In the Public Eye — Summer 2026

Student Members Protest ICE Action in Wilmington

About 200 participants recently waved signs and chanted in protest of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Wilmington, N.C.

The protest ended with a “die-in”—which had protestors outlining in chalk the bodies of people in attendance, in the parking lot of the Customs and Border Protection Office on Medical Center Drive, according to a story posted at Portcitydaily.com.

People gathered in front of Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center before marching to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office, the news organization said. The CBP office was closed upon arrival, but didn’t deter chanters: “No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state.”

The die-in had people lying on the ground as others traced their bodies, signifying those who died while in ICE custody, the story says.

Among those participating were University of North Carolina Wilmington students and NASW members Kiara Brecht and Lisa Watson, who are social work majors.

“It’s important to emphasize with our profession as social workers that it’s a part of our values and ethics to stand up for the community and to be politically active,” Brecht said in the article. “We need to be outspoken, and we need to protect those who are most vulnerable. That is part of the [National Association of Social Workers] code of ethics.”

Brecht said other social work majors from her school were also at the event, including those in the political social work club at the school.

Carolyn Karoll

NASW-Maryland

NASW Maryland member Carolyn Karoll, LCSW-C, CEDS-C, wrote a story for Psychology Today about the challenges those with eating disorders face during the holidays.

From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve, food is everywhere, routines are disrupted, bodies are on display in photos, and cultural messages about indulgence and “starting over” grow louder by the day, she said in the article.

“Even when moments are meaningful or joyful, they can coexist with heightened anxiety, body image distress, and a sense of emotional overload,” she said.

Eating disorders are reinforced by predictability and control, Karoll explained. Staying engaged with recovery during a demanding time is meaningful work, even when it feels messy or imperfect, she said.

Gae Savino

NASW-New York

NASW member Gae Savino, LCSW, a certified death, dying and loss/grief counselor, reminds people that “Grief drains energy and the holidays require energy, so give yourself permission to be wherever you are in your grief and set boundaries.”

A story posted at riverjournalonline.com, quoted Savino, of New York, about ways to handle grief during the holiday season. Through the Droste Parish Counseling Network Program at the St. Augustine Bereavement Program in Ossining, Savino offers weekly group grief counseling.

Savino strongly suggests self check-ins when you’re grieving to gauge your energy and emotions and allow for time away if needed, the story noted. One of Savino’s tips is to “Give yourself permission to feel the normal range of grief emotions and be self-compassionate.”

William Dempsey

NASW-Pennsylvania

NASW-Pennsylvania member William Dempsey, LICSW, was quoted in a story posted at vocal.media about the need to support LGBTQ+ youth mental health and safety. He founded Heads Held High Counseling, a virtual, gender-affirming group practice serving Massachusetts and Illinois, where he and his team support clients navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and gender dysphoria.

“I think it is important to remember that feeling like you cannot be out for who you are can bring about things like anxiety and depression,” Dempsey said when asked what challenges gay youth still face today. “This is part of why LGBTQ+ youth report mental health challenges at higher rates than their cisgender and heterosexual counterparts.”

Dayna Guido

NASW-North Carolina

The greatest risk of AI in mental health is not overt misuse. It is ethical atrophy, says NASW member Dayna Guido of North Carolina. She was quoted in a story posted at ceoworld.biz.

Guido, a clinical social worker, educator and longtime ethics leader, said this shift is not hypothetical. She sees AI emerging most clearly in overreliance on expediency. When tools make work faster, clinicians are less likely to check sources, question assumptions, or examine the ethical implications embedded in the output, she said in the story.

“When clinicians begin to rely on automation to think for them, they may feel safer, but they are actually exercising their ethical muscles less,” Guido is quoted as saying. “Ethics is not a checklist or an output. It is a lived, internal process that has to be practiced in real time, with real people.”

Devin Cano

NASW-Florida

A bill requiring human trafficking training for nursing students is headed to the Florida House floor. The bill’s sponsor says the training is crucial, as Florida ranks third in the nation for human trafficking cases, according to a story posted at WMNF.org.

House Bill 303 was presented by Democratic Rep. Robin Bartleman, who said in the article that Miami-Dade County leads the state in human trafficking cases, and “the issue remains a critical public health and safety crisis in Florida.”

Currently, nurses have to complete the training to renew their license. With this bill, students would have to complete the training before graduation, the article states. NASW-Florida student member Devin Cano is quoted in the article saying, “Education and awareness is crucial in the prevention of human trafficking, and this bill will help aid that.”