Send A Letter In Support of H.R. 5447, S. 2858

	Send A Letter In Support of H.R. 5447, The Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act
	Send a letter to YOUR Senators in support of S. 2858! Send a Letter to YOUR Representative in support of H.R. 5447!!

Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act – H.R. 5447

Dear Colleague,

Over the years, NASW has asked you to speak out on behalf of many causes and issues. You have always risen to the occasion. Significant strides have been made in areas such as children’s health care, employment nondiscrimination, and fair pay legislation. Your advocacy has resulted in the enhanced mental health, social and psychosocial functioning of clients across the country.

I am calling on you today, however, to ask each of you to take a small action, that when combined, can ensure the future of the profession.

On February 14, 2008 the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act (H.R. 5447) was introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Congressman and fellow social worker Edolphus Towns (D-NY) along with original cosponsors Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT), Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA), Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH).

This groundbreaking legislation bears the names of two of the United States’ greatest social justice advocates and social workers and serves as an investment in the professionals that will care for the millions of aging baby boomers, wounded veterans, the ever-increasing numbers of people diagnosed with cancer, over six million youth with a serious mental illness, and the millions of people living with HIV/AIDS among others. Yet, insurmountable education debt, insufficient salaries, and serious safety concerns are threatening the profession. The Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act (H.R. 5447)will explore the many successful efforts already undertaken by our nation’s social workers, while examining the persistent challenges to these efforts.

Social work has always been at the forefront of ensuring that the most vulnerable in society have a safety net of protection. Our communities are in need, more than ever for vital services provided by over 600,000 social workers across the nation. Passage of this legislation is crucial to ensure an adequate social work workforce. The future of this profession depends on the steps that we take to reinvest in it today. We cannot make this happen without the assistance of every one of our members across the country.

Please help us ensure that the profession of social work will grow and thrive in the coming decades. I am asking you as a leader in the profession, to encourage your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 5447 today by clicking here http://capwiz.com/socialworkers/issues/bills/?bill=11013991.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Franklin at (202) 408-8600 ext. 537 or efranklin@naswdc.org.

Sincerely,

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

Social Workers Support First Annual National Healthcare Decisions Day

For Immediate Release

Contact Amber Moore 202-336-8277 amoore@naswdc.org

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in collaboration with other national, state and community organizations, supports the first annual National Healthcare Decisions Day on April 16, 2008. National Healthcare Decisions Day is designated to encourage advance care planning for all adults.

In support of National Health Care Decisions Day, NASW Executive Director Elizabeth Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH will be participating in a continuing education webinar event entitled “National Healthcare Decisions Day 2008: The Law, the Talk and the Care.” This webinar will take place on March 19, 2008 at 2pm, and will also feature Ira Byock, M.D., director of palliative medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and Bill Colby, J.D., senior fellow with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, who represented the family of Nancy Cruzan in their family’s right-to-die case, the first such case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Social workers are advocates for advance health care planning, and are an excellent resource for persons who are unsure or unclear about the benefits of advance planning. Social workers can offer information regarding advance health care planning, including information about the process of creating an advance health care plan, choosing a health care agent, as well as helping to prepare and further explain the meaning of advance health care documents.

“Advance care needs may include financial, health, future or long-term residential plans,” says Dr. Clark. “Social workers can work with individuals considering advance health care options to explore the goals and values that will guide your decision making process. Letting your family know your wishes ahead of time is a gift you can give your family.”

NASW is proud to support the first annual National Health Care Decisions Day and is hopeful that this day will create a heightened sense of awareness among Americans to make advance health care decisions.

For more information on National Healthcare Decisions Day, please visit www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org.

About the National Association of Social Workers
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in Washington, D.C., is the largest membership organization of professional social workers with 150,000 members.  It promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers.  NASW also seeks to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through its advocacy.