By Rebekah Gewirtz, MPA After Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed that a leaked draft of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in the Mississippi abortion case was authentic, I began doom scrolling to the point of anger and despair. Although many of us have known that this day was coming based on the appointments of Neil Gorsuch, Brett ... Read More »
Tag Archives: abortion
Overturning Roe v. Wade will disproportionately affect people of color; Here is what social workers should know
By Mel Wilson, LCSW, MBA The leaked report of a draft Supreme Court ruling to completely overturn the seminal abortion rights opinion Roe v. Wade sent shockwaves throughout the country. While most reproductive health and other social justice advocates expected the conservative-leaning court would “gut” Roe v. Wade, they did not anticipate the absolute evisceration of the law. In that Roe ... Read More »
Reproductive Rights legal cases handled by the NASW Legal Defense Fund
Here is a list of reproductive rights legal cases handled by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) NASW Legal Defense Fund. McRae v. Mathews (U.S. Dist. Ct, E.D.N.Y., 421 F. Supp. 533 (E.D.N.Y. 1976)) Case Desc.: Challenge to Federal Appropriation Act that denied funding to indigent, pregnant women for elective abortions NASW Supported: McRae Outcome: Won/Favorable. Date Brief Filed: ... Read More »
NASW National Committee on Women’s Issues Denounces Attacks on Reproductive Rights
NASW’s National Committee on Women’s Issues (NCOWI) remains firm in its support of an individual’s rights over their reproductive health. NCOWI denounces efforts in numerous states to restrict access to reproductive health services and undermine rights protected under Roe v. Wade, particularly in Texas and Mississippi, whose efforts to eviscerate Roe are now being debated by the U.S. Supreme Court. The ... Read More »
NASW on amicus brief before U.S. Supreme Court seeking to overturn Texas abortion law
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) on Oct. 27, 2021 and 10 other civil rights organizations joined in an amicus brief led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in the Whole Women’s Health v. Jackson case filed in the U.S. Supreme Court. This case involves Texas’s Senate Bill 8 (SB 8), banning abortion after six weeks ... Read More »
Texas abortion law could put social workers in legal jeopardy; please sign petition
Alison Mohr Boleware, LMSW Government Relations Director National Association of Social Workers Texas Chapter SB 8, the “Heartbeat Bill”, goes into effect in Texas on Sept. 1, 2021. The new law allows any private citizen to sue someone for “aiding and abetting” an abortion. Aiding and abetting is laid out in chapter 7 of the Texas Penal Code, but is ... Read More »
NASW applauds U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down restrictive Texas abortion clinic laws
NASW STATEMENT: The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) applauds the Supreme Court’s decision on June 27 to strike down Texas’ stringent laws concerning abortion clinics. The importance of the Supreme Court’s 5-3 ruling in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt should not be understated. The high court’s action conforms with and affirms prior decisions that guarantee women’s rights to control ... Read More »
NASW-Massachusetts statement on Supreme Court Buffer Zone ruling
The National Association of Social Workers – Massachusetts Chapter (NASW-MA) and NASW’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C. are disappointed by a United States Supreme Court ruling on Thursday that unanimously overturned the Massachusetts law that created a 35-foot buffer zone around health clinics offering abortion services. The Court stated that establishing these zones infringed on the First Amendment rights of ... Read More »
NASW hopes U.S. Supreme Court will uphold safety zones around reproductive health facilities
The National Association of Social Workers and its Massachusetts Chapter are closely watching the U.S. Supreme Court case McCullen v. Coakley and hope the court will rule in favor of keeping safety buffer zones around reproductive health care facilities in Massachusetts. The court on Jan. 15 will hear oral arguments on whether the law is constitutional. A ruling is expected ... Read More »
Notify HHS Secretary Leavitt of your Opposition to “Conscience” Regulation
Take Action! On August 21, the Bush Administration released a draft regulation that would limit the rights of patients to receive complete reproductive health information. There is a 30 day comment period. It ends on September 20. Action Requested Send your comments to Secretary Mike Leavitt at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Background The new rule expands ... Read More »