By Paul R. Pace, News staff
Nearly 50 BSW and MSW students from across the country gathered for educational sessions on health care, leadership and advocacy activities on Capitol Hill as part of the Social Work Health Care Education and Leadership Scholars (Social Work HEALS) Student Policy Summit, which was hosted at NASW’s national office in November.
Students divide into groups for discussion sessions at the NASW national office in Washington, D.C., in November. Nearly 50 BSW and MSW students from across the country visited NASW as part of the Social Work HEALS Student Policy Summit.
NASW and the Council on Social Work Education are partnering to implement the Social Work HEALS program, which aims to educate and train social workers from the BSW to postdoctoral levels to strengthen the delivery of health care services in the U.S. The New York Community Trust is funding the project.
NASW CEO Angelo McClain told the students it’s important that social workers have a place at the table whenever health care policy and regulations are debated.
McClain said that as his career advanced, “I began to realize I needed to speak up and put my voice in the conversation. I had an important perspective that nobody else brings.”
CSWE President and CEO Darla Spence Coffey told attendees they are in a crucial period of health care history. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 is transforming the delivery of health care services by stressing improved health outcomes, greater access to care and reduced health care costs, she said.
“There is a transformation occurring in our health care delivery,” Coffey said. “It’s not going to look like it always has.” Coffey added: “We want to make sure you think together on education, practice, policy and research.”
From the February 2016 NASW News. NASW members can read the full story here.
