California advocate honored for her dedication to underserved and homeless

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is pleased to name Rhonda Meister as the 2007 Public Citizen of the Year for her advocacy on behalf of low income children and families and those individuals who are homeless or at risk for homelessness.

For the more than 20 years, Ms. Meister has served as Executive Director of St. Joseph Center, a comprehensive provider of support services for those who are struggling to overcome poverty and achieve self-sufficiency.  She has tirelessly advocated on a local and state level on issues surrounding poverty and homelessness.

Under her leadership, St. Joseph Center has experienced remarkable growth, with a four-fold increase in staff and budget and the addition of six programs to help meet the increasingly complex needs of low income families and homeless persons who rely on the Center’s services.  In the midst of this incredible change, Ms. Meister’s commitment to “planting hope and growing lives” has been unwavering.

Ms. Meister is also the preeminent voice on Los Angeles’ Westside for those who are poor and marginalized.  Ms. Meister has served as the Chair of the Santa Monica Task Force on the Homeless, working with the community to dispel myths and to bring more services to those who need it most.  After many years of involvement, she recently stepped down from the Executive Committee of the Westside Shelter and Hunger Coalition, which is a regional alliance of service providers and faith based organizations that are committed to ending hunger and homelessness through service coordination, public education and advocacy.

“Underlying all of these various activities is Rhonda’s determination to uphold respect for the dignity of every individual,” says Judy Alexander, associate director of St. Joseph Center.  “Her energy and commitment are an incredible gift to her community, her staff and to the many poor and marginalized men, women and children that her efforts have served so well.”

To interview Ms. Meister, please contact NASW Communications at media@naswdc.org.  For more information about NASW, please visit www.socialworkers.org. For more information about St. Joseph Center please visit www.stjosephctr.org.

International Humanitarian, Professor at Florida Atlantic University

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is pleased to name Cecilia Campoverde, PhD, MSW the 2007 Social Worker of the Year. As a social worker, Dr. Campoverde works primarily with immigrant farmers, observing their truths in the context of the government infrastructure and regulations. In 1992, she established the Guatemalan Project, whose mission is to assist in the development of sustainable micro-enterprise activities for low-income women in Guatemala.

The controversial issue of immigration has been in the headlines and continues to be a social justice and public policy issue of great national concern. Dr. Campoverde is a social worker who is actively dealing with the immigration problem through her research efforts, public education campaigns and organizational development in the United States and in Guatemala.

“Dr. Campoverde’s social work education and training allow for a comprehensive understanding of underserved people in Guatemala,” says Dr. Elizabeth Clark, NASW executive director. “Her work to empower and sustain impoverished communities is a testament to her dedication to social justice.”

The Guatemala Project has helped many families build homes and schools for their villages. Dr. Campoverde travels to Guatemala frequently to organize and direct these programs. After nearly being swept away by Hurricane Mitch, the little town of El Triunfo found most of its families homeless and devastated. Through the Guatemala Project and Dr. Campoverde’s efforts, El Triunfo has wells for potable water, schools for their children, a medical clinic facility, and a vocational and technical school where adults can learn employable skills.

“Dr. Campoverde has brought hope to thousands of people who thought they could never get ahead in life by providing them an opportunity to provide a home and income to their families,” says Jannette Porta-Avalos, dean of academic affairs at Keiser University.

As a professor in the Department of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University, Dr. Campoverde inspires her students to look beyond the United States boarders for areas in which they can provide assistance and expertise. Many of her students have traveled with her to Guatemala and have employed their social work skills with the locals. Dr. Campoverde notes, “I hold the belief that all students can learn and that my job is to motivate and inspire them to seek knowledge and to share it.”

While pursuing a Master of Social Work in Community Organizing from Adelphi University, a Master of Education and a Doctorate in Research and Evaluation from Hofstra University, she has worked in various organizations in New York and Florida to improve the living and working conditions of Latin American immigrants.

It is with great honor that NASW recognizes Cecilia Campoverde, PhD, MSW as 2007 Social Worker of the Year.

For more information about Dr. Campoverde, or to set up an interview, please contact NASW Communications at media@naswdc.org or 202-336-8228.

Ohio Representative chosen for his dedication to the people of Columbus

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is pleased to name Ohio Representative Dan Stewart the 2007 Public Elected Official of the Year honoring his dedication to improving areas of concern for the social work profession and for the citizens of Ohio.

Since his election in 2002, Rep. Stewart has made a public commitment to improving the quality of life in Ohio, protecting the most vulnerable populations and addressing social issues in a way that strengthens the Columbus community and the entire state of Ohio.

“Rep. Stewart has worked to improve educational opportunities at all levels, worked to bring much needed healthcare to poor and elderly, and has fought continually to ensure equal rights for all,” says Dr. Elizabeth Clark, NASW executive director.  “His dedication to the people of Ohio is remarkable.”

Social justice and human rights are at the core of his work as a state legislator and as a representative of the people.  Rep. Stewart vocally opposed efforts to write discrimination into the Ohio Constitution in 2003 when the House passed the Defense of Marriage Act to deny civil marriage rights to unmarried couples.

Rep. Stewart recently fought against a tax amendment that would damage funding of social service programs necessary to sustain many Ohioans.  He worked in tandem with the NASW Ohio Chapter in opposing this amendment in the 2006 legislative session.  He introduced an amendment to another bill to add $25 million in funding to help the poor and elderly with rising heating costs.

Believing in a woman’s right to self-determination, Rep. Stewart has introduced two bills that uphold women’s rights.  The Contraceptive Equity bill would prohibit the exclusion of birth control from insurance plans that cover prescriptions.  EC in the ER would provide information about and access to emergency contraception in the hospital emergency room to victims of rape.

NASW is pleased to award Rep. Dan Stewart as the 2007 Public Elected Official of the Year.

To interview Rep. Stewart about this award, please contact NASW Communications at media@naswdc.org or 202-336-8228.  For more information about NASW, please visit www.socialworkers.org.

Children and families social worker honored for her dedication to professionWashington, D.C. – The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is pleased to honor Dorothy Harris, MSW, ACSW with the NASW Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedication to children and families and to the social work profession.

Ms. Harris has a rich history in the profession working primarily to strengthen families and provide support to children in need.  Throughout her career, she has acted in many capacities which bear out her commitment to children.  She has been instrumental in taking the lead on a number of initiatives to improve the child welfare system.

“Dorothy Harris’ experience over many years has made her an invaluable asset to the children and families she serves through her professional and volunteer work,” says Dr. Elizabeth Clark, NASW executive director.  “She is an example for social workers who have dedicated themselves to children and families.”

Ms. Harris is a Senior Vice President for Special Projects on Children, Youth and Families for Pal-Tech, Inc, which provides technical assistance to organizations and to the government to implement meaningful change in their processes.  She provides oversight to contracts on children and family issues, including child welfare privatization initiatives, community-base abstinence education programs, Head Start initiatives, child abuse and neglect reduction projects, and quality improvements to private children’s services.

Ms. Harris has also been a Fellow in the US Department of Health and Human Services where she was Special Assistant to the Commissioner on the Administration for Children, Youth and Families.  In that role, she was instrumental in the implementation of a comprehensive Performance Management System for human services programs.

Ms. Harris is also dedicated to NASW and to the social work profession.  She served as president of NASW from 1985-1987.  During that time, NASW made significant progress on issues pertaining to the welfare of children and families.  Her action agenda, that was joined by the Administration for Children, Youth and Families, focused on improving the quality of services provided to children and families being served by child welfare systems nationally.  This became a national model for systems change.

Ms. Harris received a Master of Social Work from the University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work and has taken post-graduate courses in Child Welfare Policy from the University of Maryland and the University of Chicago.

It is with great pride that we confer this award on Dorothy Harris, MSW, ACSW, as she has dedicated her lifetime to the advancement of children and families and the social workers who serve them.

For more information about Ms. Harris, or to set up an interview, please contact NASW Communications at media@naswdc.org or 202-336-8228.

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CBS’s show Kid Nation has created a buzz among child advocates. The premise is 40 children have 40 days to create a community in remote New Mexico in a parent-free environment. They feed themselves, clean their living quarters and start their own businesses. The challenge for these young people is to “stick it out” and prove they can be pioneers of their own community.

Child advocates have obvious concerns with the premise of the show. How are these children being protected? How will this show handle child labor laws? Will there be a social worker or other health and mental health professional available to these young people?

If you’ve watched the show and would like to weigh in, give us your thoughts from the social work perspective. Click here to view the Web site for the show.