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.

NASW has recently signed onto the CCD Letter to Chairman Kennedy

“The following members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) are writing to express our 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.”

For more information on NASW’s Health Care Reform efforts, visit www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/healthcarereform

Yesterday, I visited Dr. Height at her office at the National Council for Negro Women, which is the only minority-owned building on Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the Capitol. I dropped in to deliver a card celebrating her 97th birthday and a NASW lifetime membership certificate honoring her lifetime of service to the profession of social work and to the civil rights community. Dr. Height was extremely pleased and responded that she would treasure the certificate.

She inquired about the status of her bill, the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act (H.R. 795/S.686) and I let her know that the bill was reintroduced by Rep. Towns on February 3 and by Senator Mikulski on March 24. I assured her that NASW was galvanizing our membership and the full social work community to support the bill and ensure its passage during the 111th Congress. Dr. Height said that she had just been at the White House and asked everyone to support her bill. She is an amazing advocate for her profession and lobbies for her bill wherever she goes. Dr. Height is an inspiration to all of us and a role model for social workers across the country to navigate the difficult challenges ahead.

Honor Dr. Height’s lifetime of work and stand up for your profession. Send a letter of support to your Representative and Senators today!

- E. Franklin

Take� Action!

In a beginning victory for the Social Work Reinvestment Initiative, the U.S. Senate passed Medicare legislation, H.R. 6331, which will restore funding for clinical social work payments cut in 2007. The vote was 69-30 thanks to the return of Senator Ted Kennedy (MA), whose vote swayed a number of members to create a veto-proof margin. Thank you to everyone who sent letters to your Senators to help ensure passage of this important piece of legislation.

This year’s Medicare package was designed primarily to halt the scheduled 10.6% cut in all Part B provider payment rates. The legislation would postpone the cut for 18 months, beginning July 1, 2008 and increase payments for all providers by 1.1% for 2009, including clinical social workers participating in Part B. In addition to the 1.1% increase in 2009, clinical social workers would receive an increase of 5% (effective July 1, 2008) above those of other providers. In addition, the bill contains a Medicare coinsurance parity provision, reducing beneficiaries’ copayments by 5% per year from 50% in 2009 to 20% in 2014 - at full parity with medical and surgical benefits. This is a crucial legislative goal long sought by NASW.

Reports are that President Bush will veto the bill and urge Senators to not override his veto.� Contact President Bush today to urge him to sign this legislation.

Message: I am writing as a constituent, professional social worker, and member of the National Association of Social Workers. I urge you to sign the Medicare Bill (HR. 6331). This bill includes vital improvements to ensure Medicare beneficiaries have access to high-quality mental health care. The bill is especially important for the Medicare beneficiaries I serve, as it restores funding for clinical social work payments cut in 2007. This cut has placed the Medicare mental health benefit at risk and addressing it must be a top priority in any Medicare legislation this year. I also am pleased the bill finally treats mental health coverage equally with other medical benefits, providing Medicare coinsurance parity and halting the scheduled 10.6% cut for all outpatient provider payments. Please vote to pass H.R. 6331. It will make a real difference for the beneficiaries I serve.�

For more information on this issue, go to:� http://capwiz.com/socialworkers/issues/alert/?alertid=11549951

NASW supports increasing the number of women running for public office. Through the She Should Run project, the Women’s Campaign Forum (WCF) is using the power of the web to encourage more women to consider elective office. Just months after launching they received the names of more than 1,000 qualified pro-choice leaders.

She Should Run, now in its second year, is a comprehensive effort to gather� names of women leaders who should run for public office. WCF is� committed to offering these women the essential encouragement they� deserve. Their Website provides information and tools about women running for office, including links to organizations that provide financial support and training (http://www.sheshouldrun.org/index.php?/pages/guide/).

Do you know a woman who gets things done? Research shows women are more likely to run for office if� someone asks them. � Tell a woman she should run for office, share� her story, and start her on a path to becoming the influential� public office holder she was always meant to be.

Last year’s She Should Run nominees come from over 40 states and represent women across the professional spectrum - from women just getting started to those with over 20 years of experience. Over 80% have never run for office before, but more than two-thirds say they are more likely to run because of this campaign. A few of the nominees are already running for office this year.

We know there are thousands more women all across the country who are qualified and ready to lead, yet they aren’t seriously considering public life. We know some of these likely candidates are also social workers. The Women’s Campaign Forum set a new goal of finding 1,500 additional pro-choice women who should run for office and they need your help.

If you know a woman who should run for office, nominate her today.

If you are interested in running for office, they are interested in you. Click here to nominate yourself.