It's a new year. Happy New Year, we all say. But is it? With the huge challenges that lie ahead, the trepidation and fear that has emerged from what was for many, a terribly difficult, in many cases, deadly, 2016, the brief respite of a holiday season may be quickly forgotten. But wallowing in the fears generated by the frightening rhetoric and the distressing appointees of a new national administration will leave us helpless to resist the winds of change that could sweep away the many great accomplishments of the past years.

Remember the motto of several years ago, "Social Workers Stand Up for Others." It's time for us to act out the history of our profession. Stand Up. Join in social action. The Women's Rally on January 21 in Washington, a day after the inauguration, will send the message, "We Are Still Here." And we will be heard.

For those who can't make it to Washington, there will be a concurrent rally in Trenton and in state capitols across the country. There is also a rally planned for NYC at Trump Tower. We will be continuing to post information on how to participate, so stay tuned to the NASW-NJ website and these newSWire updates.

Also -

Read this message - "Take a bad year. And make it better" - from The NY Times on New Year's Eve, and keep this message in mind in every day of this new year.

(includes ASWB Masters or Clinical study manual - $85 value!)

LSW- Masters Test Prep Courses LCSW- Clinical Test Prep Courses
February 10 - Register
April 6- Register

Mercer/Burlington
Monmouth/Ocean
Union

One benefit of becoming a Unit Leader: you can earn vouchers for free CEUs through our Incentive Program.

If you would like information on how to become a Unit Leader, please contact Janine Hendryx at [email protected] or 732-296-8070, ext. 18.

Legislation affecting insurance for mental health and addiction will be introduced in the coming weeks in the New Jersey Legislature. Two Democratic Senators, Joseph Vitale and Robert Gordon, are being joined as co-prime sponsors of the bill by Republican Thomas Kean, the Senate Minority Leader. The bill will apply the standards of a federal law that requires insurers to provide coverage for behavioral health at the same level they do for physical illnesses.

To learn more, go to www.naswnj.org/?page=AdvocacyNews

Women's Rights are Human Rights

NASW stands behind the mission and vision of the Women's
March on Washington. We stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families -- recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country.

On Saturday, January 21, 2017, we will unite for the Women's March on Washington.  For organized transportation down to DC, check out the NJ Citizen Action website for more information. If there are no more seats available, you can also check out Rally Bus.

Open Enrollment for Affordable Healthcare

The NASW Virtual Career Fair will connect you directly with top employers with open social work career opportunities from the comfort of your own home, office, smartphone or tablet.
 
Register here today and take the next couple months to perfect your professional profile, prepare for the event, and explore the available positions as new employers sign up.

Periodically, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) publishes articles that might be of interest to Social Workers. Below are links to several of these.

To explore additional research, data sets, and publications, please visit HUD User's new address: www.huduser.gov.

Strategies for Overcoming Barriers to Neighborhoods and Schools of Opportunity: The Edge, November 2016

Neighborhoods and Violent Crime: Evidence Matters, Summer 2016

Reducing Offender Recidivism and Reconnecting Opportunity Youth: Evidence Matters, Summer 2016

NASW-NJ is pleased to be among the co-sponsors of Ready to Run™ New Jersey on March 10-11, 2017.

Ready to Run™ was created by the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) to train women as candidates. Ready to Run™ is a non-partisan campaign training program to encourage women to run for elective office, position themselves for appointed office, work on a campaign, or get involved in public life in other ways.

NASW-NJ will cover the cost of NASW-NJ members who want to attend the 2017 Ready to Run™ program. Register online and select the "pay by check" option. For the "how did you hear?" question, write NASW-NJ.

Ready to Run™ programs will be held at Douglass Campus Center, 100 George Street, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity.

For more information and to register, click here.

NASW will launch a "Social Workers Stand Up" campaign during Social Work Month in March 2017. The campaign will focus on educating the public about how social workers stand up for others, including some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and make positive contributions to society. The campaign will also highlight the importance of the social work title, and why getting the assistance of an educated and licensed social worker is so important. Look for more details about the campaign to be posted here.

January 9 -   Mercer/Burlington (meets in Lawrenceville)
January 9 - North/Central (meets in Bridgewater)
January 10 - Bergen (meets in Teaneck)
January 12 - Monmouth/Ocean (meets in Tinton Falls)
January 19 - Essex  (meets in West Orange)
January 20 - South (meets in Cherry Hill)

For a full list of PPSIGs, click here.