On July 27, 2010 NASW attended a workshop on “Jobs for the Future” hosted by N.D.N. and chaired by the United States Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Karen Kornbluh.  Ambassador Kornbluh, previously served for then Senator Barack Obama as his policy director and as Deputy Chief of Staff at the United States Treasury Department.  The Ambassador discussed current research on youth unemployment and what the U.S. is doing at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to address the proliferation of youth unemployment triggered by America’s recession.

It was revealed that across the vast majority of industrialized nations, youth unemployment is greater than unemployment within the general population.  The O.E.C.D. reports that in 2009 youth unemployment dropped more than employment for low-skilled workers and, according to a Pew study released in February 2010, 37% of the American millennial generation, those 18-29 years old, are unemployed or out of the workforce.  The Pew report further notes that this rate of youth unemployment is “the highest share among this age group in more than three decades”.  NASW will continue to examine strategies that will engender prosperity for America and its most vulnerable populations.

Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH
NASW Executive Director

We use the word “great” casually in our every day speech. Depending on how the word is expressed, it can be a synonym for “ok,” or “good,” or as a cynical substitute for disappointment or negativity. Seldom do we hear the word “great” used as its orginal definition intended– markedly superior in character.

What constitutes greatness?   It could be courage, brilliance, goodness, ability, power, or a combination of those traits.   For me, greatness is defined by the name Dorothy Irene Height who died on April 20 at age 98. Her eulogy and all of the tributes to her in the past week, have recalled a great woman, a great activist, a great leader and a great force. She was all of those things. She was also a great social worker and the recipient of NASW’s 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award in Social Work.

I had the honor of co-chairing the Intercultural Cancer Council’s Height Jury which selected individuals  to receive an award in her honor which recognized individuals with significant achievements in addressing the unequal burden of cancer borne by underrepresented individuals. I also was honored to give a social work tribute for Dr. Height when she was inducted into the Democracy Hall of Fame in 2004. As a result, I had the wonderful privilege  of meeting with Dr. Height several times over the past decade. Each time I knew I was in the presence of greatness.  The best way I can describe it is that she had a greatness of spirit and a greatness of purpose. Each time I came away  renewed and enriched.  Just being with her made me feel that I could do more, should do more. She had that effect on people.

Dr. Height wasn’t simply a part of history; she created history. She spent her career and her life working to make this world a better place. Her focus included civil rights, women’s rights and human rights. Her counsel was sought by individuals, organizations, communities and presidents. At the time of her death, she was the Board Chair of the Legislative Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and she was Emerita President of the National Council of Negro Women. She was also an ardent supporter of the social work legislation named in her honor–the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young Social Work Reinvestment Act (H.R. 795/S. 686).

The funeral service for Dr. Height ended with the gospel song, “This Little Light of Mine (I’m Gonna Let it Shine).” May the light of Dorothy. I. Height live on, and may her beacon reach every one of us and reinforce our purpose and our profession so that we can honor and further the legacy she left us.

For Immediate Release
April 9, 2010

WASHINGTON—The National Association of Social Workers (NASW-USA) is obligated by our ethical code to raise concerns about the “Anti-Homosexuality Bill” that now stands before the Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.  At stake are the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) citizens of Uganda.  NASW-USA has been joined by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW), in calling upon the Ugandan Parliament to reject this detrimental bill.

The “Anti-Homosexuality Bill” in the Ugandan Parliament could set a serious  precedent for other countries—allowing extreme penalties of death and life in prison, and punishable offenses for a broad range of individuals if they fail to report suspected homosexuality to the authorities. The measure violates fundamental human rights and hinders effective public health responses to HIV and AIDS.

“Human rights are universal, regardless of sexual orientation,” said James J. Kelly, PhD, ACSW, NASW’s president.  “Criminal penalties against individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity violate basic human rights, demean human dignity, and also undermine efforts to limit the spread of HIV.”

Research shows that a person who feels forced to conceal his or her sexual orientation is less likely to seek assistance with HIV prevention, or to seek medical care for complications from HIV infection.  As a result, statistics on HIV infection rates are inaccurate, further hurting efforts by health care personnel to stem the spread of the virus.

NASW-USA believes that people with same-gender sexual orientation should be afforded the same respect and rights as those with other-gender orientation.  Discrimination and prejudice directed against any group is damaging to the social, emotional and economic well-being of both the affected group and of society as a whole. This holds true for Ugandan society as well as any other.

Challenging social injustice and affirming the dignity and worth of the human person are core principles of the social work profession.  Social workers pursue social justice, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people, including the LGBT community.   NASW-USA in honoring the critical importance of human rights asks the Ugandan government to reject this life-limiting legislation.

For more information, please see Human Rights and International Affairs on SocialWorkers.org.

Race in America
June 6, 2010

Keynote speaker: Julian Bond, social activist; leader in the American Civil Rights Movement; politician; professor; and writer

The University of Pittsburgh has set the stage for a solution-focused dialogue on race. Pitt’s School of Social Work and the school’s Center on Race and Social Problems will host Race in America: Restructuring Inequality, a national conference in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Workshops include:

• The Color of Money: Economic Disparities among the Races
• Mental Health: Finding Solutions to the Problems Minorities Face
• The Bigger Issue: Obesity in Minority Communities

Early bird special for registration by March 31, 2010

For more details and to register visit: http://www.race.pitt.edu

NASW encourages members to get involved

WASHINGTON DC—In the aftermath of the deadly earthquake in Haiti this week, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is issuing an alert to its nearly 150,000 members to help support recovery efforts for victims and their families.  In disasters such as this, social workers are uniquely suited to assess the disaster environment in a culturally competent manner and to provide leadership in promoting effective disaster relief and recovery efforts.

“Social workers are often among the first to respond to disasters both nationally and abroad,” says Elizabeth Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH, executive director of NASW. “The people of Haiti need our help now more than ever, and we are committed to providing any assistance we can to one of the world’s poorest countries during this terrible tragedy.”

“If you would like to join with your social worker colleagues in the social work response to this disaster, you can donate through the NASW Foundation’s Social Work Disaster Assistance Fund to assist social workers and/or social welfare organizations who can provide help.”

• Click here to donate to The Social Work Disaster Assistance Fund
• Join our Facebook Cause
  

Social workers are already helping through various organizations both nationally and internationally. NASW is a member of InterAction, the largest coalition of U.S-based international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) focused on the world’s poor and most vulnerable people.  Many NGO members of this coalition were active in Haiti prior to the earthquake and have been mobilizing immediate aid to survivors in the past few days.  Social workers have a strong presence within these organizations.  Social workers can also make contributions to organizations listed here:

• American Red Cross www.redcross.org
• InterAction member organizations active in Haiti
• United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) –for the delivery of urgent medical care, food, and water to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti through UN agencies such as UNICEF, WHO, the World Food Program, UNDP, UNFPA, IOM.

Social workers can also help by offering disaster recovery services through organizations working in Haiti.  Tragic events of this magnitude often require the expertise of social workers who can immediately provide their crisis management, community organizing and mental health support skills.  Social workers with prior disaster relief experience can register with the Center for International Disaster Information to volunteer their time and expertise to this important cause.  Or for those with more experience and seeking longer-term paid positions, social workers can search for vacancies with NGOs at www.reliefweb.int .

For further information about ways to get involved, visit the InterAction Web site at or the USAID Disaster Assistance page .

NASW recognizes that some of our members and friends have lost loved ones through this tragedy.   Our thoughts are with those affected by this disaster.  To find additional resources on coping with grief and loss, please visit Help Starts Here, the social work consumer Web site .

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About NASW

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in Washington, DC, is the largest membership organization of professional social workers with 150,000 members. It promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW also seeks to enhance the well being of individuals, families, and communities through its advocacy.

About the NASW Foundation

The NASW Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization created to enhance the well-being of individuals, families and communities through the enhancement of social work practice. One of the Foundation’s goals is to assist with rapid response to social crises.

Give an Hour is a national nonprofit organization providing free counseling and other mental health services to members of the military, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, and their loved ones.  Join the more than 4,500 mental health professionals who have already donated nearly 20,000 hours to make a difference in the lives of those who serve our country by donating an hour a week out of your practice. Visit www.giveanhour.org to learn more or to register as a provider.

On October 22, NASW participated in an advance screening panel for a powerful new movie called Precious, based on the novel Push by Sapphire.  This film chronicles the harrowing journey of an obese, abused and illiterate teenager in New York City who seeks a better life for herself and her two children. Lee Daniels directed an all-star cast including comedienne Mo’Nique, rising star Paula Patton, and rocker Lenny Kravitz, and introducing Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe as Precious. In a surprising twist, pop diva Mariah Carey plays a no-nonsense social worker, Mrs. Weiss, who confronts Precious’ mother about incest and other physical and emotional abuse of her daughter. Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry served as executive producers for this gripping story of personal triumph over family violence and social isolation.

During the discussion portion of the screening–coordinated by Liquid Soul Media in partnership with Lionsgate Productions–more than 300 Baltimore and Washington area residents discussed issues that included:

• Education as the pathway from poverty and despair
• Value of community networks and service coordination
• Impact of untreated mental illness on families
• Risk-taking and courage when reporting abuse
• Increased and sustained funding for prevention programs
• Reducing isolation among vulnerable children and teens

Questions for social workers: Do you plan to see the movie?  Do you have any expectations about how the social worker character will be portrayed?  Leave a comment below.

NEW: Join a discussion of this movie and others, current TV shows and news coverage…from a social work perspective.  Visit our new social media driven site,  SocialWorkersSpeak.org today!

Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH

Today we visited The Suzanne Mubarak Regional Centre for Women’s Health and Development (SMC) in Alexandria. This is a special program of Mrs. Murbarak, the First Lady of Egypt, and it is part of the national budget. We met with the director of women’s development. Mrs. Khagida Khashana and her staff and toured the state-of-the art facilities. They have been in operation for two years.

Their posters use the tag line of”Breaking the Silence in Egypt.” Their mission statement is linked to the WHO definition: The mission of the SMC is to promote women’s health and development in Egypt and friendly neighboring countries, health being a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, and is closely linked to women’s development. They emphasized that their definition includes “a healthy sexual and reproductive life.” Their long term goals are to combat illness, ignorance, poverty and to support women’s rights.

Their outreach and community organizing focus is reaching school teachers, social workers, and NGOs to get women referred for their services and as settings for their educational programs which also include skill building.

In addition to routine care in areas such as obesity and diabetes, cancer screenings, bone health and antismoking, they do genetic markers, Microeconomics, and productive skills for refugees.

They have a mobile clinic for breast cancer for women in rural areas, and they are just starting a breast cancer survivorship program. They are partnering with the Susan G. Koman organization from the USA and they were having their first walk at the pyramids later this week.

They told us that AIDS is not a serious problem in Egypt, nor is there much rape because of their social culture and because rape is a major crime punishable by death. However, domestic violence and genital mutilation are both problems. One of the things they try to do is to teach women that neither is a part of their religion.

They said that women in Egypt don’t talk about violence, even to each other. Thus, the tag line above about breaking the silence. They are also training doctors to detect battering, and Mrs. Murbarak has created a Women’s Council to help battered women with legal problems.

In the USA, President Obama has established the Council for Women and Girls. I was pleased to be present when he signed that important order. In Egypt, the Women Center was also established by Presidential decree. It also receives a yearly budget from the Egyptian government to cover the operating expenses. We could use a greater governmental focus on women’s health in the United States.

For more information on the Women’s Centre, see www.smcalex.org.

Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH

As part of our delegation trip to Cairo, we visited the Children’s Cancer Center which opened in 2007. It is a state-of-the-art center that is a flagship facility for the Middle East. It has 182 inpatient beds, 10 ICU beds, 22 outpatient clinics, and 82 physicians on staff. It is modeled after St. Jude’s Hospital in the US, and any children with cancer are treated for free.

The most frequent childhood cancers are brain tumors and leukemia. Only 40% of children survive cancer in Egypt. This is about half of the survival rate in the USA. They hope to improve this number with outstanding health care.

They began fundraising for the hospital in 2000. As part of their fundraising campaign, they named the project after their bank account number, and the hospital is now known as 57357. They started with $14 million pounds. Most of the funds raised were small donations from people who made charitable contributions during Ramadan. School children also helped raise funds.

The Center’s psychosocial care is headed by a psychiatrist and includes social workers (8 of them), psychologists, and child life therapists. Social workers there make about $300 per month. The Cancer Center noted that they were quite surprised that our delegation wanted to visit. They told us that they would welcome assistance with training for psychosocial oncology. One of our delegates, Floyd Allen from CancerCare in NYC, will be a great contact for them.

(Part I) Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH

Hello from Egypt,

Each year, as part of our Social Workers Across Nations (SWAN) program, NASW leads a delegation of social workers to a different country. Our goal is to further understand the role of social work in various countries and to look at similarities, differences and how NASW and US social workers can assist with capacity building for social work in other parts of the world.

This year, we are visiting Egypt. We have been in two cities — Cairo and Alexandria — and have had the opportunity to meet with academics and practitioners in various programs, especially NGOs (non-governmental organizations).

No matter where we travel, I am always struck by the similarity of barriers faced by social workers. Egypt is no exception. We were fortunate to meet with Dr. Hoda Badran, formerly a professor and currently the chairperson for the Alliance for Arab Women, who would like to see unified standards for social work education around the world. Egypt also has issues with not enough social work faculty and with finding adequate supervision for field placements.

We were privileged that Egypt’s Minister of Solidarity decided to attend our meeting and address us personally. He is one of 32 ministers in the country. Perhaps his role is most similar to our Secretary of Health and Human Services. One of their goals is to reduce poverty by 50% by 2015 — a major challenge for the country. The Minister well understood the role of, and need for, social workers and said they would welcome the input of social workers and NGOs from other countries.

Without visiting, it’s hard to imagine the sheer numbers of people living within such a contained area. Cairo has 20 million citizens — practically twice the size of NYC. The city’s infrastructure is not adequate for so many individuals. Traffic is almost indescribable, yet it seems to flow. Drivers seem less aggressive here than in our country, and everyone seems to realize that orderly merging of traffic is essential.

Cairo only gets 4-5 days of rain per year, and I don’t think I had ever really thought about the role of rain in helping keep our environment clean. Litter and sand are everywhere. Pollution is a problem, and poverty is pervasive. Many families live on the equivalent of $100-150 per month.

Perhaps one of our delegates, Larry Higginbottom from Massachusetts, said it best. He traveled with us last year to South Africa, and sees similarities among all three countries. He noted that the problems faced in each country are very much alike, and that “people everywhere are just trying to get by.”