NASW-IL Web Blog

Action on Chapter restructuring, 2010 Legislative priorities and presentation on combating school violence

Joel Rubin — 2009-11-10T13:17:33-08:00

The chapter’s board of directors held its quarterly meeting this past Friday in Chicago. The leadership approved chapter restructuring bylaws that will be reshape the chapter map. This process was driven by the chapter’s 2009-2012 Strategic Plan approved in June which required the association to review and recommend changes to the district structure. A Restructuring Task Force was established and met three times during this past summer, presenting its initial findings to the board of directors in August, which would require a bylaws amendment. These proposed bylaw amendments were made available to the membership for comment following the August meeting for a 30 day comment period on the chapter's Web site. Beginning in July 1, 2010, the chapter will consist of eight districts, with its board composition totaling 16 members (17 during a president-elect year). A complete new district map and revised board positions will appear in a leadership packet PDF that will be sent to the entire NASW IL membership later this week.

The chapter also approved its 2010 Legislative Agenda, as recommended by the chapter’s Legislative/Social Policy Committee. The following agenda provides a guide and road map for our legislative activity during the upcoming Illinois General Assembly.

NASW Illinois Chapter

2010 Legislative/Social Policy Agenda

NASW IL will actively support the identification of new revenues that address the State’s structural budget deficit, solvency and capacity to support a thriving human services infrastructure to meet the needs of the State’s most vulnerable residents in the short-term and long-term. NASW IL will work as part of the Responsible Budget Coalition to achieve these goals.
NASW IL will work to establish the rules process for PA 95-510, the social work Medicaid reimbursement law, which will enable mental health services to be more readily available on a community level.
NASW IL will monitor compliance, in conjunction with other allied organizations, of SB1508 (Public Act 96-0628) which amended the school records act.
NASW IL will closely monitor and review, and support when deemed appropriate, initiatives to expand health care access and availability in Illinois, including behavioral health services and services to persons residing in nursing homes and IMDs. The Chapter’s efforts will reflect the national NASW policy on universal healthcare.
NASW IL will closely monitor and review, and support when deemed appropriate, initiatives to eliminate or reduce poverty in Illinois, as well as support efforts of the newly established Commission on Poverty.
NASW IL will support legislation and policies that enhance the safety of social workers in the performance of their work.
NASW IL will support initiatives that provide for and protect the human rights of all Illinoisans.
NASW IL will support initiatives that ensure that women will have reproductive choice and reproductive health services in Illinois regardless of their financial circumstances.

· NASW IL will work to promote the three areas of its Social Work Reinvestment Initiative State Plan:

>Maintain and enhance jobs for the social work profession

>Maintain and expand reimbursement for social work services

>Strengthen and expand loan forgiveness in the state of Illinois

As always, the NASW IL is guided by the policy statements that appear in Social Work Speaks 2009-2012 in its advocacy efforts. NASW’s Delegate Assembly, a national body of 300 professional social workers, meets every three years to develop Social Work Speaks policy statements.

Two Chicago Public School (CPS) social workers, Melvin Caldwell and Theresa Toro presented to the Board on some of the challenges and successes they encounter in their work. The backdrop to their presentation has been the recent increase in school related violence. Just a day before this presentation to the Board, a New York Times editorial http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/opinion/05thu2.html discussed a plan to address the issue of youth violence that will be funded initially with $60 million in Federal stimulus dollars.

Do you have your 30 CEUs? Survey on stressful jobs....

Joel Rubin — 2009-11-03T14:18:03-08:00

It’s with great pride to recollect that social work has been a licensed profession in the state of Illinois since 1989. And along with licensure comes the requirement for professional development in order to enhance our professional standing, as well as sharpen our practice skills and knowledge base. With a month left until the end of the 2007-2009 licensure cycle, the NASW IL Chapter‘s Social Work Academy is at your disposal for all of your last minute CEU needs. You can earn up to 27 CEs with our online recordings, as well as fulfill your three hour ethics requirement by taking a virtual course. Check out the Social Work Academy at www.swacademy.org.

On a regular basis, I come across media items that knock at our image as a profession. The latest of these was a list of the fifteen most stressful, lowest paying jobs in the United States (not in any particular order) according to a payscale.com survey published on CNNMoney.com. http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/pf/0910/gallery.stressful_jobs/index.html. These include:

1. Social Worker

2. Special Events Coordinator

3. Probation/parole officer

4. News reporter

5. Music ministry director

6. Membership director

7. Fundraiser

8. Commercial photographer

9. Assisted living director

10. Minister

11. Marriage/family therapist

12. Curator

13. Substance abuse counselor

14. Film/television producer

15. High school teacher

Stressful? Yes. But also fulfilling. If you want to read or share your stories of inspiration and fulfillment, please log on to NASW’s helpstartshere.org website, http://helpstartshere.org/PortalHome/tabid/128/language/en-US/Default.aspx.

NASW IL Hosts National Meetings; World Series social work story

Joel Rubin — 2009-10-27T11:48:06-07:00

This past week, NASW IL had the opportunity to host two National NASW meetings. On Thursday, October 26, NASW Chapter Executive Directors met for a full day of meetings, followed on Friday by a NASW Chapter President and Executive Director training in which forty chapter presidents and directors participated. The trainings, which NASW IL has been hosting for the past four years, work on the important relationship between volunteer social work leadership and the Chapter Executive Director. The partnership between the two is vital for chapters to advance and advocate for the important issues impacting the profession in states across the country. NASW IL Chapter President Dennis Crowell and I participated in Friday’s training.

For those of you who are still lamenting the fact that there are no Chicago teams in this year’s World Series which begins tomorrow night in New York between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies, there is an interesting social work story behind this year’s fall classic. Derek Jeter, the Yankees All Star shortstop and most likely first ballot Hall of Famer, grew up in a social work family. Jeter’s father, Charles Jeter, is a clinical social worker with a doctorate from Western Michigan State University and years of experience in drug and alcohol abuse training. He is also the Vice President of his son’s Turn 2 Foundation. The following is from NASW’s Help Start Here Web site which discusses the work of the Turn 2 Foundation in youth development.

Youth Development Real World Story - It's a Whole New Ball Game: Turning Young Lives Around

New York City Elementary School P.S. 128M
12-year-old Hansel Rodriguez sits in a chair in the teacher’s lounge and seems perfectly at ease talking to adults. It’s an amazing change for a young man who, only a few short years ago, refused to speak — even to his mother — hated school and fought every day with his classmates.

Hansel
and His Mom

Hansel’s mother, Myra, still becomes emotional when she speaks of the transformation. A son she had almost lost to anger has now come to a point where he can tell his mother he loves her before he heads off to summer leadership camp.

If you asked Hansel what turned his life around, his answer would be simple: “Baseball.” Through a revolutionary program at his school, Hansel was able to join an after-school baseball team, and even hang out with his hero, legendary NY Yankee Derek Jeter. But the true answer is even more exciting than a day with a baseball great. What turned Hansel’s life around was the vision of a social worker.

Dr. Evelyn Montanez

Dr. Evelyn Montanez,
Social Worker

Evelyn Montanez, PhD, is a psychiatric social worker in the Washington Heights area of New York. Through her years of experience working with children in a clinical setting, she realized that the answer for children at risk was not one simple change, but a holistic one. “Everything goes into creating a healthy child with a healthy mind,” she explains. “It’s nutrition, it’s family, it’s mental health, it’s teacher awareness, it’s discipline…everything.” The program, called “Turn 2 Us Healthy Lifestyles,” addresses every aspect of a child’s well being, both physical and emotional — and it doesn’t stop at individual children. It touches all 1100 children in the school, their families and reaches into the community. Young people learn everything from how to choose a healthy snack to practicing t’ai chi in class. Their parents and teachers can enjoy weekly yoga sessions together and nutritional workshops. The object: to encourage healthier lifestyles for families through a variety of “psycho-educational awareness activities.” The Turn 2 Us team uses these activities to prevent at-risk behaviors in children that can lead to obesity, early onset of diabetes, use of drugs, alcohol and truancy.
And it truly is a team effort — with impressive members. Dr. Montanez, the school’s principal Rosa Arredondo, teachers and parents are joined by professionals from the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, as well as Derek Jeter, his family, and their Turn 2 Foundation. The Jeter Family and the Turn 2 Foundation

The Jeter Family

Derek’s father, Dr. Charles Jeter, is the Vice President of the Jeter family’s Turn 2 Foundation, and is himself a social worker. “We knew we wanted to reach into the community to help,” says Dr. Jeter. “And to do that, we had to create a complete program. When I met Dr. Montanez, I was immediately impressed with her vision. She already had plans.” All these professionals teamed up and implemented a remarkable program that now has other schools and communities interested in its success. Of course, the greatest result is in the face of children touched by the program, like Hansel. “This was a child with little academic motivation who became a elementary-schooler with confidence,” says Dr. Montanez. “I watched Hansel go from absenteeism to regular attendance, from impulsive action to thoughtful action. He is one of the strongest players in the Turn 2 Us/P.S. 128M Baseball Practice team because he has learned to channel his energy on the baseball field.” But the true change for Hansel, as well as the other thousands of students and families who will benefit from Turn 2 Us Healthy Lifestyles Program, goes beyond connecting with a baseball. Today, through the efforts of a real team of professionals, and the vision of social workers, he has learned to connect with his school, friends, family — and most importantly, himself.

To read more about the Derek Jeter and the Turn 2 Foundation, click here to read the article "The Good Guys: Athletes Who Care," reprinted with the permission of The Sporting News.

BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois changes - Implications for social work clinicians

Joel Rubin — 2009-10-21T06:52:25-07:00

On October 1^st, many clinical social workers, both in private and agency practice, received notification from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) that the company has expanded its contract with Magellan Behavioral Health Services to include the coordination and management of outpatient mental health and chemical dependency services. This will affect all PPO members whose behavioral health benefits are currently administered by BCBSIL. The expansion is effective January 1, 2010.

The Chapter has been in contact with BCBSIL and wanted to provide the following update:

To reiterate, this affects all PPO products with employers based in Illinois;
Clinical Social Workers DO NOT have to be paneled with Magellan to be eligible to participate;
BCBSIL will continue to adjudicate and pay claims with no change in rates;
Clinicians are required to pre-certify all current and new clients after January 1, 2010.
It has not yet been determined whether Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in other states will institute similar policies;

The NASW IL Chapter and allied organizations are investigating the legality of this policy in light of the new federal mental health parity law.

A full summary of this change will be highlighted in the November issue of BCBSIL’s newsletter, Blue Review.

Rally at the State Capitol

Joel Rubin — 2009-10-12T13:41:06-07:00

Identifying emerging social work leaders….. Olympics Postscript….

Joel Rubin — 2009-10-06T13:11:57-07:00

“Forever young…..,” as Bob Dylan wailed. Well not exactly. Did you know that the average age of an NASW member is 54 years of age? However, we do know that there are many young social workers in our membership who are making a difference and demonstrating exemplary leadership in their professional lives.

To that end the chapter is currently seeking nominations for its Emerging Leaders Award. We are seeking to identify and recognize early career social workers who have demonstrated exemplary leadership, expertise, and dedication to the profession in Illinois, whose contributions enhance practice knowledge and/or the capacity of the profession and human services to obtain resources and influence. The form can be found on the NASW IL Chapter Web site at http://www.naswil.org/emergingLeadersForm.pdf. The form is also available in the current NASW IL Chapter Networker magazine. The presentation of these awards will take place on the evening of Thursday, February 4, 2009, at the chapter's Chicago office.

Olympics postscript: The Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell summed up Chicago’s failure to win the 2016 bid in her column entitled “Door closes Olympics, but window opens,” in yesterday’s edition. It’s a good read about we now know need to start focusing on.

Calm the Madness

Joel Rubin — 2009-10-01T13:15:53-07:00

Following up on yesterday's post on violence and youth in Chicago, I'd like to invite you to attend the Calm the Madness rally this weekend. It is being organized by Wanda Hosick and Jataun Williams, two NASW IL 2009 Statewide Conference presenters.

The running tally of Chicago’s youth being assaulted and killed in recent years on our streets is alarming and requires everyone’s immediate attention! Please spread the word!

This communication is being sent by concerned Social Workers, practicing in Chicago, who would like to Calm the Madness. We are reaching out to you in an attempt to collaborate and support the efforts that you have made in addressing this sad phenomenon. As social workers, we recognize and can easily cite the sociological factors contributing to the lack of respect for life that we are witnessing: socioeconomic stressors, limited community based resources, absent fathers, single family headed households, the bling attraction and lifestyle within the drug culture, envy, mainstream media influences, self serving political agendas, marred self esteem and misplaced priorities; the list is long and the implications intense.

We request that you allow the youth in our city and local metropolitan area, a venue in which they can speak to concerned adults who care enough to give them a forum for a voice and be a part of the solution. Specifically, we are asking for your assistance in helping us to reach out to local schools and universities, churches, community centers, social organizations and law enforcement agencies and make this an agenda.

Communication is vital and the lack of respect for a vulnerable population of people such as our children is an issue that everyone should be concerned about. This is an initiative to explore what the youth need to be safe, what we as concerned citizens and adults with voting power can do to effect change, flip the script on what they are witnessing daily, and more importantly, give an outlet to express what they are feel.

This Saturday, October 3, 2009, we are encouraging concerned citizens to join us in front of the Field House at Washington Park at Noon. We are not reinventing the wheel, quite the contrary; we are going back to the grassroots efforts that were used by our forefathers to promote solidarity. Please come out, dressed in White, and help us in the quest to Calm the Madness. Please call and/or email us with support and/or feedback.

Sincerely,
Wanda R. Hosick, AM, LSW, and Jataun J. Williams, AM, LCSW

jrnctrl@hotmail.com

Kotlowitz, Olympics…

Joel Rubin — 2009-09-29T14:44:09-07:00

Unfortunately September has been another violent month in Chicago, taking the lives of more of our young people in communities around Chicago. It was against this back drop that I had the opportunity to attend the morning session of a one day conference entitled, Chicago Stories: Violence and the Ethics of Urban Health Care. Writer and activist Alex Kotlowitz presented the keynote address, The Things They Carry: Violence and a City's Health. (For those of you attended our first conference of the decade, two days after 9/11/01, Kotlowitz was our keynote speaker, arriving back to his home in Chicago just hours before the conference on a Greyhound bus from Oklahoma City as all air travel was grounded.) Kotlowitz has been writing about contemporary urban poverty, violence, and race issues for many years. Two of his books on these issues include Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America (1991),and The Other Side of the River: A Story of Two Towns, a Death, and America's Dilemma. His writings on these topics are frequently found in The New York Times Magazine and the Chicago Tribune.

Of the many points he made in his presentation, Kotlowitz noted something that the social work community is well aware of, namely, that violence won’t be solved solely by using a criminal justice approach. Moreover he noted that violence so contained in certain parts of our cities, that is easy to turn away and that in communities that are not cohesive, children are more likely to become victims or perpetrators of violence. We need to hear these stories and to tell the stories of the victims and what is going on in certain communities. Kotlowitz spent much of this talk telling the stories of the families and victims of violence in various Chicago communities.

The Community Development policy statement in NASW’s Social Work Speaks 2009-2012, notes the following:

“The development of strong communities has long been a tenet of the social work profession. A community where streets are safe to walk, the air and water are clean, housing is secure and affordable, human services and education are accessible, and community members work together toward common goals can be a source of strength and hope to its residents.” With the violence that has shaken Chicago this month, let this be additional message to the President, First Lady and the entire delegation flying to Copenhagen to secure Chicago as the host of the 2016 Olympics. Let’s hope this goes hand in hand with securing the Olympics for Chicago.

Nursing Homes as Institutions -- Contact the Chicago Tribune

Joel Rubin — 2009-09-29T11:12:25-07:00

This morning the Chicago Tribune published this graphic both in the paper and online. The image lumps mental illness in with the most violent of crimes.

We agree that far too many people with mental illness are housed in Illinois nursing homes. But here at Thresholds we’re very concerned that the media are implying a correlation between severe mental illness and violent crime in nursing homes. The Tribune is focusing on nursing homes as being unsafe places, and they aren’t focusing on the sad reality that people with mental illness are not getting services but instead being institutionalized. You can read the articles here:

Article One

Article Two

Are you also outraged? Join us, and contact the Tribune today. Let’s demand better, more serious coverage instead of this sensationalism!

In the next few days, please visit the Thresholds Web site for more coverage about this issue, as well as to read pieces by Tony Zipple about the state's reliance on nursing homes and IMDs to institutionalize those with mental illness.

A Broader Vision for the Social Work Profession - by NASW Executive Director Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH

Joel Rubin — 2009-09-22T09:40:48-07:00

At a variety of social work events over the past month, including our 2009 Statewide Conference, references were made to National NASW drector Betsy Clark’s very timely and passionate article, “A Broader Vision for the Social Work Profession.” Considering the current policy debates on health care and funding of human services in the state, Betsy’s message is very relevant. In lieu of my weekly blog posting, I would highly encourage every social worker in our state to read this inspirational and motivational statement. The link to the PDF can be found at http://www.socialworkers.org/nasw/vision.asp.