The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is the largest workplace charity campaign in the country and the only campaign authorized to solicit and collect contributions from federal employees in the workplace. Nearly four million federal employees and military personnel contribute to the charities of their choice during the annual charity drive, which runs from September 1 through December 15 at federal government agencies across the nation and overseas. Federal employees can support social work by choosing NASW Foundation #12538!

Currently, the United States spends more on health care than any other country even though we are ranked 47th in life expectancy and 43rd in child mortality. In addition, over 40 million people are without coverage, including millions of children. Eight out of ten of those uninsured are members of working families and the number continues to grow at an alarming rate.

NASW supports a national health care policy that ensures the rights to universal access to a continuum of health and mental health.” (Social Work Speaks, 7th Edition 2006-2009). Both presidential candidates have proposed enhanced health care plans. In each health care proposal there are issues of interest to social workers. These include mental health, veterans’ health, women’s health, HIV/AIDS, long term care and Medicaid and Medicare among others.

What health care related issues interest you as a social worker?

For the past eight years civil rights have been in jeopardy at the Justice Department. The Department has become politicized and there is a litmus test to fill positions in the Civil Rights Division. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company makes it more difficult to take action on pay discrimination. Lily Ledbetter was told that she could not sue for discrimination because it started too early, even though she did not have knowledge of the problem until later.

What do social workers think about the current state of Civil Rights and it’s relevance in the 2008 Presidential Election?

NASW works on these issues and many others. You can see our advocacy efforts at https://ssl.capwiz.com/socialworkers/callalert/index.tt?alertid=10449631

Social Workers at Work

The 2004 benchmark national study of licensed social workers provided a wealth of information about social workers’ roles and work environments. The study also raised new questions about the social work workforce that required further exploration. Although the 2004 findings pointed to a looming shortage of licensed social workers, there was still much to learn about why this was the case. In what ways did career decision points, educational debt, workplace stressors, and other factors influence the recruitment and retention of this professional workforce? The NASW Membership Workforce Study was an effort to respond to such remaining questions and to gain more insight into the social work workforce.

Excesses on Wall Street are impacting Main Street. The country is in an economic crisis and we need leaders who have a viable plan for the economy. How will America jumpstart the economy, provide middle class Americans tax relief; supporting fair trade; and create additional new jobs?

Social workers, what are your thoughts?

Co-published by the National Association of Social Workers and Oxford University Press
Terry Mizrahi and Larry E. Davis, Editors

The NASW Press and Oxford University Press are proud to announce the new, completely updated, revised and expanded 20th edition of the Encyclopedia of Social Work. This new edition of the Encyclopedia includes coverage of areas that have come to the fore since the 1995 publication of the 19th edition including demographic changes from immigration, technology, the implications of managed care, faith-based assistance, evidence-based practice, gerontology, and trauma and disaster. Each thoughtful article is written and signed by a top academic or social work practitioner and includes a bibliography for further reading.

Partnering with Oxford University Press for the first time, the 20th Edition endeavors to maintain the quality of the latest edition and at the same time to include new material to keep abreast of changes in the profession and society at large.

http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/encyclopedia/