Social workers are the unsung heroes of the pandemic
The Washington Post
Another group of front-line professionals receives far less attention yet is no less essential — and has made no smaller sacrifice in this fight. Social workers have been finding shelter for homeless covid patients, providing treatment for people with addiction disorders made more challenging by pandemic-related social isolation, and comforting bereaved family members who have lost loved ones to the twin epidemics of covid and opioids.

Should social workers work with police? Jury’s out
Spartan News
While social workers and police officers responding together to calls has become popular in the past few years, the practice has been going on since the 1920s, said Barry Goetz, a sociology professor at Western Michigan University. “I think it’s a good idea that there’s an attempt to kind of formalize it once again,” Goetz said. Across the state, law enforcement departments take varying approaches to integrating social workers into policing, but Goetz and other experts express concerns that it’s being done too hastily.

Texas officials’ new attack on transgender care called a ‘political ploy’ at the expense of children
Baptist News Global
The Texas chapter of the National Association of Social Workers issued a statement that it “stands opposed to any efforts to change the definition of child abuse to include ‘gender affirming care’” as referenced by Abbott and Paxton. “These continued attempts to change the definition of child abuse are in direct opposition to social work values, principles, and our Code of Ethics and pose danger to transgender youth and their families.” The social work organization reminded its licensed social workers that “this a non-binding legal opinion and they still have professional discretion on mandatory reporting. No rules on reporting were changed through this opinion, nor through the governor’s letter.”

Bridgit Dengel Gaspard is a member:
6 Times ‘Self-Love’ Is Really Toxic Behavior In Disguise
Huffpost
This is known as toxic positivity. “People can cut you off with a smile and an arm around your shoulder with a platitude like, ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything,’” said Bridgit Dengel Gaspard, a licensed clinical social worker and author of ”The Final 8th: Enlist Your Inner Selves to Accomplish Your Goals.” “That’s shutting someone down in the name of the alleged superiority of cheerfulness. This stifles your emotions and needs in deference to toxic positivity.”

Robynn Thomas is a member:
For Your Health: Raising awareness about teen eating disorders
The Daily Republic (CA)
As a child therapist, I recognize the damage an eating disorder can bring not only to an individual but to an entire family. It can be difficult to discuss and can lead to feelings of guilt, shame and blame. Eating disorders thrive in secrecy and often worsen over time. Eating disorders are characterized by preoccupations with food, body shape and size and are often associated with distressing emotions and thought patterns.

Alting welcomes future social workers to Statehouse
Newsbug
State Sen. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) welcomed more than 300 future social workers to the Statehouse on Feb. 21 for the National Association of Social Workers Indiana Chapter’s (NASWIN) 23rd annual Legislative Education and Advocacy Day (LEAD). The goal of LEAD is to increase students’ understanding of the legislative process and talk about relevant legislation NASWIN is following. “Having quality social workers who are willing to stand up for the rights of vulnerable Hoosiers is integral to the success of our state,” Alting said. “I applaud these students for taking the time to understand the legislative process and I’m incredibly grateful for their service.”

Children’s Mental Health Bill Looks to Improve Staffing, Insurance Reimbursements
The Connecticut Examiner
Stephen Wanczyk-Karp, executive director for the National Association of Social Workers Connecticut Chapter, said that rather than creating a grant program, he believed the legislature should waive the licensing fees for all social workers, which he said were some of the most expensive in the nation. Connecticut requires a yearly $195 licensing renewal fee, plus a first-time fee of either $220 for master’s social workers or $315 for clinical social workers. “The fee is outrageously high,” he said. “In their first year, [social workers] are paying two to four hundred dollars, typically more than any other state.”

What’s ahead for the National Association of Social Workers Guam Chapter?
KAUM
The National Association Workers of Guam Chapter is also gearing up for their annual conference that will unite those on island that are dedicating their lives to human services. Perez, the Guam Chapter manager for the NASW, told KUAM News, “The aim is to bring us all together to discuss and support each other in healthy ways in both mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical beings as we restore ourselves, because while we’re out there helping others, we also need to take care of ourselves. This conference aims to bring all of us together to discuss what are the challenges, and while we’re helping others how do we also help ourselves.”

NASW-CT: Zoning reform necessary for older adults
CT Post
Housing is always on the agenda of local governments, but recently, it has become an unnecessarily controversial and partisan issue across the country. The affordable housing crisis does not care whether you have an I, R or D listed as your partisan affiliation. With the Connecticut state Legislature recently passing zoning reform and likely to revisit it again this session, there should be a recognition that housing is a crucial social determinant of health. Serving as a social worker, in addition to extensive academic research, has clearly demonstrated that more affordable housing results in improved community health and better economic outcomes.

Sue English is a member:
Why You Shouldn’t Undermine Your Partner’s Parenting
PsychCentral
“Differences in parenting styles and views on how to raise children can lead to one partner interfering with their spouse while they are setting boundaries and disciplining their child,” says Sue English, a licensed clinical social worker and family therapist. Talking with your partner early on about how to raise your children can ease any differences in parenting styles. Also, as your child gets older, you’ll likely want to adapt your approaches. Committing to regular communication without your child present is critical. Undermining behavior might not be about parenting at all.

Lorraine Steppe is a member:
Trooper Discusses Heartbreak After Fatal Crash Of Teenage Siblings From Lovell
Cowboy State Daily (WY)
Lorraine Steppe, a licensed clinical social worker with The Pines Counseling in Cody, is part of that network. “I think most of the law enforcement agencies in the state have some type of program, where they anonymously can plug you into counselors, and you don’t have to pay for it, and you get so many sessions, and your bosses never know who’s sought treatment,” Steppe said. “We’re increasing the amount of people who are seeking out and finding some healing,” she added. “And sometimes the help can be talking to other law enforcement people, talking to friends and family, there’s a lot of ways you can have support.”

Stephanie Mushrush is a member:
Opinion: Truth before Reconciliation: Lincoln Has Blood on His Hands
Native News Online
The LBCTN Coalition is a group of Native American community members including local Tongva tribal members, mental health professionals, educators, Native veterans and cultural workers. The Coalition’s focus is on education, truth telling, and healing of historical trauma – done in alignment with the intention of the California Truth and Healing Council, which “bears witness to, records, examines existing documentation of, and receives California Native American narratives regarding the historical relationship between the State of California and California Native Americans in order to clarify the historical record of such relationship in the spirit of truth and healing.”

Letter to the Editor: Social workers make world a better place
Effingham Daily News
The nation’s almost 720,000 social workers entered the field because they have a strong desire to help people and make our communities and world a better place to live. Each day social workers touch millions of lives. In fact, you, a family member, or a friend have likely already been helped by a social worker. You will find social workers practically everywhere, working in schools, hospitals, mental health facilities, veteran centers, and child welfare agencies.

Social Work Month in March highlights the important role of social workers
St Louis Today
Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois (LCFS), a community-based social service organization, is helping celebrate this year’s Social Work Month in March. This year’s theme is “The Time is Right for Social Work,” which underscores the contributions social workers have made to this nation for more than a century and how the services they provide are needed more than ever as our nation addresses economic inequality, systemic racism, the need for improved health and mental health care, Covid-19 and other issues.

Jay Ratia is a member, and on the Legislative Committee of NASW-NC:
TikTok makes changes as concerns mount over social media’s impact on teens during pandemic
CBS17
When your kids are scrolling on social media, do you know what they’re looking at? One social media platform has updated its guidelines because of the harmful effects some videos are having on teens. “It’s not reality. Once [teens] see that, you know, someone is having a good time doing this or doing that, it impacts how they feel,” said social worker Jay Ratia. “They can say wow. Everyone else is doing great.”

New Dover, NH Police Social Worker to Offer Post-Crisis Help
Seacoast Current
Dover Police has a new member whose position you will not find in most other departments. Kaitlin Jones is the department’s new Police Social Worker, whose job is to connect those affected by a crisis situation with state and community agencies that can provide help. It was created to fill what was becoming an obvious need to police and fire departments in the community, according to police Capt. David A. Terlemezian.

Meghan Markle’s Mother Doria Ragland Joins Daughter and Prince Harry at NAACP Image Awards
Yahoo News
Though she has largely remained out of the spotlight, Ragland has long showed her support for Meghan’s family — from helping care for her first-born child Archie Harrison in May 2019 while her daughter and son-in-law stayed at Frogmore Cottage, to photographing the Sussex family’s 2020 Christmas card. Shortly before their move to California, a source told PEOPLE that Meghan “definitely gets a lot of her strength from her mother,” who works as a social worker and yoga instructor.