By Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW I was browsing a free book on the Internet recently and the first line stopped me. It started with Amartya Sen’s quote, “A misconceived theory can kill.” Immediately, I thought about the amount of death that has pummeled the United States over the past few years. More than a million deaths from COVID-19 to date, ... Read More »

    By Mel Wilson, LCSW, MBA In a recent surprise announcement, President Biden informed the nation that he was taking two significant steps related to federal marijuana policy. In that announcement, he stated that his administration will pardon individuals who have been convicted in federal court of simple possession of marijuana. However, the vast majority of those arrested, convicted, ... Read More »

By Cassie Brown, MSW, LCSW For all of you who are on the Rainbow Spectrum, all of you who have known the inside of a closet, all of you who have had to tell your story and your truth again (and again, and again, and again) because of the oppressive world in which we live and the assumptions that we ... Read More »

Progress on Advancing the Improving Access to Mental Health Act (H.R 2035/ S. 870) The Senate Finance Committee (SFC) released its mental health workforce discussion draft component of its mental health legislative package (a summary may be found here). We are pleased to report two of three provisions of the Improving Access to Mental Health Act are included in section ... Read More »

  By Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW It’s been 21 years since first responders rushed headlong into the burning World Trade Center while frightened civilians rushed for the exits.  Each September, we remember and reflect on their bravery. Heedless of their own safety, they carried out their mission to serve and to protect us in our most devastating time of need. ... Read More »

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW)  is encouraging its members to comment on an important proposed rule to strengthen nondiscrimination protections in health programs through Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. NASW will be submitting comments and encourages social workers to do so as well. The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) and partner organizations have created comment portals (listed ... Read More »

Crumbling infrastructure and recent flooding in Mississippi caused an already struggling water treatment plant in the state capital of Jackson to collapse. Residents in the city of 150,000 are having difficulty getting water to drink or to flush toilets, prompting the city to close schools and business and residents to wait in long lines for water. The NASW Mississippi Chapter has mobilized volunteers ... Read More »

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), as part of an initiative to promote licensure portability for military spouses, in 2021 awarded a $500,000 grant for the development of an interstate licensure compact for social workers. The compact would give social workers to practice in two or more states, giving the profession much needed license mobility. The Council of State Governments (CSG) has ... Read More »

By Dr. Jessica Hare, BSW, MSW, DSW American Promise joined forces with the National Association of Social Workers and Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy on June 27, 2022 for a conversation on “The Power of Political Social Work.” Social workers witness how the influence of money in politics is shaping and reinforcing systems that increasingly benefit wealthy donors ... Read More »

By Gary Pettengell, ECINS If there were ever a time to truly appreciate the essential contributions to society made by social workers – it would be now. As we find ways to recognize, inspire, and equip social work professionals tackling a confluence of challenges in schools, families, and communities, the most important thing is to acknowledge the immense challenges they ... Read More »