As the debate for health care reform continues in Congress, there are many resources available from many organizations.  On the NASW Health care reform page, you will find informative documents including a one-pager from Health Care for America Now entitled, Five Immediate Benefits to Health Care Reform.  Go to the resources section of the health care reform page to read more.

At a time when demand for child welfare services is growing and more investments are needed, the faltering economy is driving record state budget deficits and reductions in child welfare funding.

NPR aired a 2-part story on this issue.  In part 1, Michael Petit, a social worker, NASW member, and President and Founder of Every Child Matters, was quoted regarding the state budget cuts.   Part 2 addressed the long term consequences of these cuts.

Recently, many of you wrote to Congress in support of the “We Can Do Better” campaign, part of a multi-organizational strategy to garner federal government support for child welfare.  In addition, NASW has launched a “Child Welfare Initiative,” to strengthen the system. A key component of this initiative is to advocate for public policies that improve social workers’ ability to protect our nation’s vulnerable children and families.

NASW’s legislative agenda for the remainder of the Session of Congress includes increasing sponsorship of the Child Welfare Workforce Improvement Act (S. 2837), the Teri Zenner Social Worker Safety Act (H.R. 1490), and the reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA).

Please urge your members of Congress to take action on these bills to make child well-being a national priority.

Every now and then, something very significant takes place during my work day. Yesterday was one of those days. I had the opportunity to meet and spend some time with Congressman John Lewis from Georgia. I imagine almost all of you recognize his name. He is often called “one of the most courageous persons in the Civil Rights Movement” and he has dedicated his life to protecting human rights and securing civil liberties. Just this past weekend, Congressman Lewis attended the 45th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, AL, the march that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. .

His office contains the numerous honors that have been bestowed upon him during the last half century. While it felt almost like a museum,. Mr. Lewis is living testament to a lifetime of work on behalf of others..

Mr. Lewis is dynamic, passionate and engaged. He understands and appreciates what social workers do and what our goals are. Two of his staff, including, his chief of staff, are social workers.

If you have not read Congressman Lewis’ book, Walking with the Wind:: A Memoir of the Movement, I hope you will take the time to do so. Congressman Lewis reminds us of what one person can do to change the world.

As another Social Work Month begins , we want to acknowledge social workers everywhere for the outstanding work that you do. Together, we are making a difference.

Happy Social Work Month.

Elizabeth J Clark, PhD, ACSW
Executive Director, NASW

Consistent with First Lady Michelle Obama’s campaign to confront the issue of childhood obesity, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions heard testimony on March 4, 2010, about the prevalence of obesity among America’s youth. Panelists included Dr. Regina Benjamin, U.S. Surgeon General; Dr. Joseph Thompson, Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity; Dr. Sandra Hassink, Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Obesity Leadership Workgroup; and Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back Rashard Mendenhall.

NASW recognizes childhood obesity as an major public health concern, with significant implications for future U.S. health care costs. Obese children are being diagnosed with health problems previously considered to be “adult” illnesses, such as Type II diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and fatty liver disease. Overweight and obese children are at risk for a host of serious future illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer. Obesity and related complications disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority children and children living in poverty.

NASW applauds Congress’ acknowledgment of this multi-dimensional issue and its efforts to address it. To view the hearing’s video and for more information, go to http://help.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/?id=059b63ce-5056-9502-5d89-33fed050a9f3.

On March 2, over 80 congressional staff and interested organizations participated in the 6^th annual Public Health Briefing 101 entitled, Building Capacity to Meet America’s Mounting Health Needs hosted by the Coalition for Health Funding.   The briefing provided information about the public health continuum and its needs.  NASW was a cosponsor of the briefing.  To view the presentation of the briefing speakers, go to: http://www.aamc.org/advocacy/healthfunding/congressionalbriefing.htm

On February 23, 2010 NASW attended a fundraiser for the Honorable Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD.) to discuss his support for the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act (H.R.795).  Representative Cummings, while conveying the significance of social work within the 7^th Congressional District, specified how instrumental the profession is to the alleviation of poverty as well as how social workers help to eradicate dire circumstances on behalf of underserved communities.  In addition, the Congressman proudly articulated the contributions of the Morgan State University School of Social Work, especially their efforts in improving the education system in Baltimore city and the tireless work of social workers throughout human service agencies, especially during an austere economic climate.

Today the President’s Middle Class Task Force released its annual report with significant recommendations that would provide support for families.   Chaired by Vice-President Joe Biden with social worker Dr. Jared Bernstein serving as Executive Director, recommendations were categorized in the following four areas:

• Protecting Workers and Creating Middle Class Jobs
• Retirement Security
• Balancing Work and Family Responsibilities
• Pathways to the Middle Class
  

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) enthusiastically supports the recommendations of the Task Force and wrote a letter, along with a number of other groups, specifically regarding “Helping Families Balance Work and Caregiving Obligations.” The proposed policies in this area supported our own suggestions and experience in working with families who care for their older relatives.

In 2006 and 2008, NASW, in partnership with the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM), conducted research focusing particularly on sandwich generation women (SGW) who were between the ages of 35 and 54 and caring for their own children and aging relatives. Key findings from our surveys support the need for the expanding the Dependent Care Tax Credit, which has only been raised once in 28 years, as well as expanding the $102.5 million Caregiver Initiative, which provides resources for respite care, transportation, and assistance with activities of daily living.

To see all of the letters on this issue, click here.  For more information on the Middle Class Task Force, go to www.astrongmiddleclass.gov.

Earlier this week the White House released a summary of its $950 billion plan to reconcile the House and Senate versions of comprehensive health reform legislation. Release of the plan marks a new phase of more direct presidential involvement in the legislative negotiations. The President’s plan largely favors the Senate’s bill and clarifies use of a legislative strategy known as budget reconciliation, which could pass the bill through Congress with 51 votes. Democrats on Capitol Hill reacted in a receptive manner to the proposal, although leaders are expected to flesh out many important details as the plan is worked into legislative language.

On Thursday, February 25, the President will meet with Democratic and Republican congressional leaders at Blair House in an attempt to reach compromises on comprehensive legislation. However, Republicans have not accepted the President’s premise for the meeting, which is to bring forward their own plans to address comprehensively the major coverage and costs problems that plague the U.S. health system. Absent a breakthrough at the talks this week, Democratic leaders are expected to attempt to pass final legislation without Republican votes. The President’s proposal generally follows NASW principles for health reform, and we expect to support the compromise legislation as it moves toward House and Senate consideration.\

The Kaiser Family Foundation created a side-by-side chart comparing the health care proposal unveiled by President Obama on February 22 and the previously passed House and Senate health care bills.  To view the full chart, please go here.

Urgency for State Medicaid Relief Grows

A new report by Families USA, an NASW coalition partner, documents a large number of states facing Medicaid cutbacks unless Congress quickly increases temporary funding for state Medicaid programs. Families USA reports that States are dealing with unprecedented budget shortfalls as a result of declining tax revenues, high levels of unemployment, increasing poverty and declining wages.  They concluded that at least 30 state legislatures are contemplating cutbacks to Medicaid, beginning this July.

In addition to protecting funding for current services to Medicaid recipients, the report shows that increased federal funding will improve state economies while expanding and protecting jobs. The Families USA report is available here: States in Need: Congress Should Extend Temporary Increase in Medicaid Funding.

President Obama’s federal budget proposal released earlier this month called for maintaining current Medicaid services during the economic downturn with an additional $25 billion in federal fiscal relief for state Medicaid programs. NASW has joined with Families USA and other advocacy groups in pushing for the funds in new legislation. The proposal would include a 6.2 percent increase in the amount of money states receive for Medicaid, and those with higher unemployment rates would receive more. Our coalition urges passage at the earliest opportunity as most state legislatures are already well along in the development of their budgets for their new fiscal year.

Essential Medicare Legislation Still Delayed

Partisan gridlock is continuing to stall legislation extending expiring Medicare provisions that establish provider payment rates. Congress had hoped to use the comprehensive health reform bill as a vehicle to address Medicare provider payment extensions, but the cost of the Medicare provisions and confusion on the health reform bill led to their being temporarily set aside for another legislative vehicle. Earlier this month the Senate Finance Committee attempted to again pass the Medicare “extenders package,” but the vehicle, a large jobs bill, was rejected by party leaders before coming to the floor. Currently, leaders know the Medicare package is urgent to pass now, but they have not found an acceptable vehicle for the multi-billion dollar package.

The expiring Medicare provisions include large rate cuts that directly impact payments to clinical social workers billing Medicare independently under Part B. Clinical social workers face two large rate cuts under expiring law. These include the physician payment provision in Medicare law that leads to a 21 percent cut in all Medicare Part B rates due to the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula that affects all practitioners. For more than a decade, all Medicare Part B payment rates have been set by the SGR formula, which by statute annually expire, cutting payments to providers. Each year Congress has intervened to postpone the SGR cut, but due to the costs of a permanent repeal, Congress has not agreed to a solution to the underlying flaws in the formula. NASW supports a permanent change in the Medicare formula (see our letter HYPERLINK “http://capwiz.com/socialworkers/utr/1/AURAMBWPUD/FHCOMBWQIV/4723954896“here). In late December Congress agreed to postpone the SGR cut for two months, but on March 1, 2010, the SGR cut will again go into effect. That agreement leaves Congress only a few days to enact another extension to correct the SGR formula.

In addition to the SGR reduction, Medicare psychotherapy rates already received a five percent cut on January 1st due to a CMS five-year rate review implemented in 2008. Clinical social workers and psychologists are working together to ensure the psychotherapy rate cut is restored in any bill delaying the larger SGR cut.  An increase for psychotherapy billing codes was included in the House version of health care reform (H.R. 3590), but not the Senate version (S. 3962). Again, with the delay in enacting comprehensive reform, a new legislative vehicle must be found to delay this cut. NASW is working very aggressively with a coalition of health practitioner groups to pressure Congress to attach the psychotherapy rate provision in the larger SGR legislation.

County of Residence Impacts Personal Health

A new project undertaken by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute ranks county health status in every state in the nation. The project found that the health of a community depends on many different factors - ranging from individual health behaviors, education and jobs, to quality of health care, to the environment. The project has recently released a collection of 50 state reports designed to help community leaders demonstrate that where people live influences how healthy they are and how long they live. For information on health by county in any state, see HYPERLINK “http://capwiz.com/socialworkers/utr/1/AURAMBWPUD/GCWDMBWQIW/4723954896“here.

Within four weeks of taking office, Congress presented a “stimulus package” to President Obama, who signed it.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is now one year old.  About half of the money has been distributed, mostly to states, as well as to extend unemployment benefits, expand eligibility for Food Stamps, support Medicaid for states.  Independent economic analyses of ARRA show where it has been effective.  It’s hard to make the argument that things would have been worse for people without the package, because for many people, their economic situation is difficult and challenging.  However, reading accounts of the mass suffering during the depression makes us glad that we did not have to witness similar challenges.  It was the work of social workers led by Frances Perkins and Harry Hopkins that supported people and institutionalized programs like unemployment insurance and social security to ensure people could be cared for throughout the ups and downs of economic cycles.

NASW, partnering with you, our members, continues this legacy of providing direct aid and advocating for structural economic changes.  (See our advocacy alerts on extending benefits to people who have lost their jobs and supporting Medicaid relief to states.) We look forward to continuing these efforts.

You may find these recent articles of interest regarding the ARRA:   http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/business/economy/17leonhardt.html?src=twt&twt=nytimes and  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704804204575069772167897834.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLTopStories

Take Action Now! - Social Work Reinvestment

On February 3, Ed Towns (NY-10) introduced H.R. 795, the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act. To date there are 38 cosponsors. The act establishes a Social Work Reinvestment Commission to address the future of the profession. It also establishes demonstration programs that address the current state of the social work profession. You can contact your member of Congress and ask them to become a cosponsor of the legislation.

Pay discrimination denounced

The first 6 weeks of the 111^th Congress have been exciting. Congress passed and the President signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (Public Law No. 111-2). The law reverses a Supreme Court decision that acutely limits women workers’ capacity to sue for wage discrimination. It changes the law to declare that an unlawful practice occurs when a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice is adopted, when a person becomes subject to the decision or other practice, or when a person is affected by the decision or practice, including each time wages, benefits, or other compensation is paid. Therefore, a person can file a complaint about wage discrimination after any pay check that includes the pay discrimination. NASW Executive Director, Betsy Clark, was invited to the bill signing ceremony at the White House. You can view the video of the signing on our Web site.

Children’s Health Care passed

Another big win was passage of SCHIP legislation (Public Law No. 111-3). This legislation includes a mandate that mental health treatment be on par with medical health services. More specifically, the new law prohibits SCHIP plans from setting lower treatment limitations or higher financial requirements on coverage of mental health or substance use services than they set for other health services. It will cover around 4 million additional uninsured children. It is paid for, primarily with a 62-cent increase in the federal tobacco tax. It will extend federal support of CHIP through 2013. It encourages states to enroll children who are already eligible but not yet covered, and gives states new tools to reach uninsured children. It removes the five-year waiting period for legal immigrant children and pregnant women who enroll in Medicaid or CHIP. See the final vote. (more…)