By Paul R. Pace, News staff As a former freelance journalist, Anita Doberman said she rarely read or heard the term social work used in a positive light. Journalist colleagues never brought to her attention that there could be a difference between a social worker and a government employee, she said. “It was never on the radar,” Doberman said. “Most ... Read More »

By Paul R. Pace, News staff Along with attorneys, judges and juries, social workers are critical players in the nation’s criminal justice system. In district attorneys’ offices, social workers help crime victims maneuver through complex legal processes and offer a helping hand on the road to recovery. On the other side of the scale, social workers in public defenders’ offices ... Read More »

Social workers believe that helping people navigate difficult environments, while respecting their innate strengths, improves lives. With that in mind, NASW announced the 2013 National Professional Social Work Month theme as “Weaving Threads of Resilience and Advocacy.” Celebrated each March, National Professional Social Work Month is an opportunity for social workers across the country to turn the spotlight on the ... Read More »

By Rena Malai, News staff NASW co-sponsored a Capitol Hill briefing in September to present findings and recommendations from the July 2012 Institute of Medicine report “The Mental Health and Substance Use Workforce for Older Adults: In Whose Hands?” The Hill briefing, “Building the Mental Health Workforce for America’s Diverse Aging Population,” was held in cooperation with Rep. Rosa DeLauro, ... Read More »

By Paul R. Pace, News staff The NASW Chapter HIV/AIDS Partnership Initiative to strengthen HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment is receiving an enthusiastic response from attendees, according to those involved with the effort. NASW and eligible chapters are conducting training and workshops to expand the knowledge and capacity of mental health services providers — particularly social workers — in addressing ... Read More »

By Rena Malai, News staff From student athletes to Olympians, those involved in the world of sports don’t have an average life. Long days of training, the stress of competitions and the pressure to win on top of everyday responsibilities are the norm for many athletes who play at a college or professional level. “Athletes are complex,” said Vince Lodato, ... Read More »

By Rena Malai, News staff As a high school student, Ohio resident Danielle Smith already had a clear picture of what she wanted to do with her life. “As a freshman (in high school), I had an interest in social justice and I saw the power of macro level work,” Smith said. “My mom worked in a school that helped ... Read More »

By Rena Malai, News staff NASW’s Center for Workforce Studies & Social Work Practice is introducing a series of guides for social workers called Tools and Techniques, which offers members an online resource on what to expect throughout the course of their careers in terms of compensation, job duties and education requirements. “Tools and Techniques is a more hands-on approach, ... Read More »

By Paul R. Pace, News staff NASW and its chapters are building an education campaign this fall that promotes clarification of social work title protection in news stories and headlines so that social workers are not misrepresented in the media. When headlines incorrectly state that a social worker is to blame for misbehavior, the social work profession suffers from the ... Read More »

By Greg Wright, News contributor Social worker Henry Acosta has probably received dozens of awards for his mental health outreach efforts in the Hispanic community. However, the Voice Award that Acosta received on Aug. 22 in Los Angeles from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is his first award for reaching out to others despite battling a mental ... Read More »