SOCIAL WORKERS LEADING FOR JUSTICE
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Hello,
If you've been following the news, you've heard that our government, as part of its zero immigration policy, is separating young children and sometimes babies from their families at the US-Mexico bor
der.
National NASW
released a statement yesterday calling this policy "malicious" and "unconscionable."
We are so proud of this statement at the MA Chapter and we will be active in fighting this horrible policy. You can read the
full statement here
.
As part of our efforts, we've reached out to the Texas Chapter to learn more about how we can help. They've advised that
social workers reach out to their Congresspeople to advocate for an end to these cruel actions. Don't know who your US Congresspeople are? Look them up
here
.
Locally, we are supporting the Safe Communities Act to give immigrants in Massachusetts peace of mind and prevent unnecessary detainment, deportations, and family separations. The Senate has passed an amendment with language from the Safe Communities Act in their budget, but other legislators, including Governor Baker, are resistant to passing it.
Please call Speaker DeLeo and Governor Baker to urge them to pass this important piece of legislation.
Read on to learn more about our new board members, delegate assembly, and newly elected Committee on Nominations and Leadership Identification members; upcoming continuing education programming; formation of our new Racial Justice Council, Beacon recoupment or "clawback" processes, and more!
In Solidarity,
Rebekah
Rebekah Gewirtz
Executive Director
617-227-9635 x116
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- Membership Hub
- Continuing Education & Events
- Social Work Action Center
- Private Practice
- Notes from the Field
- Licensing Test Prep
- National News
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NASW-MA Members Recognized at Stand Against Racism Event
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On April 27, 2018,
Barbara Nealon and
Kimatra Maxwell (NASW board member), both NASW-MA members, were recognized by the Central MA YWCA at the organization's Stand Against Racism event. Barbara was awarded the first Human Rights Award for Leadership. Kimatra was recognized for her Outstanding Community Leadership. Congratulations to both of these outstanding social workers! Barbara and Kimatra are featured in the image below, standing with other award winners.
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Welcome New Board, Delegate Assembly, and CCNLI Members!
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Thank you to those of you who participated in the Chapter's election for board, committee on chapter nominations and leadership identification (CCNLI), and delegate assembly members. You can see the full line-up of board and CCNLI members, including those newly elected, for the 2018-2019 fiscal year
here.
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Seeking Members: NASW-MA Racial Justice Council
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As part of the Chapter's 2018-2020 Strategic Plan, we are forming a Racial Justice Council to ensure that our internal and external work promotes and supports equity, diversity, and inclusion. Are you interested in joining? Please send a one-page letter of interest to Jamie Klufts:
jklufts.naswma@socialworkers.org. Council members will be screened and appointed by the board of directors at the end of September.
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Help Us Honor Social Work Leaders in MA! - Join Awards Committee
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NASW-MA is seeking members for its Awards Committee. The purpose of the Committee is:
- To actively seek and solicit nominations for awards offered by NASW-MA in order to ensure a high-quality pool of nominees that reflects the racial, ethnic, geographic, and practice area diversity of the social work profession.
- To evaluate nominees for each award based on the criteria and guidelines for each award.
- To select a winner in each category.
- To review award categories and criteria and make and review suggestions for new awards.
Contact Cassandra Prager with any questions and to learn how to apply. The deadline to put your name forward is early September, so act soon!
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We're Hiring! Seeking Dynamic, Motivated Membership & Inclusion Coordinator
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NASW-MA is hiring for a
Membership and Inclusion Coordinator
, a part-time staff person (30 hrs/wk) responsible for coordinating Chapter member recruitment and retention initiatives. This position is also responsible for advancing and monitoring the racial justice component of the NASW-MA strategic plan in coordination with the Executive Director and other staff.
Read more
.
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Seeking Macro Interns for 2018-2019 Academic Year
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Are you (or do you know) a second year or advanced standing MSW student looking for a dynamic, exciting placement? If you are seeking a macro-placement for the upcoming school year, please see what types of projects and opportunities we offer our students (subject to change each year). Read more about NASW-MA's internship program and how to apply
here
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Become a CE Reviewer and attend NASW CE Programs FREE
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The Collaborative, our Chapter's CE program approval program, is seeking NASW members to be reviewers of continuing education programs.
Qualifications: LICSW or LCSW with 5 or more years of experience. Understand professional continuing education and be able to evaluate whether programs meet the needs of licensed social workers. Must be available by email.
Responsibilities: Process 15 to 20 applications a month and return results in 10 business days.
Reviewers earn vouchers to be used in lieu of payment for any NASW CE program!
Send resume and a letter of reference to Adam Linn, Collaborative Coordinator, at
collaborative.naswma@socialworkers.org.
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Social Work CE Institute "FOCUS Continuing Education Courses" in Your Mailbox
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Love
Social Work Voice but miss the continuing education inserts from FOCUS? You should have received a newspaper of four text-based continuing education courses in the mail in early May.
Complete some or all of these courses at your leisure to earn up to 6.5 CEUs! Check the image to the right to see what it looks like.
Did not receive the mailing? Contact the Chapter: 617-227-9635 or
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In Your Mailbox:
Social Work Voice
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The May/June issue is all about Criminal Justice Advocacy and Reform and includes:
- Race, Incarceration, and Voting: The Ugly Truth - Empowering Voices through Removal of Felony Voter Bans
- Treating Addicted Clients Involved in the Criminal Justice System: Clinical Considerations
- Are Social Workers the New Face of Community Policing?
- Social Workers Join Campaign to Educate Voters on the Importance of District Attorneys
- Managed Care News
- Regional Calendar, Continuing Education, and Events
- ...and more!
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Have an upcoming event, job opening, or other opportunity to share with the social work community?
Advertise with us! All ads appear on our website and are published in
Social Work Voice.
The ad deadline for the upcoming July/August issue is June 22. Contact Jamie Klufts for more information:
jklufts.naswma@socialworkers.org.
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CONTINUING EDUCATION & EVENTS
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Being Mortal: Conversations About End of Life Care
2 CEUs Available!
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Join the Central Regional Council for a screening of "Being Mortal" and a conversation about end of life care.
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
5:30 - 7:30 pm
34 Pearly Lane, Gardner, MA
The screening will be followed by a discussion led by
Chauntelle Carty, RN, BSN, CHPN
, Director of Hospice, GVNA Healthcare, Inc, and
Ellen Sparrow, LICSW, ACHP-SW
, Social Worker/Co-Director GVNA Fitchburg Adult Day Health Center.
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Nursing Home Committee's 36th Annual Conference:
"Celebrating Nursing Home Social Workers"
6/7.5 CEUs Available!
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June 7, 2018
8:15 am - 4:30 pm / 6:00 pm
LaCava Center
Bentley University
North Waltham, MA
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Featuring:
- The Ed Alessi Keynote: Celebrating Our Successes | Mercedes Bern-Klug, PhD, MSW, Director of Aging and Longevity Studies, University of Iowa School of Social Work
- Panel: Successful Integration of Community Services
- Plenary Session: Making A Difference: Advocating for Ourselves and Others | Ed Alessi, LICSW
- Advanced Practice Intensive (1.5 CEUs): The Conversation Project: Using the Conversation Starter Kit to Encourage Advance Care Planning | Rev. Rosemary Lloyd, BSN, MDiv.
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Workshops:
- Admissions to End of Life Care: Innovative Social Work Approaches | Lucille Haratsis, MEd, LCSW, and Vanessa Plantz, MSW, Boston Home
- Understanding and Welcoming Transgender Older Adults | Lisa Krinsky, LICSW, Director of LGBT Aging Project, Fenway Institute
- Building Quality Relationships with Residents, Staff, and Family Members | Mary Ellen Walsh, MSW, LSW, Director of Social Services, Deutsches Alteneim German Centre
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Book Club: "Small Great Things" by Jodi Picoult
2 CEUs Available!
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Join us for the 10th anniversary celebration of the Central Regional Book Club!
Participants will read "Small Great Things" by Jodi Picoult prior to the meeting.
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
6:00 - 8:00 pm
AdCare Outpatient Services
95 Lincoln Street, Worcester, MA
The discussion will be led by
Cardethia Moore-Jenkins, LCSW
, Supervisor, Division of Children and Families.
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Portraits of Professional Caregivers: Their Passion. Their Pain.
2 CEUs Available!
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Join us for a screening of
CAREgivers
, an award-winning film examining the lives of caregivers and public servants.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
5:00 - 7:00 pm
Quabbin Valley Adult Day Health
1471 Main Street, Rear
Athol, MA
The screening will be followed by an interactive
group activity and discussion.
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Portraits of Professional Caregivers: Their Passion. Their Pain.
2 CEUs Available!
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Join us for a screening of
CAREgivers
, an award-winning film examining the lives of caregivers and public servants.
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
6:00 - 8:00 pm
GVNA Fitchburg Adult Day Health
481 Electric Avenue, Fitchburg, MA
The screening will be followed by an interactive
group activity and discussion.
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Being Mortal: Conversations About End of Life Care
2 CEUs Available!
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Join us for a screening of "Being Mortal" and a conversation about end of life care.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
4:30 - 6:30 pm
GVNA Greenfield Adult Day Health
489 Bernardston Rd., Suite 207
Greenfield, MA
The screening will be followed by a discussion led by
Chauntelle Carty, RN, BSN, CHPN
, Director of Hospice, GVNA Healthcare, Inc, and
Ellen Sparrow, LICSW, ACHP-SW
, Social Worker/Co-Director GVNA Fitchburg Adult Day Health Center.
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SOCIAL WORK ACTION CENTER
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Join us for "Defending Transgender Equality in Massachusetts – A Public Discussion on the Repeal of the Public Accommodations Ballot Question"
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This Monday, June 4th, Join Sophie at an important forum with Boston Pride & Freedom For MA, “Defending Transgender Equality in Massachusetts – A Public Discussion on the Repeal of the Public Accommodations Ballot Question.” Hear from transgender advocates, family members, and key coalition partners about what’s at stake on the ballot this November and our plan to make Massachusetts the first state to uphold transgender equality at the ballot box.
Click here for more event details
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March with Us at Boston Pride on June 9th!
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NASW-MA will have a visible presence at this year's PRIDE Parade on Saturday, June 9
th from 12:00 - 4:00 pm. We'd love for you to march with us!
If you are interested in marching and holding the NASW banner, please RSVP as this year’s organizers need an approximate head count. We'll have stickers, pride flags, and posters for your to sport.
Please RSVP
to Sophie Hansen using the form linked in the green "RSVP Today" button below.
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Immigrant Families Separated at the Border
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Our Chapter, and NASW National (
read statement here
), are horrified with the Trump administration’s new policy to separate young children and babies from their families at the US-Mexico border. Social workers are well aware of the unnecessary harm and trauma being inflicted upon these families and their children. We are reaching out to our local partners in the community – MIRA, ACLU, and others –
to learn how we can best support these families on both a systemic and individual level.
We will update you with any action items that are created as a result of this outreach and thank you for your calls to action. See Rebekah's opening of this e-news for more on contacting your congress person about this issue.
We were pleased to see Senator Eldridge (a longtime PACE endorsed senator) and his
Safe Communities Act
amendment #1147 adopted in the Senate budget. This amendment adds four key protections for immigrants to the state budget for FY2019. A conference committee will be appointed in the next couple of weeks to reconcile the House and Senate budgets. We have the support of Senate leadership, but the House is less certain, and certainly not the Governor, who declared already that he would veto these protections.
How you can help:
- Call Speaker DeLeo, (617) 722-2500 and tell him you want him to include immigrant protections in the final budget.
- Call the Governor at (617) 725-4005, tell him to read and support the Senate budget amendment protecting immigrant families. Then let him know how disappointed you are that he is unwilling to support pro-immigrant legislation and ask him to change his stance and defend all of our neighbors from harassment and intimidation.
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Counting Our Legislative Victories (So Far) - and What's on deck
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We've had quite the year legislatively! Here are 5 of the bills from our legislative agenda that we worked on and have now been signed into law:
- Protection for Pregnant Workers - signed 07/27/17
- ACCESS: Birth Control with No Co-Pay - signed 11/20/17
- PATCH: Protecting Access to Confidential Healthcare - signed 04/02/18
- An Act Relative to Criminal Justice Reform - signed 04/13/18
- An Act Relative to Solitary Confinement (bundled with CJ Reform bill) - signed 04/13/18
In addition to this victories,
Lifting the Welfare Cap on Kids was included in both the House and Senate budget proposals. The Senate version would lift the cap sooner - by Jan 1, 2019, and appropriate $5.5M to do so. We are urging the conference committee to adopt the Senate version and also thanking our House leaders for their support and action on this critical issue!
In another very positive development,
loan forgiveness for social workers and human services workers was included in the House version of the Opioid Bill. We expect the House to take up this bill in the coming weeks.
For more information,
click here
.
We expect the House to release a comprehensive healthcare bill in the coming week or so.
We are pushing for inclusion of limiting clawbacks on practitioners in this bill and also addressing provider "ghost networks."
We'll keep you posted through legislative alerts about this bill and when we'll need your action!
Want to join the Legislative Alert Network?
Click here
. Want to help set NASW-MA's legislative agenda for 2018 - 2020?
Email Sophie to join the Chapter's Legislative Advocacy Committee (LAC).
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NASW MA Political Action for Candidate Endorsement (PACE) has been hard at work interviewing candidates for elected office. In 2018, every senator and representative is up for re-election. Please click on the links to learn more about the PACE-endorsed candidates and how to support them! For info on the endorsement process or to join PACE, email Sophie:
shansen.naswma@socialworkers.org.
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NASW-MA's Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) Endorsements
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IMPORTANT: Beacon Recoupment Reimbursement Communications
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Were you impacted by the Beacon/Nokomis audits? As you know, the audit process was halted due to our collective advocacy. Now, Beacon is in the process of issuing reimbursements for previous recoupments to those who were victims of their unfair “clawbacks.”
If you are a Beacon provider you should have received communication (a “payment integrity” packet) directly from them about this reimbursement process
. You have until September 1, 2018, to complete this paperwork and return it to Beacon.
VERY IMPORTANT: If you didn’t receive the “payment integrity” packet in the mail, please let us know. We are in direct communication with Beacon and will share your name and contact information with our contact at Beacon who will then follow-up with you.
We’d like to hear from you regarding your experience with Beacon customer service and this recoupment process thus far.
Pl
ease fill-out this short form so we can stay in-the-loop about which of our members were impacted by the Beacon/Nokomis audit and who did or did not hear from Beacon about the current recoupment process.
Thank you! Please let Jonas, or Sophie know if you have any questions:
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Clinical Alert: Continuity of Care during the MassHealth Transition Period
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It is June 1, and the MassHealth Continuity of Care period is officially over.
During the past 90 days, all therapists were allowed to bill the insurance programs to which their MassHealth clients were transferred, whether or not the therapist was a provider for the new insurance.
As of today, a therapist is supposed to have applied to be on the new insurance and been accepted, arranged for a single case agreement, or arranged to transfer their out-of-network client; HOWEVER, there have been many glitches, and MassHealth has negotiated the following with each of the insurance companies covering their clients:
- Although MBHP stated that it would not start paying newly empaneled therapists until June 5, in fact they will cover all authorized sessions that occur from June 1-5.
- The major problems at this time are with Tufts Health Public Plans. THPP has been slow to credential new therapists, at times stating they were not accepting applications; that applications would not be read until October 1; that new providers could not bill until they received a letter from their Credentialing Committee in addition to getting back their countersigned contract. MassHealth has insisted that THPP continue to accept applications, and that member care should not be disrupted while applications for credentialing are being processed.
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Therapy Matcher (formerly Social Work Therapy Referral Service) Now Open to ALL Social Workers in Private Practice
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The Social Work Therapy Referral Service (SWTRS) is now Therapy Matcher!
With a new name and a new logo comes a new tier of membership. Now non-NASW members can join! Know a social worker in private practice who is not an NASW member and looking to expand their referral base? Connect them to
Barbara Burka, Therapy Matcher Director.
We're offering a $20 CE Credit for those who make a successful referral to a new member!
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Valuable Member Benefit: Join the NASW-MA Private Practice Google Group
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The Private Practice Google Group is an exclusive member benefit powered by social work colleagues from across the state and NASW-MA. By signing up you'll receive timely updates from your colleagues about ethics, billing and insurance, and other critical private practice issues. You can also pose your own questions to the group to crowd source answers from colleagues. NASW-MA also uses this platform to send important clinical alerts to members.
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NASW National: "An Hour with Private Practice" Schedule
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An Hour With Private Practice: Questions & Answers is a free question and answer session for NASW members. The monthly call-in sessions focus on a specific private practice subject and are led by Mirean Coleman, LICSW, Clinical Manager at NASW National. There is no registration and members can join in the discussion, ask questions, and make comments.These sessions provide members with important clinical social work updates impacting the delivery of mental health services.
There is one session left for the spring: June 20, 2018 - What to Expect From an Audit: Tips to Prepare
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Health Care Conference a Huge Success!
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Thank you to the 100+ of you who attended NASW MA's Health Care Transformation and the Future of Social Work conference on Friday, May 18. Our keynote speaker Stephanie Brown clarified all of the changes happening at MassHealth as they continue to transition into an Accountable Care Organization-based health care delivery system. You can read more about the conference and its takeaways in the upcoming issue of
Social Work Voice.
We
want to also thank our panelists and workshop leaders for lending their expertise, wisdom, and collective knowledge to this transformative day.
Thank you to Stephanie Brown, Sally Bachman, Kate Audette, Marie Pierre-Victor, Melissa Canuto, Mike Langlois, and Erica Kirsners.
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Save the Date and Sign-up to Volunteer: Home for Families Visioning Day
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Save the Date and sign-up to volunteer at Visioning Day 2018, the annual needs assessment / policy advocacy convening hosted by one of our community/coalition partners,
Homes for Families.
This year's event will be on
Tuesday 8/14/2018 at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA, and will continue HFF's ongoing work of collective systems change through consumers, providers, and government stakeholders involved with family homelessness across the state.
Many social workers from across the state will be advocate participants at the event; it would also be great for the children's programming to have volunteer support from folks experienced with children already in the Central MA area, or those who are able to come in for a day of service from elsewhere in the Commonwealth.
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The Social Work Assistance Network (SWAN) - A Resource for You!
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SWAN is a free, confidential colleague assistance program sponsored by the Massachusetts Chapter of NASW. SWAN assists social workers with consultation regarding personal and professional issues, which may be having an impact on their ability to practice in an optimal manner.
Learn more about this service and member benefit
here
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What All LICSWs Must Do to Comply with MassHealth Requirement
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All Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers (LICSWs) in Massachusetts are required to register with MassHealth as either billing or non-billing providers. This requirement was put in place to ensure that MassHealth is complying with the Affordable Care Act.
The MA Board of Registration of Social Work REQUIRES ALL LICSWs to meet this requirement by September 30, 2018! Failure to do so could result in the suspension or loss of your license.
If you are a QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) provider, and can receive payment from MassHealth for the copay for your Medicare clients, you are already registered with MassHealth and do not need to do anything; however, if you are seeing MassHealth beneficiaries and billing their insurance (MBHP, Beacon, THPP, or Celticare), this does NOT make you a MassHealth billing provider. You must complete the form and register as a MassHealth Non-Billing Provider.
Read more and access step-by-step instructions
here
.
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Domestic Violence Training Requirement Update
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The required training on Domestic & Sexual Violence* for all licensed social workers is
POSTPONED until 2020.The 2020 requirement for all licensed social workers (LICSWs, LCSWs, LSWs, and LSWAs) is to participate in an
approved Domestic and Sexual Violence training program.
This training was originally to be completed in 2018, but the MA Board of Registration of Social Workers extended the deadline to September 30, 2020.
NASW MA
will develop an approved training to meet this requirement. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months. For more information on this requirement see:
Acts of 2014, Chapter 260, “
An Act Relative to Domestic Violence
,” Section 9.
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Licensing Test Prep Happening in Your Neck of the Woods!
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NASW-MA Licensing Test Prep courses include:
- FREE Social Work ASWB Exam Guide
- Access to online ASWB exam guide portal
- Full-day Test Prep course (9 am - 4 pm)
Upcoming exam dates and locations:
- June 9 | Boston
- June 16 | Northampton
- July 20 | Bedford
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NASW National Conference -
June 20-23, 2018
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The 2018 NASW National Conference will be held June 20-23, 2018, at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Join more than 2000 social workers and like-minded professionals for the national meeting of the profession.
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