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SOCIAL WORKERT H E P E N N S Y L V A N I A

A PUBL ICATION OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS, PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER

SOCIAL WORKERT H E P E N N S Y L V A N I A

A PUBL ICATION OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS, PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER

V O L U M E 3 0 , N U M B E R 1 • S P R I N G 2 0 0 9

425 North 21st Street, Suite 401 • Camp Hill, PA 17011717-232-4125 • www.nasw-pa.org

I N T H I S I S S U E

Biggest Winner Update 2

Moving Us Forward 3

NASW-PA Fall 2009Mini-Conferences 4

President’s Column 5

Social Worker of the MonthLaunched 6

Ethics Enacted 6

2009 Election Ballot 7

Proud Social Worker Pride Campaign 9

From the Hill 10

CE Calendar 12

NASW-PA CE Registration 16

Black Men at Penn 17

____________________________

SPECIAL SECTION

Fields of Practice: Exploring Some Options 19–27

___________________________

Advertising 28

NASW-PA Launches Pride Campaign!

Social workers are professionals who are committed to making the world a better place. It is a career with training we should each be proud of. All too often our client advocacy prevents us from taking time to celebrate our resil-iency as tireless advocates working for a better society. Take a few moments this March to celebrate the work you do as a professional social worker, and let the world know you are proud.

A few easy ways to show your pride:

● Join over 300 other social workers to show your pride at a rally in the Capitol Rotunda as part of NASW-PA’s Legislative Advocacy Day on March 31. Register at nasw-pa.org or call 717-232-125 for details.

● Purchase a Proud Social Worker bumper sticker for $2 or a Proud Social Worker tee shirt for $10 from NASW-PA. E-mail Alicia Newkam at [email protected] with your requests.

● Attend a social work month event in your division. Check NASW-PA’s calendar of events (pp. 12–15) for your local event.

HappySocial Work Month!March is Social Work Month, a time to celebrate our profession.

Legislative

Advocacy Day

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N A S W-PA L E A DER SHIPOFFICERSJames Andrews, LCSW, BCD President Janice Kopelman, MSW, LSW Vice PresidentChris Rich, LSW, ACSW President-ElectMichael Jeffrey, LCSW TreasurerSarah Graden, LSW Treasurer-Elect D. Trevor Evans, MSS Secretary

MEMBERS OF THE BOARDMadeleine Mogle, LSW Brandywine Division ChairKristin Federici Bowser, LSW Central Division ChairDavid McCarthy, MSW Lehigh Valley Division ChairPamela Richmond, PhD North Central Division ChairDeirdre Spelman, LSW, ACSW Northeast Division ChairAnn Hippely, LCSW Northwest Division ChairGwen Phillips, LCSW Philadelphia Division ChairRuth McNeil-Whittaker, LSW Philadelphia Division Rep INajma Davis, LCSW Philadelphia Division Rep IINathaniel Morley, MSW Southwest Division ChairMonica Cwynar, LSW, ACSW Southwest Division RepDaisi Dumas Eyerly, LSW West Central Division ChairSusan McDonald, PhD, LSW At-Large Representative I Pearl Schmier, LCSW, ACSW At-Large Representative IIChristina Mortensen, BSW MSW Student RepresentativeMaria Lee BSW Student RepresentativeDonna Pincavage, MSW, MPA Region IV Representative to National (NJ/PA)

CHAPTER COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS & LEADERSHIP IDENTIFICATIONPatricia Clark, LCSW Brandywine DivisionRachel Kuhr, ACSW Central DivisionPhilip Arnold, LCSW Lehigh DivisionVeral Adair, Jr., MSW Northwest DivisionGary Van Scoy, LSW, ACSW, RCD Northeast DivisionMarian Robinson, ACSW Philadelphia DivisionJim Kuemmerle, ACSW Southwest DivisionPatricia Savage, ACSW West Central Division

STAFF Jenna Mehnert, MSW Executive DirectorAmy Sagen, LSW, MSG Director of Program ServicesMelissa DiSanto Simmons, BSW Director of Public PolicyPatti Ward, BSW Member Specialist Amy Cazalas, BSW Advocacy/Outreach SpecialistMary Jae Seo Administrative Offi cerAlicia Newkam Executive Assistant----------------------Lilo Mueller Graphic Designer

The Pennsylvania Social Worker Vol. 30, No. 1 • Spring 2009 • ISSN #1526-1336

Published quarterly (Spring, Summer, Fall, and WInter) by the National Association of Social Workers, Pennsylvania Chapter, 425 N. 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill, PA 17011. Phone: 717-232-4125 Fax: 717-232-4140.

ADVERTISERS: See classifi ed section for information on advertising. For a rate card detailing advertising specs and policies, call the chapter offi ce at 717-232-4125. The chapter reserves the right to reject advertisements for any reason at any time. No liability is assumed if an advertisement is omitted for whatever reason.

GENERAL INFORMATION: Publication of advertising and/or editorial copy in this newsletter does not constitute endorsement or approval by NASW and/or NASW-PA of content, point of view, standards of service, or opinion presented therein, nor does the chapter guarantee the accuracy of information. While the editorial staff attempts to verify accuracy, the author is ultimately responsible for content sources and accuracy. Comments or opposing points of view are encouraged and must be signed. Except when other requests are made and honored, written reactions will be printed and signed with the writer’s name under “Letters to the Editor.” All copy is subject to editorial approval. NASW-PA reserves the right to edit articles for purposes of clarity and/or space.

MEMBER ADDRESS CHANGES: 1-800-742-4089, [email protected] or www.socialworkers.org

POSTMASTER, SEND ADDRESS CHANGES: NASW, 750 First St. NE, Ste. 700, Washington, DC 20002

West Chester University Has Solid Social Work Pride! Biggest Winner Update

The status and value of the social work profession is dra-matically impacted by the strength of the advocacy efforts on behalf of the profession. A strong professional identity is born during professional education. Recognizing the critical role that schools of social work play in helping students to not only adopt, but to embrace their professional identity, NASW-PA is please to recognize the school with the highest percentage of students who are members of NASW-PA. By looking at percentage instead of total numbers, every school was on equal footing to win this effort and earn the title of the Biggest Winner. NASW-PA’s ability to forecast percent-ages is only as accurate as the data provided to us by the schools, so please be sure to give us accurate numbers next fall when we kick off this contest again.

Biggest Winner West Chester University

83% of students are NASW members.

Second Place WinnerCalifornia University of Pennsylvania

35% of students are NASW members.

Honorable Mentionfor the largest total number of members

University of Pittsburgh

A big thank-you goes to the 40 accredited social work pro-grams and the thousands of social work students here in the Commonwealth. It is only through a united profession that we can best serve our client populations and fulfill our pur-pose as professionals.

Having a Meeting, Need a Room Near Harrisburg?

Rent NASW-PA’s state-of-the-art conference roomat a reasonable rate.

NASW-PA has a 900 square foot training room that seats up to 50 participants at great new tables. The room is equipped with an LCD projector and screen.

Meeting Duration Public NASW MembersAssociated Organizations

1 – 4 hours $80 (incl. AV)$40 (no AV)

$40 (incl. AV)$20 (no AV)

4 – 8 hours $115 (incl. AV)$57.50 (no AV)

$70 (incl. AV)$35 (no AV)

Coffee, tea, water, and soda service

$25 (additional) $25 (additional)

If you are interested in reserving the training room, please contact Amy Sagen at [email protected].

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MOV ING US F OR WA R DB Y J E N N A M E H N E R T , M S WE xecut ive Direc tor

Continued on page 4

March is social work month. While, I do not really need a month to celebrate my profession, having one designated does provide the opportunity to educate others

about the important work we do. Social workers should be proud of our profession, and we should use the excuse of a designated month to edu-cate others. Can you take 15 minutes this month and write a letter to the editor of your local paper about the work you do in the community? Understanding the magnitude

of our capabilities and wide scope of exper-tise is critical to raising the public’s value for our profession. Sure, it can feel a little self-promoting, but appropriately earned pride is a good thing.

Having passion for our profession is the easiest part of my job. Social workers are educated to a very high standard in order to advocate for positive change in the lives of individuals and in our larger society. This profession is my calling, so promot-ing the importance of a profession aimed at building a better world is simple. What is complicated is accepting that incremen-tal change is the reality of effective policy work.

Like many of you, my advocacy work began early. I was 10 when I wrote my first legis-lative letter urging the passage of the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment). My mother, Dr. Irene Mehnert, refused to live in any state that had not passed the ERA, and taught me young that it was appalling that the United States had not ratified the amend-ment. By age 22, I was a protest junkie. If it involved signs, chants, and a meaningful cause, I was there. Then one day, I got tired. I realized I could be a better advocate if I was inside the building sitting at the table rather than standing outside screaming my

position into locked buildings. I knew my positions would create positive change for real people; the issue was that no one with the power to make the necessary change was listening.

The entire goal of my early career was to build the foundation necessary to get into the right rooms. I was fortunate that by age 26, I was starting to be in the right rooms, but my message still sounded more like the protester’s chant than a policy maker’s position. Ten years of unnecessary battles and three political administrations later, I learned that change is always incremental, never perfect and that being “right” only matters if enough other people agree with you.

Over the next two years with your assis-tance and commitment, I hope we can build NASW-PA into a fine-tuned grass-roots legislative advocacy machine. There are over 40,000 degreed social workers in Pennsylvania, yet the average citizen thinks every social worker is employed by the child welfare system.

We have 40 accredited schools of social work, but according to our Public School Code there is no such thing as a school social worker. NASW-PA has over 6,100 members, yet we live in one of six states that does not allow social workers to diag-nose. There is no reason for our lack of public status and legal standing except that we settled for it. I am not calling for a pro-test, although NASW-PA will host a rally at Legislative Advocacy Day on March 31 complete with signs and chants. What I am asking for is unity and some limited but focused effort.

As social workers we do very different tasks each day. But, we must be unified as one profession, and we must speak on profes-

Passion for Our Purpose

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sional issues with one collective, empowered, and powerful voice. To do this effectively, we need to have as large a group as possible. Going back to my point about only being right if a large group of other people agree with you, the General Assembly needs to know that lots of people think NASW-PA’s posi-tions are right. The way to demon-strate your support is to simply be a member. So, even in these diffi-cult times, we need each and every social worker to remain or become a member of NASW-PA (join or re-join at www.socialworkers.org).

Membership is critical, but it is not enough. We must each be or become Proud Social Workers. My Scottish mother-in-law has a say-ing that “you write your own price tag.” As a profession, it is time that through our own pride we raise our value. It is through our pride that we will educate our neighbors, our local media, and our legislators about the value of our profession and the importance of our perspec-tive in policy development. NASW-PA wants to build a pride campaign and is asking each of you to attend Legislative Advocacy Day on March 31 in Harrisburg. If you cannot attend, please get connected to your local NASW-PA division and let’s really make change, com-munity by community, through the power of our collective voices. ●

Please join NASW-PA for two mini-conferences held in October 2009 in Mansfield and Gettysburg. Our goal is to make educational workshops affordable and convenient for our members, so we have decided to travel around the state for these mini-conferences. Please note, NASW-PA will hold a three-day conference in March 2010 in the western part of the state.

Opportunities are available to sponsor, advertise, or exhibit at these mini-conferences. Please contact Amy Sagen for more information at [email protected] or 717-232-4125.

Rural Social Work Friday – Saturday, October 2 – 3, 2009

Mansfield University, Mansfield, PA

Keynote Speaker: TBA

Multicultural Social Work in a Global Setting

Sunday – Monday, October 18 – 19, 2009Eisenhower Hotel, Gettysburg, PA

Keynote

Social Work With Immigrants: Newcomer Strengths and Provider Challenges

Fernando Chang-Muy, JDThomas O’Boyle Lecturer in Law

University of Pennsylvania School of Lawteaches Refugee Law and Policy.

An increasing number of individuals seeking social services are immigrants. It is estimated that by mid century newcomers will make up almost half of the population in the United States. Against this backdrop, and in order to remain adaptive, competitive and effective, social workers, nonprofit orga-nizations, and policy makers must be prepared to work with immigrants and their families, an issue that the Council on Social Work Education has addressed in standards regarding the “global context of practice.”

However, the legal status of immigrants often detrimentally affects immigrants’ access to services. Given the issue of documentation, the keynote address will focus on the history of migration, as well as legal definitions of newcom-ers, including obtaining documents for lawful permanent residence, refugee status, as well as grounds for exclusion and deportation, and paths to natu-ralized citizenship. The workshop will conclude with newcomer contributions to the Commonwealth and the nation. ●

ME MBER SIN T HE NE W SLynn Friedman, MSW, LCSW, BCD, was named the Best Therapist in the “Best of the Best” 2008 Reader’s Choice awards given out by the Main Line Times.

NASW-PA Fall 2009 Mini-Conferences

MOVING US FORWARDContinued from page 3

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PRE S IDEN T ’ S COLUMNB Y J A M E S A N D R E W S , L C S W, B C D , C A C - D I P L O M A T E N A SW- PA Pres ident

Hello everyone! This is my last column. It seems like I just wrote my first column as NASW-PA presi-dent. In thinking about this final column, I have been reading over the columns that I have written over the past two years and shared with all of you. In these pages, I have written about the importance of standing up and speaking out on relevant issues, the importance of the unified voice of the social work profession being heard, about how individuals, both alone and col-lectively, can leverage events into powerful and long-lasting direc-tions, about the role of moderation and compromise, and about what it means to be a social worker. In that spirit, I want to exercise my proverbial soapbox one last time as NASW-PA president. It has been my intention over the past two years in these columns to attempt to provoke everyone to think and ponder life, the universe, and everything.

In one of my columns I wrote about the visions of Mahatma Gandhi, Susan B. Anthony, Winston Churchill, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and Cesar Chavez. In that column, I discussed how vision requires discipline, sacrifice, faith and belief. But most of all it requires the ability to see what is not yet there as if it were and to believe that anything is possible. That column closed with this question:

What are your visions and how are you making them a reality?

Underlying that inquiry rests a deeper question:

What Is Your Purpose?You see, ours is not the type of profession which one enters with the intention of making a lot of money and retiring early so you can do what you really want to do. Those individuals who choose to be social workers tend to be very purpose driven and focused indi-viduals. Individuals who enter our profession usually have a purpose that focuses their efforts and ener-gies, as well as defines their identity. They find a profession whose ethics reflect this inner drive and identity. Our profession is organized around the values of:

● Service, ● Social Justice, ● Dignity and Worth of

the Person, ● Importance of

Human Relationships, ● Integrity, and● Competence.

These six principles that form the core of the NASW Code of Ethics all revolve around the idea of acting on behalf of another in an impact-ing and meaningful manner as an expression of who you are as an individual, toward improving the world we all share. As social work-ers, we serve and help others in a myriad of ways. You will get to read about some of those ways in this newsletter. What I want to write about here is what I think drives all those different individual expres-sions of our code’s values.

At our core as individuals who pur-sue the profession of social work is a collective realization of our interconnectedness and the reality that if one is suffering, then we all suffer. Where there is injustice for one, whether it be social or eco-nomic injustice, there is justice for none. Where one is oppressed, all are oppressed. This awareness of our interconnected responsibility to the world encourages each of us in this profession to apply ourselves in a wide range of very unselfish ways. We each find the individual purpose within ourselves that motivates and drives us to return to fray every day. That purpose is unique to the indi-vidual and is an expression of the inner self.

When you hold purpose, you have the means of keeping your life on course and away from the shal-lows and rocky shores. As sailors used the astrolabe (pictured above) to determine their location on the seas before GPS systems, so does

What Is Your Purpose?

Continued on page 6

Brass astrolabe manufactured by the workshop of Georg Hartmann in Nurem-berg in 1537 (part of the Scientific Instruments Collection of Yale University’s Peabody Museum of Natural History).

Wikimedia Commons


your purpose provide a way to determine where you yourself are headed on the seas of life. When you have a clear vision of who you are, what you are about, and how you are going to live those truths, you can never become lost in life. You may temporarily lose a sense of equilibrium due to fog or other “bad weather or storm” in your life — a relationship ending, losing a job, or perhaps the death of a loved one. But, you never are truly lost. Challenges will come as will opportunities. But by holding a purpose to your life, you have the means to evaluate both the challenges and the opportunities that move into and out of your life from a stable core of purpose. And you will have the means to decide how to respond to each challenge and opportunity based upon what it is you have decided you are doing with your life and what you want to be.

I have greatly enjoyed the past two years serving as NASW-PA presi-dent. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to be in this role and to work with my fellow social work-ers on the NASW-PA board. We have accomplished much in the past two years. We now have title protection for social workers here in Pennsylvania and an enhanced reputation in the state legislature as a professional association. As I end my term, I will be looking for other ways to continue to serve the Pennsylvania chapter; that is one of my purposes. So I hope to still be around and to continue to work with many of you in differ-ent roles.

So let me end this column (and my term) with this question:

WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE (as a social worker)?

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Social Worker of the Month Launched!NASW-PA’s Pride Campaign in ActionDo you know an outstanding social worker? NASW-PA is looking for nomi-nations for Social Worker of the Month. Selected individuals will be fea-tured on NASW-PA’s website, news releases will be sent to local papers, and the individual will be considered for NASW-PA’s 2009 Social Worker of the Year in October.

If you know a social worker who has a strong demonstrated commitment to the social work profession, please send an email to Alicia Newkam at [email protected] that includes a short bio about the person you wish to nominate and three clear reasons why you think he or she should be recognized as the Social Worker of the Month. This is part of NASW-PA’s pride campaign, so please take a minute and recognize the important work we all do.

Please feel free to nominate more than one person as there are 12 months in an each year! ●

Ethics Enacted“I have been asked by my client to do a custody evaluation. I have been seeing the couple for the last year and now they are divorc-ing. I feel like I am familiar with the family, is it okay to do the evaluation?”

NO.

Child custody issues are one of the most complicated and messy interventions for social workers. Whether you are providing counseling to a couple that decides to divorce or you are seeing the child of parents who decide to divorce, there is nothing that brings out emotion like the fight over who is the better parent. If you are considering performing child custody evaluations, there are some serious ethical and competency requirements to consider.

● Receive specialized training in this area. You risk licensure and ethics complaints if you operate outside of your competency level. This is a complicated field of practice, and you need to know what you are doing. NASW-PA will be offering workshops to address how to provide quality child custody evaluations. Also, you should hold at least an LSW license before you consider doing evaluations.

● Be sure you have no other relationship with that family. It is critical that dual relationships are avoided and that you are able to impar-tially evaluate the situation. It is never okay to be either the parent or the child’s therapist and do the custody evaluation.

● Equal time must be allocated to each party. The analysis and time spent interviewing/evaluating must be fairly divided between both parents. You must also visit each parent’s residence and witness interactions in equal measure. Your own personal preference or parenting style must not cloud the report. Please be advised that a custody recommendation without a COMPLETE study leaves the social worker vulnerable to ethics charges and potential legal liability. ●

PRESIDENT’S COLUMNContinued from page 5


2009 OFFICIAL ELECTION BALLOT

Terms begin July 1, 2009

CHECKLIST

Don’t forget to:

1. Vote for ALL statewide offi ces.

2. Vote for division position(s) ONLY within your division, if any.

3. Complete the 2009Offi cial Election Ballot Verifi cation Section.

4. Cut out the ballot.

5. Fold ballot according to the printed guides on the back of this page.

6. Affi x First Class postage.

7. Mail ballot, postmarked by May 1, 2009, to:

NASW-PA425 N. 21st St., Ste. 401Camp Hill, PA 17011

Deadline May 1, 2009

✃

STATEWIDE OFFICES (VOTE FOR ONE IN EACH OFFICE)

Secretary ■ Sherry Peters, MSW

Sherry Peters is the Division Chief for Policy, Planning and Program Development in the Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health Services, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Public Welfare. Since 1974 she has worked in a variety of systems including mental health, drug and alcohol, children and youth, and mental retarda-tion. Her experience includes inpatient, outpatient, residential, hospital, community-based and home-based settings and both school and church related programs. She has held various positions including therapist, supervisor, administrator, trainer, writer, editor, and bureau-crat. She received her MSW in 1977 and her B.A. in psychology in 1975 from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the National Associa-tion of Social Workers (NASW) and certified by the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW).

DIVISION OFFICES (ONLY VOTE FOR OFFICES IN YOUR DIVISION)

Southwest Division Chair ■ Nathaniel Morley, MSW

Nathaniel Morley, MSW, currently works at KidsVoice in the positions of Child Advocacy Specialist and Staff Development Coordinator. Nathaniel holds a B.A. in sociology from Loyola University of New Orleans and an MSW from the University of Pittsburgh. He currently is serving as the Southwest Division chair. Under his leadership the division has hosted monthly breakfast networking meetings, periodic evening networking meetings and numerous CE events. Nathaniel continues to promote NASW membership on a regular basis by visiting social work programs at universities in the division as well as at community events. In addition, if re-elected Nathaniel will continue to address the needs of the division, its members and the state chapter as a whole, in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.

8

National Association of Social Workers • Pennsylvania Chapter

2009 OFFICIAL ELECTION BALLOT VERIFICATIONSignature (to validate your ballot): ___________________________________________________________________________(Name will be separated from the ballot)

Your name or NASW member # (print) ________________________________________________________________________

Division name (print) ___________________________________________________________________________

Confi dentiality: All ballots are kept strictly confi dential by NASW staff and personal information is examined only for verifi cation of ballot.

Fold here so this panel is inside.

Fold here.

2009 Election BallotPostmark by May 1, 2009!

NASW Pennsylvania Chapter 425 N. 21st Street, Suite 401

Camp Hill, PA 17011

First Class Postage Required

✃

S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 T H E P E N N S Y L V A N I A S O C I A L W O R K E R 9T H E P E N N S Y L V A N I A S O C I A L W O R K E R 9✃

James Andrews will complete his term as president of NASW-PA’s Board of Directors on June 30. James has led NASW-PA through a very difficult and excit-ing two years. His leadership has been invaluable to building a more dynamic professional organization. James is looking forward to con-tinuing his work for social workers as an active committee member within NASW-PA, and hopefully with enough votes in the coming election, as Pennsylvania and New Jersey’s representative to the NASW National’s Board of Director.

Mike Jeffrey has been a commit-ted supporter of NASW-PA serv-ing two terms as board treasurer. A fiscally minded clinical social worker with significant administra-tive experience, Mike has been an invaluable resource as the chapter has developed a much stronger infrastructure. He will be greatly missed!

Trevor Evans has completed his term as board secretary. Perhaps in the hardest position on the board, Trevor has served NASW-PA very well. His thoughtful attention to conversation and easy going demeanor will be greatly missed by the entire board.

Susan McDonald has completed her term as an at-large member of the board of directors. Her long-standing commitment to the profes-sion is evidenced by her frequent participation at NASW-PA confer-ences, and her critical examination of the issues facing the board.

Pearl Schmier has worked tire-lessly to advocate for social work-ers as an at-large board member of NASW-PA. She has worked espe-cially hard to ensure that the asso-ciation’s ability to offer continuing education in an affordable fashion has increased. ●

Thank You to Departing Board Members

Pride Campaign Membership Drive

Help NASW-PA strengthen our VOICE.Get your friends and co-workers to join!

The greater our numbers, the stronger our voice!

Recruit social workers and mail back this form to claim your social work pride gift.

● Get one friend to join NASW-PA and receive a Proud Social Worker bumper sticker, or

● Get two friends to join NASW-PA and receive a Proud Social Worker tee shirt in kelly green, or

● Get three friends to join NASW-PA and receive a Proud Social Worker travel mug, or

● Get five social workers to join NASW-PA and receive a $100 coupon you can apply to any NASW-PA training event or events.

ProcessTalk to co-workers and social work friends about the dynamic work of NASW-PA. Recruit them to join NASW on-line at www.socialworkers.org or by calling 800.742.4089. Then complete this form and mail it to Alicia Newkam, NASW-PA, 425 N. 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill, PA 17011. After we have confirmed that the individuals listed are new members that have recently joined, we will mail out your thank-you gift.

Please list your name and mailing address here:

Name ____________________________________________________________

Address __________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________

Please list the names of those who have joined NASW-PA in the last two months as a result of your efforts:

1. ______________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________________


On February 4 Governor Edward G. Rendell released his proposed 2009/10 state

budget. As an overview for human services funding, NASW-PA has cre-ated a chart highlighting programs within various state agencies that would be of interest to the member-ship. State agencies are slated to give further information regarding vari-ous budget line items and programs via department or office briefings. And, the Appropriations Commit-tees of the House and Senate will convene budget hearings throughout February and March.

It appears three key points of inter-est are:

● The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) plans to switch to performance-based contracts within child welfare.

● The Pennsylvania Department of Aging will be reorganized and renamed the Pennsylvania Department of Aging and Long Term Care. This newly estab-lished office will give mental retardation services and other services to adults with disabili-

F ROM T HE H IL LB Y M E L I S S A D i S A N T O S I M M O N S , B S WDirec tor of Publ i c Pol i c y

ties one home within state government.

● The Governor plans to expand AdultBasic to cover many more adults, but this expan-sion will ultimately have little to no effect on the health care system.

The PowerPoint presentation delivered by DPW Secretary Estelle Richman can be viewed at www.dpw.state.pa.us.

As this newsletter goes to print, NASW-PA is working on an associ-ation budget position to encompass as many facets of human services as possible. While cognizant of the tough economic climate, NASW-PA will try to ensure that human services, public health, and public welfare programs are adequately funded.

To access NASW-PA’s budget day chart please visit the website at www.nasw-pa.org. For questions or comments, please contact Jenna Mehnert at [email protected] or Melissa DiSanto Simmons at [email protected]. ●

Legislative Advocacy Day

March 31

Registration is under way for NASW-PA’s annual Legislative Advocacy Day on

March 31! More detailed information regarding registration and the day’s agenda is available on the next page and on NASW-PA’s website atwww.nasw-pa.org.

NASW-PA will highlight its three major legislative initiatives for the 2009/10 session:

● Bachelor’s Level Licensure: Representative Mundy has introduced House Bill 353

● Certified School Social Workers

● Practice Protection

There are white papers available under the Advocacy tab on NASW-PA’s web-site for bachelor’s level licensure and certified school social workers, respec-tively, as well as an impact statement for practice protection.

Briefing packets and talking points will be prepared in advance for reg-istrants, with some information to be sent electronically ahead of time. Additionally this year, NASW-PA will attempt to match legislative deliveries made by participants with legisla-tors serving the districts in which the participants either work or attend a Pennsylvania school of social work.

If you have not already registered, do so today — we need to add you and your colleagues to the collective voice of social workers in Harrisburg! If you have questions or comments, please contact Melissa DiSanto Simmons at [email protected]. ●

Legislators Welcomed by NASW-PANASW-PA prepared a welcome/welcome back packet for all 253 legislators in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. While the intention of the packets was to remind legislators of the importance of social work services, they also were an excellent pre-lude to NASW-PA’s annual Legislative Advocacy Day on March 31.

The packets included the detailed NASW-PA 2009/10 Legislative Agenda, a bro-chure regarding social work, the respective white papers on bachelor’s level licensure and certified school social workers, as well as the impact statement on practice protection.

All packets were hand-delivered by NASW-PA staff to the legislative offices. Feed-back thus far has been positive! ●

State Budget Released


GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 216 STATE STREET

7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 8:40 a.m. Welcome• Jenna Mehnert, MSW Executive Director, NASW-PA

8:40 – 9:25 a.m. Legislative Process/What to Expect/Talking Points on Bills• Jenna Mehnert, MSW Executive Director, NASW-PA• Melissa DiSanto Simmons, BSW Director of Public Policy, NASW-PA

CAPITOL

9:30 – 11:00 a.m. Attend Committee Meetings and Legislative VisitsList of committee meetings will be provided when registering. Social workers are encouraged to set up legislative visits prior to the day or call NASW-PA to arrange visits.

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Attend House and/or Senate Session/Lunch/Legislative VisitsThe House and Senate go into session at 11:00 a.m. Social Workers may watch House and Senate session live from 4th fl oor balconies.

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Rally at the Capitol – Main Capitol RotundaFeaturing remarks by invited members of the General Assembly to speak about Bachelor Level Licensure, Certifi ed School Social Workers and a COLA for Human Services.

We need you in Harrisburgon March 31, 2009.

For questions, call 800-272-6279 (in PA only) or

717-232-4125fax 717-232-4140 or

e-mail Melissa at [email protected]

Come to Harrisburg and Affect Your Future.Bachelor Level Licensure

Certified School Social Workersand a COLA for Human Services

Name _____________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________

City _______________________________________________

State __________________ ZIP________________________

Business Phone _____________________________________

Home Phone _______________________________________

Fax _______________________________________________

E-mail _____________________________________________

Check all that apply: ❏ I am employed. Agency ___________________________❏ I am retired.❏ I am unemployed.❏ I am a student. ❏ Undergraduate ❏ Graduate

School _____________________________________________

NASW Member # __________________________________

❏ $10 NASW-PA Member❏ $10 Social Work Student❏ $15 NASW-PA Non-Member

Enclosed is my check for $____ , payable to NASW-PA. Mail check to:

NASW-PAPlaza 21

425 N. 21st Street, 4th FloorCamp Hill, PA 17011

LegislativeAdvocacy DayTuesday March 31, 20097:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Registration FormDeadline: March, 25, 2009

www.nasw-pa.org

12 C O N TA C T U S : 1 - 8 0 0 -2 7 2 - 62 7 9

All continuing education events listed below are approved for continuing education credits

(CEs) for the licensure period from March 1, 2007, through February 28, 2009, for licensed social work-ers, licensed clinical social workers, professional counselors and marriage and family therapists in the Common-wealth of Pennsylvania.

Trainings marked with (E) are des-ignated as ethics courses, meeting the new requirement that each licensee secure 3 credits in ethics per licensing period.

Additional trainings will be added throughout the year. Please check our website (www.nasw-pa.org — Continuing Education) for updates.

NASW-PA reserves the right to cancel courses with insufficient regis-tration. In the event that NASW-PA cancels a workshop, all fees will be refunded in full.

Film Festival workshop fee covers discussion and CEs.

MARCH

*March 11 — Northeast Division Celebrates Social Work Month! Social Work Month Dinner and Walk With Us: Triplet boys, their teen par-ents, & two white women who tagged along; A 21st Century Settlement House Story. Marywood University, Schwartz Center, Conference Room B, Scranton. 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. $20 NASW member, $25 nonmember. Dinner: $5 NASW member, $10 nonmember. 2 CEs. Offered by Northeast Division of NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

*March 14 — Philadelphia Divi-sion Celebrates Social Work Month! Social Work Appreciation Month – Celebration of Art. Phila-delphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia. Commences at 8 a.m. $62.50 NASW member, $70 nonmember. 3 CEs. Offered by Philadelphia Division of NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

*March 17 — Lehigh Valley Tuesday Speaker Series. Cedar Crest College, Tompkins Center, Alcove A, Allen-town. 6 – 8 p.m. $15 NASW member, $5 students, $30 nonmember. 2 CEs. Offered by Lehigh Valley Division. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

Offered by SWAP, Southwest Division of NASW-PA. To register call Petrina Sicak or Erin Conway at 412-318-3820.

March 18 — Central Division Celebrates Social Work Month! Network and Reconnect with Social Workers in your Division. NASW-PA Chapter Office. 425 N. 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill. 5 – 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Offered by Central Division of NASW-PA. Pre-registration is requested at www.nasw-pa.org.

March 18 — Southwest Division Celebrates Social Work Month! Social Work Month Forum & Recognition Lunch. University of Pittsburgh, William Pitt Union, Fifth and Bigelow, Pittsburgh. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $55 NASW member or Pio-neer, $25 students, $65 nonmember. 5.5 CEs. Offered by Southwest Divi-sion of NASW-PA, NASW Pioneers, and Schools of Social Work in South-western PA. For information on Con-tinuing Education call 412-624-3711 or NASW-PA Southwest at 412-657-0094. Registration form is online at www.nasw-pa.org.

March 18 – 20 — Fundamentals of Mediation Practice. The Montgom-ery County Mediation Center, 3075 Ridge Pike, Suite B, Eagleville. 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. $510 NASW member, $515 nonmember. 22.5 CEs. Offered by Montgomery County Mediation Center. To register visit http://www.montcomediation.com/trng_calendar.html. NASW-PA approved.

March 18 — Case Management Overview, Ethics for Addiction Professionals, Adolescent ASAM, & Problem Gambling: Practical & Essential Strategies. Sheraton Har-risburg/Hershey, 4650 Lindle Road, Harrisburg. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol (located in the center column) and click on Training Opportunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with specific questions. NASW-PA approved.

March 18 — Practical Applications, PTSD and Addiction, PCPC & Prob-lem Gambling: Treatment Design. Radisson Valley Forge, 160 First Avenue, King of Prussia. 9 a.m. –

March 17 — Trauma and Resolu-tion: Interventions in Group and Individual Sessions. Mon Yough Community Services, 500 Walnut St., Lower Level, Conference Rm. A, McKeesport. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $85 NASW member, $90 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by Mon Yough Com-munity Services. For information and to register contact Debbie Pakler at 412-664-0100. NASW-PA approved.

March 17 — Relapse Prevention, Basic Pharmacology, PCPC & Prob-lem Gambling for Beginners: Hidden Addiction. Clarion Holiday Inn, 45 Holiday Road, Clarion. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 non-member. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol, (located in the center column) and click on Train-ing Opportunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with spe-cific questions. NASW-PA approved.

March 17 — Adolescent ASAM, Ethics for Addiction Prof, Basic HIV & Problem Gambling — Co-Occurring Disorders. Days-Inn Penn State, 240 S. Pugh St., State College. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol (located in the center column) and click on Training Opportunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with specific questions. NASW-PA approved.

March 17 — Addiction 101, Confi-dentiality, Screening and Assessment & Recovery 101. Luzerne County Community College, 1333 South Prospect St., Nanticoke. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 non-member. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol (located in the center column and click on Training Oppor-tunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with specific ques-tions. NASW-PA approved.

March 17 — Veteran’s Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit Pro-gram. Juniper Village at Forest Hills, 107 Fall Run Road Forest Hills. 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Free for NASW member, $15 nonmember. 2 CEs.

*NASW is responsible for the regis-tration of these workshops. Registra-tion form on page 16.

Spring Continuing Education


Information/RegistrationTo register for these events or for more information go to the Calendar page at www.nasw-pa.org, contact Amy Sagen at 717-232-4125, or [email protected]. For work-shops marked with an asterix (*) you can also register using the form on page 16.

4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 non-member. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol (located in the center column) and click on Training Oppor-tunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with specific questions. NASW-PA approved.

March 18 — TB/STD/Hep, Confi-dentiality, Co-Occurring Disorders & MDS Service Codes. Four Points Sheraton-Greensburg, 100 Sheraton Drive, Greensburg. 724-834-5300. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol (located in the center column) and click on Train-ing Opportunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with spe-cific questions. NASW-PA approved.

March 19 — PCPC-Pennsylvania Client Placement Criteria. Mon Yough Community Services, 500 Walnut St., Lower Level, Conference Rm. A, McKeesport. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $55 NASW member, $60 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by Mon Yough Com-munity Services. For information and to register contact Debbie Pakler at 412-664-0100. NASW-PA approved.

March 19 – 20 — Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). Mount Lebanon Safety Building, 555 Washington Road, Pittsburgh. 9:05 a.m. – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 15 CEs. Offered by CONTACT Pittsburgh. For more information and to register contact James Doyle at 412-820-0100. NASW-PA approved.

*March 21 — North Central Division Celebrates Social Work Month! Culture and Rituals. Mansfield University, Pinecrest Manor, Second Floor, Conference Room, Mansfield. 12 – 2 p.m. Free for NASW member and nonmember. 2 CEs. Offered by North Central Division of NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

March 21 — Simulations of the Role of Facilitator and Scribe in a Group Crisis Intervention. Radisson Hotel Philadelphia Northeast, 2400 Old Lincoln Hwy at Route 1, Trevose. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by

Keystone Crisis Intervention Team. To register visit www.novabucks.org or contact Lynne Feldman at 215-343-6543. NASW-PA approved.

*March 24 — Lehigh Valley Division Celebrates Social Work Month. Join us for a focus group to plan events for our division. Cedar Crest College, Tompkins Center, Alcove A, Allentown. 6 – 8 p.m. Door prizes and food will be available. Offered by Lehigh Valley Division. Learn more online at www.nasw-pa.org. Go to Divisions (on the left-hand side) and click on Lehigh Valley Division.

*March 25 — Film Festival: Music Within. NASW-PA Chapter Office, 425 North 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill. 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. Certificate fee $20 NASW member, $30 nonmem-ber. 3 CEs. Offered by NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

*March 26 — Lehigh Valley Division Celebrates Social Work Month. Join us for a focus group to plan events for our division. Alvernia College, Upland Center, 540 Upland Ave, Reading. 6 – 8 p.m. Door prizes and food will be available. Offered by Lehigh Valley Division. Learn more online at www.nasw-pa.org. Go to Divisions (on the left-hand side) and click on Lehigh Valley Division.

March 26 — Linkages between Drug Abuse and CAN. Children’s Resource Center, 2645 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. 3 – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 2 CEs. Offered by PinnacleHealth Children’s Resource Center. Pre-registration is required. Please call Teresa Smith at 717-782-6800. NASW-PA approved.

*March 27 — Northwest Division Celebrates Social Work Month! Duty to Warn: Tarasoff/Emerich vs. Clinical Care. Mercy-hurst College, Mercyhurst Little Theatre, Christ the King Chapel, Erie. 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. $30 NASW member, $40 nonmember. 3 CEs. Offered by Northwest Division of NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

*March 28 — Licensure Prep Course. University of Pittsburgh, 2017 Cathedral of Learning, School of Social Work Conference Center, Pittsburgh. 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. $75 NASW member, $150 nonmember. Offered by NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org. Continued on page 14

*March 29 — Licensure Prep Course. Widener University, Quick Center, Room 108, Philadelphia. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $75 NASW mem-ber, $150 nonmember. Offered by NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

March 30 — Advanced Problem Gambling Treatment Program: Level II. Northampton Community Col-lege, 511 3rd St., Rm. 605, Bethle-hem. 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 7.5 CEs. Offered by Taggart Associates. For information and to register contact Kimberly Hall at 610-882-1571. NASW-PA approved.

*March 31 — Legislative Advocacy Day in Harris-burg. Grace United Methodist Church, 216 State Street, Har-risburg. 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. $10 NASW member, $10 students, $15 nonmember. Offered by NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

APRIL

*April 1 — Lehigh Valley Division Celebrates Social Work Month. Join us for a focus group to plan events for our division. Northampton Community College, Monroe Campus, Community Room, 3 Old Mill Road, Tannersville. 6 – 8 p.m. Door prizes and food will be available. Offered by Lehigh Valley Division. Learn more online at www.nasw-pa.org. Go to Divisions (on the left-hand side), and click on Lehigh Valley Division.

April 3 — Confidentiality. Pre-ferred Systems, Inc., 1341 West 6th St., Erie. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $60 NASW member, $60 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by Preferred Systems, Inc. For information and to register con-tact Michael Chevalier at 888-455-7437. NASW-PA approved.

*April 4 — Licensure Prep Course. Edinboro University, 310 Scotland Road, Butterfield Hall, Room 211, Edinboro. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $75 NASW member, $150 nonmember. Offered by NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.


April 21 – June 9 — Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Lankeneau Hospital, Wynnewood. 6:30 – 9 p.m. $495 NASW member, $495 nonmem-ber. 30 CEs. Offered by Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine. To register and learn more about the program contact Diane Reibel at 215-955-1376. NASW-PA approved.

*April 25 — Licensure Prep Course. Edinboro University, Butterfield Hall, Room 211, 310 Scotland Road, Edinboro. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $75 NASW mem-ber, $150 nonmember. Offered by NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

April 29 – June 17 — Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 1015 Chestnut St., Philadelphia. 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. $495 NASW member, $495 nonmember. 30 CEs. Offered by Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine. To register and learn more about the program con-tact Diane Reibel at 215-955-1376. NASW-PA approved.

April 29 – June 17 — Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Church of the Good Samaritan, in association with Paoli Hospital, Paoli. 6:30 – 9 p.m. $495 NASW member, $495 nonmember. 30 CEs. Offered by Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine. To register and learn more about the program con-tact Diane Reibel at 215-955-1376. NASW-PA approved.

April 29 – May 1 — Living Good Lives on the Autism Spectrum. Penn State Great Valley Conference Center, 30 East Swedesford Road, Malvern. 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. $10 NASW mem-ber, $15 nonmember. 18 CEs. Offered by Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. and University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences. For more information and to register visit www.yapinc.org and click on Living Good Lives Conference. Please direct questions to Jessica Carlton-Humenik at 412-215-5357. NASW-PA approved.

April 30 — The Forensic Interview Process and the Use of Videotaped Interviews. Children’s Resource Center, 2645 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. 3 – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 2 CEs. Offered by PinnacleHealth Children’s Resource Center. Pre-registration is required. Please call Teresa Smith at 717-782-6800. NASW-PA approved.

MAY

*May 6 — Film Festival: Half Nel-son. NASW-PA Chapter Office, 425 North 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill. 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. Certificate fee $20 NASW member, $30 nonmember. 3 CEs. Offered by NASW-PA. Regis-ter online at www.nasw-pa.org.

May 8 — Addictions 101. Erie Maennerchor Club, 1607 State St., Erie. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $60 NASW member, $60 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by Preferred Systems, Inc. For information and to register contact Michael Chevalier at 888-455-7437. NASW-PA approved.

May 8 — Pittsburgh Pastoral Care Conference. Christ Church at Grove Farm, 249 Duff Road, Sewickley. 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 7 CEs. Offered by Penn State Greater Allegheny. For informa-tion and to register contact JeanMarie Jacob at 412-675-9058. NASW-PA approved.

*May 11— Licensure Prep Course. Marywood University, 202 Science Center, Scranton. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $75 NASW member, $150 nonmem-ber. Offered by NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

May 13 — Case Management Over-view, Ethics for Addiction Prof, Ado-lescent ASAM & Problem Gambling: Practical & Essential Strategies. Four Points Sheraton-Pittsburgh North, 910 Sheraton Drive, Mars. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 non-member. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol (located in the center column) and click on Training Oppor-tunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with specific ques-tions. NASW-PA approved.

May 13 — Relapse Prevention, Basic Pharmacology, PCPC & Prob-lem Gambling for Beginners: Hidden Addiction. Genetti Hotel and Suites, 200 West Fourth St., Williamsport. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol (located in the center column) and click on Training Opportunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with specific questions. NASW-PA approved.

April 6 — Ethics. Mon Yough Community Services, 500 Walnut St., Lower Level, Conference Rm. A, McKeesport. 412-664-0100. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $55 NASW member, $60 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by Mon Yough Community Services. For information and to register con-tact Debbie Pakler at 412-664-0100. NASW-PA approved. (E)

April 7 — Relapse Prevention: What Families Need to Know. Mon Yough Community Services, 500 Walnut St., Lower Level, Conference Rm. A, McKeesport. 412-664-0100. 9 a.m. –4 p.m. $55 NASW member, $60 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by Mon Yough Community Services. For information and to register con-tact Debbie Pakler at 412-664-0100. NASW-PA approved.

*April 9 — Film Festival: Keane. NASW-PA Chapter Office, 425 North 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill. 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. Certificate fee $20 NASW member, $30 nonmember. 3 CEs. Offered by NASW-PA. Regis-ter online at www.nasw-pa.org.

April 16 — Forensic Medical Evalu-ation of Child Abuse: Why is there and what do you do in the Absence of Objective Medical Evidence. Chil-dren’s Resource Center, 2645 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. 3 – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 2 CEs. Offered by PinnacleHealth Children’s Resource Center. Pre-registration is required. Please call Teresa Smith at 717-782-6800. NASW-PA approved.

*April 18 – 19 — In-Depth Licensure Prep Course. NASW-PA Chapter Office, 425 N. 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill. Times vary by day. $125 NASW member, $200 nonmember. Offered by NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

April 20 – 24 — Elder Mediation Training. The Montgomery County Mediation Center, 3075 Ridge Pike, Suite B, Eagleville. 610-277-8909. 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. $805 NASW member, $810 nonmember. 35 CEs. Offered by Montgomery County Mediation Center. To register visit http://www.montcomediation.com/trng_calendar.html. NASW-PA approved.

*April 21 — The Therapy in Music Therapy. Cedar Crest College, Tomp-kins Center, Alcove A, Allentown. 6 – 8 p.m. $15 NASW member, $30 nonmember. 2 CEs. Offered by Lehigh Valley Division. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

Spring Continuing Education


May 13 — Adolescent ASAM, Eth-ics for Addiction Prof, Basic HIV & Problem Gambling — Co-Occurring Disorders. Holiday Inn Scranton East, 200 Tique St., Dunmore. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 non-member. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol (located in the center column) and click on Training Oppor-tunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with specific ques-tions. NASW-PA approved.

May 14 — TB/STD/Hep, Confi-dentiality, Co-Occurring Disorders & MDS Service Codes. New Bel-Aire Hotel, 2800 West 8th St., Erie. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol (located in the center column) and click on Train-ing Opportunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with spe-cific questions. NASW-PA approved.

May 14 — Practical Applications, PTSD and Addiction, PCPC & Prob-lem Gambling: Treatment Design. Holiday Inn East, Rte. 441 & Lindle Road, Harrisburg. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmem-ber. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol (located in the center column) and click on Training Oppor-tunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with specific ques-tions. NASW-PA approved.

May 14 — Addiction 101, Confi-dentiality, Screening and Assessment & Recovery 101. Sheraton Reading Hotel, 422 & Papermill Road, Read-ing. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $10 NASW mem-ber, $15 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by PA Dept. of Health/Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs/Mini-Regionals. Register at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us. Go to Drug & Alcohol (located in the center column) and click on Training Opportunities. Contact Robert Burhannan at 717-783-8200 with specific questions. NASW-PA approved.

May 14 — Talk to Me Like I’m Three. Children’s Resource Center, 2645 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. 3 – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 non-member. 2 CEs. Offered by Pinnacle-Health Children’s Recourse Center. Pre-registration is required. Please call Teresa Smith at 717-782-6800. NASW-PA approved.

May 28 — Investigating and Pros-ecuting Computer Facilitated Crimes Against Children — an AOL Perspec-tive. Children’s Resource Center, 2645 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. 3 – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 non-member. 2 CEs. Offered by Pinnacle-Health Children’s Resource Center. Pre-registration is required. Please call Teresa Smith at 717-782-6800. NASW-PA approved.

JUNE

June 5 — Treatment Planning. Pre-ferred Systems, Inc., 1341 West 6th St., Erie. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $60 NASW member, $60 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by Preferred Systems, Inc. For information and to register con-tact Michael Chevalier at 888-455-7437. NASW-PA approved.

*June 9 — Film Festival: The Squid and the Whale. NASW-PA Chapter Office, 425 North 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill. 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. Certificate fee $20 NASW member, $30 nonmember. 3 CEs. Offered by NASW-PA. Register online at www.nasw-pa.org.

June 11 — Links Between Animal Abuse, Child Abuse and Family Vio-lence. Children’s Resource Center, 2645 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. 3 – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 non-member. 2 CEs. Offered by Pinnacle-Health Children’s Resource Center. Pre-registration is required. Please call Teresa Smith at 717-782-6800. NASW-PA approved.

June 25 — Disaster Preparedness. Children’s Resource Center, 2645 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. 3 – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 2 CEs. Offered by PinnacleHealth Children’s Resource Center. Pre-registration is required. Please call Teresa Smith at 717-782-6800. NASW-PA approved.

JULY

July 10 — Case Management Over-view. Preferred Systems, Inc., 1341 West 6th St., Erie. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $60 NASW member, $60 nonmember. 6 CEs. Offered by Preferred Systems, Inc. For information and to register contact Michael Chevalier at 888-455-7437. NASW-PA approved.

*July 15 — Film Festival: Shelter. NASW-PA Chapter Office, 425 North 21st St., Suite 401, Camp Hill. 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. Certificate fee $20 NASW member, $30 nonmember. 3 CEs. Offered by NASW-PA. Regis-ter online at www.nasw-pa.org.

July 16 — Child Sexual Exploita-tion. Children’s Resource Center, 2645 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. 3 – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 non-member. 2 CEs. Offered by Pinnacle-Health Children’s Resource Center. Pre-registration is required. Please call Teresa Smith at 717-782-6800. NASW-PA approved.

July 30 — Prosecution of Child Fatalities — Proving the Inconceiv-able to the Disbelieving. Children’s Resource Center, 2645 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. 3 – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 nonmember. 2 CEs. Offered by PinnacleHealth Children’s Resource Center. Pre-registration is required. Please call Teresa Smith at 717-782-6800. NASW-PA approved.

AUGUST

August 12 – 14 — Fundamentals of Mediation Practice. The Montgom-ery County Mediation Center, 3075 Ridge Pike, Suite B, Eagleville. 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. $510 NASW mem-ber, $515 nonmember. 22.5 CEs. Offered by Montgomery County Mediation Center. To register visit http://www.montcomediation.com/trng_calendar.html. NASW-PA approved.

August 13 — Commercial Exploi-tation. Children’s Resource Center. 2645 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. 3 – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 non-member. 2 CEs. Offered by Pinnacle-Health Children’s Resource Center. Pre-registration is required. Please call Teresa Smith at 717-782-6800. NASW-PA approved.

August 27 — Ethics and Documen-tation. Children’s Resource Center, 2645 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. 3 – 5 p.m. $10 NASW member, $15 non-member. 2 Ethics CEs. Offered by PinnacleHealth Children’s Resource Center. Pre-registration is required. Please call Teresa Smith at 717-782-6800. NASW-PA approved. (E) ●

Cancellation & Refund PolicyCancellation and refund requests must be made in writing, five days prior to the event, and e-mailed to [email protected] or faxed to 717-232-4140. A refund will be issued upon satisfactorily complet-ing these items minus $10 administra-tive processing fee. Please note that no refund will be given for failure to attend a workshop. This cancellation & refund policy applies to workshops but is not the cancellation & refund policy for our conferences.


NASW-PA Continuing Education Workshop Registration

Registration for any workshop on pages 12-15 that has an asterisk (*) in front of the date.

NASW-PA is pleased to provide you with a diverse calendar of workshops. You have several options to register for these workshops.

• Visit www.nasw-pa.org and click on the Calendar button (top center of page). Find the date and click on the workshop that you wish to register. More information about the location, presenters, the workshop itself, and cost of workshop will be on this screen. At the top right-hand side of the screen you will find a Register for Event Now button, simply click and follow the on-screen instructions.

• Complete this form and fax (717-232-4140) or mail it to the address below.

Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________________________________________

City, State, & Zip ______________________________________________________________________________________

Phone number ( _______) ________________- ______________ E-mail __________________________________________

If you do not have an active e-mail address, a confirmation will be mailed to the address above.

NASW member ❏ Yes, member # _____________________________________ ❏ No

Date Title Location Cost

I.e. 1/28/09 Ethical Decision Making with Children Camp Hill $30

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Total ____________

Credit Card information ❏ Same as mailing address

Name on Card ________________________________________________________________________________________

Billing Address ________________________________________________________________________________________

Billing City, State, & Zip _______________________________________________________________________________

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Exp. Date _______ / ______________ CVV (# on back of card) __________

Please print the name you would like to have printed on your CE certificate.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mail this form and make checks payable to NASW-PA, 425 North 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill, PA 17011.Please direct questions to [email protected] or by calling 717-232-4125.

✁


In April of 2004, The Phila-delphia Tribune and other national and regional papers such as the Philadelphia

Weekly reported the creation of The Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. at the University of Penn-sylvania Graduate School of Social Policy and Practice. It was founded by Professor Walter Palmer, JD, and Penn Alumni Board Member Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW, along with alumni Jack Lewis, MSW, LCSW, Darin Toliver, MSW, Derrick Felton, MSW, Brian Armstead, MSW, and Gilbert Thompson, Jr. MSW. Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. is made up of black men who have had a relationship with the Penn School of Social Work over the last 50 years.

The Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. was created to be a conduit between the African American community and the Uni-versity of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice. Their purpose is to strengthen the Uni-versity of Pennsylvania s awareness and sensitivities to the continuing issues and challenges that face black men and black youth, particularly in America. This will be done with the intent of influencing and helping to shape policy in the School of Social Policy and Practice. Moreover, the mission of the Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. is to recruit African American males to the profession of social work, provide group and individual psy-chotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy for at-risk youth. The Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. provides mentoring, outreach intervention in the areas of violence prevention/intervention, academic achievement, and anti-racism train-ing for urban and suburban schools.

Since its inception in 2003, The Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. has worked with black males in the City of Philadelphia around violence prevention, racial socialization, racial identity, and hyper-masculinity. The problems facing today’s black males are mul-tiple, deeply rooted, and exceedingly complex. Indeed they have become major obstacles, which are dramati-cally disrupting the normal social-ization of black males and causing a disproportionate number of them to face a future that is indisput-ably bleak. In this regard, members of the Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. have worked with young black males who are significantly over-represented in the juvenile justice system, involved in the selling of drugs, active in street

gangs and exhibiting behaviors that violate traditional black familial and cultural values. Therefore, members have challenged and supported black men and black youth by collectively working to improve societal condi-tions throughout Philadelphia. The organization does this by using their own experiences as social work-ers and social change agents. Select members have spoken at several schools in Philadelphia with high black male enrollments. Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. have also lectured at various colleges and universities around the country about the importance of recruit-ing black males to the profession of social work, and recently developed a mentoring program for black male youth.

Black Men at PennB Y C H A D D I O N L A S S I T E R , M S W

Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. (from left): Darin Toliver, MSW 2002, Vice President; Alan Speed, MSW 2007; Walter Palmer, JD, Founder; Anthony Davis, MSW Candidate 2009; Jack Lewis, MSW 1981, Co-Founder; Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW 2001, President; Damien Ramsey, MSW Candidate 2009.

Continued on page 18


The Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc has worked tirelessly to strengthen the Univer-sity of Pennsylvania’s awareness and sensitivities to the continu-ing issues and challenges of both race and class that face black men and black youth. They begun this work by helping to increase the amount of black males recruited to the Penn School of Social Policy and Practice. Representatives of the Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. have traveled to Princeton University, Delaware State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University, and Cheyney University and have held recruitment workshops for black males at The U.S. Congress-man Chaka Fattah and Sallie Mae conference on Higher Education in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 where this group sits on the Social Work panel. They have also visited several local churches and community centers to hold recruit-ment workshops that speak to the importance of increasing the pres-ence of black males within the pro-fession of social work. In fact, one of the Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. co-founders, Mr. Jack Lewis — as the former Associate Director of the Office of Admissions and recruitment at the Penn School of Social Policy and Practice — helped to initiate the group’s intense recruitment efforts. The current Associate Director Sherisse Laud-Allen, MSW, con-tinues to aid Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. in its recruitment efforts and was one of the first women to receive the Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. Combating American Racism Award in 2005.

The Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. has also worked to increase the number of full-time, tenure track faculty at the Penn School of Social Policy and Prac-

tice. Professor Damon Freeman, JD, PhD, was hired in 2005. Dr. Free-man specializes in African American intellectual history, critical race the-ory, social policy and social move-ments. He has received research support from Indiana University, the Organization of American His-torians, the University of Alabama, Rutgers University, and the National Institute of Mental Health. Cur-rently, he is working on a biography of Kenneth Bancroft Clark, an Afri-can American social psychologist and activist-intellectual, and chairs the American Racism sequence.

For many black males in academia, the problem of the twenty-first century still is the “problem of the color line.” William Edward Burghardt DuBois, the first African-American male scholar at Harvard, used this phrase almost a century ago to further examine the “relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea.” Many African-American males feel that there is still a lot to overcome as challenges continue to exist on the Ivy League campuses of Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, UPenn, and Yale. Black males have reported how

they feel various profound inequi-ties as they struggle with issues of a lack of support systems, enrollment inequities, low employment rates on professorial levels, and minimal attention to scholarship agendas which highlight their challenges in academia.

Although many black males in aca-demia still may feel that the prob-lem of the twenty-first century is DuBois’s “problem of the color line,” males within the African Diaspora at UPenn feel that progress is being made because of their own efforts to empower themselves and others. Whites still disproportionately out-number blacks. But, the black males on campus now feel that there is a method to addressing these profound inequities one step at a time. Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc., along with the caring adminis-tration at the University of Pennsyl-vania’s School of Social Work Policy and Practice under the leadership of Dean Gelles, have begun to confront the critical issues with a sense of urgency. ●

BLACK MEN AT PENNContinued from page 17

Dean Richard Gelles, speaks with Jenna Mehnert about the future of social work during the event.

Mehnert addresses attendees to express NASW-PA’s support.

Social Work With the Aging PopulationB Y A M Y S A G E N , L S W, M S G

I did not always think I would be the gerontologist and social worker I am today. I began my college studies in Biology and found out early on that I did not care for chemistry. Therefore, my turning

point came in my sophomore year as I volunteered at a Continuum of Care Retirement Center. Each week, I interacted with residents who had little or no family visitation. It was through this experience that I real-ized my desire to work with older adults, more so with cognitively impaired adults and their families. Through this discovery, I attended the University of Southern California in the dual degree program of gerontology and social work.

Although my formal social work education was in Community Organization, Planning, & Administration my career path has led me to working in both micro and macro settings. Working at the Alzheimer’s Asso-ciation in Los Angeles, I educated and supported care-givers, families, and professionals, as well as developed programs for persons with dementia and their caregiv-ers. Upon leaving Los Angeles, I worked in hospice as a bereavement and volunteer coordinator. Through this experience, I was able to utilize my clinical skills with bereaved families and my organizational skills to train, mentor, and recruit new volunteers. Prior to join-ing NASW-PA, I directed Alzheimer’s units in a skilled nursing home. I believe this experience utilized most of the skills I have learned and acquired as a social worker from training to counseling, assessing to dis-charge planning, and budgeting to marketing.

Social workers are in a great position to do a variety of jobs, especially within the very fast growing field of aging. Opportunities for macro-oriented social work-ers include working in the Department of Aging as a program or policy employee; nonprofits as a program developer, director, or manager; or even large for profit companies in their marketing, policy, program, cus-tomer relations, or human resources departments, such as with insurance, clothing, or utility companies looking to outreach to their older patrons. Working in a local or state level political office to develop policies or comment on aging issues is another way to become involved in the aging arena, more so becoming an elected official.

If you prefer to work directly with clients and families then you have many options for employment. Skilled Nursing Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities, Indepen-dent Living Facilities, Adult Day Programs, hospice (which may not focus only on the aging population), hospitals, or senior centers are usually thought of with an aging population. However, there are numerous other opportunities such as working in a legal office helping to determine conservatorship; working as a case manager or Adult Protective Service personnel within the Department of Aging; and developing your own intergenerational program.

Again, the aging field is just starting to open up with possibilities for social workers. We possess many skills that position us to educate, train, counsel, support, organize, and problem-solve issues that will arise as the Baby Boomer generation ages. ●

Fields of Practice Exploring Some Options

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When I arrived at 7:10 at work last Monday, I had a schedule all planned out. This

schedule included follow-ups with several students I saw last week regarding such varied issues as tardi-ness, drug and alcohol abuse, family issues, homelessness and anger man-agement. I also had to co-facilitate a restorative practices group for emo-tional support students and another for the student assistance program (SAP) for students with anger-related issues. Moreover, I had to process free and reduced-lunch program forms and talk to the police resource officer about a student that was recently arrested to determine how to best help him approach the court process in the best light.

Quite a schedule; however, as I walked in, there was a student in my office reporting that her mother hit her the previous night. The whole day instantly shifted and today’s crisis immediately became a priority. That is a snapshot of one of my days as a school social worker in a building housing 2,223 staff and students. Many school social workers have ratio’s far worse than mine, but the truth is we need more social workers in schools.

Working through a systems-based, child centered approach to link ser-vices for students and their families is a worthwhile challenge. That said, the “island” nature of the position is an even bigger one. Teachers have other teachers and administrators have other administrators, but social

workers are usually on their own. Our theory base or paradigm is also very different from the rest of the professionals in the school. Psychol-ogy, education and counseling pro-grams teach many valuable things; however, they do not teach the skills to reach out to the community, link with providers, and get services to families that need them.

On the upside, though, I see myself as a professional on a team of true professionals. I work everyday with talented and caring teachers, guid-ance counselors, administrators, special education teachers, school psychologists and staff. While famil-iarity grows through every crisis and interaction, each member of the “team” must learn to trust each other and gain a sense of everyone else’s strengths and weaknesses.

I think that the social workers’ responsibility of removing barriers to learning for students is a value held in high esteem by all school staff. And, the key to any school social work position is the ability to work on a team. The school social worker must also know his/her com-munity resources to help students. If a school social worker can help one student improve in school and these techniques are then applied to other students, then the staff will raise the stature of the social worker and his/her ability to assist in the learning process.

To do this effectively, one must always remember that the school social worker is employed by the

school district. By removing barri-ers to learning, the school is who the social worker is trying to help. But, students are the client, in the sense that that is where a school social worker performs his/her daily tasks. It can be difficult, because there are many times when the good of the school district may be at odds with what is good for the student. But, we must try to appease both parties.

An example is a senior whose mother recently left her boyfriend of 4 years. As a result, this student no longer has residency in the school district. On one side, there is the school, which wants the student attending her district of residency or paying tuition. On the other side, there is the student who wants to graduate with her friends. These situations must be handled delicately and politically. At the end of the day, I feel that my goal is to help the students relate to their teachers and administrators, link them to resources they need in the community, and help them bridge the gap between school and the world beyond. ●

School Social Work: Bridging the Gap for Students and Families between Home and School

B Y M I K E F I O R E M S W, L S W, H S VSchool Social Worker and Home School Visitor, Council Rock High School South, Holland, PA

President of the Pennsylvania Association of School Social Work Personnel (PASSWP)

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I think that the social workers’ responsibility of removing barriers to learning for students is a value held in high esteem by all school staff.

What is forensic social work? What is a forensic social worker?I am often asked these questions. According to the National Organization of Forensic Social Workers (NOFSW) the practice of “forensic social work is the application of social work to questions and issues relat-ing to law and legal systems” (www.nofsw.org). A much broader definition would include any social practice related to legal issues and litigation, both criminal and civil. Examples of this would include areas such as child custody issues, separation negotiation, divorce proceed-ings, neglect accusations, termination of parental rights along with the implications of child and spousal abuse. Also falling under this broader definition would be juve-nile and adult justice services, elder care, corrections, and mandated treatment. It is not unusual for social workers to work in the area of forensic social work and not actu-ally realize they are forensic social workers.

From a clinical point of view, the DSM-IV-TR states that there are “dangers” that arise due to the “imperfect fit between the questions of ultimo concern to the law and the information contained in a clinical diagnosis.”1 It is in this gap that a forensic social worker operates.

Can any social worker be a forensic social worker?No. At least not right away. According to NOFSW, foren-sic social work practice is based on specialized knowledge drawn from established principles and their application, familiarity with the law, painstaking evaluation, and objective criteria associated with treatment outcomes. The DSM-IV-TR states that the standards of the court exceed the diagnostic standards as put forth in the DSM-IV-TR. Forensic social workers bridge this gap through advanced clinical skills and knowledge of the legal system. Foren-sic social workers must offer their knowledge framed in language and concepts that the courts comprehend. Their conclusions and recommendations must withstand intense critical review and rebuttal from opposing parties through the processes of direct examination and cross examina-tion. The traditional training of social work practitioners does not adequately prepare them for this adversary process nor for the issues that civil and criminal justice systems confront. Without such training, social workers called on to provide forensic services to the court may find themselves at a disadvantage.

While forensic social workers adhere to social work values and utilize such tools as the biopsychosocial assess-ment process, they need to go beyond these standard

Forensic Social WorkB Y J A M E S H . A N D R E W S , L C S W, B C D , C A C - D I P L O M A T E

practices. Forensic social workers must expand upon the biopsychosocial assessment process taking into account far more detailed information than is usually considered in a traditional clinical assessment. For example, they would need to consider the details of a crime scene or assault and relate this to the overall assessment process. In my practice for example, I often must utilize such skills as trace evidence analysis and crime scene photo analysis when conducting a forensic case assessment. Additionally, forensic social workers must be very comfortable with the adversarial process of the courts and must be skeptical of all they learn through their data collection.

Functions of forensic social workersForensic social workers may provide consultation, educa-tion, or training to professional colleagues in the fields of criminal justice, juvenile justice, and correctional systems, as well as to law makers, law enforcement personnel, attorneys, law students, paralegals and members of the public. They may provide screening, evaluation, and/or treatment to law enforcement and other criminal justice personnel. Forensic social workers may also provide treat-ment services to criminal and juvenile justice populations. This is important because the thought process of the criminal offender is unusual and not amenable to regular treatment approaches.

Sentence mitigationForensic social workers will often provide expert witness services to the courts. In fact, courts, such as New York State have stated that “clinical social workers are uniquely suited to assist the courts as forensic experts because they have particular competence in assessing the impact of a person’s mental and physical condition on his or her social functioning, a key element in rendering forensic mental health assessments and opinions.” One of the more inter-esting and challenging areas where forensic social workers will provide consultation is in sentence mitigation.


1 American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (rev. 4th ed.) Text Revision. Washington, DC: Author pp. xxxii – xxxiii.

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Forensic social work is recognized by many courts across the United States as the preferred and best trained profession to provide this service.

The provision of sentence mitigation reports in death penalty cases is critical to the court process. In the case of Wiggins vs. Smith, argued before the United States Supreme Court in 2003,2 it was ruled that the defense counsel’s failure to provide expert testimony of a foren-sic social worker concerning the mitigating evidence of the defendant’s dysfunctional background constituted ineffective counsel. Interestingly, the American Bar Association (ABA) Guidelines for the mitigation special-ist identifies the following skills as critical to sentence mitigation work:

● compiling of a comprehensive and well-documented psycho-social history of the client based on an exhaustive investigation;

● an analysis of the significance of the information in terms of impact on development, including effect on personality and behavior;

● identification of mitigating themes in the client’s life history;

● identification of the need for expert assistance;

● assistance in locating appropriate experts;

● provision of social history information to experts to enable them to conduct competent and reliable evaluations;

● working with the defense team and experts to develop a comprehensive and cohesive case in mitigation.3

It is evident that these are skills in which social workers, particularly forensic social workers, are highly proficient.

Forensic social work is a little known, yet fascinating subspecialty of the social work profession. It offers intriguing and challenging work opportunities to the practitioner in this area as all the skills of social work are called upon.

The author is a forensic social worker and the cur-rent president of NASW-PA. He operates a forensic consulting practice. He can be reached at [email protected] with questions about this area of social work practice. ●

2 WIGGINS v. SMITH, WARDEN, ET AL. CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT. No.02-311. Argued March 24, 2003—Decided June 26, 2003.

3 ABA Guidelines for the Appointment and Performance of Defense Counsel in Death Penalty Cases, Commentary, p. 33 February 2003 (available at http://www.state.il.us/defender/ABAdeath.pdf).

Maria is a small, 35-year-old woman who learned she was 5 months pregnant when she was arrested and incarcerated for a probation viola-tion in September 2008. Until her arrest she

had been homeless and living in an abandoned building with her boyfriend. She was shocked to learn she was pregnant with her first child because she was told she would never be able to conceive a baby. She received no prenatal care and knew nothing about the experience of pregnancy.

During her incarceration Maria enrolled in Maternity Care Coalition’s unique MOMobile® program at Philadelphia’s Riverside Correctional Facility. The MOMobile is a service that offers targeted case management, education, and a host of supports to pregnant and newly parenting women living in high-risk neighborhoods in Philadelphia and nearby coun-ties. In 2006, with the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the MOMobile opened a site within the walls of Riverside so that inmates like Maria had access to prena-tal supports typically not available to incarcerated women. MOMobile staff made sure that she was connected with the prison’s health services to receive prenatal care. Maria also worked with a MOMobile doula (labor support coach) so that she would not have to deliver her baby alone (family and friends are prohibited from attending childbirth with incarcer-ated women).

When Maria went into labor she was still at Riverside, and corrections officers called MOMobile case manager/doula, Althea Elliott. By the time Althea arrived at the hospital, Maria was settled into her room and was in active labor with contractions only 3 minutes apart. There were two prison cor-rections officers guarding the room, but the ankle shackles and handcuffs used during transport had been removed, and Maria was able to move freely and reposition herself on the bed for comfort.

After four hours of strenuous labor, Maria gave birth to a healthy baby girl. With Althea’s support, Maria was able to follow through with her birth plan and used no medication during her labor. Maria remained without restraints for the first hours after the birth, allowing her to comfortably hold and successfully breast-feed her new baby.

Maria’s story is an example of how the support of a doula can help women improve their birth experience and their birth outcomes. Randomized controlled trials conducted over 20 years have shown that the presence of a doula during birth brings about a host of immediate benefits such as shorter labors and fewer Cesarean births as well as important benefits

FORENSIC SOCIAL WORKContinued from page 21

Community-Based Doula Programs

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The Children’s Bureau in the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has been working with the University of Pittsburgh and its community partners to develop, implement, and manage the Pennsylvania Youth and

Family Training Institute. This Institute is the next phase in the evolu-tion of the children’s behavioral health movement in Pennsylvania. It builds on the work of the former CASSP Institute, and will be the cen-terpiece of the OMHSAS effort to transform Pennsylvania’s children’s behavioral health system. The Institute is providing training, techni-cal assistance and monitoring to engage and empower youth and their families in the treatment and recovery process.

The Institute has an Advisory Board, composed of equal representa-tion of youth, families, and professionals, that includes Jenna Mehnert, executive director of the Pennsylvania Chapter of NASW. Shannon Fagan, former Westmoreland County CASSP coordinator, is the execu-tive director of the Youth and Family Training Institute. The Institute, in conjunction with the Children’s Bureau, is working with five “early implementer” counties and is beginning to work with the next round of counties that have expressed interest using the high fidelity wraparound practice model. The five counties are Allegheny, Chester, Erie, Fayette, and Montgomery.

In addition to working with these counties, the Institute will continue to provide an orientation and training on the high fidelity wraparound model to all interested parties. Public information efforts have been held as the Institute becomes established and begins to marshal the energy and dedication of so many people who are committed to trans-forming the children’s behavioral health system in Pennsylvania.

In general, the high fidelity wraparound practice model can be described as a “process” for service delivery and acquisition for youth and families with multifaceted behavioral health needs. It is not a specific service or intervention. The need for the services of a social worker may rise out of this process since the high fidelity wraparound process is not intended to take the place of more formal services. The model was formally defined by the U.S. National Wraparound Initia-tive. Members of this initiative have identified standards for conducting high fidelity wraparound and means for measuring successful outcomes. The process of high fidelity wraparound must involve family voice and choice, be a team-based approach, use natural supports, facilitate col-laboration and integration, be community-based, be carried out in a culturally competent manner, be individualized, strengths-based and persistent, and be based on outcome measures and cost effectiveness.

High fidelity wraparound is intended to be carried out in four distinct phases. Each phase consists of specific tasks, which are essential to maintaining fidelity to the model. The need for the services of a social worker could be identified in any of these phases and those services may continue well beyond the transition phase of the high fidelity wrap-around process. The philosophy of high fidelity wraparound is very aligned with the strengths-based, person-in-environment values that serve as the cornerstones of the social work profession. ●

in the postpartum period. Women whose births were attended by a doula have shown increased breast-feeding initiation and duration at six weeks, better maternal infant interaction, higher levels of self-esteem, more posi-tive assessments of the baby’s behav-ior, greater satisfaction with the birth experience, and decreased postpartum depression and anxiety. This body of evidence suggests that the presence of a doula can be an innovative strategy to support at-risk families.

However, many women cannot afford the cost of a doula. Recently, women of means who use doula services pay as much as $1,500 per birth. This fee makes most doula services out of reach for low-income women. While community-based doula programs have been emerging around the coun-try, providing free doula services to low-income women is not a high prior-ity. Recently, the federal government’s Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Ser-vices Administration funded six new community-based programs in the United States.

Social workers can play an impor-tant role in providing doula services. Some local community-based doula programs are volunteer efforts, with community members serving as doulas and coordinators, receiving intensive training, and then providing services in local hospitals, birthing centers, and prisons. With their expertise in provid-ing comfort and empathy to clients, social workers are perfectly positioned to become volunteer doulas and pro-vide support to low-income, laboring women. ●

If you are interested in learning more about doulas or would like to receive training to become a doula, contact Jenna Mehnert at [email protected].

High Fidelity Wraparound and the Role of Social Workers in Pennsylvania

B Y S H E R R Y P E T E R S , M S WB Y K A R E N P O L L A C K , M S WDirector of Staff and Program Development, Maternity Care Coalition

There are a total of 4,653 Income Maintenance Case-worker positions statewide. These employees within

County Assistance Offices have to fulfill a number of requirements for each case, whether it is determining eligibility, providing employment and social services, or identifying potential barriers to self-sufficiency. The fact is with the constraints of maintaining heavy caseloads and the highly standardized nature of the application process, there is only a limited amount of time for cli-ent interaction. More importantly, Income Maintenance Casework-ers are the front line workers for individuals facing critical life issues with little to no income and few resources—those who have lost their jobs, lacking health insurance, vic-tims of domestic violence, etc.

Quality of service is dependent on the individual caseworker assigned. Because of this it is important for each Income Maintenance Case-worker to possess a wide set of skills to positively help each individual cli-ent. Each one of these caseworkers comes from different backgrounds—whether through education, career field, or life experience. Human service professionals, those educated in social work, psychology, counsel-ing, etc., are ideal candidates for the Income Maintenance Caseworker role because of their basic under-standing on what the role ensues. Therefore, it needs to be addressed how County Assistance Offices can recruit more human service profes-sionals. This is not to say that each Income Maintenance Caseworker needs to be a human service profes-sional, rather a base knowledge can be taught to existing employees to further strengthen and retain present workers.

Recruiting Human Service Workers into County Assistance Offi ces

The Need for Social Workers as Income Maintenance CaseworkersThe majority of social workers, a total of 89% statewide1, think that Income Maintenance Casework-ers should possess a human service degree—a degree in social work, psychology, counseling, etc. Further-more, 86% of students throughout Pennsylvania believe that bach-elor’s level social workers should be employed within County Assistance Offices. Social workers would serve as the strongest employees among the human service professions.

E Degreed social workers would serve as strong front line workers because they are trained from a generalist perspective—mean-ing, they have a base knowledge of systems, social environments, human behavior, community resources, and much more. Social work students are trained to work with each of the systems involved among clients and maintain the capacity to reflect, analyze, build knowledge, and use their skills critically and cre-atively.

E Social workers would be essen-tial employees due to the fact that there is an assurance that each employee would operate through a set of values and ethics ensuring the inherent dignity and worth of each client, enhance-ment of quality of life, and the development of reaching each individuals full potential.

E Income Maintenance Casework-ers serve a variety of clients in

a complex set of environments. There is individuality among each client, which is attractive to entry level social workers seeking to work with multiple populations.

E It is because many Income Main-tenance positions hire outside of the profession of social work that many caseworkers are lack-ing in assessment and communi-cation skills.

Reframing the Image of Income Maintenance CaseworkersIt has been addressed that 86% of students feel that bachelor’s level social workers should be employed within County Assistance Offices. However, only 43% of those sur-veyed would be interested in holding this job position.

E A total of 64% of the student respondents do not feel that the job would be rewarding.

E 87% of the social workers feel that there is a declassification or downgrading of professional social work positions in public welfare agencies.

E 64.7% are uncomfortable calling themselves an “Income Mainte-nance Caseworker.”

Social work students indicate com-monly hearing stories of client frus-tration and feelings of degradation through internship experiences. If students were to see County Assis-tance Offices as pro-client atmo-spheres, it is likely that more students would seek employment within the agency. One would ultimately have to reframe the image of Income Mainte-nance Caseworkers altogether.

There is a negative image of the “welfare caseworker.” Many social work students may buy into this

The Need to Recruit & Enhance Income Maintenance Staff

B Y C H R I S T I N E M O R T E N S E N , B S W

1NASW-PA surveyed a total of 467 social workers statewide, including current and past IMCWs and students in accredited schools of social work.



perception because it is a common one. However, if social work stu-dents were more informed of the role and duties of Income Maintenance Caseworkers, it would then be rec-ognized that the job is rewarding and that professional social workers are in fact an appropriate fit within County Assistance Offices. The role of Income Maintenance Casework-ers needs to be further defined and reframed. The nature of the job does in fact call upon social work skills, but job advertisements focus on the sole aspect of determining eligibility.

Effectively Advertising and Outreaching What needs to be addressed immedi-ately to effectively outreach to social workers is how the State Civil Service Commission advertises the Income Maintenance position to begin with. There has been an acceptance of applications since April 2006, as well as a continuing “Recruitment Spotlight” video. While there is extra focus to draw applicants to this posi-tion, the video which demonstrates job responsibilities almost immedi-ately begins with

“When I applied for the caseworker job, I thought I’d be doing more social work. I thought I’d be helping people with more of their everyday problems, like budgeting their money. Once on the job, I found much of my time is spent using the computer to enter and retrieve data.”2

It is likely that the preceding state-ment would discourage social work-ers and similar professionals from applying. Interested human service professionals would then overlook the remainder of the video, which goes on to say “when considering applicants for caseworker positions, I [the supervisor] look for individuals who are sensitive to our customer’s life issues...who are able to effectively communicate with customers, social service agencies, and other com-

munity organizations...to resolve our customer’s immediate needs.” With these aspects of the job in mind, it is false to say that the Income Mainte-nance Caseworker does not fulfill a social work function.

In the past, the Department of Public Welfare has stated its commitment to identifying ways to recruit younger professional employees.3 Aside from the recruitment spotlight video need-ing to be remade, there are still other concerns.

E 79% of students do not think that CAO employment would pay well. It should be noted that the professional social workers indicated that the pay offered is fair and appropriate for entry level social workers. Also, DPW has increased the salaries of Income Maintenance Casework-ers in recent years in order to attract more professional employees.

E 92% of student social workers have never been contacted about CAO employment.

E Furthermore, for those students who are interested, 65% are unsure how to apply and sched-ule an exam through the State Civil Service Commission.

These barriers are easy to overcome so long as there is sufficient adver-tising done to accredited schools of social work. It is also suggested that County Assistance Offices actively promote bachelor and master’s level social work intern positions. Also, similar to the veteran’s preference, all human service professionals should be granted 5-10 extra points on the Civil Service Exam.

Promoting the Growth of Future Income Maintenance Caseworkers Many bachelor’s level social workers seek out casework positions through the Office of Children & Youth. There is no question that state level employment is appealing to entry

level social workers. However, the desirability of Children & Youth is not a result of being a state level job, but rather because of CWEL. Bach-elor’s level students have indicated that they are seeking employment that would work around, and per-haps even finance, graduate studies.

The Department of Public Welfare was substantially funded in the 1970s and was able to employ the Professional Education Program (PEP). Similar to Children & Youth’s CWEL, PEP enabled hundreds of CAO employees to obtain profes-sional degrees in social work, psychology, nursing, and more. However, many CAO employees would leave the agency shortly after fulfilling a contractual time obliga-tion. Because of this, the Professional Education Program was terminated 30 years ago.

E Given the current status of the state’s economy, it is obvious that PEP will not be revived in the near future. But, what needs to be said is attendance in a graduate program of social work can be done while working as an Income Maintenance Case-worker.

E It is more likely that a social worker will be promoted to a supervisory role as an Income Maintenance Caseworker than as a caseworker within Children & Youth.

E There is more room for growth and job opportunity within the state once civil service based employment is established. Furthermore, there is a lack of knowledge among social work students on the functioning of the Department of Public Welfare and that Income Main-tenance Casework serves as a tangible foundation for job promotion.

Enhancing Interpersonal Skills among Current EmployeesQuality of service ultimately rests upon the Income Maintenance

2Video text can be found at http://www.scsc.state.pa.us/scsc/cwp/view.asp?a=392&q=150293

3One example of this was former Secretary Frank Beal in a briefing paper for the State Board of Public Welfare stating that this recruitment should be a Departmental priority.

Caseworker assigned. Negative perceptions of Income Maintenance Caseworkers arise as a result of the caseworker’s attitude toward the client, and vice versa. Therefore, it needs to be explored how to create and foster skills necessary for each client to feel respected and under-stood. What is needed, and what is being called for, is for recipients to be treated in accordance with the basic values and ethics of the social work profession. This in turn calls for (a) a belief system that ascribes high moral worth to clients, (b) a service technology that is indi-vidualized, tailoring the services to the specific needs and attributes of clients, (c) and staff-client relations that are based on mutual trust.

E As CAO employment now stands, case managers are evaluated less on their abilities to facilitate change among their

clients, but rather to ensure that applications and other paper-work is done accurately and that there is full adherence to policies guiding eligibility.

This is not to say that the Depart-ment of Public Welfare is not seek-ing skilled caseworkers to determine eligibility and are sensitive and helpful to client needs. When seek-ing new Income Maintenance Case-workers, the Civil Service Exam tests applicants in the following areas:

With this in mind, it is fair to say that DPW is concerned with both accuracy (i.e. benefit computations) and client interaction (i.e. interac-tive client interviewing and inter-personal relationships). Fostering interpersonal skills is particularly

important for Income Maintenance Caseworkers because potential clients entering County Assistance Offices are facing critical life issues and that supervisors “considering applicants for caseworker positions look for individuals who are sensi-tive to customer’s life issues, while identifying the barriers they face.” This is one reason why it is impera-tive for these employees to have a human service background.

E Education in a human service field, such as social work or psychology, is not a necessary requirement for candidacy within County Assistance Offices. In fact, candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in any field, such as math or art, may still qualify. Furthermore, any educational attainment can be substituted with experience in “work requiring the analysis and interpretation of data.”4

Many human service professionals are concerned with the implica-

tions of hiring Income Main-tenance Caseworkers with limited to no experi-ence in inter-viewing and assessment.

Furthermore, many have expressed concern that success on the civil service exam grants a job opportu-nity. Overall, there are little to no assurances that potential client’s would be treated appropriately or with sensitivity. This certainly is no call for replacing the current employees within County Assistance Offices. Rather, a call for enhanc-ing and refining the interpersonal skills among current employees to positively impact the little time case-workers have with their clients.

E In many County Assistance Offices, Income Maintenance Caseworkers maintain large caseloads that many may find

burdensome. Some will say that this has resulted in a routinization of handling all cases the same—even though each client may present a unique combination of situa-tions and problems. Although there is increasing pressure to maintain accurate records to prevent fraud, it is clear that the scarcest resource with in County Assistance Offices is not money, but it is time and attention.

Given the constraints and nature of Income Maintenance Casework, there needs to be an offered train-ing in which it would be explored how to effectively manage time while giving proper and sensitive care and treatment.

Traditionally, Income Maintenance Caseworkers were to determine eligibility only. Thereafter, a social service professional would facili-tate the process of fulfilling the established Agreement of Mutual Responsibility. As the job duty now stands, the Income Mainte-nance Caseworker must now fulfill both of these roles. Because of this, it is imperative that current employees are highly skilled in both areas.

A training promoting core social work values and ethics would com-pliment the skills of each current Income Maintenance Casework. Because all current caseworkers completed the rigorous Income Maintenance Standard Train-ing Program (IMSTP), they have proven their competency in policies and procedures of eligibility deter-mination. If there were additional interpersonal training, it would be guaranteed that each employee is not only skilled in eligibility deter-mination, but also the skills neces-sary to ensure proper and sensitive treatment. It is then that each Income Maintenance Caseworker would be able to fulfill the called responsibility of both eligi-bility determination and helping clients remove barriers to self-sufficiency. ●

Interpreting and applying policies, rules, and regulations 25 Questions

Benefit computations 15 Questions

Interactive client interviewing/client referrals 25 Questions

Interpersonal relationships 20 Questions

Written expression 15 Questions

Total 110 Questions

4This information is taken from Civil Service Test Announcement 2006-743, posted on April 28, 2006.

INCOME MAINTENANCE STAFFContinued from page 25


2 7

How Can I Become an Income Maintenance Caseworker?

Pennsylvania considers Income Maintenance Casework an “essential position,” therefore applications are still being accepted. While at first glance the application process for County Assistance employ-ment may seem lengthy and complex, this certainly is not the case. The step by step application process is as follows:

1. Make sure you qualify. If you already have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work, you will meet the minimum requirement necessary. Bachelor level social work students are permitted to take the exam upon completion of 90 credits and expect to receive the degree within 7 months. Students taking the exam must provide proof of degree prior to starting work. Applicants must also be a resident of Pennsylvania.

2. Schedule to take the Civil Service Exam. There are several ways to schedule the exam. You can call an exam site directly, visit a local CareerLink Center, or schedule online through the Civil Service Commission’s website—http://www.scsc.state.pa.us. Scheduling online requires an online log-in. If you do not have one, it will take you approximately 15 minutes to create. You will be submitting your educational and professional experience and qualifications at that time.

3. Take the Civil Service Exam for Income Maintenance Casework. The exam will be specifically for Income Mainte-nance Caseworker applicants. Testing sites are located in Phila-delphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown, Erie, Johnstown, Lock Haven, and Scranton. Applicants are given 3½ hours to answer 100 multiple choice questions. Most applicants will com-plete the exam within 1½ - 2½ hours. The exam is given on a computer in a group setting, not individually.

4. Your exam score will be mailed to you in about a week. Once you take the exam, your name will be placed on a list of other applicants. The letter you receive will also include your ranking within the county you apply.

5. Sit back and relax. Your scores and qualifications will be reviewed.

Those who have completed or are near completion of an accredited social work program need not stress about taking the exam. An understanding of social work concepts is sufficient to successfully answer the exam questions regarding client interviewing and inter-personal relationships. You do not need to have any prior knowledge of the Department of Public Welfare’s policies, rules, or regulations. The test as a whole is specifically designed to determine that you have the basic abilities to complete the training program and perform the required job duties. The exam may also be retaken.

If you are unsure about the application process or if you qualify to take the exam, further information can be obtained by contacting NASW-PA or the State Civil Service Commission (www.scsc.state.pa.us or 717-787-7811). ●

Autism Service Providers 101B Y A M Y C A L A Z A S , B S W

Advocacy/Outreach Specialist

Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS)TSSs are bachelor’s level individuals who provide one- -on-one therapeutic intervention to children and/or adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems in school, community, or home settings. This is based on an individual treatment plan associated with goals and interventions to promote pro-social behavior cre-ated for each specific child.

To become a TSS, the requirements differ from agency to agency. Generally, a 4-year degree is required with little to no experience. This is a perfect entry level position for a BSW level social worker interested in learning more about special needs children. Agencies such as Keystone Human Services and Milestones are often hiring TSS workers.

Behavioral Specialist Consultant (BSC)BSCs are master’s level therapists who are a member of the treatment team. The team consists of individ-ual, group and family psychotherapy who are assigned to families of children diagnosed with various psycho-logical and behavioral challenges. The role of a BSC is to provide ongoing behavioral goals that support the overall growth and development of the client and to improve the functioning of the family.

To become a BSC, a master’s degree in social work, psychology, or another closely related field is required. Experience requirements differ from agency to agency; however, at least one year of post masters experi-ence in clinical work is preferred. Training in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) is also preferred, but not generally mandatory.

Applied Behavioral AnalysisDeveloped by B.F. Skinner, ABA uses the principles of natural science of behavior that uses positive rein-forcement and other principles to build communica-tion, play, social, academic, self-care, work to reduce problem behaviors. The overall goal of ABA interven-tion is to promote and enable the child to function as independently and successfully as possible in a variety of environments.

Certificate Programs in ABA: Penn State offers 12- and 15-credit program courses that are designed to prepare participants for the national certification examinations sponsored by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.® (BACB®). For more infor-mation, please visit http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/AppliedBehaviorAnalysis.shtml ●

CL A S S IF IEDSTest prep site for SOCIAL WORK EXAM. Multiple choice, case study, video, content. Free Practice exam online 24/7. Phone: 321-377-6198 • e-mail: [email protected] • http://SocialWorkExam.com

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Christian Counseling Position — Outpatient

Outpatient Therapist/Counselor Shrewsbury, York, Mechanicsburg and Harrisburg Offices

Safe Harbor Christian Counseling (www.safeharbor1.com) has part-time openings for outpatient counselors. Practice utilizes Christian-based, clinically sound treatment approach. To apply, go to “practice philosophy” on website, then submit resume to [email protected]. We offer flexible hours and the opportunity to provide faith-based treatment.

Erik Sundquist, LCSW • 1-800-305-2089, ext. 227

S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 T H E P E N N S Y L V A N I A S O C I A L W O R K E R 2 9


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Valerie Persaud, J.D., MSW, LSWRegion IV Representative (NJ, PA)

on theNational Committee on Nominations and

Leadership Identifi cation

Valerie is an Adjunct Professor at both Rutgers Graduate School of Social Work and Monmouth University Graduate School of Social Work. She is NASW-NJ Essex County Unit Co-Chairperson, Chairperson of the Special Interest Group Spirituality and Social Work Practice and Chairperson of the Special Interest Group Private Practice-Maplewood. She is a member of NASW-NJ Board of Directors, Executive Committee and Committee on Ethics.

For more information please visit www.voteforvaleriepersaud.com“This is not to be construed as an endorsement by the Association for an individual”.

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