NASW News

ASW member Sammy Rangel has cumulatively spent about 16 years in prison throughout his life, mainly for charges related to theft and violence. Rangel, who originally is from Chicago, said he started getting into trouble with the law at age 11. He repeatedly ran away from home, and joined a gang — eventually becoming its leader. On reflection, Rangel says he always felt a need within himself to protect others and he was seeking a sense of belonging; a place to escape from a troubled childhood. But he didn’t know at the time how to handle those feelings or find a path for himself. He is now a social worker in Racine, Wis., helpi...

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Hollywood’s star shone on social work at the 10th annual Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Voice Awards, held in August in Los Angeles. The theme this year focused on suicide prevention, and film directors, writers, actors and producers joined social work professionals and educators at the University of California-Los Angeles Royce Hall for the awards program. This year, a 30-second video produced by the association was shown at the event. The video announced NASW’s 60th anniversary, and recognized that social workers are the main providers for mental health and substance abuse care. “The Voice Aw...

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North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory recently appointed NASW member Holly Heath-Shepard to the state’s Brain Injury Advisory Council, according to an article published in The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. Heath-Shepard also was voted in as the chairwoman of the group, which is exploring ways to better support victims of brain injuries and their families. The article notes that Heath-Shepard guided her son through a year of treatment after an explosive device in Iraq took two of his limbs and left him with a mild brain injury. She told the news source that her recent efforts to help victims of traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, r...

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The NASW Foundation recently announced 12 new NASW Social Work Pioneers®. The 12 individuals, along with six who were selected in December 2014, will officially be recognized during NASW’s 60th anniversary celebration on Oct. 23 in Washington, D.C. The Foundation created the Social Work Pioneer® program to honor social workers who have made a valuable contribution to the profession through practice, teaching, writing, research, program development, administration, advocacy, legislation, and election to public office. The Pioneer program identifies and recognizes individuals whose unique dedication, commitment and determinat...

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The power of unity is one reason, social workers say, belonging to NASW is important to them. From developing the NASW Code of Ethics and professional standards for care to advocating for social justice and services for those in need, NASW’s history shows membership matters. This month marks the association’s 60th anniversary. With that in mind, members reflect on why belonging to NASW benefits them professionally, aids in their clients’ well-being and furthers human development and understanding. The association’s 60th celebration is an opportunity to show others that NASW is made up of people who have the skills, ...

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National standards for safety are needed for social workers and social services employees, NASW CEO Angelo McClain said in the aftermath of the August slaying of Vermont Department for Children and Families employee Lara Sobel. National Public Radio Vermont interviewed McClain in reaction to the shooting death of Sobel, who was allegedly killed by a 40-year-old woman who was upset that her daughter was taken from her custody. According to a news article published at WCAX.com, Jody Herring has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Sobel, who was assaulted as she left work on Aug. 7. Herring was also charged with aggravated ...

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Massachusetts Chapter files bill to require licensed social workers to have proper education, training Consumers in Massachusetts have a right to expect that licensed social workers are educated and trained as professional social workers, according to a state House bill that was filed by the NASW Massachusetts Chapter. Rather than focusing on the term “title protection” for social workers, the bill stresses the need for a licensed social worker to have a degree from an accredited school of social work as a consumer protection. It seeks to remove a current exemption that allows state, county and municipal employees to identify...

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NASW member Dana Courtney (photo right), third from left in front row, joins her fellow NAACP branch members from Alamance County in North Carolina as they head to a rally in Raleigh, N.C., for the NAACP’s “America’s Journey for Justice” march. One of the goals of the march, which traveled from Alabama to Washington, D.C., is to advocate for congressional passage of the 2015 Voting Rights Advancement Act. NASW member Dana Courtney said she feels it was her duty as a longtime social worker to participate in the “America’s Journey For Justice” campaign, a march sponsored by the NAACP that stresses am...

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NASW Connecticut Chapter Executive Director Steve Karp was among advocates recently invited to a bill signing by Gov. Dannel Malloy. Malloy signed into law a priority bill of the chapter that called for eliminating life sentences without parole for youth under 18 who have been tried as adults. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Miller v. Alabama in 2012 that such laws are unconstitutional, based on the understanding that juveniles have underdeveloped capacity to understand the consequences of their actions compared with adults.

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By Rena Malai and Paul Pace, News staff President Lyndon B. Johnson meets with Whitney M. Young Jr. (photo right), executive director of the National Urban League, and second vice president of NASW, who was invited to the White House in 1964 to offer suggestions on ways to ease African-American unemployment. His suggestions included an expansion of the public works program and an acceleration of manpower training. Congress passed a training bill shortly thereafter. (NASW News, February 1964) Since its official start in 1955, NASW has supported and advocated for legislation aimed at helping people live better, healthier and more fulfill...

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