nov-dec-jan 2013b newsletter
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Working with Vets 2
Clinical SW Survey 2
Did You Know? 3
LBSW Exam Help 3
From Where I Sit 4
President’s Letter 5
A Student’s Perspective on Voting 6
Links, etc 7
B U S I N E S S N A M E
Chapter Update Newsletter Date
Chapter Update November-December-January 2013
WHAT’S INSIDE:
SC NASW 2013 Symposium
Fired up and ready to go! Now that election season
is behind us there is another reason to get fired up:
the SC NASW 2013 Symposium is coming up
soon! The three day Symposium will be held Mon-
day, March 18-Wednesday, March 20, 2013. Due
to popular demand we are returning to last year’s
conference site, the DoubleTree Hotel in Colum-
bia, SC.
Since last May the Symposium Planning Commit-
tee has been working hard to put together a pro-
gram that will excite, refresh and inspire partici-
pants with diverse opportunities for learning. We
have an impressive group of plenary speakers and
our break out workshop abstracts are some of the
best we’ve ever seen. Just like last year we are
committed to keeping costs down and will be of-
fering early bird special pricing. As always, the
most affordable rates go to NASW members.
Please spread the word among your social work
colleagues and encourage them to join to get this
great benefit of being a member of NASW.
The Symposium Planning Committee is made up
of the following NASW members: Carla Damron
(Chapter ED); Ann Dwyer (Chair), Shirley Fur-
tick, Marjorie Hammock, Angela Howe, George
Mavroftas, Sharon Williams and Leslie Yar-
borough. We are excited about the 2013 symposi-
um and we are even more excited to see you there!
It is a great time to earn CEUs, reconnect with old
friends and make new networking connections for
Of Resilience and Advocacy
March 18-20, 2013 DoubleTree Hotel, Columbia SC
To register, visit www.scnasw.org
your career going forward. Please mark your cal-
endar for our annual SC NASW Symposium:
March 18-20, 2013. We are fired up and ready to
see you there! — Ann Dwyer, Chair
Symposium Planning Committee
Chapter Update Editorial Committee
Sandra Grimble, Chair
Carla Damron, staff
Juliana Palyok, staff
Reporters/writers wanted!
Page 2
Chapter Update
By Sandra Grimble, LISW-CP
Chair, Editorial Committee
Working as a PACT Social Worker for the VA Green-
ville Outpatient Clinic has opened my eyes to the great
sacrifices made by our veterans. It's truly a privilege to
work with men and women who gave so much for our
country. Just how much they gave for our freedom is
something difficult to comprehend.
Our work is daunting; hundreds of veterans (or so it
seems) pass through our clinic every day, and each one
deserves the best we can provide. I think of the WW II
veteran who told about watching Pearl Harbor being
bombed and how that felt for him. And the veteran who
served under General Patton who told about the long
hard trek they made in the dead of winter. These warri-
ors didn't sleep on the hot desert sand; rather, they slept
under their tanks on the hard cold ground with a blanket
of snow. Many of our warriors who served in Korea
endured severe frostbite while being pinned to the
ground by gunfire. The warriors who served in the hot
jungle were glad to feel the coolness of Agent Orange
sprayed over their heads while being unaware of the fu-
ture cost and dangers. We've had so many men and
women courageously serve in the different battles zones
across the globe. Many come home with new challenges,
and I hope my social work skills are useful to them.
On Memorial Day, our clinic had a small program to
honor our clients. For the first time, I saw the flag for
those Missing in Action and the Prisoners of War. It was
an emotional moment to see this.
Nowadays, we don't think much about our warriors be-
coming prisoners of war, but there is a decal in my of-
fice that portrays a handsome young man in uniform.
This warrior has been a POW in Afghanistan for almost
three years. He expects to spend his third Christmas
there. Bowe is now 26 years old and is our last POW in
that country. I wonder when he will be safely returned to
his family?
Warriors who left loved ones and served tours of duty in
Desert Storm, the Panama Canal, Iraq, Kuwait, Germa-
ny, France, and all the other places I cannot even begin
to name deserve our deepest respect and assistance. The
old, the young, the whole, the injured, no matter their
circumstances, deserve the best we can offer them. As
a social worker, it is an honor to work with these veter-
ans; I hope we give them half us much as they have giv-
en us.
Honoring Their Sacrifice: Working with Vets
Clinical Social Work Practice Survey
Research is actively shaping the clinical practice envi-
ronment. It is imperative that the voices of clinical so-
cial workers be included in this research, in order to
learn how the changing clinical environment is impact-
ing practice for social workers and their clients. I am
studying how the recent focus on Evidence-Based
Practice is affecting clinical social workers in practice.
This survey only takes 15-20 minutes and your partici-
pation will be kept confidential. As a thank you for
your time, I will hold a drawing by January 15, 2013
and give 5 participants $50 gift certificates to Ama-
zon.com.
*Please copy and paste the following the link to par-
ticipate in the survey: https://
www.surveymonkey.com/s/258PTGD
If you have any questions about my research or the
nature of participation, please feel free to contact me
by email at bsimmons@smith.edu. I am very interest-
Page 3
November-December-January 2013
DID YOU
KNOW?
NASW-SC
Member
Brenda Hyleman was cited in the latest
issue of the AARP Bulletin. Hyleman
has been working a volunteer with the
Vulnerable Adult Guardian Ad Litem
program. As part of the 15 county pilot
project, Hyleman helped place a 50
year old man with a terminal neurologi-
cal condition into a facility that gave
him support while allowing some inde-
pendence. Guardians advocate for their
clients and make recommendations to
the courts about what care is best for
them.
The future for the Vulnerable Adult
Guardian Ad Litem program is uncer-
tain. It began in August, 2011, and will
end in June, 2013, if legislation isn’t
passed to reauthorize it. AARP SC
would like to see it continued and ex-
panded statewide. Hyleman sees the
importance of this program: "It could be
people in your own neighborhood that
you don't even realize are having these
issues," Hyleman said. "These are mid-
dle-class, upper-middle-class families
that reach circumstances where they
can't carry on … sometimes family
members get enmeshed and don't see
how bad it is." (AARP Bulletin, Decem-
ber, 2012)
Interested social workers are encour-
aged to contact their legislators and let
them know how important it is that the
Vulnerable Adult Guardian Ad Litem
program continue. Also, the program
needs volunteers! Contact Maria Patton
at 803-777-0179.
Test Help for LBSW Exam
Inspired Consulting Group,
in partnership with the National As-
sociation of Social Workers – South
Carolina Chapter, will host a Bache-
lors Level Social Work Examination
Preparation Class.
Date: Thursday, Jan 24, 2013
from 9:00am – 5:30pm
Location: Benedict College Business Development Center
(2601 Read St, Columbia, SC)
This class focuses on preparation for the Licensed Bachelors Social
Worker Exam (LBSW, LSW, LSWA, etc). A thorough overview of
the test content will be provided as well as an analysis of test taking
strategies and tips useful for success on the exam. Topics that we
will cover include but are not limited to:
Exam Taking Strategies
Social Work Assessment & Clinical Diagnosis
Social Work Intervention Strategies
Human Growth, Behavior and Developmental Theories
Social Work Values and Ethics
Addiction, Domestic Violence and Family Dynamics
Child Welfare and Gerontology
Self Regulation and Relaxation Skills Necessary for Success
To register visit our website at www.scnasw.org
Nominations Sought!
We’ll be accepting nominations for
social work awards 2012. This is the
time to honor your colleagues, co-
workers, students, and leaders.
Awards to be presented during the
Spring Symposium.
Stay tuned for details next month!
From Where I Sit … Carla Damron, Executive Director
Page 4
Chapter Update
Have you heard about Accept ME South Carolina? It’s
a grassroots coalition launched by community partners
to raise awareness about the need for SC to accept
Medicaid Expansion, something our Governor and oth-
ers have vowed to reject. I attended a presentation by
Accept ME South Carolina; here’s what I learned.
If SC decided to accept the Medicaid Expansion,
329,000 people who currently live without health insur-
ance would become insured. These are folks whose in-
come is at 138% of the poverty level. Who would this
include?
Full-time Workers: Many hard-working South Car-
olinians make minimum wage. Even if they work
full-time, they fall within the guidelines to receive
Medicaid insurance.
Part-time Workers: Some employers hire mostly
part-time help, and avoid paying for benefits like
health insurance. Wal-Mart is a good example.
Childless adults who make under $11,000 per year
would be covered.
Parents in low income families of four making be-
tween $11,500 and $23,000 a year would be in-
sured.
For adults, Medicaid has functioned as a disability in-
surance; those with serious medical conditions (and
qualify for disability) have access to Medicaid. The
Affordable Care Act redefines Medicaid as health in-
surance that includes preventive and regular care—
medical coverage you and I may take for granted. Re-
searchers note that through screenings and treatment,
diseases such as diabetes and hypertension may be
prevented. Early diagnosis of illnesses like cancer or
cardiovascular disorders can greatly improve out-
comes. Access to early care reduces the spread of dis-
ease. For example, continuous and comprehensive
treatment of HIV/AIDS reduces the likelihood of
spreading the illness by 96% (The State Healthcare
Access Research Project, November 2012) .
But what about the cost? The federal government
picks up the tab for the expansion during the first 2
years—or rather, when we pay federal taxes, we’re
paying for the Medicaid expansion. In 2016, the state
must cover 5% of the cost, and by 2018, 10%. This is
what has triggered some opposition: can the state af-
ford the 10%? Researchers argue that this cost is off-
set by savings realized in reduced spending on uncom-
pensated care. It is estimated that in the first five years
of expanding Medicaid, SC could realize a possible net
savings of 678 million dollars.
And that’s not all.
A study by the University of South Carolina's Moore
School of Business finds that expansion would create
about 44,000 jobs by 2020. The new jobs would add
an estimated $1.5 billion in labor income and $3.3 bil-
lion in economic activity by 2020 (Greenville News,
12/7/12).
But the bottom line is this—who benefits from the
Medicaid expansion? The 329,000 South Carolinians
who would receive insurance coverage would. The
businesses that employ minimum wage full-time
workers and part-time workers, but don’t offer insur-
ance would—they’d have a healthier work force. Hos-
pitals would—as the expansion will cover some of the
1.2 billion dollars they spend on uncompensated care.
You and I benefit, too. Access to healthcare reduces
the spread of disease. We would see a decline in dis-
parities (low income people have higher rates of heart
disease and diabetes) and a healthier, more productive
population.
One last note: we pay federal taxes. So if SC doesn’t
accept the expansion, our dollars are funding other
states that DO accept it. I’m all for California having
great health outcomes, but I’d rather my tax dollars be
spent where I live.
So yes, South Carolina, we need to accept Medicaid
Expansion; the health of our fellow South Carolinians
is a smart investment.
The President’s Letter by Mike Ottone, MSW, ACSW, LISW-CP, CPM
Page 5 November-December-January 2013
Mike Ottone
Hello SC Social Workers & Friends,
Wow. Shocking. Scary, hurtful, upsetting.
I finally found the time to write in this busy time of
year; I had nearly decided some topics to discuss…but
this is the day of the shooting in Connecticut: innocent
young children, victims, and so many hurting families.
We all express our outrage and our sympathy; ask our
questions about who, why, and how, reach for the com-
fort and security of our own families.
My heart goes out to them all, knowing there is little I
can directly do for them. WLTX, the local TV news
station just posted this on their FB page:
“Tonight, when you're putting your
kids to bed, give them an extra, com-
forting hug....comforting for
them....and also, comforting for you.
Look directly into their eyes and tell
them how much you love them and
how important they are to you.
Then....give them another hug.”
I don’t think there is any more direct nor concise way to
say it. Love your family and friends. Everyday.
At this time of year, the holidays are here, the elections
are over, messages of hope, love, and forgiveness
abound. Let us not be divided anymore. Don’t be too
busy for your children, your parents, your friends.
Spend time together. Smile, laugh, and live.
Happy Holidays to everyone! Bring in the
New Year with hope, optimism and love!
America's present need is not
heroics but healing; not nos-
trums but normalcy; not revo-
lution but restoration.
——-Warren G. Harding
Social Work resource to help others
(and ourselves) deal with the trag-
edy in Newtown:
http://sswaa.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&s
ubarticlenbr=500
Copy and paste link in your brows-
er.
Page 6
Chapter Update
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Confusion and chaos
are the words that best
describe the scene I
walked into at a vot-
ing poll in Richland
County this past elec-
tion as part of the
Election Protection
Coalition, a non-
partisan group work-
ing to ensure that all
voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the
political process.
I was shocked when I arrived at the polling location at
9:15 AM to find that the line was already out of the
door and down the sidewalk. As I squeezed my way
through the bottleneck of people jumbled around the
entrance, I realized that the line continued down the
hallway and wrapped around the inside of the center.
By10:00 AM one of the five machines had broken
down and was causing significant delays. Each pre-
cinct is required to have four machines per 1,000 vot-
ers; this particular precinct should have had at least
twelve machines but was operating with only four
working machines. Mrs. Fox, another election protec-
tion volunteer and USC Law Professor, made a trip to
the Election Commission Office to pick up paper bal-
lots in order to help move people through the line
quicker.
While I waited for her to return, I called the Election
Protection Headquarters to ask if there was anyone I
could call to come and fix the broken machine. I was
astounded to find out that most precincts had at least
one broken machine and many had more than one ma-
chine down. A few locations had no working voting
machines at all at various points in the day. If there
was a precinct where a machine was not broken, they
were in the minority. For the voters at my precinct,
there was nothing to do except wait for the needed re-
pairs or for the paper ballots. (This problem was even
more outrageous when I heard about the 200+ unused
voting machines sitting at the Election Commissions
office; information I would only find out later.)
A Student’s Perspective, Kiesha Webb
Page 7
November-December-January 2013
Line at Benedict College Precinct on Elec-
tion Day
Mrs. Fox returned a few hours later empty handed; the
election commission had refused to give her paper bal-
lots stating that they only give paper ballots in situa-
tions where there is an emergency. Because voters at
most precincts were waiting in lines for long hours to
vote, this did not count as an emergency.
The poll workers were exasperated because voters
were receiving misinformation. The line was a never-
ending stream of people, some of whom took their frus-
trations out on the poll workers and volunteers.
This is a scene that played out at many polling loca-
tions in Richland County and for some locations it was
much worse. Thousands of people ranging from college
students to the elderly waited in the cold for hours to
cast their ballots; some didn’t get to vote until 2 AM
the following morning. As a result, many voters walked
away from the polls without voting this year.
However, the problems did not stop when the final
vote was cast. WISTV and WLTX reported that when
the initial numbers came in from the State Elections
Commission on Election Night, it was announced that
Democrat Joe McCulloch had won the House seat
against Republican Kirkman Finlay. The announce-
ment had to later be retracted, because after the tally of
the absentee ballots was completed the results showed
that Finlay had actually won.
The Democratic Party filed a lawsuit to
have all county ballots seized by state
law enforcement for a recount. A local
judge granted a temporary order, and
SLED seized the ballots, turning them
over to the State Election Commission
for a recount. Eventually, after peti-
tions and protests from both sides, the
state supreme court would halt the re-
count (THE STATE NEWSPAPER,
11/10/12).
Adding another layer to this election
chaos: news reports surfaced that, as
the results were in the process of being
certified nearly a month after the elec-
tion, officials found two bags with 150
uncounted ballots in the closet at the election office; the
ballots had to once again be recounted.
The final recount took place on November 19, 2012
and was officially certified. However, although the re-
count is over, the investigation into how this fiasco oc-
curred is still on-going. One thing is certain: voting is a
right, a privilege, and a responsibility of the citizens of
our state—but it needn’t be the ordeal voters suffered
on November 6, 2012 in Richland County.
BECOME A CHAPTER LEADER! Join the leadership team and contribute your time and
valuable skills to the NASW SC chapter. This is an op-
portunity for professional growth and to demonstrate
your commitment to the social work community. Va-
cancies for NASW SC chapter elected positions as of
June 2013, include:
Board of Directors positions:
President –elect (2013-2014 and a two- year term as
president)
Vice President (2013-2015)
Member- at large (2013-2015)
Student and Unit Representatives (Central, Pee
Dee, Southern and Western)
In addition, the Chapter Committee for Nominations
and Leadership Identification needs unit representation
from all areas. If interested in any of these vacancies,
contact Nancy Born at nborn@sc.rr.com or Carla at
cdamron@scnasw.org. Nominations due 2/15/13.
We love your stories!
Primary Business Address
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NASW’s New Online CEU Pro-
vider
CEUSchool’s goal is to provide you with quality on-line course content in a format that is conven-ient to use, affordable, and relevant for today's social worker. Their site offers fully accredited
NASW classes that meet all of your CEU needs. You will receive the same academic benefits that you would enjoy at an onsite facility, along with the flexibility and self-paced learning that comes
with an online education.
Register with CEUSchool through NASW South Carolina and you will automatically receive 3
FREE credits !!
The PACE online fundraising tool has been officially
launched! It can be found at :
http://socialworkers.org/pace/default.asp
There’s also a link to it from www. socialworkers. org.
Please remember that all online contributions will be shared
with the chapters, just like contributions we receive
through membership renewals. So it’s in our interest to
promote the new online fundraising capability.
NASW SC encourages everyone to contribute noteworthy information for Chapter Update. All material should be typed
and emailed to the Chapter Office. Chapter Update is published by the National Association of Social Workers South
Carolina Chapter.
Advertisement space and fees: 1/4 page, 1/2 page, full page: $125. Members seeking employment may advertise at no
cost. Rental of membership labels is available for a one-time user fee of $95 plus S&H. Position vacancies may be adver-
tised at a flat rate of $25 (not to exceed 15 lines). Members may run camera ready business card ads for $20. SC NASW
reserves the right to accept, reject or edit advertisements and notices of events based on publication schedule, space limi-
tations and appropriateness. The views expressed in Chapter Update do not necessarily represent positions of NASW.
Because of the commitment of NASW to nondiscriminatory personnel practices, advertisers in NASW publications, by
action of the NASW Board of Directors, must affirm that they are equal opportunity employers. For violations of profes-
sional ethics or personnel practices, a person may file a complaint with the NASW SC Chapter Committee on Inquiry.
For information, write the Chapter Office at 2537 Gervais Street, Columbia SC 29204 or call 803-256-8406. For infor-
mation regarding: Social work licensure, call or write the Board of Social Work Examiners, PO Box 11329, Columbia,
SC 29211-1329, 803-896-4665, www.llr.state.sc.us
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