Thank you for your membership with NASW. Take a look at our upcoming chapter events in May 2023. Read more about Chapter Board elections, Legislative Updates, and more.
Jeremy Arp, MSW, ACSW
Executive Director, NASW-WA
(he/him)
|
|
NASW-WA Chapter Election Open: Vote Today!
The Chapter takes great pride in our active volunteer leadership and members. The Chapter’s Nomination and Leadership Identification Committee (NLIC) slated members to run for our Chapter Board of Directors. Through our election process, members vote for outstanding leaders to help guide the Chapter.
The NASW-WA Chapter Board Secretary Danielle Flores is pleased to announce the 2023-2024 Election Slate. The Standards for NASW Chapter Nominations and Elections outlines that Chapters can proceed to the election since all nominees were slated. The Chapter Nomination and Leadership Identification Committee (NLIC) certified the slate to the Chapter Board Secretary.
Second Vice President for Budget and Finance (vote for one)
Patricia Barnes Cannon, MSW
Eastern Washington Region Representative (vote for one)
Amanda Fowler, MSW, LSWAIC
Lindsey McIntyre, MSW, LICSW
Western Washington Region Representative (vote for one)
Jen Self, MSW, PhD, LICSW
Svetlana Shjerven, MSW, LSWAIC
MSW Student Representative (vote for one)
Kiersten Black
Allison Weide
BSW Student Representative (vote for one)
Imahni Hawkins
Click here to find out more about the candidates and to vote in the Chapter elections.
To complete your ballot, you will need to provide your name and NASW Membership ID#.
|
|
Quick Poll: Conference Theme for 2024!
Our Chapter is planning an in-person statewide multi-day Conference in September of 2024. Our Planning Committee would like to hear from social workers in Washington to inform our efforts.
|
|
Elder Mistreatment Mentorship Program
The National Collaboratory to Address Elder Mistreatment (NCAEM) invites social workers to apply for the second cohort of its mentorship program. This one-year program supports service providers, researchers, policymakers, and advocates from multiple disciplines and settings who wish to improve care for older adults experiencing or at risk of experiencing elder mistreatment. Each program participant will be paired with an expert mentor who has shared interests and experience, meet monthly with their mentor, design and complete a project of their choosing, and present their project at a two-day convening in Washington, DC, in June 2024 (with travel and hotel costs covered by the program). Participants will also be invited to participate virtually in the culminating event of the first NCAEM mentorship cohort, which includes four social workers, on June 5 and 6, 2023.
NCAEM is supported by grants from the nonprofit Education Development Center, the John A. Hartford Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York. The mentorship program is not affiliated with NASW, and CE credits will not be awarded for participation. Applications are due on May 5.
|
|
May is Mental Health Awareness Month!
|
|
Legislative Updates
State Updates
Washington's legislative session adjourned sine die on April 23, 2023. During the session, the Chapter was active in supporting two bills (SB 5354 and HB 1021) that proposed changes to social work licensure, including reduction of experience hours. These provisions were included into HB 1724 (increasing the behavioral health workforce). This bill included provisions for not only the changes the Chapter requested, but also provisions to create a stipend program for out-of-pocket supervision expenses, a supervision directory resource hosted by the Department of Health, and more. We supported these provisions, but actively opposed the Senate amendments that added new licensing avenues for agency affiliated counselors that also expanded AAC's scope of practice to include assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. Despite our opposition and messaging, the final bill (2SHB 1724) passed both the House and Senate and awaits the Governor's signature. Our Chapter is working to make sure to disseminate updated licensing information once the bill becomes law.
Many thanks to the Legislative Action Committee (LAC) this year for organizing February's Policy Conference and setting priorities for the Chapter. The LAC continues to meet monthly and will organize debrief materials regarding bills that we supported from the 2023 legislative session. To see a list of bills the chapter supported, please check out our Voter Voice page. In 2024, we anticipate working to support passage of the Social Work Licensure Compact. The final version of the model compact legislation arrived too late in Washington's 2023 session; this will be a priority for 2024 to enhance social work licensure mobility and continue to support work to meet the behavioral health needs of Washingtonians.
National Updates
The Improving Access to Mental Health Act is much-needed legislation focused on increasing Medicare reimbursement rates for Clinical Social Workers (CSWs) and ensuring access to CSW services by Medicare beneficiaries. This important legislation has now been introduced in both chambers of Congress.
S. 838/H.R. 1638 will:
- Increase Medicare Reimbursement Rates for CSWs: The bill provides a long overdue Medicare reimbursement increase for CSWs, thus assuring their ability to provide much needed services for Medicare beneficiaries.
- Increase Access to CSW Services for Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Residents: Currently, independent CSWs whom the SNF does not employ are unable to seek reimbursement under Medicare Part B for providing psychotherapy services to SNF residents receiving care under Medicare Part A. This legislation will rectify this problem by excluding CSW services from SNF consolidated billing.
- Provide Access to CSW Services that Help Medicare Beneficiaries Who are Coping with Physical Health Conditions: Although Health and Behavior Assessment and Intervention (HBAI) services are within the scope of practice for CSWs, Medicare currently will not reimburse CSWs for providing these services. HBAI services are cognitive, behavioral, social, and psychophysiological interventions to prevent, treat, and improve physical health and well-being. S. 838/H.R. 1638 would broaden the definition of CSW services to enable CSWs to receive Medicare reimbursement for HBAI services.
|
|
NASW Foundation's Professional Social Worker Pin Program
It is that time of year to recognize graduating students at commencement with a silver-plated or gold-plated NASW Professional Social Worker Pin from the NASW Foundation!
Pins are just $10 apiece for silver-plated pins and $25 for gold-plated pins for schools of social work bulk orders (five or more pins). The pin instills pride in the profession, distinguishes social work from other programs on campus, and builds loyalty to your school.
|
|
Call for Presenters
Are you interested in presenting a workshop for NASW-WA? We have an open call for presenters (live, virtual, or recorded).
|
|
THANK YOU FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP!
Not a member?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
