NASW NM September 2026 Newsletter

Connecting New Mexico Social Workers to the Information and the People Shaping Our Profession

September 2026 Newsletter

Dear NASW New Mexico Member,

As we head into fall, a lot is happening at NASW New Mexico!

Over the coming months, you will see new educational opportunities, conversations with regulatory leaders, webinars featuring professionals from across New Mexico, and more ways for our members to engage with their Chapter and one another.

Our goal is to build a Chapter that provides meaningful value throughout the entire year—not just through individual events or conferences. That means creating greater access to continuing education, regulatory information, advocacy, professional development, networking, and the expertise of our own social work community.

It also means creating opportunities for you to ask questions, share ideas, get involved, and help determine where our Chapter goes next. This is YOUR Chapter; help us shape what comes next!

Thank you for your membership, your feedback, and the work you do every day on behalf of individuals, families, and communities throughout New Mexico.

Warmly,

Lauren Gomez, LCSW

Executive Director

NASW Arizona and New Mexico Chapters

Professional Development

FEATURED SEPTEMBER WEBINAR

Coming in 2027 – One License, Many Doors: Preparing for the Interstate Compact Launch

September 28, 2026

12:00 PM Mountain Time

Virtual

NASW New Mexico and NASW Arizona are coming together for a special webinar focused on one of the most significant developments affecting social work licensure: the Social Work Licensure Compact. As implementation moves forward, social workers understandably have questions.

What will participation in the Compact mean? How will multistate practice work? Who may be eligible? How could this affect telehealth and practicing across state lines? And what should social workers be doing now to prepare?

This webinar will help social workers better understand the Compact, what is coming in 2027, and what these changes could mean for the future of social work practice.

Whether you currently practice across state lines, provide telehealth services, are considering relocating in the future, or simply want to understand the changes ahead, we encourage you to join us.

Cost: FREE for NASW Members | $10 for Not-Yet Members

Coming Soon: Quarterly Conversations With the New Mexico RLD Social Work Examiners Board

NASW-NM is working with the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department and Social Work Examiners Board to establish quarterly webinars designed to create a more direct line of communication between the Board and New Mexico social workers.

Our goal is to provide a regular forum where Board representatives can share important updates while social workers have an opportunity to get answers to the questions they are encountering in practice.

Members will also have opportunities to submit questions in advance so common concerns can be identified and addressed during the webinars.

Potential topics may include licensing and renewals, supervision requirements, rule and regulatory changes, application processes, frequently asked questions received by the Board, and other timely issues affecting social work practice in New Mexico.

Date & Registration: Coming Soon

Call for Virtual Presenters: Share What You Know!

Are you passionate about a topic that you think other social workers and behavioral health professionals should know more about? We want to hear from you!

NASW-NM is currently accepting applications from professionals interested in presenting educational content, including:

Live Webinars – Present virtually and engage with attendees in real time.

Pre-Recorded Self-Study Courses – Record your presentation on your own schedule and help professionals continue learning through our self-study offerings.

We’re looking for engaging, knowledgeable presenters who are excited to share their expertise, experiences, innovative practices, or specialized areas of interest with the social work community.

Topics can span all areas of social work practice, including clinical practice, ethics, supervision, leadership, advocacy, policy, cultural responsiveness, emerging issues, specialized populations, and more.

Questions? Reach out to us at lgomez.naswnm@socialworkers.org or info.naswnm@socialworkers.org.

Policy & Advocacy

Coming Soon: Legislative & Advocacy Updates

Understanding what happens at the New Mexico Legislature and how those decisions affect our profession and the people we serve is an important part of being an informed social worker.

This fall, NASW-NM will begin offering opportunities to hear from lobbying and advocacy partners about the legislative and policy landscape in New Mexico.

These conversations will help members understand emerging legislation and policy issues, what NASW-NM is advocating for, and how social workers can make their voices heard.

Webinar Dates: To Be Announced

Coming Soon: NASW-NM Legislative Committee!

Interested in legislative and policy issues that impact social work and behavioral health? NASW-NM is creating a Legislative Committee to review policy issues that deserve the attention of legislators and other officials and develop a set of legislative priorities for the Chapter on an annual basis.

Reach out to info.naswnm@socialworkers.org for more information and to get involved!

Meet Our Board

Nikka Peralta, NASW New Mexico Chapter President

Nikka Peralta, LCSW, brings over 14 years of clinical social work experience working with individuals and families throughout her career. She currently owns and serves as the clinical supervisor at a small behavioral health agency.

Nikka's approach to leadership is focused on highlighting member strengths and bringing members together to unite and uplift the social work community.

In her role as President, Nikka would like to bring members back and encourage those newer to the field, including students, to seek the community we are rebuilding. She sees opportunities for all levels of social work practice to flourish by putting like-minded social workers in the same rooms to strengthen our mission, unite passion, and move to create lasting change.

It is Nikka's true passion to encourage others to collaborate, grow together personally and professionally, and to support all who have a heart for social work.

If you have questions, ideas, or contributions for the chapter, Nikka wants to hear from you.

When she is not social working, Nikka enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, and spending time with her two fur babies.

We need your input!

What Do YOU Want From NASW New Mexico?

As we plan next year's programming, continuing education, advocacy, professional resources, and member engagement, we want to ensure NASW-NM reflects the current needs of New Mexico social workers.

What trainings and continuing education would be most valuable? What licensing or regulatory issues are creating challenges? What advocacy priorities matter most to you? Would you like more opportunities for networking, clinical education, leadership development, professional resources, or connection with other social workers?

Please take a few minutes to complete our NASW New Mexico Member Survey.

Your feedback will directly help us determine where to focus our time, resources, programming, education, and advocacy. We want our Chapter to reflect the diversity of social work practice throughout New Mexico—from Albuquerque and Santa Fe to our rural, frontier, Pueblo, Tribal, and border communities.

Help Us Build the 2027 NASW New Mexico Conference!

We’re looking ahead to the 2027 NASW-NM Annual Conference, currently being planned for late March or early April. We want our members to help shape it from the very beginning.

What topics would be most valuable to your practice? Are there speakers you would love to hear from? Would you like more advanced clinical content, ethics, supervision, advocacy and policy, licensing updates, networking opportunities, specialized practice tracks, or something we haven't thought of yet?

We also want to hear your ideas about how we can make the conference more engaging, useful, and beneficial to social workers at every stage of their careers.

Share your ideas, suggestions, and feedback with us through our 2027 Conference Planning Survey

Connect With Us!

Questions about membership, continuing education, or advocacy initiatives? Email us at info.naswnm@socialworkers.org