— Lyn Stoesen, News Staff   NASW recently joined three friend-of-the-court briefs that address the rights of a medical board to obtain the records of a psychiatrist's patients, the parameters of a state children's health insurance program and protection from employer retaliation in a sexual harassment investigation. Psychiatric records NASW and its Maryland Chapter have joined a brief in a Maryland Court of Appeals for the case Maryland State Board of Physicians v. Eist, which addresses the scope of the medical board's right to obtain the confidential records of a psychiatrist's patient based on a licensure complaint filed by t...

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— Lyn Stoesen, News Staff   A new report released by the Institute of Medicine* shows a geriatric care workforce that is too small and that is unprepared to meet the needs of aging baby boomers. The report urges bold initiatives to train the health care workforce to meet the growing demand. The report, Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce, was released on April 14 in Washington, D.C. The report was prepared by the Committee on the Future Health Care Workforce for Older Americans, convened in 2007 by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. NASW member Paula Allen-Meares is among the 15 m...

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A clinical supervisor is found to have engaged in a dual relationship with a client. The NASW National Board of Directors' Executive Committee in February 2008 approved the sanctioning of Kathleen L. Prieto, based on a surrogate complaint submitted by the NASW Oregon Chapter. The Board of Clinical Social Workers for the State of Oregon issued a stipulated amended order in December 2005 concluding that Prieto, a clinical supervisor, violated the rules for social work licensure by engaging in a dual relationship with a client because Prieto allowed the client to reside with her. The board determined that this relationship impaired Prieto's pr...

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From the President — Elvira Craig de Silva, DSW, ACSW As I write my last column as president of NASW, I feel increased love and excitement about our profession from when I wrote my first column. I have indeed been privileged during these three years to be part of the growth of social work and the expansion of NASW. My presidency is one of the highlights of my life experiences. At every step and turn, there was always something special — an eye-opener, an inspiration, new people, an unexpected test or challenge, the development of a strength I did not know I had and the consistent support of leaders and staff. I am particularly ...

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— Lyn Stoesen, News Staff   New content has been added to the Cancer Survival Toolbox, a free audio resource program for people diagnosed with cancer. NASW has partnered with the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, the Oncology Nursing Society and the Association of Oncology Social Work to develop the toolbox. New audio programs on "First Steps for the Newly Diagnosed" and "Dying Well — The Final Stages of Survivorship" are now part of the 12-program toolbox. The "First Steps" program "offers practical guidelines designed to help you take those first steps toward successfully meeting the challenges that a cancer d...

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— Lyn Stoesen, News Staff The 25th Annual Social Work Day at the United Nations, taking the theme "A Celebration of Human Rights and Social Work," drew hundreds of participants to the U.N.'s New York City headquarters on March 31, 2009.The program included comments from NASW members Janice Wood Wetzel, Michael Cronin and Helen R. Hamlin as well as event co-chair Robin Mama, who gave an introduction to the program. NASW President Elvira Craig de Silva also attended the program, as did Board of Directors member Elaine Congress; former NASW President Gary Bailey; Acting Director of the Division for Practice, Human Rights and ...

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NASW staff is working on different strategies to promote the Social Work Reinvestment Initiative (SWRI), with long-term reinvestments in the social work academic and professional communities as well as immediate legislative support. By the end of March, nearly 17,000 people had contacted their representatives in Congress to urge support of the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr., Social Work Reinvestment Act (H.R. 5447). But the effort does not end there. NASW Executive Director Elizabeth J. Clark recently sent letters to members to explain that while the reinvestment act is the primary initiative at the federal level, the associati...

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  NASW Specialty Practice Sections recently held its 2008 annual leadership meeting at the national office, where sections chairs discussed a number of issues related to the specialties.

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Grassroots efforts are under way to promote the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr., Social Work Reinvestment Act (SWRA), H.R. 5447, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in February. Giving SWRA presentation at NADD conference, from left: Anita Estell, Joan Levy Zlotnik, Elizabeth J. Clark, Elizabeth Franklin. NASW national staff have been spreading the message about the Social Work Reinvestment Initiative (SWRI) through recent social work education events and NASW chapter conferences. NASW Executive Director Elizabeth J. Clark was joined by other SWRI supporters in making presentations about the initiative and the b...

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— Lyn Stoesen, News Staff   NASW is working with the Every Child Matters Education Fund to promote a new report that ranks states on child well-being standards, with the goal of bringing increased attention to these issues by presidential candidates. The report, Geography Matters: Child Well-Being in the States, was released during an April 2 live telephone news conference. NASW Executive Director Elizabeth J. Clark was one of three speakers during the event. The report shows large disparities in child well-being across the United States. "Across the United States, where a child is born and raised can make a shockingly large di...

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