SOCIAL WORKERS LEADING FOR JUSTICE
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Hello,
We've had a busy summer already! We welcomed two summer interns, Delaney Gagnon and Meredith Carey, who you'll learn more about in this newsletter, and we also said farewell to a staff member.
Our
Political Director, Sophie Hansen, finished her last day at NASW on June 21st. I appreciate all of the hard work and dedication that Sophie brought to this position, and look forward to keeping her on as an active member of PACE and LAC. The rest of the staff and I wish her luck as she charts new territory in her career in health policy.
I also wanted to take this moment to welcome our new NASW-MA president, Sarah Coughlin!
And to thank our outgoing president Allison Scobie-Carroll
for her tireless work over these past three years. Sarah has been president-elect for the past year and assumes her new leadership role effective July 1, 2019. Sarah is an expert in youth substance use and Director of the Charlestown Coalition at MGH.
Welcome, Sarah!
In this newsletter you'll find important member updates, upcoming CE opportunities, and ways we're fighting for social workers and clients and communities served by social workers.
In Solidarity,
Rebekah
Rebekah Gewirtz
Executive Director
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- Membership Hub
- Continuing Education & Events
- Social Work Action Center
- Private Practice
- Notes from the Field
- Licensing Test Prep
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Our Member to Member Supervision Program is Back!
Are You an Aspiring LCSW or LICSW in Need of Supervision?
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What is the Member to Member Supervision Program?
NASW-MA maintains a listing of LICSW’s who are interested in providing clinical supervision at a negotiated, reduced fee. Based on your interest and location, we will provide you with a list of supervisors.
What is required to become matched?
A current NASW-MA membership.
How much does this cost?
There is no fee for the referral service. Supervisors negotiate a fee that is acceptable to both the supervisor and the supervisee.
How do I get started?
Go to
www.naswma.org
and log in to your account. Under "Professional Issues" click "Supervision." Scroll down and click on "Member-to-Member Supervision." Depending on what you are looking for, select the appropriate position (either supervisor or supervisee) and fill out the questionnaire.
What happens next?
Once your membership is verified, we will contact you with the names and contact information for several LICSWs that meet your criteria. From there you contact the supervisor(s) and discuss initiating supervision.
Questions?
Contact
Noël Schutz
, Membership Manager to learn more about the program.
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Member Brandy Henry Co-Authors New NASW Social Justice Report to Abolish Cash Bail
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NASW has released a
social justice report
that calls for the cash bail system to be abolished across the nation.
The system unfairly discriminates against people of color, women and people who are low income. For instance, bail for black men is set at levels 35 percent higher than for white males who commit similar crimes. Women who are jailed often earn less a year than the average bond of $10,000.
The bail system also hurts communities, families and children because people who are jailed can end up waiting months or even years for a trial. As a result they are at risk of losing employment, housing and custody of their children.
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A New Tool to Help Combat Student Debt
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Nearly every social worker knows the burden of student debt. NASW is committed to improving the social work profession, which we believe extends to advocating for student debt repayment assistance.
That is why we have recently partnered with Savi, a student loan technology company, to help members navigate their options. Savi has developed a free Student Loan Tool that helps members review and select a repayment option personalized to their situation. Savi can also help guide members through the process of applying for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, an option for many social workers working in the public sector or at non-profit agencies.
In addition to its free services, Savi offers premium account options, which NASW members are eligible to receive at a significant discount. Premium members receive additional support and services, including access to one-on-one support with student loan experts.
As many of us know, even saving a few dollars each month can add up over time. If you are interested in learning more about this exclusive member benefit, visit
https://nasw.bysavi.com/ for more information.
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Welcome to our Summer Interns, Meredith and Delaney!
Meredith Carey will be starting her second and final year in the Generalist MSW program at University of North Carolina this fall. As a clinical student, she comes to us with interest in the macro practice and to learn more about non-profit development and management. She will be working on general nonprofit support and drafting legislative testimony for our supported bills. She can be reached at
[email protected] or by phone at 617-227-9635 x122 until August 2nd.
Delaney Gagnon is a rising junior in her BSW program at Simmons University and comes to us with a background in journalism and communications. She will be spending the summer assisting our Communications Director, Jamie, by interviewing members for Social Work Voice Spotlights and other social media support. She can be reached at
[email protected] by phone at 617-227-9635 x113 until August 22nd.
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Welcome New Board and CCNLI Members!
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Thank you to all the NASW-MA members who ran for office!
Those who step up for leadership roles help shape the future of the Chapter.
Board of Directors New Members:
- Sarah Coughlin, President (existing Board Member, new role)
- Stephanie Small, Vice President of Budget & Finance (existing Board Member, new role)
- Stephanie Soriano, Berkshire
- Allison Scobie-Carroll, Greater Boston (existing Board Member, new role)
- Robert Kersting, Pioneer Valley
- Sadie Berenson, BSW Student
- Ryan Zenevitch, MSW Student
For the full board of directors list, go to our NASW-MA
website here.
Chapter Committee on Nominations and Leadership Identification (CCNLI) New Members:
- Sandra Bailly, Greater Boston
- Mark Gianino, Greater Boston
- Landen Motyka, Greater Boston
Want to see your name here? To learn more about the process for running for the board or CCNLI in the next election cycle, be in touch with Rebekah anytime at:
[email protected] or 617-227-9635 x116.
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Know An MSW Student Seeking an Internship? Send them our Way!
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We have positions available for MSW students seeking a macro placement for the 2019-2020 Academic Year. These positions come with a modest stipend to support them throughout their placement, and we provide the supervision necessary to meet their graduation requirements.
We offer a Legislative Advocacy and LEAD coordinator as well as Nonprofit Management and Development track.
For details on the above positions and how to apply, please click
here.
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Seeking Student Ambassadors for 2019-2020!
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We are seeking 1-2 NASW-MA student members from each school of social work in Massachusetts to represent NASW-MA a
s Student Ambassadors this upcoming academic year.
Student Ambassador role includes but is not limited to:
- Being the voice of NASW-MA on your campus by distributing and promoting NASW member benefits, news, and events.
- Volunteering at two out of three major NASW-MA events (LEAD 2020, Career Night, Symposium 2020).
- Updating Chapter staff each month on school activities and student feedback.
- Participating in the Facebook group to access documents, offer feedback, and connect with other Student Ambassadors.
- Recruiting Student Ambassadors for the following year.
Be in touch with
Noël Schutz
, Membership Manager, for more information and to get involved today!
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In Your Mailbox:
Social Work Voice
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You will receive the July/August issue of
Social Work Voice
in mid-July. Highlights from this issue include:
- Coalition Building: A Cornerstone of Effective Advocacy
- Job Searching in the Summertime
- Medical Aid-in-Dying: Creating End of Life Options in Massachusetts
- I Read the Comments and Fed the Trolls: How Can We Use Social Work Values to Guide Our Actions Online?
- ...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 upcoming September/October issue is August 23, 2019.
Email Jamie Klufts for more information.
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CONTINUING EDUCATION & EVENTS
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The FOCUS CE Course Mailer is Back!
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Last spring we launched a new member benefit: the FOCUS CE Course Mailer. In this booklet, you received several text-based continuing education courses that you could complete and mail-in at your leisure all summer long.
Thi
s year's line-up of CE courses, totaling 7 CEUs, includes:
- Suicide Prevention At All Levels of Social Work Practice
- Interagency Collaboration: A Community-Driven Solution for Macro Social Work Practice
- Make the Most of Your Stress: Your 24-7 Plan for Wellbeing
- Women, Anger, and Anger Management: Clinical Considerations for Practitioners
- Time for Change! Essential Skills for Managing the Inevitable
P.S. We apologize for the small error as we printed an incorrect post-test. For more information and for the correct post, please click
here
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Working with Distressed Couples: An Introduction to Emotionally Focused Therapy
3 CEUs Available!
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Friday, September 13, 2019
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Sheraton Needham Hotel, Needham
Speaker:
Michelle Avigan, PhD
Participants will hear about a powerful evidence based approach to couples therapy and gain insight into responding to relationship distress. Attendees will learn about tracking negative interactional patterns and learn Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) interventions. There will be an opportunity for experimental exercises and observing EFT in action.
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Into the Weeds: Marijuana Legalization and Social Work Practice
5.5 CEUs Available!
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Friday, September 27, 2019
8:30 am - 3:15 pm
Sheraton Needham Hotel, Needham
Keynote:
Senator Jennifer Flanagan
, Cannabis Control Commission
This full day conference will address the timely topic of marijuana legalization in Massachusetts and the role of social workers in the state’s evolving landscape. The conference will cover topics of interest to social workers across a variety of settings and populations. The keynote will provide an overview of current regulations and their impact on clinicians and clients. Speakers will then focus on a variety of clinical and policy topics, including racial equity in marijuana implementation, assessment in practice, youth issues, and others.
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Central Region Book Club: "Homer & Langley"
2 CEUs Available!
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Wednesday, October 23, 2019
6:00 - 8:00 pm
AdCare Outpatient Services
95 Lincoln Street, Worcester
Join the Central Region Book Club for "Homer & Langley" by E. L. Doctorow. The discussion will be facilitated by
Michael Nowicki, LICSW
, Clinician, Community Healthlink, Elder Services of Worcester. Registration will begin at 5:45 pm.
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Meeting the (Big!) Challenges of Blended Families
3 CEUs Available!
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Friday, November 22, 2019
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Grand View Farm, Burlington
Speaker:
Dr. Patricia Papernow
, one of the world’s foremost experts on blended families. She is the Director of the Institute for Stepfamily Education and the author of
Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships: What Works and What Doesn’t
.
The term “blended family” captures the fervent wishes stepcouples often bring for connection and a fresh start. The realities often involve “resistant” children and anxious, confused adults struggling with intense feelings of “insiderness” and “outsiderness,” questions about discipline, “appropriate” rules, and ever-present ex-spouse relationships. Whether working with individuals or kids, couples or families, Dr. Patricia Papernow will help participants recognize the five major predictable challenges stepfamilies face. She will provide psychoeducational, interpersonal, and individual interventions for successfully navigating these often intense and divisive forces.
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SOCIAL WORK ACTION CENTER
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NASW-MA Testifies on Issues of Mental Health Access and Populations Served by Social Workers
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On June 6th, Executive Director Rebekah Gewirtz testified before the Committee on Financial Services to support the
Mental Health Parity & Transparency of Provider Rates bill. We also submitted written testimony in support of the
Continuity of Mental Health Care and
Medical Necessity by Clinician.
More information on what this bill would do, in a graphic created by Senator Friedman's office (the Senate sponsor):
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On June 17th, our board president, Allison Scobie-Carroll, president-elect, Sarah Coughlin and ED Rebekah Gewirtz testified as a panel before the Judiciary Committee in opposition to HB1511. This proposed bill would remove mandated reporter requirements for social workers who learn about child abuse and neglect when working with CPCS. We value the strong and committed partnership between CPCS and social workers, but we take the duty and responsibility of protecting vulnerable children seriously and therefore testified in opposition.
We also were part of the vibrant and strong community in support of the ROE Act, also heard before Judiciary on June 17th.
And on June 25th, Allison Scobie-Carroll, Meri Lea Shaw, Betty Morningstar and Rebekah Gewirtz testified
in support of End of Life Options. This bill would give people with a terminal illness autonomy in their end of life choices. For more information about this legislation and why NASW-MA is in support,
read this alert from fellow social worker Merri Lea Shaw.
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To get up-to-date emails and notifications about priority and supported bills as we work with you to advance them through the legislative process - and to engage with us in direct advocacy on these bills - Join the
Legislative Alert Network listserv.
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PACE Seeking Social Workers Running for Office
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NASW MA PACE, our political arm, is preparing for our endorsement process this summer! As you may know, odd number years are when we exclusively make endorsements for social workers running for local office.
In 2017, we endorsed 9 social workers. All of whom won their elections!
We need your help - do you know of any social workers running for local office that should be participating in our process? Let us know!
We are always looking for new members to get involved with MA PACE. Here are a few reasons
why you should join, as told by current members:
- "You're taking action"
- "Able to influence change on a state and local level"
- "Keeps me informed on policy issues as they intersect with clinical work"
- "As a clinical social worker [it's important that] I'm engaged in policy"
- "I have a better understanding of state government and statewide issues"
Convinced? Email our PACE Chair,
Ali Freeman, to join our next meeting, July 16th, we will have a hiatus in August.
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Advocacy is a cornerstone of our mission and an activity that we engage in every single day. While we continue to advocate for legislative change, we also work on the State Budget which happens each fiscal year.
The Conference Committee, where 3 Representatives and 3 Senators will meet to iron out differences between each proposals have just given their final proposal to the Governor. The finalized budget is expected to be a bit delayed as we enter July 1st, when our new fiscal year begins, however the Governor has put aside a supplemental budget to ensure our state has the necessary funds. We'll keep you posted on what of the following priorities made it in:
- Reducing the Timeframe of Clawbacks: This would put our legislative priority of setting reasonable parameters around clawbacks by passing it in the budget, rather than a standalone bill.
- Closing the SNAP Gap: The “SNAP Gap” refers to the more than 740,000 people who are enrolled in MassHealth and likely eligible for SNAP (food assistance), but who aren’t receiving benefits.
- Elder Behavioral Health Services: We are seeking an increase of $300,000 to the existing line item of $500,000 to expand the home-based services that elderly individuals receive.
- The Prevent/Promote Commission: The Special Legislative Commission on Behavioral Health Promotion and Upstream Prevention completed extraordinary work to identify multiple evidence-based policies to help support individuals and families through prevention of behavioral health issues. Now a permanent commission, we are seeking $2 million dollars in funding to actualize these recommendations.
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Bring Your Expertise to the State House: Submit Written Testimony
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NASW-MA staff and members testify in-person and submit written testimony to the State House in support or opposition of various bills, often those that are on our legislative agenda or at the request of coalition partners. We encourage social workers in all settings to come to hearings and/or submit written testimony on issues that make a difference in the social work profession and to the clients and communities we serve.
Want to share your expertise by submitting written testimony?
We are currently preparing testimony in advance for priority legislation, if you'd like to submit testimony, please
email Rebekah Gewirtz,
[email protected]
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Call For Volunteers: Disability Insurance Mental Health Parity
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Private wage replacement insurers in Massachusetts
can legally pay benefits to employees with mental health disabilities for a vastly shorter period of time than to those with physical disabilities
, even when identical premiums are charged. Insurers typically pay no or one to three years of benefits to employees with psychiatric disabilities, while people with physical disabilities receive benefits until retirement age. This discrimination is based on outdated images of mental illness as untreatable and disrespect for the professionalism of mental health professionals.
H. 908 and S. 615 would end disability insurance discrimination against persons with behavioral health disabilities. These bills are among the top five priorities of the Mental Health Coalition, that NASW-MA co-chairs. The bills are currently in the Joint Financial Services Committee of the Massachusetts legislature.
YOU CAN BE A PART OF ENDING THIS DISCRIMINATION!
The Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee (MHLAC) are looking for people who are willing to:
- Meet with their state senator or representative.
- Testify in favor of the bills at the hearing before the Financial Services Committee (not yet scheduled).
- Speak or write about their experience with disability insurance discrimination against persons with psychiatric disabilities.
- Ask organizations with which they are associated to endorse the bills.
Someone who is familiar with the bill will accompany you to meet with your legislator(s), either at the State House or in the district where you live. If you decide to testify, you can get help with writing your testimony. And if you wish to remain anonymous but would like to speak to someone or write about your experience with this discrimination, you can do so.
Please spread the word. If you, a client, or someone else you know would like to participate, please contact Susan Fendell, MHLAC at 617-338-2345 x129 for more information.
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The July - December 2019 schedule for An Hour with Private Practice programs (hosted by NASW National) has just been released.
Visit this link
to review the schedule and plan to participate in these important discussions.
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Expand Your Practice with Therapy Matcher
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Are you looking to start or expand your private practice? NASW-MA's Therapy Matcher network needs you!
Our call volume is higher than ever, especially with recent media attention from the
Boston Globe
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Valuable Member Benefit: Join the NASW-MA Private Practice Google Group
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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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New Grant Program Launched for Eligible MassHealth Providers to Improve Patient Access
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The Provider Access Improvement Grant Program (
PAIGP
), funded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services and managed by Health Resources in Action, is now accepting proposals.
PAIGP aims to help eligible MassHealth providers increase access to healthcare and improve outcomes for patients with disabilities, and for whom English is not a primary language, through the purchase of medical diagnostic equipment, communication devices, and other resources. Grant awards can help to close the gap in access for people with disabilities or for whom English is not a primary language, who are historically less likely to get routine and preventative medical care. Some examples of such equipment include examination tables and chairs for different medical settings, sling lifts, assistive listening devices, screen reader software, and translation aid devices and software. Several more examples are provided in the Request for Proposals.
PAIGP will award grants of up to $25,000 to eligible MassHealth providers, totaling up to $2.07 million for this grant cycle ending December 31, 2019. Applicants must be currently-enrolled MassHealth physicians, dentists, or other healthcare providers who work in a medical setting that is not a hospital or owned by a hospital or hospital system, and who employ fewer than 30 full-time employees. The Grant Program aims to facilitate access to MassHealth providers in smaller practices for which significant capital investments may be challenging.
Online proposals must be submitted no later than Friday, July 26, 2019.
Visit
PAIGP.org
for more information and to sign up for email updates, including upcoming webinars.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) oversees PAIGP, which is funded via MassHealth’s Section 1115 Demonstration. Health Resources in Action (HRiA) is the managing vendor for the Grant Program.
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Thanks to a partnership between the Boston Bar Association and GBLS-New England Law,
a new walk-in CORI (Criminal Record Offender Information) Sealing Clinic helps low-income individuals obtain a copy of their record and, if possible, seal, or expunge their record.
The Boston Bar Association’s CORI Sealing Clinic will take place the 1st Wednesday of each month from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM at the Boston Municipal Court – Central Division.
CLINIC LOCATION
Boston Municipal Court – Central Division, Edward W. Brooke Courthouse, 24 New Chardon Street, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02114
WALK-IN CLINIC DATES
- July 3, 2019
- August 7, 2019
- September 4, 2019
- October 2, 2019
- November 6, 2019
- December 4, 2019
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The Social Work Assistance Network (SWAN) -
An NASW-MA Resource for You!
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SWAN is a free, confidential colleague assistance program sponsored by the Massachusetts Chapter of NASW. SWAN assists social workers with consultation regarding personal and professional issues, which may be having an impact on their ability to practice in an optimal manner.
Learn more about this service and member benefit
here
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Licensing Test Prep Courses in Your Neighborhood
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NASW-MA hosts Licensing Test Prep courses each month in various parts of the state. Upcoming courses include:
- July 19 | Bedford
- August 9 | Boston
- September 21 | Worcester
- October 25 | Boston
- November 23 | Bridgewater
- December 7 | Springfield
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