Volume 2014; Issue 2
Branches Celebrate Social Work Month! Each March, we celebrate Social Work Month with events throughout Arizona. This year, we were able to host events in Phoenix (March 7th), Flagstaff (March 10th), and Tucson (March 28th). NASWAZ honors our award winners at the Branch level! Congratulations to all!
Branch 1: Social Worker of the Year Brenda Tomlin; Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Noel Maloney; Citizen of the Year Jennifer Longdon, Emerging Leader of the Year Brittney Smith.
Branch 2: Social Worker of the Year Michael Flood; Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Sue Tham; Citizen of the Year Jim Murphy; Public Elected Official of the Year Sen. Steve Farley; Scholarships A-Z; Emerging Leader of the Year Victoria Ramirez. Branches 3 & 4: Social Workers in Branches 3 & 4 worked with the Northern Arizona University School of Social Work to host a luncheon in Flagstaff featuring NASWAZ updates and a panel discussion regarding advocacy for children being served by the child welfare system.
Board of Directors Suzanne Schunk President Tim Schmaltz President-elect Patrick Shockley Vice President Eric Alfrey Secretary Connie Mitchell Treasurer Branch 1 Dori DiPietro Carol Lopinski Laura Masters Heidi Meyer Arthur Sirianni Open Position Open Position Branch 2 Josefina Ahumada Judy Pike Nancy Kaye Branch 3 Kelly O’Donnell Rhonda Talaswaima Branch 4 Deborah Nelson Open Position BSW Student Rep John Duffy MSW Student Rep Victoria Ramirez
Featured in this issue Social Work Month & Awards........................................1 Executive Director’s Corner...........................................3 President’s Pen................................................................4 PACE; SW Career Panel; Vote!.......................................5 Networking Events & More ...........................................7 AZ Couples Challenge Marriage Ban.............................8 NASWAZ Veto Letter ...................................................10 SW Day at the Legislature ............................................12 Branch 1 Networking Opportunities.............................14 Career Opportunities.....................................................16 Practice Alert ................................................................17 Continuing Education Series.........................................18 AZ LTC Conference Calls ............................................20 SW Career Panel Flyer..................................................21 MSWSN Event Flyer ...................................................22
Who to Contact To get involved in NASWAZ, please contact any of the following: BRANCH 1 (Gila, LaPaz, Maricopa, Pinal, & Yuma Counties) Carol Lopinski Dori DiPietro BR1 Co-Chairs emailto:branch1chair@naswaz.com BRANCH 2 (Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima & Santa Cruz Counties) Josefina Ahumada BR2 Chair emailto:branch2chair@naswaz.com BRANCH 3 (Apache, Coconino, Mohave & Navajo Counties plus Payson, Sedona & Cottonwood) Rhonda Talaswaima Kelly O’Donnell BR 3 Co-Chairs emailto:branch3chair@naswaz.com
BRANCH 4 (West Yavapai County—Prescott & surrounding area) Deborah Nelson BR 4 Chair emailto:branch4chair@naswaz.com STATEWIDE PACE Chair Angela Schultz emailto:PACEchair@naswaz.com PUBLIC POLICY Chair Minerva Gant emailto:publicpolicy@naswaz.com CCNLI (Nominations Chair) Bobbie Anderson CCNLIChair@naswaz.com NASWAZ Chapter Office Jeremy Arp Executive Director (480) 968-4595 emailto:jeremy@naswaz.com
Password Procedure For your first log in, you will use the following information to log in: User Name: The user name is your first name and your last name with no spaces in between. (ie. JaneDoe) *Please note that this is the first name in your member record. If your NASW membership has you listed as “H. Jane Doe”, then “H” is your first name for the purposes of this log in. (ie. HDoe) Once you log in the first time, you can set your preferences to change your user name to whatever you wish. Password: naswaz2014 Once you have logged in, the website will direct you to choose a user name and password that you can remember. If you have forgotten your password, click on “Forgot Your Password?” on the http://www.naswaz.com homepage.
2
The Executive Director’s Corner By Jeremy D. Arp, MSW, ACSW Executive Director
Success! Social Work Day at the Legislature on 2/19 & 2/27 NASWAZ scheduled two dates for Social Work Day at the Legislature: February 19th and February 27th. Over the two days we had 400 social work professionals and students from MCC, ASU (Phoenix & Tucson) learn about the legislative process and advocacy in Arizona. Presentations by legislators and staff focused on CPS and bills including SB1062 and HB2153. For more information and to view the day’s program, go to http://www. naswaz.com and click on “Advocacy.” Many thanks to our spectacular volunteers! Social Work Month Branch leadership organized Social Work Month events in Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff this year. We were thrilled with the turnout at each event. Branches 1 and 2 honored social work professionals and community leaders and provided inspiration as we focused on the month’s theme, All People Matter. Regulatory Updates NASWAZ continues to track developments with the implementation of last year’s SB1374. SB1374 made changes to the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Currently, the Board is writing rules to implement these changes. For information regarding this process, please go to the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners website link to Proposed Rule making at http://www.azbbhe.us/node/5.
In addition, NASW submitted comments to the Arizona Department of Health Services regarding draft rules for Nursing Care Institutions. In part, NASW commented that social workers would only require licensure in these settings if providing behavioral health services. To see more rules under review, go to http://www.azdhs.gov/ops/oacr/rules/ rulemakings/active/index.php?pg=hciphase2. The State Budget NASW issued action alerts regarding the state budget process. NASW opposed the budget as it lacks adequate funding for vulnerable children and families. The Arizona Chapter sent a letter to Governor Brewer requesting a veto of the budget as proposed. See a copy of the Veto Request Letter attached on page 10. NASWAZ and community members predict that the legislature will work to create a budget for DCSFS during a special session after the regular legislative session is adjourned. SAVE THE DATE: Sept. 12th The NASWAZ Social Work Conference is scheduled for Friday, September 12, 2014 at the Black Canyon Conference Center in Phoenix! Mark your calendars and look for a call for proposals and sponsorships. 3
The President’s Pen By Suzanne M. Schunk, LCSW NASWAZ Chapter President
4
I do hope all of you had a very happy and healthy Social Work Month! The theme this year was “All People Matter” and I can think of few words to more appropriately sum up all that we as social workers believe in and strive for than this sense of justice and intrinsic value as human beings. Our professional lives are filled with energy, struggles, even battles, to assist the healing and strengthening of people to be able to live their lives as fully as possible. We truly believe that each and every person matters. Yes, “All People Matter” and this belief was profoundly tested here in Arizona with the passage of SB 1062 (legalizing discrimination under the guise of religious rights and beliefs.) The powerful and overwhelming outcry state-wide and nationally was proof that we as citizens of this country that was founded on freedom and justice for all, did not agree nor condone such extreme political ideology; clearly it would legalize discrimination. NASWAZ weighed in strongly against this bill and we applaud not only Governor Brewer for her veto, but all of the legislators who voted against it: all Democrats in both the House and Senate and the three courageous Republicans who went against their party: Rep. Heather Carter, Rep. Kate Brophy McGee, and Rep. Ethan Orr. Please send these legislators your thanks. During February, NASWAZ held two very successful Social Work Days at the Legislature with over 400 professionals and students in attendance. NASWAZ’s highest legislative priority was CPS: supporting increased funding and positive legislation as well as
advocating for funds to prevent child abuse and neglect. Additionally, attendees learned about advocacy needed for funding of child care subsidies and Adult Protective Services as well as several bills related to mental health and domestic violence. Rep. Heather Carter and Senators John McComish, Katie Hobbs, and Anna Tovar all addressed the groups and were eloquent and passionate in explaining the importance of the work we do and the voice we bring to the Capital. However, one day at an event cannot effect much change. Your voices and the stories of the people you serve are needed regularly. Legislators must be educated about the impact of the bills they consider. I urge you to add you name to the e-mail public policy alert system so you can be informed about potential bills that can benefit or harm social workers, the people with whom we work, and/or the funding for the programs in which we work. Simply go to the NASWAZ website naswaz. com and click on “ADVOCACY” at the top and then on “Take Action Now” to enter your e-mail address for these alerts. By the time this is published the exciting Social Work Month branch events will have occurred—I hope you attended and enjoyed them thoroughly. However, to all of you, I say, take the time to celebrate with each other and reflect upon the meaning of having chosen to become social workers—not merely a career, but a lifestyle and belief system intrinsic to us as persons. I thank each and all of you for your hard work every day.
AZ NASW PACE
The Arizona National Association of Social Workers Political Action for Candidate Election Committee (AZ NASW PACE) met in April to discuss logistics and moving forward with election year activities. These activities include candidate endorsements for state legislative primaries and general elections. AZ NASW PACE works to endorse and support candidates that support NASW values. Often we are contacted by endorsed candidates that need support of volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering to support candidates or other AZ NASW PACE activities, please contact AZ NASW PACE Chair Angela Schultz via email at pacechair@ naswaz.com.
by the legislature. Sometimes people don’t vote because it is just not on their radar and no one ever asked them. It is up to social workers to encourage civic participation and empower clients to have their voice heard. If you would like to know more about how to integrate simple voter engagement activities into the work that you do, contact Alex Kassman at Protecting Arizona’s Family Coalition, akassman@pafcoalition.org.
Chapter Slate in Special Issue
The NASWAZ Chapter Committee on Nominations and Leadership Identification (CCNLI) are working hard to complete the slate for the upcoming elections for NASWAZ Chapter Leadership. Each year, NASWAZ holds an election for chapter members to select representatives serving on the Arizona Register to Vote! Chapter Board of Directors. The candidates by Alex Kassman are selected from among Chapter membership. We all realize how public policies affect All terms are for two-years with the exception the work that social workers do. Make sure of the MSW and BSW Student Representative that your voter registration is up to date (if you have moved, changed your name, etc. you to the Board of Directors (and the Presidentneed to update!). If you do not plan on moving Elect). NASWAZ will post the preliminary for awhile, get on the Permanent Early Voting slate of candidates in a special issue of the Arizona Update. List to have your ballot mailed to you and vote in your pajamas! Update your registration Social Work Career Panel information at www.servicearizona.com. NASWAZ Branch 1 has organized a Election Day is Nov. 4th (deadline to register Social Work Career Panel at Arizona State is Oct. 6), Arizona’s primary election is Aug. University scheduled for Friday, April 25th 26th (deadline to register for primary is July from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. The Social Work 28). Registering yourself, your colleagues, and Career Panel builds off of our successful event your clients is a great way to empower people last year and will feature a discussion panel to engage in their communities. Non-partisan comprised of social workers from various voter registration is absolutely legal for social professional sectors including: schools, workers to do. Whether you work in substance hospitals, behavioral health, child welfare, government, and aging. The event is geared abuse treatment and are trying to reconnect towards graduating BSW and MSW students. people with healthy community life or you Please register at http://www.naswaz.com. See work with people with disabilities; every constituency that social workers interface with the flyer on the last page of the newsletter for should be registered and have their voice heard more details. 5
6
Networking Events Near You! Check our Community Calendar at naswaz.com
Branch 1
Branch 1 Co-Chairs: Dori DiPietro and Carol Lopinski Networking meetings continue at Tempe Marketplace the third Thursday each month. In May, we will host a networking meeting in the West Valley in addition to our regular meeting in Tempe! We have a lunch and learn scheduled for May 9th in Phoenix about the Affordable Care Act, NASWAZ & MCC Movie Nights, and a Social Work Career Panel planned this quarter. Check out our calendar online to register to attend.
Branch 2
Branch 2 Chair: Josefina Ahumada Branch 2 hosts monthly meetings in Sierra Vista Lunch and Learn/networking events continue. Lunch and learn events will occur in Tucson.
Branch 3
Branch 3 Co-Chairs: Rhonda Talaswaima and Kelly O’Donnell Branch 3 continues monthly networking meeting at KickStand Kafe the second Thursday of each month. Register to attend online!
Branch 4
Branch 4 Chair: Deborah Nelson Branch 4 continues to host networking meetings monthly. The meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month.
Mark your calendars and register to attend online!
Use NASW Social Work Career Center and NASW JobLink Searching nationwide: Employers can widen their search by posting with our national office. Go to http://careers.socialworkers.org/. The Social Work Career Center is a career website where social workers can search national job listings and find professional development and career resources that span across the duration of a social worker's professional career. The Career Center is also a resource to social worker employers. Employers of social work can post job ads for a fee to find and recruit qualified, credentialed, and licensed social workers across the country. 7
AZ Couples Challenge Marriage Ban
NASW’s policy statement of nondiscrimination reads, in part: “NASW supports the adoption of local, state, federal, and international policies/legislation that ban all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation. LGB people must be granted all rights, privileges, and responsibilities that are granted to heterosexual people, including but not limited to inheritance rights, insurance, marriage, child custody, employment, credit, and immigration (NASW, 2012, p. 221).” Families in Arizona, including families of social workers, seek to challenge Arizona’s marriage ban. Lambda Legal is a nonprofit civil rights organization that protects and advances the rights of LGBT people through policy work and litigation. According to the Lambda Legal’s website, “Lambda Legal has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona on behalf of seven same-sex Arizona couples and the surviving spouses of two additional couples arguing that Arizona’s constitutional ban on marriage for same-sex couples violates the Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Plaintiffs argue that Arizona’s exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage violates their right to equal
treatment and freedom to marry, as protected by the U.S. Constitution. This discriminatory system stigmatizes same-sex couples and their families, and treats them as inferior (Lambda Legal, 2014).” Social workers and their families are represented in the lawsuit, The lawsuit includes NASWAZ Board Member Josefina Ahumada. Her story is reprinted below from the Lambda Legal website: “Josefina Ahumada, 68, is the surviving wife of Helen Battiste, who died in January, at the age of 76, after heart surgery. Josefina and Helen met in 1991, over gardening. They pledged their commitment to each other in a religious ceremony in 1994, and got married in New Mexico in 2013. The pastor from their church in Tucson traveled to New Mexico to officiate at their wedding. After Helen’s death, the State of Arizona rejected Josefina’s application for Helen’s death certificate, accepting one from Helen’s son instead. Josefina described receiving that notice as “a slap to her face” while she was most intensely grieving her loss. She wants Arizona to recognize her marriage and the life that she and Helen built (Lambda Legal, 2014).” To find out more about Majors vs. Horne, and the families involved in the lawsuit, follow the links below: http://www.lambdalegal.org/in-court/cases/majorsv-horne http://www.lambdalegal.org/blog/20140313_meetthe-couples-arizona-marriage National Association of Social Workers. (2012). Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Issue. Social work speaks: National Association of Social Workers policy statements, 2012 - 2014 (9th ed., pp. 219 - 223). Washington, DC: NASW Press.
UPDATE: The Governor signed the budget on April 11th. The budget as signed lacks funding to create the new Division of Child Safety and Family Services (DCSFS). NASWAZ and community members predict that the legislature will work to create a budget for DCSFS during a special session after the regular legislative session is adjourned.
12
Social Work Days at the Legislature February 19th & 27th 2014
This year, NASWAZ hosted two dates for Social Work Day at the Legislature: February 19th and 27th. Special thanks to the Public Policy Committee and Social Work Day Planning Subcommittee. Volunteers included NASWAZ Board Members, students from ASU Tucson and ASU Downtown Campus, Mesa Community College Students, and MSWSN. Special thanks to Lilia Bnash for the photo!
11
Introducing the ENHANCED NASW-Endorsed Professional Liability Program! NASW Assurance Services (ASI) has ENHANCED the professional liability program benefits for YOU, our valued NASW member. To continue your coverage by enrolling in our enhanced program, visit www.naswassurance.org/pli/professionals.
CPH and Associates is now the only NASW-Endorsed Professional Liability Program Administrator. CPH brings numerous product and service enhancements to policyholders at significant discounts and savings, and an excellent 25-year track record of administering liability coverage for mental health professionals.
EXCLUSIVE: • The only program endorsed by NASW and with NASW Assurance Services’ program management, oversight and advocacy efforts to keep costs low, enhance benefits, and assist members unfairly turned down for coverage or renewal. • Prior acts coverage, automatically included, makes enhanced benefits retroactive to your current NASW policy initiation, provided you had continuous NASW coverage and your application is approved during underwriting. NASW-Endorsed Policy Enhancements: • New 5% online discount and 10% risk management education discount make affordable premiums even lower. • Easy online enrollment process with same day policy and proof of coverage once accepted. • Extended customer service hours – including evenings and Saturdays! • Enhanced: $35,000 Licensing Board Coverage and $35,000 Wage Loss Coverage automatically included (up from $5,000 each) • New: Health Information – HIPAA Privacy Coverage ($25,000) • New: Emergency First Aid Coverage ($15,000)
Where social workers come first CPH and Associates administers the professional liability programs. NASW Assurance Services programs are endorsed by the National Association of Social Workers. ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
Enroll online now at www.naswassurance.org/pli/professionals For questions about enrolling in our enhanced program, call 855-385-2160.
• New: First Party Assault Coverage ($15,000) • New: Medical Payments Coverage ($50,000) PLUS…you now have access to a Risk Management Help Line staffed by lawyers, to answer your claims-related questions. • No deductible • Your choice of coverage amounts
Find Career Opportunities through our website For complete job descriptions, please visit http://www.naswaz.com and click on “Search Jobs” under the menu item “Career Center.” Only NASW members can search job postings-You will need to sign in with your username and password. Is your organization searching for a social worker? If so, you or your company representative can place an advertisement on our online Career Center for free. It’s easy.
Social Worker - Emergency Department Child Protective Service Specialist Psychotherapist Substance Abuse Therapist MSW - Hospice Director of Social Services Intake & Assessment Manager Family Support Specialist Child Therapist Mental Health Professional Bilingual Social Worker Licensed Clinical Social Worker Behavioral Health Consultant
Just go to www.naswaz.com and to the “Career Center” heading. A fly-out menu will appear, and the second choice is “Post Jobs.” Just click on that link, fill in the blanks, and your ad will be More positions are added daily. If you are available to our members. Jobs listed currently seeking a job nationwide, you can also search include: jobs with our national office at http://www. socialworkers.org/joblinks/default.asp
Practice Alert: Medicare Increase for 2014 and ICD-10-CM Implementation Delayed by Mirean Coleman, LICSW, CT, Senior Practice Associate
On April 1, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014. There are several areas of this new law, two of which directly impact clinical social workers. The law averts the 23.7 percent cut in 2014 Medicare payments for clinical social workers. Instead a 0.5 percent increase will be reimbursed for Medicare services rendered January 1 thru December 31, 2014. It also provides a zero percent increase in Medicare reimbursement in 2015 from January 1 to March 31, 2015. Clinical social workers have been preparing for the implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) on October 1, 2014. The law delays the implementation of the ICD-10-CM to at least October 1, 2015. The delay raises questions regarding a definitive date for implementation as the health care community seeks further clarification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. NASW will keep its members abreast of updates regarding the ICD-10-CM delay.
Need CEUs Right Away? Check out the Online CE Institute with shared workshop content from participating NASW state chapters. Go to: http://naswwa.inreachce.com/
18