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May 2018
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Message from
Chapter President
First, please join me in congratulating our former NASW-FL President, Katharine Campbell. Kat demonstrated competence and leadership strength as she established her targets and one by one impacted them. Thank You Kat!
 
My earliest memory of a social work intervention was my mom and me watching TV one night when I was in elementary school. The program was interrupted by an emergency news report of an oil spill in our St. Petersburg community beach. The reporter was asking volunteers to come and wash the oil off of the ducks because they were struggling to survive. In my full-length pink robe, I ran and hopped in the car next to the woman who to this day is the social work professional I admire most. My mom and I spent the entire evening cleaning ducks and returned home with two of them in need of additional care. During the next several years, I enjoyed a ring-side seat as I watched my mom go out on home visits as a school social worker. There were also opportunities when she conducted events with families and I was her assistant, with my own special bag of games and toys to engage the children while she interacted with the adults. What a team!
 
My passion for social work fully developed at Florida State University (FSU), where I was captivated by Nick Mazza's class in Poetry Therapy and then Family Systems Theory with Ray Bardill resonated with my desire to practice family therapy in minority communities. Of course, all of this was underscored by my own personal awakening of race and responsibility in Na'im Akbar's class in Black Psychology. After graduate school and four years of clinical practice, I found myself drawn to an adolescent population and decided to join the school social work team in Pinellas County. Yes, I was in the same office as my mom!
 
The following year I received a job offer which required a move to Tallahassee and I devoted the next 28 years to child welfare, youth engagement, diversity, and staff professional development. Initially, I connected with NASW and became an active member, however, as I entered professional roles that required more administrative responsibility, I drifted from NASW because I was challenged in identifying how the organization addressed my macro focus. In 2005, as an adjunct faculty member at FSU and FAMU, I felt some responsibility for connecting my students with their professional organization. Before I knew what was happening, I was in the role of unit co-chair and then chair for three terms. I deeply value the professional network and camaraderie that NASW offers, and I view the NASW Code of Ethics as a professional compass. Because it aligns with my family and community values, I think of the ethical principles as just part of who I am.
 
Now, the members of NASW-FL have provided me with the honor and responsibility of serving as the Florida Chapter president. I realize there are infinite areas we could target to strengthen our professional organization. I am also aware of my own strengths, expertise, and passion. To be most effective in this role, these must align. Some of the work we need to do rests with others, who have strengths and interests that differ from my own. If we are to succeed, we need each of us to share our time, expertise and passion in building NASW-FL forward. I welcome your ideas, insight, and frustrations, while I also ask for your assistance and support. There is room for you at the table.
 
My four priorities for leadership within NASW-FL:
  1. Student and New Social Work Professional Involvement. Students and new social work professionals must be at the forefront of our organization if we want to remain relevant and impactful. Experienced social workers have a tremendous opportunity to impact our profession by mentoring a social work student or new social work professional in your community. There is also an opportunity for a social media campaign that captures the enthusiasm and advocacy we see reflected in students and new professionals.
  2. Increase Collaboration with Colleges and Schools of Social Work. This call to action involves the need for us to rally together to articulate the value and impact of a social work education. We must build our brand and create a focused identity on who we are and what we do. Our image requires active crafting of our message and professional identity.
  3. Strengthen Our Annual Conference. First, a huge debt of gratitude to the very small staff in our Chapter Office who have organized a successful Annual Conference for many years. How can we make it better? We must invest in a Conference program that shares current research, addresses social issues, and engages practitioners in macro and clinical practice, while also meeting the professional development needs of social workers in leadership and higher education. The opportunity to create a new strategic Conference agenda has arrived.
  4. Enhance Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives. NASW Florida must reflect at every level the diverse populations we serve and the diverse individuals who choose to enter this profession. We also have the unique skill set to engage our members, fellow social workers, and our communities in conversations and efforts that reduce polarization, fear, and violence. Let's build hope. Let's inspire respectful and courageous dialogue. Let's build bridges.
So now the ask... Please take a moment to reflect on these priorities along with those you would like added; then identify where you fit in this change strategy. We need you to make a commitment to connect with your local unit and to reach out to me as well in any effort that you would like to provide assistance and leadership. We will establish new committees to accomplish our goals and we are open to new ideas and approaches. It is my great honor to listen, collaborate and serve with you to implement our collective agenda. In the meantime, look for communications regarding committee conference calls and special campaigns to advance our priorities.
 
Thank you to my mom, Monticello Campbell; my first supervisor and career-long mentor, Marjorie Craig; my husband, Adnan, who for 30 years has cheered me on while packing and unpacking the car with my many social work bags and boxes; my daughters, Maya and Joi, for inspiring me to continue growing; and Dean Jim Clark, along with the faculty and staff at FSU, for supporting me in this endeavor.
 
My Best,
 
Carol
Chapter Elections Open - 
Vote Before July 30
Thank you to everyone who has already voted.

The election for your Association's leadership is open until July 30. Please take the time to vote at: https://vote.associationvoting.com/naswfl/

You will need your NASW member number to logon.

If you do not have your member number, please contact us at 1-800-352-6279 or email: [email protected] and we will provide it to you.

Political Organizer Wanted

Florida will host a Political Organizer for the 2018 elections. The person will be housed in Tallahassee and will work in Florida and four other states. 

The position is part-time and will run from the end of July through the first of November. 

If you know someone who may be interested, please share / apply at:   https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=bbfa604ff5a95924&from=myjobs&tk=1ch0sc5of5gkhebt

Zero Tolerance Policy

NASW-FL has provided members with information about the recent crisis where children were being separated from their parents on the US border and the role of the social worker in child welfare and immigration  NASW - FL up holds the basic belief that a social worker in child welfare shall demonstrate the core values of service, social justice, the dignity and worth of the person, the importance of relationships, integrity, and competence. In addition, social workers shall adhere to the professional ethical responsibilities delineated in the NASW  Code of Ethics. The  Code of Ethics establishes the ethical responsibilities of all social workers with respect to themselves, clients, colleagues, employees and employing organizations, the social work profession, and society. Acceptance of these responsibilities guides and fosters competent social work practice in child welfare.(NASW Child Welfare Standards) Jack Smith, the Tampa Bay Chair suggests that the upcoming 2018 elections give members an opportunity to dialogue with those running for public office on their beliefs on child welfare and immigration, especially their views on using federal detention centers in Florida for housing immigrant children without parents. This information was emailed on June 20 th to NASW-FL members:
 
NASW strongly opposes the Trump Administration policy of arresting immigrant adults and separating them from their children. We are pushing Congress to revoke it. Meanwhile, here are actions social workers can take to help these children:  https://bit.ly/2K9DILc #nasw2018

KPJR FILMS are deeply disturbed by the zero tolerance policy used by the current administration at the U.S./Mexico border. Separating children from parents causes deep trauma, toxic stress and unnecessary suffering. We all need to take immediate action to become informed on this matter, use our voices and build advocacy in each of our communities and states.

We've dedicated this message to providing links to key news pieces on the subject, providing trauma-informed resources, and launching a new awareness-raising campaign using hashtag: #PreventTraumaBuildResilience

Annual Social Work 
Conference Update
NASW-FL concluded a very successful Social Work Conference in mid-June. The Conference was held at the Marriott North in Ft. Lauderdale. There were more than 600 attendees with 50 exhibitor/sponsors. 

This year we hosted our largest number of workshops with 90+ offered. Our Preconference Intensives included the Clinical Supervision workshop, the LCSW Exam Prep Course, The 8-hour Laws and Rule and an LCSW Exam Retake Course. 

All the required licensure workshops were offered at least once, most twice during the Conference. Daryl Davis, an activist and professional musician, kicked off the Conference with his captivating story, searching for the answer to the question: "How can you hate me, if you don't know me?" He wrote Klan-Destine Relationships about his lifelong interactions with members of the Ku Klux Klan. 

The second keynote featured outgoing President Katharine Campbell, PhD, LCSW, detailing the accomplishments of NASW-FL during the last two years, Also featured was Carol Edwards, the incoming NASW-FL President. She outlined her goals for NASW-FL for the next two years. (See the above article, Message from Chapter President)

The generosity of Conference attendees filled boxes full of needed personal supplies for the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition (FKOC). The PACE Raffle and Party were also a great success raising more than $1,800.

Save the dates for next year's Conference in Orlando at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center, June 13-15, 2019.
MyNASW Members-Only Community Is Open
Welcome to the MyNASW members-only online community!

Tips to get started:
  1. Login with your NASW username and password - the same log-in you use for the NASW website www.socialworkers.org.
  2. Review FAQs here to learn the basics.
  3. Questions? Contact NASW Member Services at [email protected] or 800-742-4089 Monday to Friday 9 am - 9 pm ET.
Privacy and Profile Settings
  1. You control your profile. To begin, only your name, chapter and practice area are visible to any other member. You can easily allow members to see more or less about you. Update your privacy settings here.
  2. Your MyNASW community profile comes from your NASW member record. Click to the NASW Member Center to make updates. You'll see your changes in MyNASW within 30 minutes.
Connecting with Members
  1. You receive an email when members post messages in the community. To begin, you are subscribed to a daily digest - one email each morning with all of the previous day's posts. You can change your subscription to real time (to receive an email every time there's a new post), weekly digest, or no emails (you won't receive emails from the community but you can still view discussions online). Manage your subscriptions here.
  2. Network with colleagues and search for your friends in the Member Directory, and send them a contact request.
  3. Search for resources from NASW or from other members - and add resources you think are helpful.
NASW Health Resources 
& Partnerships

Please share these h ealth resources and announcements:
  • New NASW Practice Perspectives Resource :
    An Overview of Physician Aid in Dying and the Role of Social Workers: When adopted at the state level, physician aid in dying (PAD) is a process that allows physicians to write a prescription for a terminally ill person to self-administer medication to end his or her life. It's important for social workers to understand the PAD process and its legal, clinical, and ethical practice implications. https://www.socialworkers.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=1WNwr-xYTlY%3d&portalid=0  
  • 2019 Circle of Life Call for Nominations:NASW is a co-sponsor of the Circle of Life Awards, which honors innovative programs in palliative and end-of-life care.  The Circle of Life is accepting nominations for the 2019 award until August 13th and more information is available at: 
     
    https://www.aha.org//about/awards/circle-life 
  • NASW is a proud partner of the CDC's Tips From Former Smokers Campaign:
    To promote tobacco cessation, visit the campaign site for real-life stories, free handouts, toolkits, and information that social workers can use to help individuals quit smoking and reach their health and wellness goals.  NASW will be continuing collaborative efforts though 2018.
    https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/index.html

Social Work Healthcare Education and Leadership Scholars (HEALS) 

The Social Work Healthcare Education and Leadership Scholars (HEALS) program  is a five-year, $2.5 million grant the New York Community Trust awarded to  the NASW Foundation and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Social  Work HEALS is a joint initiative of NASW and CSWE designed to prepare the  next generation of social work leaders in healthcare. To accomplish this,  the program provides scholarships, doctoral and policy fellowships, and  educational enhancements to students at the BSW, MSW, doctoral, and  post-doctoral levels. By targeting every level of the profession, we hope to  build a pipeline of academic and practice leaders who will lead efforts to  transform service delivery and promote system-level changes in our  healthcare institutions.
 
HEALS scholars are selected annually from the 10 schools of social work that  are participating in the HEALS project. The University of Central Florida is  a participating school and each year two BSW and two MSW students are  selected in a competitive application process. The HEALS students enter  health field placements and UCF field sites have included Orlando Health,  Arnold Palmer Hospital and VITAS Healthcare Hospice. Once a year, each  cohort of BSW and MSW students from across the country travel to Washington,  D.C. for a two-day event with educational sessions on health care,  leadership and advocacy activities on Capitol Hill as part of the Social  Work HEALS Student Policy Summit.

More information available at:  http://www.naswfoundation.org/social_work_heals.asp

Feedback Needed: Special Commission SW Definition Survey
A committee of the Special Commission to Advance Macro Practice is seeking your feedback on a definition of social work that reflects the full range of social work practice. 
  • A need for a comprehensive definition of social work was discovered after a team of scholars examined the 51 state definitions of social work and found that only 13 states definitions reflected the full range of social work practice (micro, mezzo, and macro), and 14 state definitions made no mention of macro social work practice at all. [1] 
  • To remedy this situation, a work group formed to draft a comprehensive definition of social work that could be used as a model for state regulations.
  • To draft this definition, the group reviewed the definitions of the four major national social work associations (NASW, CSWE, IFSW, & ASWB) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Then we took language from those definitions and continued to refine it through an iterative collective process.
  • We are now in the process of seeking feedback from the broader social work community, and invite your ideas in this process. This survey should take 5 to 10 minutes to complete. We very much appreciate you spending time to give us your feedback.
Specific questions about this survey or this project can be directed to Linda Plitt Donaldson, Associate Professor, Catholic University of America, [email protected].

[1] Hill, K., Fogel, S., Donaldson, L.P., Erickson, C. (2017). State definitions of social work practice: Implications for our professional identity, Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work, 14, 4, 266-279.

University Updates
From Around the State

Social work education is an important part of NASW, and maintaining relationships with students and their universities is even more important. Check out our latest University News and Updates on our website.
Local Unit News & Events

What's Going on Near You!

NASW Florida is broken up into   18 volunteer-led units that hold meetings, continuing education events, community projects, and social events for its members. This local network is one of our greatest membership benefits! Use the links below to find out what's going on in your local area.

UNIT NAME 
COUNTIES INCLUDED 
Ecambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton 
Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Wakulla
Gainesville Unit 
Alachua, Bradford, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Suwannee, Union
Baker, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Hamilton, Nassau, St. Johns
Central Unit
Orange, Osceola, Seminole
Emerald Coast Unit
Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Washington
Tampa Bay Unit
Hillsborough, Pinellas
Space Coast Unit
Brevard
Palm Beach Unit
Palm Beach, Glades
Broward Unit
Broward
Southwest Unit
Charlotte, Collier, De Soto, Hendry, Lee
Heartland Unit
Hardee, Highlands, Polk
Sarasota/Manatee Unit
Manatee, Sarasota
Treasure Coast Unit
Indian River, Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee
Nature Coast Unit
Citrus, Hernando, Pasco
Lake/Sumter Unit
Lake, Sumter
Volusia/Flagler Unit
Flagler, Volusia
Here's a listing of events for the coming month. Additional details are available on our Calendar of Events or, if a unit event, on the local unit's page.

July

July 14, 2018 * Fort Myers, FL
*NASW-FL Southwest Unit is hosting a PACE Networking Event from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Perkins Restaurant in Fort Myers. This is a PACE networking event for the SW Unit of NASW-FL. This election year is critical. Come learn how you can support PACE and make your social work voice heard! There are several social workers across the state, including right here in SW Florida, running for office. Come learn about all the candidates and about every race and how you can make a difference! Walk ins welcome! Invite your friends, students, and any interested member or potential member! There is no cost to attend. Coffee and muffins provided. Participants can order a meal at their own cost.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE!

August

August 27, 2018 * Daytona Beach, FL 
*NASW-FL Volusia/Flagler Unit is hosting "The Triangle:  Homelessness, Mental Health Struggles and Addiction" workshop from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  at Houligans, 1725 International Speedway Boulevard.  Please come and support your Unit through camaraderie, building new friendships, and discussing the challenges and resources of our community. Food will be provided and registration is free!  RSVP by August 20th.  Seating is limited to 40 participants. More information coming.

June 2019

June 13-15, 2019, NASW-FL Annual Social Work Conference. Pre-Conference Intensives will be June 10-12, 2019.  The Conference will be held at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center in Orlando. More information will be forthcoming.