Social Work Advocates Magazine

By Alison Laurio Managing student debt; concerns about risk and liability; how to begin a job search; what is a social work license, and why is or isn’t it important?; and landing your dream social work job are topics many social work students and recent graduates are eager to find out more about. Now they can, thanks to a free ... Read More »

By Josette Keelor  In June, Madeline Howe had $40,000 in student loan debt she was paying on loans for a master’s degree in social work. By the end of July, her balance was zero. Though this may sound akin to winning the lottery, it happened after years of Howe struggling to pay the $84,000 it cost to achieve her graduate ... Read More »

In case you missed it, here are some of the features in the latest issue of Social Work Advocates:   Grand Challenges for Social Work: Eliminating Racism Becomes 13th Challenge as Initiative Evolves The Grand Challenges initiative, launched in 2016, continues to evolve to meet society’s needs—including the addition in 2020 of the 13th Challenge to Eliminate Racism.   Public ... Read More »

By Paul R. Pace The world needs new policies, social contracts and practices that foster relationships and partnerships that build security and confidence for all people and promote the sustainability of the planet, say world social work leaders. The social work profession is an important stakeholder and partner for global action to further this commitment. To help set these goals ... Read More »

By Paul R. Pace While every election matters, the November 2022 midterms are imperative because human rights like voting, reproductive health and LGBTQIA+—issues central to social work’s mission and values—are in deep jeopardy. In some states, these rights are explicitly on the ballot, says Tanya Rhodes Smith, instructor in residence and director of the Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political ... Read More »

By Paul R. Pace While Tamara Harris has a background in finance, her second career is a first-generation social worker. In addition to helping people improve their mental health, her other passion is supporting education, particularly aiding first-generation college students achieve success. Harris is fulfilling that desire by having her foundation, the Tamara L. Harris Foundation, donate to the NASW ... Read More »

Following a recent update from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), NASW has received multiple inquiries regarding telehealth place of service codes (POS) for Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurance companies. A blog post written by NASW Senior Practice Associate Denise Johnson, CMS Creates Additional Place of Service Code for Telehealth, clarifies what POS codes clinical social workers should ... Read More »

The belief that dementia is a normal part of the aging process is familiar. But it is not true. “It is a common misconception in society that it is something we should all expect and something that happens to almost everybody,” says Natalia Shtompel, PhD, MSW. “But it’s not the case.” Dementia is not a normal part of aging, she ... Read More »

When Robin Arndt was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, he met with a social work professor. After a one-hour conversation where Arndt discussed his interests and aspirations, he said he left knowing he was going to be a social worker. “I gained a mentor from that meeting who would help me navigate my undergraduate experience and shape ... Read More »

In case you missed it, here are some of the features in the latest issue of Social Work Advocates. Top stories include: Roe Provided Autonomy, Self-Determination: Privacy Rights May Prove Vital Since Court Overturned Abortion Law The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade creates a social justice priority for social workers — affecting not only social work clients ... Read More »