes Campaign |
The Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate in partnership with UMass Medical is launching a public information campaign designed to make Massachusetts families aware of state resources that are available to them and encourage struggling families to reach out for help.
If you'd like to be notified when new languages are available, or have any questions about this project, please email: [email protected].
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The Social Work Assistance Network (SWAN) - An NASW-MA Resource for You!
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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.
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Licensing Test Prep Courses in Your Neighborhood |
NASW-MA hosts Licensing Test Prep courses each month in various parts of the state. Upcoming courses include:
- August 5 | VIRTUAL
- September 19 | VIRTUAL
- November 20 | Bridgewater
- December 5 | Springfield
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