Dea Epley Birtwhistle

LISW, ACSW, SSWS

NASW Iowa Chapter

Connect to End COVID-19 Newsletter titled One School Social Worker's Motivation for Promoting Involvement for solutions The Rationale: Why Now? Why would a recently retired social worker who practiced school social work in Iowa for 38 years, including during the pandemic, write an article about COVID-19 vaccine confidence given that the public health emergency ended in May 2023? I was selected as an NASW Connect to End COVID-19 Ambassador in order to enhance confidence and information about the COVID019 Vaccinations. Being a caretaker for my 97-year-old father who contracted VODI019 three times from health facilities in the past three years sparks my passion for prevention. In addition, my spouse was diagnosed with T-Cell Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma during the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in him receiving

News letter ending with a reference to the CDC and the signature Dea Ellen Epley Birtwistle LISW SSWS Dea Ellen is a member of the Iowa School Social Workers' Association and a 2004 recipient of the Iowa School Social Workers of the Year Award and the Midwest School Social Worker of the Year Award. She is also a member of the National Association of Social Workers School Specialty Practice Section (SPS) and a member of the School Social Work Association of America



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