Honoring Those Who Make a Difference for Mental Health

It’s time to thank the entertainment industry and mental health consumers once again for giving a voice to people with mental health problems. The Voice Awards honor writers and producers who incorporate dignified, respectful, and accurate portrayals of people with mental illnesses into film and television productions, as well as mental health consumer leaders for their contributions in reducing stigma and discrimination.

If you helped create, or know of, a film or TV show that was released between January 1, 2006 and September 30, 2007, and depicts people with mental health problems in a dignified, respectful and accurate way, please nominate them for a 2008 Voice Award.

Similarly, if you know of a mental health consumer who has led efforts to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illnesses, demonstrated that recovery is real and possible, and made a positive impact on their workplace, community, and/or school, please nominate them for a 2008 Voice Award. Additional consideration will be given to nominees who have made a positive impact within special populations, such as racially and ethnically diverse groups and young adults ages 18 to 24.

Nominate at www.voiceawards.samhsa.gov.

Nominations are open to anyone, are free, and there is no limit to the number an individual can submit.

Entertainment industry nominations are due Friday, January 4, 2008. Mental health consumer nominations are due Friday, January 18, 2008.

The Voice Awards will be presented at a gala ceremony in Los Angeles in May 2008.

The Voice Awards are part of the Campaign for Mental Health Recovery, a program of the US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, and the Ad Council. The Campaign is working to reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by young adults and others with mental illnesses. Visit www.whatadifference.org to learn more.

Social Work in the News – December 19, 2007

When there is no ho-ho-ho
Portsmouth Herald News – Portsmouth, NH
Knight and Janet Stitt, a licensed clinical social worker in York, are running a support group called “‘Tis the Season or Not” at the church. …

Have yourself a little less stress this holiday — make a donation
Seattle Post Intelligencer – USA
This year I’ll give to the University of Washington School of Social Work, which is helping to start the first college-level social work program in Phnom …

Making sense of Santa: It’s healthy for children to believe …
Jackson Sun – Jackson, TN
Jim Jones, a licensed social worker at Pathways Behavioral Health Services in Jackson, said it’s healthy for children to believe in Santa. …

Holidays are tough for compulsive eaters, but there is help
Pittsburgh Post Gazette – Pittsburgh, PA
… the single most difficult time of the year, and it goes on from pre-Halloween through the Super Bowl,” said Elizabeth Babcock, a clinical social worker. …

Social Work in the News – December 18, 2007

UMB Hosts First National Conference on Adoption
UMB News, MD
“The University of Maryland School of Social Work is proud to have brought together a world-class collection of scholars, practitioners, and activists on …

Career milestones: Retired Kodak worker finds calling in social work
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NY
He decided to return to school for a master’s degree in social work so he could provide the kind of support he once needed. Alessi earned a master’s degree …

Students fight for canceled Brigham Young social work program
MyFox Utah, Ut
Upset over the plans to cut the bachelor’s degree program in social work, Brigham Young University students are asking administrators for a change of heart. …

Social Work in the News – December 14, 2007

Fighting The Winter Blues
WTAP-TV – Parkersburg, WV
Often, they crave carbohydrates, sugars or starches, they gain weight at this time of the year,” says Dr. David Schaffer, Clinical Social Worker and …

NMSU School of Social Work gets grant to map domestic violence in …
Las Cruces Sun-News, NM
A team of three NMSU social work students, a social worker hired by NMSU to work with the county, a La Casa outreach worker and 14 county AmeriCorps/VISTA …

A Place of More
Inside Higher Ed, DC
At Smith College, I work extensively with MSW and Ph.D. candidates in the college’s School for Social Work, in an academic and writing support program I …

School worker helps child get a bed for Christmas
Lexington Dispatch, NC
She’s part-educator, part-social worker and “all-nurturer,” said Donna Black, CIS executive director. “She’s got the biggest heart of anybody I’ve ever seen …

Dealing with cancer at a young age …religious issues
Scripps News, DC
She’s not only a social worker who mentors young breast cancer patients, but she’s a cancer survivor herself. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 24 …

Special election forum hosted by local social workers
KUAM.com, GU
The local chapter of the National Association of Social Workers‘ held a political forum today for the January 5 special election. The event is being held to …

FREE 3.0 CE’s! Understanding the NASW Code of Ethics Online Course

FREE FOR NASW MEMBERS ONLY!!! Available Now!!
Visit www.naswwebed.org and take the course Today!!!

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) developed its NASW Code of Ethics in 1960. The Code is the most widely accepted and recognized standard of professional social work conduct worldwide. NASW is committed to improving the quality and effectiveness of social work practice through ethics education. NASW developed this web education course for NASW members to gain an overview of the NASW Code of Ethics, its relevance, content, and application across all social work settings.In recent years, ethics has emerged as an area of increased attention and significance in the social work profession. Social work practice has been affected by developments in technology, law, policy and global issues such as pandemics, terrorism, war, and poverty. Today’s social realities have complicated and, in some instances, changed the delivery of social work services in virtually all professional settings. The NASW Code of Ethics remains the most comprehensive guide addressing the values, principles and standards that direct the social work profession for professional conduct.The NASW Office of Ethics and Professional Review (OEPR) developed this course with support from NASW’s Legal Defense Fund (LDF), as a project of the Social Work Ethics and Law Institute, and the Aileen Neely Fund. Their support is gratefully appreciated.

NASW members who complete the course and pass the exam will receive 3.0 continuing education credits at no cost.

NASW WebWed | Join NASW Today! | Renew Your NASW Membership| National Association of Social Workers Web Site | NASW Code of Ethics

DreamWorks TV and Mark Burnett Productions Looking for Engaged Social Workers

DreamWorks Television and Mark Burnett Productions are casting engaged couples for a potential new reality show on a major cable network. They are looking for couples who are looking to have a unique wedding, but who are not able to plan that special day because they are putting the needs of others before their own.

They are specifically looking to feature a social worker and his or her fiancé in one of the episodes. They hope to give this warn, friendly couple the wonderful wedding because they deserve it so much.

Please email your full story and include a recent photo in .jpg format, along with daytime and evening contact information to kcanning@markburnettprod.com.

The deadline for submissions is December 21, 2007!

Social Work in the News – December 13, 2007

Gov. announces new program to cut college loan interest rates
Chicago Sun-Times
… for college students planning to enter industries such as social work, teaching, or health care, according to a release from the governor’s office. …

Categorizing Social Work as Dangerous Job
WHSV – Harrisonburg, VA
Social workers on the front lines of the fight against child abuse and neglect could be getting some help from the Legislature next year. …

In a busy world, friendships are made on blind dates
Baltimore Sun
“Especially because people today can be so cut off,” says Daniel Buccino, a clinical social worker at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, …

Welcome to our home
Altoona Mirror – Altoona, PA
Evelyn Madison, a licensed clinical social worker at Altoona Regional Health System, Altoona Hospital Campus, understands why. …

Grey’s Anatomy – Negative Mention of Social Work Education

Below is a letter that NASW sent to the Executive Producer at Grey’s Anatomy when an incorrect statement was made about social work training and education:

December 12, 2007

Ms. Shonda Rhimes
Executive Producer – Grey’s Anatomy
4151 Prospect Avenue
Los Angeles CA 90027

Dear Ms. Rhimes:

Every day, millions of people all over the country look to television dramas to entertain them. Many take the information gleaned from a television program to be the truth and use that information in their personal lives. While it is not the goal of programs to educate viewers, popular shows like “Grey’s Anatomy” teach Americans a great deal.

On the program originally aired on December 6, 2007, disparaging remarks were made by an attending to a resident about social workers and their education. We at the National Association of Social Workers feel that by misrepresenting the educational requirements of social workers, you are doing a disservice to a profession integral to a hospital and their patients.

In a rushed conversation about updating a patient family, Dr. Erica Hahn said to Dr. Isobel Stevens: “I want you to think like surgeon. You’re thinking like a social worker. And if you want to be a social worker, you can save yourself a lot of effort because the training is two years not 12.”

Leading your viewers to believe that the training to become a social worker is two years is an error. The 12 years of education that it takes to be a surgeon includes bachelor’s and medical degrees, residency and fellowships. The minimum number of years it takes to become a social worker is six years, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees. There are also advanced degrees and training in social work that can take many more years.

Social workers are competent, well trained and educated professionals who work on interdisciplinary health care teams for the good of patients. We encourage you to portray them as such on your program.

Please let me know if I can be of assistance to you in developing any of your future episodes. Perhaps a storyline that includes an oncology social worker in a hospital could entertain your viewers and educate them about social work and its essential value in a hospital setting.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH
Executive Director

PS – Please visit www.HelpStartsHere.org to learn more about how social workers help millions of people every day. I have also included a copy of “On Any Given Day, Social Workers Help” for your reference.

BYU: We need more social workers, not less

In October, Brigham Young University announced that it would discontinue its undergraduate social work program.  Students, social workers and the NASW Utah Chapter disagree with this decision.  Read here from the Salt Lake Tribune about this decision and student protests to the decision.
In a letter the NASW Utah Chapter wrote to the president of BYU, Cecil Samuelson, they stated their concern for the decision made by David Magleby, dean of the College of Family, Home and Social Sciences.  They noted the value of a Bachelor of Social Work, the unique education of a BSW student to work in social services in Utah, and the complement that the BSW program brings to the MSW program that already exists.

Most importantly, they noted the need for more, not less social workers available to serve the citizens of Utah.

Clinical Social Workers Who Are Medicare Providers Needed For Alpha Testing

Clinical Social Workers Who Are Medicare Providers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Eastern Ohio and Downstate New York Needed For Alpha Testing

Mirean Coleman, MSW, LICSW, CT
Senior Policy Associate

December 6, 2007

Quality Insight of Pennsylvania, a contractor for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), has developed additional quality measures for clinical social workers for the optional Medicare bonus incentive program. The new measures are in the areas of bereavement, post-traumatic stress, suicide, and obsessive-compulsive behavior. NASW is seeking clinical social workers to participate in alpha testing which is the first step in the measure testing process confirming whether there is a need for the measures. If you are a Medicare provider in the states listed in the title and would like to participate in this testing procedure in early 2008, please send by December 14, 2007, your name, address, phone number, and e-mail to mcoleman@naswdc.org or call 202-336-8265.

This is a great opportunity for clinical social workers to participate in the development of quality measures to be used in their Medicare practice for a bonus payment.