One of the best ways to get involved in public policy is to work for a campaign either as a volunteer or paid staff. You get to be involved on the ground floor and often can interact with staff at high levels. Many people who actively volunteer for a campaign can later be hired by the candidate once they reach office.

� NASW would like to hear about your experiences volunteering on or working for a campaign.

The U.S. Department of Education has created a new call center for borrowers to obtain information about the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007 (H.R. 2669). The number for the Federal Student Aid Information Center is 1(800) 433-3243. The law forgives outstanding education debt for those persons that meet the eligibility requirements. Those that would benefit are employees that have made 120 monthly payments on their loans while serving full-time in social work in public child or family service agencies, government, nonprofit, military, education, and others areas. The loan forgiveness provisions became effective on October 1, 2007. It is important to note that payments made after October 1, 2007 on an existing loan can count towards the 120 payments if the loan meets certain criteria. For more information on the new law click here https://ssl.capwiz.com/socialworkers/issues/alert/?alertid=10355231

BackgroundCongress is currently considering legislation to extend Medicaid coverage for youth who age out of foster care. The � Medicaid Foster Care Coverage Act of 2007 (H.R. 1376) will address ways to provide Medicaid coverage for youth who exit the foster care system without a permanent family unit. There are currently 25,000 youth aging out of the foster care system every year who have a variety of unaddressed medical conditions and other challenges because of inadequate health insurance. These include mental and physical disabilities that may result in a lack of educational achievement and financial instability; some youth become homeless.

Beyond funding the direct provision of basic physical health care services, Medicaid currently allows states to provide critical rehabilitative, therapeutic, psychiatric, and targeted case management (TCM) services to children in foster care. Such programs and funding are essential to ensure children in foster care receive the necessary physical and mental health supports while in protective custody.

The Medicaid Foster Care Coverage Act of 2007, introduced by Representative Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) on March 7, 2007, will assist foster care youth in accessing much needed health care.� It is in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Health with 15 cosponsors.� Congress has an opportunity to make significant progress in improving the lives and outcomes for youth in foster care.

Action Needed

Please contact your Representative and urge them to support The � Medicaid Foster Care Coverage Act of 2007 (H.R. 1376) and let them know that you are a constituent and a social worker who is committed to this issue. Let them know that this legislation is necessary to provide youth in foster care with appropriate access to medical care.

Contact Nancy McFall Jean, Lobbyist, Government Relations Department at 202-408-8600 x 440 for more information.

PACE exists for one reason: to elect candidates with strong records on the issues that matter most to social workers.� Despite some recent progress, we as social workers see daily how our clients suffer from the government’s lack of support and funding for social programs.

With your help, that can change in 2008.

Many of you already provide support to PACE through the $10 check-off on the membership renewal form.� Still, the 2008 election is so vital to the needs of social workers, and its impact will be felt so strongly across the country, that we’re asking you to help PACE bring about even better results.

The best way to do that is by visiting our new online fundraising tool at http://socialworkers.org/pace.

We’re Off To A Great Start…

PACE helped elect a Congress friendly to social work issues in 2006.� This enabled NASW Government Relations staff to advance bills on loan forgiveness, Medicare payments for private practitioners, and other important issues.

But we must continue this work through a renewed emphasis on both the fundamental needs of our clients and the professional goals contained in the Social Work Reinvestment Initiative (SWRI). (See www.socialworkreinvestment.org)

You understand the need to improve social conditions through federal and state legislative initiatives, as well as the need to improve professional conditions for the practice of social work.� Supporting PACE at http://socialworkers.org/pace is a great way to help us address these needs!

…And Your Contribution Helps Us Get to the Finish Line

Your contribution provides PACE with the funds necessary to support more incumbents with proven voting records on our most vital issues, and to help challengers with a demonstrated commitment to social justice.

Giving to PACE literally means the difference between victory—and a Member of Congress who truly values the advancement of social justice—and defeat.� In such a closely contested election, a loss for even one NASW-supported candidate could lead to a greatly reduced ability to advance our agenda in Congress.

Contributions are divided evenly between national PACE and the chapters, so you can help us influence nationwide races and change the overall political landscape for the better.� Please visit http://socialworkers.org/pace to contribute.

NASW has signed on to support the platform of Divided We Fail, a new coalition promoting access to health care and long-term financial stability for all Americans.

AARP, Business Roundtable, and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) formed the coalition in January 2007 “to amplify the message that obtaining health and long-term financial security is vital for all Americans,” the group’s materials state. The campaign seeks to engage voters across the nation in discussion of these crucial issues and to bring them to the forefront of candidates and elected officials in the 2008 elections and beyond. Joined by other organizations and grassroots advocates, Divided We Fail will promote bipartisan solutions to the problems of unaffordable health care and financial insecurity.

To read the Divided We Fail platform and learn more about the campaign, please visit www.aarp.org/issues/dividedwefail/about_issues/our_platform.html