On Friday, August 14, NASW participated in a conference call with the White House to discuss the current status of the health care reform/insurance debate, messaging and strategy. The White House also announced its new webpage, www.whitehouse.gov/RealityCheck to help separate fact from fiction about health insurance reform. The conference call speakers included Tina Tchen, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement; Michael Strautmanis, Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement; Michael Hash and Lauren Aaronson, Senior Advisors; and David Simas, White House Communications Office, Office of Health Reform.

Violence in Schools: Social Workers Need to be Part of the Change
By Sue Coyle At 13, eighth-grader Melissa* is no stranger to lockdown drills—drills where students and staff practice what they would do if an active shooter was on campus. She says the drills occur monthly, more frequently at the beginning of the school year, and are...