Dear Colleague,

I am writing to ask you, and every single NASW member, to contact your members of Congress and show your full support for the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act (H.R. 795/ S.686) . This is the first piece of federal legislation ever introduced that will directly address the workforce challenges that our profession is facing. These challenges, such as low salaries, high educational debt, and serious safety concerns are making it difficult to assist the 10 million clients that social workers across the country serve each day. Take a moment to view this CNNmoney.com study, which rates social work at the top of the list of stressful jobs that pay badly. Rep. Towns recently discussed this study in a “Dear Colleague” he sent to his fellow members of Congress asking for their support for H.R. 795.

The Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act is designed to address the workforce challenges we are facing, thereby helping to ensure that millions of individuals and families throughout the nation can continue to receive competent social work care.  The legislation will establish a Social Work Reinvestment Commission to provide a comprehensive analysis of current workforce trends and develop long-term recommendations and strategies to ensure an adequate social work workforce.  In addition, demonstration programs will award grants in the areas of workplace improvements, research, education, training, and community-based programs of excellence.

We also want to thank social workers, Representative Towns and Senator Mikulski, for introducing this legislation and for their consistent dedication and leadership of the social work profession.  We hope you will take a moment to thank them too. You can print this postcard and mail it to Senator Mikulski and Representative Towns or you can send them a quick thank you email. (View Senator Mikulski’s and Representative Towns’ contact information.) It’s important to remember and thank our social work advocates in Congress!

As always, we appreciate your advocacy and leadership on the issues that are important to our profession.

Sincerely,

Executive Director
Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH

On October 5, the country’s largest African-American and Latino organizations announced they are joining forces with other major national civil rights and grassroots organizations to mobilize the nation’s 100 million people of color for a final push in support of universal health care reform.  The organizations included the NAACP National Voter Fund, the National Council of La Raza, the Leadership Council on Civil Rights, the Campaign for Community Change, and the United States Student Association and PowerPAC.org.  NASW attended the press conference

The groups released television and print ads in English and Spanish that will run in four states with sizable African-American and Latino populations, part of a grassroots effort to ensure that members of Congress appreciate the importance of reform to the people of color they represent.  Those four states are Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana and Arkansas.

The ads can be viewed at www.healthequityforall.org.

Betsy Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH
Executive Director

Yesterday I had the nice opportunity to meet informally with Congressman Ed Towns (D-NY) and three of his staff members. Congressman Towns is the lead sponsor of the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act. He is also a staunch advocate for our profession, as he began his career as a social worker. I was joined by fellow social workers Jeane Anastas, the Chair of the Action Network for Social Work Education and Research and  Freddie Avant, President of the Baccalaureate Program Directors of Schools of Social Work. The first thing Rep. Towns said was that he felt social workers were more needed now than ever.  We couldn’t agree more. That led us to further discussion of why our Social Work Reinvestment bill (H. R. 795/ S. 686) is so essential to ensuring a sufficient workforce to care for the ever increasing need for our services. It is wonderful having a social worker in Congress who understands and fully supports our profession.

Find out more about the Social Work Reinvestment Initiative including the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act! Take action today by contacting your Representative and Senators in support of the legislation!

Dear Colleagues,

As an early career social worker, I’ve quickly realized that we have a lot of work to accomplish to ensure that our profession survives and thrives and that we can continue to care for the millions of clients who need our services every single day.  Many of my peers have found that low salaries, high educational debt, or safety concerns are a frustrating, but undeniable part of their social work careers. The profession might be losing potential students and experienced social workers due to these workforce issues. At the same time, due to a collapsed economy and healthcare crisis among other reasons, our clients have never needed us more to guide them to needed resources, counsel them on important life decisions, and advocate with them and on their behalf.

I hope you will take a moment to view this video NASW just recorded for you regarding the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act (H.R. 795/ S.686). This legislation is a first step to address all of these workforce challenges and determine the best course of action to strengthen our profession. The bill is important to all social workers, and in this brief video we explain why leaders like Frances Perkins, Dorothy Height, and Whitney Young provide lessons for us to learn from and a legacy we must continue. I hope we can count on our fellow social workers to stand up for our profession as we have always stood up for our clients.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth F. Franklin, MSW
Project Manager & Lobbyist
Social Work Reinvestment
Video: Click here for the written remarks

Send a letter in support of the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act to your Representative TODAY!

Send a letter in support of the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act to your Senators TODAY!

Read the full text of HR 795 and S. 686 or a summary sheet.

Learn more about the Social Work Reinvestment Initiative

www.socialworkreinvestment.org

During the August Congressional recess, your member of Congress may be hosting a Town Hall Meeting. We would like you to go to the Town Hall Meeting and talk to your member about Health Care Reform.

While many Members of Congress notify constituents of Town Hall Meetings, you can join NASW’s Advocacy Listserv to receive notices regarding planned meetings by your members of Congress. Join the NASW Advocacy Listserv here. You can also go to www.house.gov, search for your member of Congress, and find the district office phone number to call for information about Town Hall Meetings.

Here are some talking points on Health Care Reform

1. Pass health care reform now
2. We want all people covered; national policy must ensure a universal right to insurance coverage for a continuum of health and behavioral health services.
3. We want quality health care.  Health care reform must promote wellness, maintain optimal health, prevent illness and disability, ameliorate the effects of unavoidable incapacities, and provide supportive long-term palliative end-of-life care.
4. We want health care that recognizes the need for social work services; social workers are an important part of the health care team.

You can also relate your personal experience with the health care system. Members of Congress love to hear real stories about what people face in their district.

After you attend the Town Hall meeting, it would be very helpful to NASW’s legislative efforts to have your feedback.  We can then follow up with the Member of Congress.  Click here for an online form or email advocacy@naswdc.org.

If you’d like additional information about health care reform and NASW’s efforts, visit our health care reform Web site page.

It was the one regret Frances Perkins had. The one thing on her list she could not accomplish — health care reform. Some say President Teddy Roosevelt first tried to reform the system. We know Frances Perkins tried. President Johnson signed Medicare into law just over 40 years ago. Many of us remember what happened with the Clinton attempt. Now we are in danger of losing the next opportunity. Congress has gone home without voting on health care reform legislation. News of attempts to derail health care reform by disrupting local town hall meetings are being reported, as well as funding sources who are paying to bus protesters around the country. www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#32276805.  NASW has been notifying members of our Advocacy Listserv about town hall meetings in their district and encouraging members to show up and support health care reform. It seems more important than ever to show up in your district. Let’s see if we can accomplish the last item on Frances Perkins’ list.

NASW participated in two White House conference calls this week on health care reform.

• Conference call with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sibelius and Mary Wakefield, Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) regarding new funding for health care professions training.  See http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/07/20090728c.html for the press release. For information about the National Health Services Corps Loan Repayment Program for clinical social workers, visit our loan forgiveness page.
• Conference call with Tina Tchen, White House Office of Public Engagement and with Christina Romer, Chair, Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) regarding small business and health care reform.  Romer was online yesterday holding a live chat to answer questions on small business and health insurance reform. If you are a member of the social network LinkedIn, go take part in the discussion she has initiated there. Click here for a video by President Obama on this topic.  He discusses a key factor that has been considered in the development of the health insurance reform proposals that are being considered: the impact of reform on small business.

The Corporation for National and Community Service hosts the most comprehensive collection of information on volunteering in the U.S. at its Web site: www.VolunteeringInAmerica.gov.  This site allows civic leaders, nonprofit organizations, and interested individuals to retrieve a wide range of information regarding trends and demographics in volunteering in their regions, states, and almost 200 cities. This document highlights some of the key findings from the data. The 2009 Volunteering in America Report now available at www.VolunteeringInAmerica.gov

Want to create your own service project or event, but not sure how? Check out helpful toolkits at www.serve.gov to get you started.

Already involved in volunteer efforts?  Click here to tell us your story of service today!

In an effort to keep you informed of the work NASW is doing on health care reform, we will periodically send out a roundup of activities.

Legislation Introduced
On July 14, 2009, Rep. Dingell (MI-15) introduced the America’s Affordable Health Choice Act of 2009, H.R. 3200. This act is the result of work among three committees in the House to fulfill President Obama’s goals of reducing health care costs, protecting and increasing consumers’ choices, and guaranteeing access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans.  NASW was pleased with this initial bill.  Three committees have considered the bill and numerous amendments have been made as the bill moves through the legislative process.   To watch the committee markups and obtain information about the amendments, go to the Energy and Commerce Committee, Ways and Means Committee, or Education and Labor Committee. The Energy and Commerce Committee has yet to report the bill out of committee.

Legislative Climate
While House Democratic leadership has negotiated with conservative Blue Dog Democrats to achieve significant progress, the party lacks sufficient support from its own Members in the Senate.  As a result, the White House and Democratic Senate leadership are working with moderate Republicans to try and achieve meaningful reform.  The primary items up for discussion are the idea of a government “cooperative” to compete with private health care companies, rather than a public option, as well as a possible tax on higher-cost health care plans in the country.  Meanwhile, President Obama has continued to tour the country, providing updates on health care legislation and urging Americans to support his ideals for reform.

Meetings Attended
NASW has attended several meetings on health care reform over the past week, including:

• Patients’ Access to Responsible Care Alliance meeting focusing on the legislative concerns of non-medical doctor providers participating in the Medicare program.
• Alliance for Health Reform briefing on mental health benefits in health care reform legislation.
• Senate staff on an amendment concerning state and federal law on non-medical doctor billing under health care reform.
• Key member of Congress on health care reform during a PACE-supported dinner.

Letters Signed (The text of these letters will be posted on the Health Care Reform Page)

• Mental Health Liaison Group to Chairmen Waxman, Rangel, and Miller expressing support for H.R. 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act.
• Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter expressing support for the Reed Amendment to the Affordable Health Choices Act. This important measure is aimed at improving the overall health status of Americans served by Community Mental Health Center (CMHCs) and other community-based mental health and addiction providers.
• Four letters from the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities supporting the introduction of H.R. 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act. The letters went to Chairmen Waxman, Rangel, and Miller, and Speaker Pelosi.
• Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities letter to Chairman Kennedy expressing deep appreciation for the effort that has gone into getting the Affordable Health Choices Act successfully passed by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.  This comprehensive health reform legislation represents a positive sea change that will significantly improve access to health and long term services and supports for people with disabilities and chronic conditions.

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Resources

• Families USA released a new report, Coverage for America: We All Stand to Gain. The report provides state-by-state estimates of how many people will gain coverage under America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009. The report indicates that the health reform bill proposed by key committees in the House will benefit all Americans.
  
• For ongoing information, please visit our health care page.
  
• Keep up with the latest from NASW on Facebook, Twitter, and the NASW Advocacy Blog.  We want your feedback: Post to the fan page’s wall and leave your comments on the blog.
  
• You can visit the White House Web page to see updates on health care reform. After you read it, come and post a note on our Social Work Blog (hyperlink to the blog)  about it.