NASW has submitted comments to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), urging DHHS to require all non-church health insurance providers and organizations to provide contraception without charging a co-payment, in accordance with regulations stipulated in the Affordable Care Act of 2010. As per the letter from NASW Executive Director, Betsy Clark, “social workers have long advocated for access to care and reproductive choice for all women….and NASW’s policy statement, Family Planning and Reproductive Choice, affirms the fundamental right of each individual to manage his or her fertility and to have access to the full range of effective family planning and reproductive health services, regardless of income, marital status, age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, national origin or residence. NASW also supports legislation that ensures privately and publicly funded health insurance coverage includes access to all forms of reproductive health technologies and contraceptives.”
What Social Workers Need to Know About the Supreme Court’s Decision in Chiles v. Salazar
In an 8–1 decision in Chiles v. Salazar, the Supreme Court ruling raises significant implications for how social workers navigate ethical practice, client care, and the regulation of mental health services.
