International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (or IDAHO) is an opportunity to draw attention to the inequities experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons every day and in every part of the world.  It is also a day to recognize and continue the progress that has been made towards achieving LGBT rights. Heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia create an environment of discrimination... 

May 19, 1012 is the first ever Hepatitis Testing Day inthe United States. Since chronic hepatitis often does not cause any symptoms until serious liver damage has been done, testing for hepatitis is crucial. Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C can become chronic, life-long infections which can lead to liver cancer. Millions of Americans are living with chronic viral hepatitis, and many do not know they are infected. HIV/AIDS,... 

March 26 – 30, 2012 is LGBT Health Awareness Week.  Every day, social workers are  actively working to promote LGBT equity. Here are a few new resources: The National Workgroup to Address the Needs of Children and Youth Who Are LGBTQI2-S and Their Families, which is convened by the Child, Adolescent and Family Branch (CAFB), Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... 

Social workers are working with and on behalf of persons affected by HIV/AIDS  – be it in hospital and mental health clinics, community based organizations and/or private practice.   Across diverse fields of practice – social worker are committed to learning more about HIV and AIDS. Social workers recognize that culturally competent HIV prevention, care and treatment requires keeping current on substance use,... 

Jane Bierdeman-Fike, NASW Social Work Pioneer®, passed away March 13, 2012. Jane Bierdeman-Fike served on the NASW National Board of Directors. She also served on the NASW Missouri Chapter Executive Committee as Vice-President, elect in 1975, and as President, elected in 1977.  She is a recipient of the 1995 NASW Missouri Chapter Social Worker of the Year Award and 2004 NASW Lifetime Achievement Award. Read... 

Golda Edinburg, NASW Social Work Pioneer®, passed away February 9, 2012. Former President, Department of Mental Health and Retardation Area Board of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Director, Social Work Department, McLean Hospital. Golda Edinburg will be missed by the entire social work community.  She will be remembered for her unwavering dedication to providing quality care and improving the quality of... 

NASW rejoices in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling striking the California Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional in Perry v. Brown, available at http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/opinions/. Read NASW’s amicus brief, coordinated by the NASW Legal Defense Fund, at www.socialworkers.org/ldf/brief_bank  Read More →

NASW’s Social Work Ethics and Law Institute (SWELI) publishes twice-weekly legal and ethics updates for social workers on Facebook.com/socialworkethicslaw, such as:  Did you know?  The U.S. Dept. of Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is piloting a program to perform 150 audits of health care entities to assess compliance with HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules and Breach Notification standards from... 

In early 2011 NASW sponsored two professional research trips to Cuba to learn about social services in health care, child welfare, and aging. This report describes the activities of both social work delegations and information learned from the experience. NASW Leads Delegations To Cuba The country of Cuba, only 90 miles from Florida and a once-common destination for U.S. tourists, has been inaccessible to most... 

The NASW Family wishes to extend its deepest sympathies to the family of Mark Battle as we are greatly saddened by the loss of this great social work pioneer. We want to acknowledge his loving wife, NASW Social Work Pioneer® Evelyn Kays-Battle, and extend our deepest sympathies to her and their family. We join a host of friends, colleagues, students, and fellow social workers in remembering and celebrating Mark...