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NASW is concerned about a range of issues affecting the quality of life for people nationally and internationally, and the ability of professional social workers to provide quality services. During 2002-2003, the Association focused its legislative advocacy on a variety of areas, including health and mental health, child welfare, economic security, equity, civil rights, education, and social work research.
PARTICIPATING IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS…
NASW’s Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) staff work to organize social work professionals for participation in yearly elections and to represent the values of the profession through legislative and regulatory advocacy
Among other activities associated with the electoral process, NASW participated in the 2002 mid-term election by:
- Training, deploying, and financing field organizers in Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, and North Carolina
- Implementing a field organizer’s program, which contained a special outreach component to social work students and educators, including presentations to 88 classes at 59 schools, reaching more than 2,500 students
- Providing voter registration service on the NASW Web site
- Contributing $222,000 to 90 congressional candidates—18 Senators and 72 Representatives among them—including four social workers running for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives
At the end of the 2002 electoral cycle, 75 percent of the candidates to whom NASW contributed through the Political Action Committee had been elected.
FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES…
The Association strives to promote the well-being of individuals, families, and communities and represents the values of the social work profession through legislative and regulatory advocacy, focusing its efforts on such issues as:
- Mental health parity
- Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF) reform
- Medicare prescription benefits
- Child welfare
- Civil rights
- Racial profiling/hate crimes
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act reauthorization
Together with staff members from the Association’s Program, Policy & Practice department, Government Relations experts also participated in advocacy efforts with policymakers and reimbursement entities to work toward higher reimbursement rates for social workers.
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