Social Work Advocates Magazine

NASW is revising its “Standards for Social Work Case Management,” and is seeking input to ensure the revised standards are relevant to social work practice across settings and specialties. Visit www.socialworkers.org/practice/aging/casemanagement to read and comment on the draft. “The standards are designed to enhance social workers’ awareness of the values, knowledge, methods and skills needed to practice case management competently,” ... Read More »

The Touro College Graduate School of Social Work in New York City recently hosted a forum on “Planning for End-of-Life Care with Dignity and Compassion,” in honor of its Spring 2012 Community Day. Dr. Harvey Gross, (far left) chief physician in the Department of Family Practice at Englewood Hospital in New Jersey, served as keynote speaker.  Dr. Gross addressed ethical ... Read More »

By Rena Malai, News Staff In parts of the U.S., a social work degree or license is not always a requirement for a social work job, meaning these positions can be filled by candidates without formal social work education or credentials. Some NASW chapters are working on behalf of their members to make sure social work positions are filled by ... Read More »

By Rena Malai, News Staff People contemplating suicide, suffering from depression or experiencing severe panic attacks may call 911 to get help. But the sergeant of the Cheyenne Police Department in Wyoming says police officers may not fully be prepared or trained to deal with a mental health situation. “Police officers are trained to find immediate solutions to a problem,” ... Read More »

By Paul R. Pace, News Staff National Professional Social Work Month was celebrated in March and the theme “Social Work Matters” was heralded from coast to coast. “Social workers believe that a nation’s strength depends on the ability of the majority of its citizens to lead productive and healthy lives,” said NASW President Jeane Anastas. “Every day, social workers help ... Read More »

By Paul R. Pace, News staff NASW has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the individual health mandate and Medicaid provisions outlined in the Affordable Care Act in two amicus briefs, coordinated by the Legal Defense Fund, so that quality health care is available and affordable for all. A new NASW Practice Perspective, “State Health Insurance Exchanges: What Social ... Read More »

By Greg Wright, News contributor Social worker Matt Anderson became a documentary film producer on a whim. He was working with foster children in Missoula, Mont., when he met Codie, an 18-year-old who had been placed in 17 foster homes in just seven years. Like many former foster children, Codie was struggling to reconnect with family and avoid becoming involved ... Read More »

From the April 2012 NASW News’ Social Work in the Public Eye: Being diagnosed with cancer at any age can be traumatizing, but getting diagnosed when going through the pressures of being a teenager is another story. This is what happened to NASW member Alexis Reilly, according to “The Rundown” a PBS Newshour blog. Reilly, 22, was diagnosed with Hodgkins ... Read More »

By Greg Wright, NEWS contributor Social workers and a member of a Chicago theater group say an improvisational theater program they created at Northwestern University in Illinois is helping people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia enjoy a better quality of life. The “Memory Ensemble” program is a joint effort of the university’s Cognitive Neurology and ... Read More »

By Paul R. Pace, NEWS Staff Advances for the equal rights of the LGBT community at the state and federal levels have been made in recent months, and NASW has played a role in these matters. In California, a federal appeals panel in San Francisco ruled in February that California’s ban on same-sex marriage violates the constitutional right to equal ... Read More »