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SOCIAL WORKERT H E P E N N S Y L V A N I A

A PUBL ICATION OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS, PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER

SOCIAL WORKERT H E P E N N S Y L V A N I A

A PUBL ICATION OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS, PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER

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425 North 21st Street, Suite 401 • Camp Hill, PA 17011717-232-4125 • www.nasw-pa.org

I N T H I S I S S U ETitle Protection Update 2

Moving Us Forward 3

President’s Column 4

Call for Proposals 5

BSW Visibility Day 6

Support Bachelor Level Licensure 7

Update From the Hill 9

Legislative Advocacy Day 10

Legislator Spotlight 13

Social Work Spotlight 14

Social Work Month 2012 15

Membership Services Update 18

Social Workers of the Month 19

HIPAA Version 5010 Is Coming 20

Self-Care 21

Becoming a NASW-PA Leader 22

NASW-PA Nomination From 23

NASW-PA 2011 Conference Highlights 24

Winter CE Calendar 26

NASW-PA CE Workshop Registration 27

PA Fund for Workforce Solutions 28

Recognizing Our Social Work State Board Representatives 30

Student Paper Contest Winner: Healing the Mind, Body and Soul from Within 33

Army National Guard 35

It’s time to take action to change the rights, privileges and protection of the

social work profession. It’s time to be visible in your workplace, your community, and in Harrisburg.

An NASW-PA sponsored billboard.

Legislative

Advocacy Day

Registration

p. 10

Pennsylvania is the second largest educator of social workers with 42 Council on Social Work Education accredited programs. Every state school except Clarion University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Penn State University offers a bachelor and/or master’s degree in social work. The University of Pittsburgh is a tier one research school offering a nationally recognized PhD program. We have prestigious private schools that are leaders in social work education, such as the University of Pennsylvania and Bryn Mawr College. We also have religiously affil-iated schools, such as Marywood University, Philadelphia Biblical University and Messiah College, demonstrating that faith and social work are good partners.

With so many educational institutions, it is not surprising that there are an esti-mated 40,000 degreed social workers living in the Commonwealth. Given the number of schools and the size of our profession, what is surprising is our status. The rights and protections of the social work profession in Pennsylvania are on par with Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We do not have a practice act; 43 states and the District of Columbia do. We do not have bachelor’s level licensure for emerging professionals, and our seasoned clinical colleagues do not have the ability to diagnose clients. We are undervalued and — critical to our clients’ well-being — we are underutilized. Together, we can change that reality by linking arms, taking risks and putting ourselves out there in a whole new way. NASW-PA continues to demonstrate its willingness to stand proud for our profession. It is time for you to show your strength and pride, and this edition of The Pennsylva-nia Social Worker will help you do it. l

The Pennsylvania Social Worker Vol. 32, No. 4 • Winter 2011 • ISSN #1526-1336

Published quarterly (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter) by the National Association of Social Workers, Pennsylvania Chapter, 425 N. 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill, PA 17011. Phone: 717-232-4125 Fax: 717-232-4140.

ADVERTISERS: See classified section for information on advertising. For a rate card detailing advertising specs and policies, call the chapter office at 717-232-4125. The chapter reserves the right to reject advertisements for any reason at any time. No liability is assumed if an advertisement is omitted for whatever reason.

GENERAL INFORMATION: Publication of advertising and/or editorial copy in this newsletter does not constitute endorsement or approval by NASW and/or NASW-PA of content, point of view, standards of service, or opinion presented therein, nor does the chapter guarantee the accuracy of information. While the editorial staff attempts to verify accuracy, the author is ultimately responsible for content sources and accuracy. Comments or opposing points of view are encouraged and must be signed. Except when other requests are made and honored, written reactions will be printed and signed with the writer’s name under “Letters to the Editor.” All copy is subject to editorial approval. NASW-PA reserves the right to edit articles for purposes of clarity and/or space.

MEMBER ADDRESS CHANGES: 1-800-742-4089, [email protected] or www.socialworkers.org

POSTMASTER, SEND ADDRESS CHANGES: NASW, 750 First St. NE, Ste. 700, Washington, DC 20002

N A S W-PA L E A DER SHIPOFFICERSGwen Phillips, LCSW President William Johnston-Walsh, MSW Vice PresidentMike Fiore, LSW, HSV TreasurerLinda Martin, LCSW, RN Secretary

MEMBERS OF THE BOARDTroy Brindle, LCSW Brandywine Division ChairKathy Minnich, LSW Central Division ChairHope Horowitz, LSW Lehigh Valley Division ChairNancy Sidell, PhD, LSW North Central Division ChairMatt Fino, LSW Northeast Division ChairSuzanne McDevitt, PhD Northwest Division ChairChristine Matthews, LSW, MBA, CLC Philadelphia Division ChairSarah Graden, LSW Philadelphia Division Rep IReginald E. Duckson, MSW Philadelphia Division Rep IINathaniel Morley, MSW Southwest Division ChairTony Mastroianni, LSW Southwest Division RepDaisi Dumas Eyerly, LSW West Central Division ChairMegan Dickman MSW Student RepresentativeKatie Williams BSW Student Representative

CHAPTER COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS & LEADERSHIP IDENTIFICATIONVacant Brandywine DivisionSally Reed, LSW, HSV Central DivisionPhilip Arnold, LCSW Lehigh DivisionVacant Northwest DivisionLloyd Lyter, PhD, LSW Northeast DivisionAmy Gedrich, LCSW, ACSW Philadelphia DivisionJim Kuemmerle, ACSW Southwest DivisionPatricia Savage, ACSW West Central Division

STAFF Jenna Mehnert, MSW, ACSW Executive DirectorAmy Sagen, LSW, MSG, ACSW Associate Executive DirectorRebecca Davis, MSW Director of MembershipJustin Fleming, BS Director of Government RelationsChristina Mortensen, LSW Director of Research & CommunicationsHali Farrell Membership AssistantAlicia Newkam, AS Continuing Education Assistant ----------------------Christina Mortensen, LSW Editor-in-ChiefChristina Reardon, LSW EditorLilo Mueller Graphic Designer

Title Protection UpdateImplementing the New Law

In 2008, NASW-PA advocated for the social work profession’s reputation and was successful in estab-lishing title protection for Pennsylvania’s social

workers. The State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors is finalizing regulations that clearly state it is unlaw-ful for individuals to call themselves social workers, use the title “social worker” or use the abbreviation “SW” unless they either hold a current license or have received a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree from an accredited school or program of social work.

With the first draft of the regulation, an agency or individual violating title protection would be charged $100 per month, with $1,000 being the maximum annual charge. However, due to the complicated nature of prosecuting such an offense, it became the perspective of NASW-PA that the $100 per month penalty should be raised to $1,000 per month, with a maximum annual charge of $10,000. The Board was receptive to this idea. Revised regulations now indi-cate that penalties for violating the law result in a fine of $1,000 for the first offense and second and subse-quent offenses calling for formal action and a fine of up to $10,000. This is a great victory for the social work profession and NASW-PA commends the Board for their work on drafting these regulations.

It is no secret that there are entities within the Com-monwealth that do not comply with this law and continue to blatantly violate it. The higher monetary penalty will serve to dissuade individuals who would disregard title protection. Protecting the integrity of the profession is a critical mission of NASW-PA and all social workers. Therefore, if you encounter an individual who is breaking the title protection law, it is essential that you contact NASW-PA so we can col-lectively protect the value of our education, skills and profession. l

Revised regulations now indicate that penal-ties for violating the law result in a fine of $1,000 for the first offense and second and subsequent offenses calling for formal action and a fine of up to $10,000.

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MOV ING US F OR WA R DB Y J E N N A M E H N E R T , M S W, A C S WE xecut ive Direc tor

Continued on page 5

I have spent the last five years of my life critically thinking about the social work profession more

than anything else — contemplat-ing, fighting, debating and even arguing about the virtues, value and status of a profession I found accidentally. I never intended to be a social worker. I planned to be a high school history teacher. I ended up at the University of Pennsylvania by the advice of a faculty mem-ber during my undergraduate studies. As student director of my college’s women’s center, the faculty adviser told me I would be a danger to society if I did not get the education of a social worker. She told me it was obvious I was born to be a social worker. It was not until I started the application process to get into MSW programs that I even began to understand there was such a thing as the social work profession.

While at UPenn, I came to value and respect the calling that I felt to build a better society, and I identified that calling as the core mission of the social work profession. I developed a professional identity, even though I never planned to spend much time working in direct practice. It was made clear to me that if I worked within a framework of a profession that is committed to self-determina-tion and the dignity and worth of all people, my systemic change efforts would be far more meaningful than if I worked outside of a professional framework.

I am not going to be disingenuous and say that it did not feel good to attend rallies to make unrealistic demands. It certainly did feel good to believe that I was 100 percent right and the other side was 100 percent wrong. I was not drawn to this profession to fix my own issues or because I could not handle other academic courses (a popular miscon-ceptions about social workers).

I came to social work to build better systems for client populations that are disempowered from creating systemic change. I thought scream-ing in the streets was the best way to make that happen. I came to see that, while I have the heart of an advocate, only through reasoned and rational efforts involving com-promise could I promote true sys-temic change.

As I look across our great nation today, I wonder where that rea-soned, compassionate approach has gone. Lawmakers, political candidates and members of the general public alike seem will-

ing to make decisions with little data, unclear facts and a lack of any deeper understanding of how real people’s lives will be affected. People fabricate information simply to make their points, rather than letting facts direct decision making or allowing citizens’ best interests guide our compass.

I do not care what your religious or political beliefs are. I will do

everything in my power to make sure you are safe and fed, and that barri-ers to your employment or academic success are removed so you may make the choice to be success-ful — even if it means I pay some of the costs out of my own pocket. I care about you even if I have never met you. Is this my approach just because I am

a social worker? No. Is it my ethical obligation to promote this attitude because of my profession? Yes.

Our society is engaged in a blaming culture that scares me. The unem-ployed have been universally labeled as lazy. Hungry children are prod-ucts of bad parents who should just stop buying potato chips with their food stamps. Veterans face home-lessness and addiction because they refuse help. Claims of sexual abuse by children are depicted as misun-derstandings blown out of propor-tion by zealots. And, my favorite, the neurological disorder of autism has been called a fabrication that is simply the result of bad parenting by over-indulgent parents.

These are not the beliefs of the society that I want to be a member of, yet this mindset can be found throughout my community. So, if you agree with me that the collec-

It was made clear to me that if I worked within a framework of a profession that is committed to self-determination and the dignity and worth of all people, my systemic change efforts would be far more meaningful than if I worked outside of a professional framework.

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P R E S IDEN T ’ S COLUMNG W E N P H I L L I P S , L C S WN A SW-PA Pres ident

During my first 30 days in office, I made a concerted effort to visit several orga-

nizations in the Philadelphia area. The purpose of these visits was to see if these organizations knew about NASW, to inform them of what our mission was and who we represented, to see how many professional social workers were employed, and to engage them in a working partnership for the future. I had the sense that some non-mem-bers may have felt that our organi-zation is an elitist group, servicing a selective few. My mission was to change this point of view.

The organization representatives that I met with included representa-tives from Congreso, The Soldiers Project, Bethany Christian Services and one of the owners of a new private practice agency, Stronger Than Ever LLC. Although the populations they served were differ-ent, some of their concerns were the same. I will share with you some of the concerns they shared with me and how as an organization we could assist them.

Congreso is a multiservice orga-nization with a focus on Latino communities. It is a comprehensive organization providing employ-ment, health and social services to more than 15,000 individuals a year. Congreso’s philosophy is that each individual and family has strength that can be used to their advantage. The organization believes that with appropriate guid-ance and opportunities, any family can prevail over challenges, satisfy needs and achieve self-sufficiency.

Professional social workers are employed by the agency, as well as a large number of other profes-sionals and support staff. One of Congreso’s major concerns at the time of my visit was the proposed budget cuts and what the cuts might mean to its programs and the clients it serves. The organiza-tion also requested a meeting with our training staff to discuss the possibility of NASW-PA providing continuing education training.

The Soldiers Project is a private nonprofit group of volunteers, licensed psychiatrists, psycholo-gists, social workers, nurses, and marriage and family therapists. The group offers free confiden-tial counseling to military service members and veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and their extended families. The Philadelphia Division of NASW-PA provided training for the group last fall. The Soldiers Project offers seminars to providers and to com-munities that are interested in giv-ing back to those who have given so much. The seminars are geared to heighten the providers’ skills, as well as the community’s awareness of the changes family members may be experiencing when an individual leaves or returns from service. One of the key points of the work is “homecoming.” The project provides a safe place to talk and think about the changes that all persons involved may experience when a veteran returns. I am taking my third seminar with the intent to give back to the military community. One of the

main concerns for The Soldiers Project leadership is to get qualified professionals trained. The group is working on getting space in the community where confidential counseling can take place.

The third visit was to Bethany Christian Services, specifically to employees within their Safe Families for Children program. Representatives refer to their pro-gram as a movement of compassion that gives hope to families in crisis. Host families provide loving homes where parents may voluntarily leave their children to be cared for while parents seek to restore stability in their lives. The mission of Safe Families for Children is to prevent abuse and neglect by overwhelmed parents. Family friends are an inte-gral part of the ministry. They can be of assistance to the parent or the host family. The desired outcome is that parents have learned new coping skills and have a new sup-port system in place when they are reunited with their children. There are many reasons why families can-not turn to their extended families, friends and neighbors. Reasons include the impact of poverty, isolation from family members,

Out and AboutReflecting on My First 30 Days as President of NASW-PA

I had the sense that some non-members may have felt that our organization is an elitist group, servicing a selective few.


MOVING US FORWARDContinued from page 3

tive discourse of our nation is headed in the wrong direction, then you too are ethically obligated to challenge the hate-based, judgmental, anti-people attitudes taking over our country.

I want to be clear. I am not talking about promoting talking points from any liberal or conservative political agenda. I am not talking about being identified with any other group or movement. What I am talking about is correcting people at church and challenging people in the grocery store. I am talking about letters to the editor and public statements at PTA meet-ings. I am talking about promoting a society that cares for all its mem-bers — the strong and the weak, the healthy and the sick, the addicted and the balanced, the rich and the poor. We are an interdependent society. Your actions will affect me, and my inaction will affect you. We need to cut out this “every person for themselves” nonsense and realize our success or failure as people is in fact related to the well-being of all our country’s members.

I do not believe in entitlement programs; I believe in opportunities and barrier reduction. I believe in evidence-based approaches to address chal-lenges people face. As social workers, we know many social entitlement programs ensure failure by design. Rather than labeling people as fail-ures and unworthy of help, let’s design systems to remove barriers and empower people. What we need is to have social workers build better systems informed by what clients really need, remove barriers, hold peo-ple accountable and respect that each person’s journey will be different.

Before we can get to a place where better systems can be built, we need a nation that believes and acts true to the belief that all people have value regardless of their race, gender, age, size, sexual orientation, religion or the amount of money in their bank accounts. It is our job as a profession to promote a value for all people, even when promoting that value means making yourself a bit uncomfortable. We cannot be silent any longer. l

and safety. Families hear about Safe Families for Children from others who have taken part, from other social service agencies, through posters and brochures in public places, and by word of mouth. The movement relies on area churches to see this project as one of their ministries. It is an opportunity to offer biblical hospital-ity and to share the gospel in words and in deeds. Host families and family friends go through an interview and training process before they can take an active part in the program. Bethany Christian Services employs social workers and other support staff. The movement is interested in work-ing with NASW with the possibility of developing continuing education trainings and to be a training site for future area events. This is an excep-tional program that helps children and families in crisis to learn positive coping skills and develop new sup-port systems. I will be a volunteer by helping potential host families and family friends complete the necessary paperwork.

My last meeting was with one of the owners of Stronger than Ever LLC. This is a new private practice counsel-ing service in the Bala Cynwyd area. The counseling service has been open since February 2011. In addition to offering mental health services, the practice is interested in working with military personnel and their families, as well as with individuals with gam-bling addictions. The owner I spoke with shared that there is a need for qualified gambling addiction pro-grams in the area. It was a pleasure to learn how being a member of NASW’s private practice specialty groups assisted Stronger than Ever with infor-mation and how through the NASW-PA quarterly newsletter it was able to find office space.

In summary, all of the sites I visited were open to working with NASW-PA. They were given information on our conference, our annual report and our legislative advocacy activities. I will also assure that their continuing education needs are met.

This was a very exciting and worth-while 30 days. I am looking forward to the next 30. l

NASW-PA 2012 Annual Conference

October 11 – 13 • Valley Forge

Workshop proposals are now being accepted for the NASW-PA 2012 Annual Conference in Valley Forge. Please visit www.nasw-pa.org for more information and submission instructions.

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On Oct. 24, 2011, NASW-PA and several schools of social work hosted a “BSW Visibility Day.” NASW-PA would like to thank the students and faculty that attended this event to advocate

for themselves, their colleagues and the social work profession. Rep-resented schools included Elizabethtown College, West Chester Uni-versity, Kutztown University, California University, Juniata College, Messiah College, Mansfield University, Philadelphia Biblical University and the University of Pittsburgh.

These dedicated students visited legislators, distributing BSW licensure flyers (see opposite page) and sporting the names of their colleges or universities. The day was a success as many legislators became curious of the students and engaged in dialogue surrounding licensing. The flyer that students left with each senator and representative included information on the services that bachelor’s level professionals provide and the settings where they provide them, such as hospitals, family service agencies, homeless shelters and residential treatment facilities. Licensure would demonstrate that bachelor’s level professionals have passed a rigorous exam, meet nationally established competency stan-dards and are dedicated to the social work profession. Currently, 33 states and the District of Columbia recognize licensure at the bachelor’s level. We feel the students who took part in “BSW Visibility Day” played a critical role in the effort to add Pennsylvania to the list of licensing states. l

NASW-PA and Schools of Social Work Host a BSW Visibility Day in Harrisburg

Messiah College

University of Pittsburgh

Mansfield University

Kutztown University

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I want to be licensed, regulated and held accountable for my practice of social work.l In Pennsylvania, social workers are licensed, but

only at the master’s level. There are two tiers of professional licensure, creating a professional lad-der of services. Unfortunately, the Commonwealth is missing the first rung on the ladder without the inclusion of BSW licensure. Nurses with bache-lor’s degrees are licensed in Pennsylvania, so there is precedent for licensure at the bachelor’s level.

l Licensure would show prospective employers that I passed a nationally recognized exam that tests core competencies in social work service deliv-ery. Licensure reinforces my commitment to the profession and guarantees continuous professional improvement by requiring continuing education.

l As a licensed professional, I will be held account-able to social work laws set forth by the State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors. Licen-sure provides public protection and professional accountability for the clients I will serve. It also would serve to protect the people of the Com-monwealth from receiving poor quality services.

Professional trainingUnlike other majors, I am required to take very spe-cific courses designed to prepare me for entry into the workforce as a front-line social work professional. My training as a BSW student prepares me to engage in the following areas as I enter the workforce:

l Adherence to a Professional Code of Ethicsl Client Advocacyl Cause Advocacyl Case Managementl Community Outreachl Crisis Interventionl Interviewingl Intake and Referrall Problem Solving l Safety Assessment

Professional educationThe BSW education combines liberal arts with profes-sional social work foundation content to prepare graduates for the practice of social work. My BSW program, in fact all programs in the country, meet rig-orous academic standards recognized by the Council

Please support licensure for bachelor level social workers like me!Currently, 33 states and the District of Columbia recognize licensure at the bachelor’s level. Licensure is about public protection, and the services I will provide are critical to the lives of Pennsylvanians. To that end, it is important that I meet nationally established competency standards and be held account-able by the state for my actions.

Continued on next pageKutztown University


on Social Work Education, our national accrediting body. The BSW curriculum is one of the few that must be accredited at the program and university level. The BSW curriculum provides a professional social work foundation that is transferable to different settings and population groups. This foundation includes study in areas such as:

l Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Human Biology

l Human Behavior in the Social Environmentl Critical Thinkingl Family Dynamicsl Social Services Systemsl Social Work Theory and Standardsl Social Welfare Policiesl Practice-Based Researchl Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families,

Groups, Organizations and Communities l Social Work Values and Ethics

Professional experienceMy social work program requires me to complete a field placement practicum which consists of at least 400 hours of direct social work practice in a profes-sional agency. Those hours must be supervised by a credentialed professional with a master’s or bachelor’s in social work. This signature requirement of a BSW degree is intended to allow me a structured opportunity to apply classroom learning to real life. This is an es-sential component of the BSW curriculum that provides me with real world experience under the leadership of a highly qualified field supervisor. No other bachelor level program requires a professional placement, field super-vision, and an accompanying field placement academic course the way that a BSW program does.

How does my BSW degree make me different from other human service majors? My BSW degree will prepare me for immediate entry into a social work career in many different public and private social work settings. After graduating,

I will possess the professional skills and training needed to promote beneficial change in the lives of my future clients. I will be able to deliver front line social work services in a multitude of professional settings including:

l Aging Services and Nursing Homes l Criminal Justice Agenciesl Children and Youth Servicesl Child Welfare Agenciesl Domestic Violence Programsl Family Services l Home Care Agenciesl Hospitalsl Public Health Agenciesl Mental Retardation/

Developmental Disability Servicesl Community Action Agenciesl Homeless Sheltersl Residential Treatment Programs l Rape Crisis Programs

Why license me?While not a mental health clinician, I will be provid-ing critical services to very vulnerable individuals. My future roles could include tasks such as conducting safety assessments for abused children, providing crisis advocacy services to rape victims, visiting the elderly in their homes, serving as a probation officer, mentoring troubled teens, making determinations about parental abilities, and matching adoptive families with needy children. I will deliver services in many different settings working for many different types of employers, but in each setting I will be functioning as a social worker.

My future clients, and society at-large, have a right to know that I have met nationally established compe-tency standards, that I am continuing to expand my knowledge-base, and that they have recourse should I operate in an unethical or unprofessional manner. I am a member of a profession, and I want to be held to the professional licensing standards already in place in 33 other states and the District of Columbia.

For all the reasons stated above, I and the thousands of other BSW students and graduates committed to serving the citizens of this Commonwealth, ask for your support for bachelor level social work licensure.

Continued from previous page

PENNSYLVANIA BSW PROGRAMS — Alvernia University l Bloomsburg University l Cabrini College l California Univer-sity of Pennsylvania l Carlow University l Cedar Crest College l Chatham University l Eastern University l Edinboro Uni-versity of Pennsylvania l Elizabethtown College l Gannon University l Juniata College l La Salle University l Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania l Mansfield University of Pennsylvania l Marywood University l Mercyhurst College l Messiah College l Millersville University of Pennsylvania l Misericordia University l Philadelphia Biblical University l Saint Francis University l Seton Hill University l Shippensburg University l Slippery Rock University l Temple University l University of Pittsburgh l Valley Forge Christian College l West Chester University l Widener University.

UP DAT E F ROM T HE H IL LB Y J U S T I N F L E M I N G , B SDirec tor of Gove rnment Re l a t ion s

After summer break, state leg-islators returned in late Sep-tember to begin working on

a myriad of issues. With many high profile issues competing for atten-tion, it was thanks to the efforts of Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee staff that House Bill 816 received unanimous passage out of the com-mittee this fall.

House Bill 816 was given timely consideration in committee after passing the House of Representa-tives unanimously in June. Senate Bill 990, introduced by Sen. Mike Waugh (R-York), was a similar bill that passed the Senate last session, but stalled in the House. House Bill

816, introduced this session by Rep. Seth Grove (R-York), has been able to move swiftly through the compli-cated legislative process as a result of the strong advocacy completed last session by Sen. Waugh and his staff.

We are hopeful House Bill 816 will be placed on the calendar and given consideration by the Senate in a timely fashion. With the strong sup-port of both Sen. Waugh and Rep. Grove, we are confident this bill will pass if the political will is present to place it on the marked calendar.

For those members who might not have read previous articles about the bill, it is a simple bill that is of

great assistance to seasoned profes-sionals looking to earn their LCSWs. House Bill 816 contains a provision that exempts social workers who obtained their ACSW credentials prior to Jan. 1, 2001, from providing documentation related to the super-vision requirements necessary to earn an LCSW. These social workers will then be eligible to take the clini-cal social work exam to obtain clini-cal licensure. Impacted professionals are seasoned social workers who are either supervisors themselves or can-not prove supervision because it took place so long ago. l

Senate Bill 922 is a comprehensive social work practice act. On the advice of Senate staff, NASW-PA is rewriting the legislation along-side the Pennsylvania Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

and the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work.

The new and improved Senate Bill 922 will provide clear tiers of licen-sure for social workers in Pennsylvania, including licensure for bachelor’s social workers to provide frontline, generalist social work services. This bill will clearly define bachelor-level generalist practice as not being clini-cal, while outlining many areas of practice appropriate for BSW-level professionals. Other changes in the legislation include providing fewer exemptions, clarifying several definitions and making technical changes in language.

NASW-PA thanks the staff in the office of Sen. Chuck McIlhinney (R-Bucks and Montgomery) for its hard work to change Senate Bill 922. NASW-PA also thanks the staff on the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee for showing a path forward for the leg-islation and for its guidance to improve the bill.

We are hopeful to have the legislation fully amended by NASW-PA’s Leg-islative Advocacy Day on March 27, 2012. It is our goal that Senate Bill 922 can run through the legislative process in the final year of this legis-lative session. l

Practice Act UpdateWhat Will Senate Bill 922 Do?

• Protects the practice of social work in Pennsylvania so that only a licensed social worker can provide social work services. SB 922 clearly defines “social work services.”

• Provides a license for social work-ers with bachelor’s degrees to perform generalist social work services.

• Clearly explains appropriate roles for licensed bachelor’s social work-ers, licensed master’s social work-ers and licensed clinical social workers.

• Creates the expectation of licen-sure already in place for most other professions, such as nurses, occu-pational therapists, doctors, speech therapists and lawyers.

House Bill 816 on the Move



Senate Bill 922.Practice Protection &

Bachelor Level Licensure

Name ____________________________________________________

Home Address_____________________________________________

City ______________________________________________________

State ______________________ ZIP ___________________________

Business Phone ____________________________________________

Home Phone ______________________________________________

Fax ______________________________________________________

E-mail ____________________________________________________

Check all that apply: ❏ I am employed. Agency __________________________________❏ I am retired.❏ I am unemployed.❏ I am a student. ❏ Undergraduate ❏ Graduate

School____________________________________________________

NASW-PA encourages you to make an appointment with your legislators. Please do so before sending in the registra-tion form and fill out the information below:

Senator ____________________________________ Time __________

Representative_ _____________________________ Time __________

If the above section is not filled out, NASW-PA will sched-ule an appointment for you and provide that information on Legislative Advocacy Day.

NASW Member # _________________________________________

Registration fee is $10 per person.

Enclosed is my check for $____ , payable to NASW-PA. Mail check to:

NASW-PA425 N. 21st Street, 4th Floor

Camp Hill, PA 17011

Registration FormDeadline: March, 23, 2012

www.nasw-pa.org

2012LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY DAYTuesday, March 277:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

THE FORUM, 500 WALNUT STREET

7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 8:40 a.m. WelcomeGwen Phillips, LCSW President, NASW-PA

8:40 – 9:25 a.m. Legislative Process/What to Expect/ Talking Points on BillsJenna Mehnert, MSW Executive Director, NASW-PA

CAPITOL

9:30 – 11:00 a.m. Attend Committee Meetings and Legislative Visits List of Committee Meetings will be provided when registering. Social Workers are encouraged to set up legislative visits prior to the day or call NASW-PA to arrange visits.

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Attend House and/or Senate Session/Lunch /Legislative VisitsThe House and Senate go into session at 11:00 a.m. Social Workers may watch House and Senate session live from 4th floor balconies.

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Rally at the Capitol – Main Capitol RotundaFeaturing remarks by invited members of the General Assembly to speak about Bachelor Level Licensure, Certified School Social Workers and Practice Protection.

We need you in Harrisburg on March 27, 2012.

For questions, call 800-272-6279 (in PA only) or

717-232-4125fax 717-232-4140 or

e-mail Justin at [email protected]

6


Senate Bill 922.Practice Protection &

Bachelor Level Licensure 6W

hile it is NASW-PA’s stated goal to

get more social work professionals to

Legislative Advocacy Day in 2012,

we understand some of you will be unable to attend.

However, just because you cannot participate in per-

son does not mean you cannot take action. Here are

six ways you can be more involved:

1 Locate and visit your legislator. Legisla-tors are the lawmakers of Pennsylvania, and it

can be beneficial to know the individuals who you need to be on your side. You can locate your leg-islators and other elected officials by going to our website at http://www.nasw-pa.org and clicking on the “Legislative Advocacy” tab. On the left panel, locate “Find YOUR Elected Officials” and fill in the required information. Visit your elected officials in their home districts and establish a rapport with them. It is much tougher for legislators to discount the advice of someone they know. That someone could be you!

2Communicate your position. Whether it is writing an email, making a telephone call or

meeting with your legislator, you can communicate your concerns and policy initiatives to your local representative or senator. If you have something you care about, take action and contact your legislators. The more letters and phone calls legislators receive, the more they’re forced to listen. Remember, legisla-tors work for voters – that’s us!

3 Donate $10 or more to NASW-PA PACE. NASW-PA has a political action committee that

is focused on funneling resources (both money and time) to candidates that share our goals as well as value social workers and the clients we serve. In addition, we are committed to getting social work-ers to run for office in the upcoming election cycle.

Cannot Attend Legislative Advocacy Day?

Ways to take action in your area!

This would be a great way to show support for your colleagues and let like-minded legislators know how much we appreciate them working on our behalf.

4 Get involved in local campaigns. This is a crucial step with 2012 being an election year

for state and federal elected officials. Volunteering on political campaigns and participating in grass-roots advocacy can give you a sense of relationship building and leadership. If the candidate you are volunteering for wins the election, you can be sure your time and effort will not go unnoticed. Even if you volunteer for a small amount of time, you have made a big difference by providing support and hard work toward the campaign. If you are interested in volunteering for a campaign, visit our website at http://www.nasw-pa.org and click on the “NASW-PA Campaign Mobilization” link under the “Legislative Advocacy” tab.

5 Register to vote. Registering to vote can be the first step toward making a difference.

This not only involves voting for federal offices, but allows the opportunity to vote for individuals in state and local offices. It is ultimately our money, our children, our health care, our employment and our democracy. Make it work! You can view ways to register at http://www.votespa.com.

6 Contact the media. A simple letter to the editor or opinion editorial can go a long way

when trying to share your message. Be sure to make your points short and specific. Don’t expect editors to be experts in the field of social work. Similar to legislators, they only know what you tell them. You can find a listing of newspapers and other media resources on the state’s website at http://www.pa.gov and then clicking on the “Media” tab. The “Media Markets” link will take you to all media resources divided into regions. Need support in writing your piece? Email [email protected] for assistance. l


Where there is a will, there is a way. Let NASW-PA help you find a way to Legislative Advocacy Day on March 27, 2012.

It is the goal of NASW-PA that experienced social work professionals are represented at Legislative Advo-cacy Day. NASW-PA and division chairs are planning carpools, vanpools, and even renting buses. If NASW divisions have the demand to coordinate vans or buses, NASW-PA is willing to assist those groups in earning continuing education credits if their commute is at least one hour each way.

If you are interested in traveling to Legislative Advocacy Day with NASW-PA members, please visit http://www.nasw-pa.org. From the front page, click on the “Legisla-tive Advocacy Day” button on the right. This page will

Need Transportation to Legislative Advocacy Day?

have information about the day in general, as well as pro-vide a sign-up for individuals interested in joint transpor-tation. If you are unable to access the NASW-PA website, please call the chapter office at 717-232-4125 or email [email protected].


State Rep. Keith Gillespie has represented York County’s 47th district since 2003 and is actively involved with protecting the public health of all Pennsylva-nians. Rep. Gillespie has been a great help to NASW-PA as a member of the House Professional Licensure Committee. He has supported House Bill 816 in committee and on the House floor. House Bill 816 exempts those who earned their ACSW prior to Jan. 1, 2001, from providing documentation related to clinical supervision so they are eligible to take the clinical social work exam.

From the first time he was approached by NASW-PA, Rep. Gillespie has demon-strated strong support of NASW-PA’s efforts to ensure high quality social work services and protect the public. He notes that “Having spent over 34 years in the health care arena, prior to election to the General Assembly, I saw firsthand the great and necessary work of our social workers. These skilled and focused person-nel provide a key element in the continuum of care and frequently provide life sus-taining intervention.”

Rep. Gillespie is a certified emergency medical technician and over the years has provided immediate, life saving care to thousands of individuals. Before he joined the General Assembly, Gillespie served as the director of safety, security and pre-hospital systems for Memorial Hospital in York. He is a graduate of Solanco High School in Lancaster County and Franklin & Marshall College. l

State Rep. Duane Milne is in his third term serving the citizens of Chester County. NASW-PA began working with Rep. Milne as a result of his strong support for social workers serving our veterans. Additionally, Milne is the representative for members of executive director Jenna Mehnert’s family. This local connection fueled NASW-PA’s early relationship with him. Since that time, he has been responsive to requests for assistance and supportive of high quality social work services.

“I hold much admiration for the transformative role that social workers play,” states Rep. Milne. “As the title suggests, these professionals work for the social good.”

Prior to joining the General Assembly, Rep. Milne was a tenured professor and director of a master’s degree program at West Chester University. He brings that experience to the legislature in his service on the House Education Committee, where he has helped NASW-PA address barriers to educational achievement.

Rep. Milne also serves on the House Aging and Older Adults Committee and under-stands the challenges social workers face in providing services and care to older Pennsylvanians.

Rep. Milne is a calm leader who listens well and works hard to address issues in a way that unites rather than divides those with competing interests. Over the years, he has demonstrated his strong support for human services in Pennsylvania. l

L EGISL ATOR SP O T L IGH T

State Representative Duane Milne (R-Chester)

State Representative Keith Gillespie (R-York)

NASW-PA thanks Rep. Milne for his leadership in supporting causes that are important to our membership and for taking the time to listen to members’ concerns.

NASW-PA thanks Rep. Gillespie for being attentive to the chal-lenges social workers face and for being a strong supporter of the social work profession. With his kind heart and gentle spirit, it is no wonder he is a friend of our profession.


Q What is your current role as a social worker?

I am currently serving as president/CEO of Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries. Diakon is a multi-site, nonprofit organization serving individuals and families throughout central and eastern Pennsylvania and parts of Maryland through a variety of programs, including com-prehensive senior living communi-ties, foster care, adoption, home and community-based services, hospice care and services for at-risk and adjudicated youths.

Q Why did you choose social work?

I was interested in helping people and communities, and making a difference in people’s lives. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Lycoming Col-lege, I went directly to graduate school for social work at the Uni-versity of Pittsburgh. I believed that working toward my MSW would provide me with the skills I needed to make a greater impact on individual lives and health care and social service systems. My first

NASW-PA is developing a series highlighting Pennsylvania social workers. This series will offer commentary on the profession to help guide social workers who are entering the profession. This series will serve as an education tool to inform young social workers and the general public of the amazing work that social workers do every day, as well as where professional social workers can be found.

post-MSW experience was work-ing with retired coal miners along the East Coast. I became interested in hospital social work and in that role had the opportunity to par-ticipate in the development of a behavioral health network, includ-ing a drug and alcohol program. My hospital experiences exposed me to many aspects of the health care arena, and eventually I earned a second master’s degree in health administration from Medical Col-lege of Virginia — an excellent complement to my MSW.

Q What advice would you give to anyone entering

the profession?

Students should realize that it is a very challenging field, but there also is a lot of work to be done, which presents opportunities. Regardless of the venue in which you practice, try to begin your work with an established nonprofit organization (or hospital or school, etc.) that can provide the support and supervision beneficial to your development as a social worker. When considering employment opportunities, remember what a

S OC I A L WOR K SP O T L IGH T

Mark Pile is chief execu-tive officer and president of Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries. He oversees all operations within senior living communities and family and community ministries, as well as most support services. He

has overseen Diakon’s growth and several successful reorganizations.

Mark was named chief operating officer at Diakon’s creation, having held a similar role with Lutheran Services Northeast (LSN), one of the two organiza-tions that created Diakon. He joined LSN as senior vice president in 1997, overseeing the organization’s operations in 14 eastern Pennsylvania counties.

Prior to joining LSN, Mark served as vice presi-dent of Somerset Hospital, a nonprofit 150-bed community hospital in western Pennsylvania. Before being named hospital vice president in 1988, he served as chief executive officer of Twin Lakes Center in Somerset, a nonprofit drug and alcohol treatment service under Somerset Hospi-tal’s corporate umbrella. Mark is a 1974 graduate of Lycoming College in Williamsport, from which he received a bachelor’s degree in sociology, cum laude. He earned his MSW from the University of Pittsburgh. He also holds a master’s of science in health administration from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, Va.

valuable asset a good supervisor can be — especially when you are just learning the ropes.

Q How has a social work background helped you

in policy settings?

My background in social work broadens my perspective when addressing policy issues at any level. This perspective, I believe, enables me to see the broader impact on and overall implications for groups of people or society in general.

Q How do you think social work helps you in ser-

vice delivery settings?

I no longer provide direct service, but my years of direct service experience provide the firsthand experience necessary for program development and evaluation. Nearly every aspect of my job is in some way touched by my background as a social worker, because embracing social work throughout my career has shaped who I am as a person and as an administrator. l

Mark Pile, MSHA, MSW


NASW-PA will be using “Social

Workers Strengthen Society” for its

2012 Social Work Month theme.

Reminiscent of Rosie the Riveter, NASW-PA is excited to use this imagery and language when cel-ebrating and promoting the social work profession. This not only allows for positive visibility, but also works to change the stereotypes and perceptions many hold about social workers. By changing these false perceptions, we will be able to increase the value of our profession.

In evoking a sense of strength and pride, NASW-PA is launching a “Show Us Your Strength” Campaign in preparing for the March events. NASW-PA will use this campaign as a platform to generate visibil-ity across Pennsylvania’s media circuits, as well as social media. Rather than defend our profession in the news, we want to generate positive stories about social workers who strengthen our society on a daily basis.

How can you join the Show Us Your Strength Campaign?

On the back of this page you will see a “What is Your Strength?” sign. Whatever your strength is as a social worker, please share it with us. Send us photos of yourself, with your completed sign, to [email protected] or post them on NASW-PA’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ naswpennsylvania.

What will NASW-PA do with the photos?

NASW-PA will use the photos in a number of ways through March. The more images NASW-PA receives, the more visibility will be increased. In planning Social Work Month 2012, NASW-PA will be using photographs from the Show Us Your Strength Cam-paign in the following ways:

l Printing in The Pennsylvania Social Worker — we will include entries in the spring issue of The Pennsylvania Social Worker. This issue will be out in March 2012 as we kick off the month long celebration. This is one way to show that you are a proud social worker.

l Facebook — NASW-PA will be sharing the photos on Facebook, although participants may opt out of sharing the photos online. The goal of using social media in this process is to increase visibility, share this sense of strength and pride with others, and to foster interaction within our social work community.

l Media — NASW-PA will draft several press releases, op-eds, and letters to the editor in March. The campaign will serve as a tool to gar-ner media attention as we highlight how Pennsyl-vania’s social workers strengthen society.

l www.nasw-pa.org — NASW-PA is currently designing a webpage for the general public, or those newer to the profession, to educate people about the critical work that social workers per-form. The webpage will also provide a series of talking points, statistics, and facts on the profes-sion as a whole. Photos will be used exclusively on this webpage.

Social Work Month 2012

Please consider participating in this unique opportunity to support your profession!

Social WorkersStrengthen Society


What Is Your Strength?



Brandywine DivisionTroy Brindle, LCSW, ChairChester and Delaware counties

Please join the Brandywine Division on March 7, 2012, for a 3-hour continuing education workshop, “Legislative Policy and Process: Advo-cating for the Social Work Profession.” The workshop will be led by Justin Fleming, Director of Government Relations of NASW-PA. The event will be held at Aronimink Elementary School from 1 – 4 p.m.

Central DivisionKathy Minnich, LSW, ChairAdams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Schuylkill, and York counties

Please save the date for an all-day training on Friday, March 16, 2012.

Lehigh Valley DivisionHope Horowitz, LSW, ChairBerks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Pike counties

Please save the date for March 27, 2012, to celebrate Social Work Month with the Lehigh Valley Division.

North Central DivisionNancy Sidell, PhD, LSW, ChairBradford, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, and Union counties

Please save the date to join the North Central Division on March 31, 2012. The division will be hosting a day-long event featuring Barbara Hale-Seubert, social worker and author of “Riptide: Struggling with and Resurfacing from a Daughter’s Eating Disorder.” Barbara will speak in the morning, with an afternoon session/movie presentation. The event will be held in North Manser Hall at Mansfield University.

Northeast DivisionMatt Fino, LSW, ChairLuzerne, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wayne counties

Please be sure to join the Northeast Division on March 16, 2012. The division will host a breakfast from 7:45 – 9 a.m., with a continuing educa-tion workshop from 9:15 – 11:15 a.m. The workshop will feature Clay Yeager, presenting “Importance of Evidence-Based Approaches in Work-ing with Dependent and Delinquent Children.” The event will be held at Misericordia University. The breakfast is limited to social workers only, with no cost. There is a $5 CE fee for NASW members to attend the workshop. There is a $20 certificate fee for nonmembers. The workshop is free to individuals who are not seeking continuing education credits.

Northwest DivisionSuzanne McDevitt, PhD, ChairCameron, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, McKean, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties

The Northwest Division is thrilled to host a series of events for Social Work Month 2012. The division will host the Annual Social Work Awards Luncheon on March 6, 2012 at Mercyhurst University in Erie. Please be sure to save the date. Moving into the following month, the division will hold an event on April 5, 2012, featuring a national expert on social work ethics, Frederic Reamer, PhD. Continuing education cred-its will be available. Dr. Reamer’s workshop will cover documentation and related matters.

Philadelphia DivisionChristine Matthews, LSW, MBA, CLC, ChairBucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties

The Philadelphia Division is planning a happy hour networking event in center city for March. The division will also be holding a continuing education workshop to celebrate the month’s events. Details are to be announced.

Southwest DivisionNate Morley, MSW, ChairAllegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clarion, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland counties

The Southwest Division will cosponsor the annual Social Work Month Symposium and Recognition Luncheon with the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work, and NASW-PA Pioneers. The event will be held in conjunction with Seton Hill University, Slippery Rock University, Chatham University, Carlow University, and California University of Penn-sylvania. The event will be held on March 1, 2012. The symposium will offer attendees six continuing education credits, including three in ethics. The theme for 2012 will be “Using Technology in Social Work Practice.”

West Central DivisionDaisi Dumas Eyerly, LSW, ChairBedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, and Somerset counties

Please save the date for March 2, 2012, to celebrate Social Work Month with the West Central Division. l

NASW-PA and its local divisions are planning events for Social Work Month 2012, which begins March 1. It is the goal of NASW-PA to host one event in each of the nine divisions to provide members the opportunity to celebrate within their local com-munity. We are very excited for this year’s activities and hope you can join us for at least one of these nine local events. Members are encouraged to invite as many colleagues as possible to these events! As planning continues, details for each event will be made available at http://www.nasw-pa.org and announced in monthly e-newsletters.

Social Work Month 2012 Calendar


SAVE

THE D

ATE


ME MBER SHIP SERV ICE S UP DAT ER E B E C C A D AV I S , M S WN A SW-PA Direc tor of Membership

Before joining NASW-PA as director of Membership, I practiced profes-sional social work for more than 10 years. In my years as a student and then as a professional, I heard of NASW and had even joined for

a while. However, before coming to work for NASW-PA, I had no idea about the scope of work it did, or the impact it has on our profession and our clients.

The “point of contact” where we realize that NASW is working for us is different for each of us. As a profession, we are in many different settings. Another challenge we face in Pennsylvania is how geographically spread out we are. It is easy to become disconnected from the profession at large. We need to keep focused on the starting connection; we are all social workers. NASW-PA has a wealth of information and resources, as well as advocates who work tirelessly for us and our clients.

Wouldn’t you like to be paid more? Wouldn’t you enjoy more professional recognition? Wouldn’t it be nice to be acknowledged for being a trained, skilled professional? NASW-PA works toward these shared goals on a daily basis, and your membership is critical towards accomplishing our goals.

As of Oct. 26, 2011, NASW-PA had 6,200 members. The organization is growing stronger every day. Thank you for being a part of NASW and please encourage those around you to join so we can have an even larger impact on positive changes for social work. l

Years of MembershipWe have to say we are sorry. In the 2010-11 Annual Report, we listed members and years of membership with NASW. We received multiple calls that the information was incorrect and, in fact, it was. We found out the database we received our information from is not forgiving of any lapse of membership, and we are truly sorry not to have accu-rately captured every one of our amazing members.

We appreciate and recognize all of our members for their years of membership and commitment to the social work profession. l

Are You a Proud Social Worker? Fostering professional identity among social workers is a distinct goal of NASW-PA. Cur-rently, NASW-PA is coordinating an effort to create “proud social worker” specialty license plates with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The Specialty Plate Program provides interested and qualified organizations the opportunity to have members purchase a unique license plate. Because NASW-PA is a nonprofit association serving the community, each NASW-PA member can qualify to receive a plate.

If you are interested in obtaining a specialty license plate, please visit http://www.nasw-pa.org. From the front page, click on “Specialty License Plates” under “Member Corner.” You will be asked to acknowledge your interest in being the owner of such a plate by entering your name and contact information. The estimated cost to obtain a plate will be $25 per recipient, with an annual renewal rate of $20. According to the requirements of the program, a minimum of 300 recipients must be reached — so tell your friends and colleagues! We hope to display our unity and strength in numbers throughout the Commonwealth. l

NASW-PA Announces

Social Workers of the Month Winter 2011

DEC

EMBER

JAN

UA

RYFE

BRU

ARY

Would you like to nominate a friend or co-worker for Social Worker of the Month? For nominations or more information go to www.nasw-pa.org and then “Professional Development.”

Rufus Sylvester Lynch

Meredith Moore

Shari VanderGast

Shari VanderGast, LCSW, JD, holds a business degree from Cornell University, a MSW from Columbia University, and a JD with a concentration in health care law from Temple University. Shari is an LCSW, BCD, holds an ACSW, a certified professional in health care risk management, and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. She currently works as the senior vice president, chief operating officer and compliance officer at Access Services, a behavioral health care not-for-profit that serves 14 counties in eastern Pennsylvania. Shari is very engaged with NASW-PA, through presenting at annual conferences and appointment to the Leadership Council where she serves Montgomery County. l

Dr. Rufus Sylvester Lynch, ACSW, forensic social worker, and former dean of the Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work, Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is presi-dent and principal investigator of the Institute for the Advancement of Working Families. Dr. Lynch has 40 years of combined professional experience in inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary areas of practice, including behavioral health systems, recovery from substance use disorders and issues of mental health, community empowerment, employ-ment and training for TANF families and the working poor, forensic social work educa-tion, human services consultation, justice system advocacy and administration, policy development and analysis, programmatic development and implementation, public/private educational consulting, research and systems evaluation, strategic development, and sys-tems integration of initiatives that support “Responsible Fatherhood” programming.

Meredith Moore, LSW, earned her undergraduate degree in music therapy from Florida State University and is board certified in this field. She obtained her MSW from Temple University, where she held memberships with Golden Key International and Alpha Delta Mu honor societies. In 2007 and 2008, she was a recipient of the John Frederick Steinman fellowship and was twice nominated for the Mental Health America Profes-sional of the Year Award. Her extensive experience includes specialized work in the men-tal health and palliative care, with advisory board membership for several organizations. Meredith is an educator with the Lancaster County Crisis Intervention Team and partici-pates in contractual work with local colleges, including service as a community support member with the Franklin and Marshall Orchestra. She is active with the Susquehanna Valley chapter of Delta Zeta alumni and recently received resource family licensure from Diakon Adoption and Foster Care. She currently serves as a licensed clinician for the Lebanon VA Medical Center at the York and Lancaster community based outpatient clin-ics and reports being privileged to work with the veterans and their families. l

Continued on page 20

W I N T E R 2 011 T H E P E N N S Y L V A N I A S O C I A L W O R K E R 1 9

Effective Jan. 1, 2012, clini-cal social workers and other health care providers, health

care clearinghouses, covered enti-ties, and business associates who use electronic transactions man-dated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) will be required to replace the current software, Version4010/4010A standards, with Version 5010 standards. Version 5010 updates standards includ-ing claims submission and status, remittance advice, eligibility, and referral authorizations. Electronic transactions that do not use Ver-sion 5010 beginning January 2012 will be rejected for non-compliance with HIPAA electronic transactions. Rejections include denial of reim-bursement. Clinical social workers are encouraged to transition to Ver-sion 5010 prior to January 2012. Doing so allows participation in training and testing of the new soft-ware and systems to ensure they are working properly before the compli-ance date. The Centers for Medi-care and Medicaid Services (CMS) is assigned by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to oversee compliance of the stan-dards. Currently, there is no delay expected in the implementation of Version 5010.

Changes in Version 5010Version 5010 brings improvements in technical, structural and data content, as well as system changes. It will improve standards function-ality between providers and payers. The software also:

l Accommodates the reporting of clinical data of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth

Edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), which is sched-uled for implementation on Oct. 1, 2013.

l Increases the number of diagno-sis codes allowed on a claim.

l Enhances data collection and transmission.

l Distinguishes between principal and admitting diagnoses and reasons for service codes.

l Monitors treatment outcomes and clinical care.

l Improves claims receipt and procedures.

l Acknowledges and rejects trans-actions across all jurisdictions.

l Returns claims requiring correc-tions early in the process.

Preparing for Implementa-tion of Version 5010Clinical social workers should develop an implementation plan for compliance in transitioning to Version 5010. Full functionality is expected by CMS on Jan. 1, 2012.The following steps may help pre-pare clinical social workers for the conversion:

l Contact your practice manage-ment and/or software vendor to determine when Version 5010 will be available and installed on your computer system.

l Contact your billing service, clearinghouses, payers and other covered entities to determine when they will have upgrades completed and when testing can begin.

Clinical Social Workers Be Aware: HIPAA Version 5010 Is Coming

2 0 C O N TA C T U S : 1 - 8 0 0 -2 7 2 - 62 7 9 ( I N PA ) • W W W. N A S W - PA .O R G

Dr. Lynch has taught or lec-tured at over a dozen colleges and universities, authored or co-authored over 22 published manuscripts in professional books and/or scholarly jour-nals, and actively participated in over 60 professional confer-ences, workshops, and training institutes. Among his proudest achievements as a macro prac-titioner, was his work in state government. For example, while serving as Chief of Staff to the Pennsylvania Speaker of the House of Representatives, he served as chief author and architect of legislation creating the Pennsylvania Department of Aging; as Senior Human Services Policy Advisory to the Lieutenant he caused to be drafted, the first multi-level educational social work licen-sure bill ever introduced and seriously considered by the Pennsylvania General Assem-bly; and as a Pennsylvania Supreme Court Appointee, Dr. Lynch in collaboration with the Constable Associa-tion of Pennsylvania and the Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC), spearheaded the development of the first comprehensive legislation in Pennsylvania’s history to regulate constables who serve the judiciary. Cur-rently, Dr. Lynch has turned his attention to the study of fathers within the context of families. Dr. Lynch is also the chair of the NASW-PA Leader-ship Council. l

SOCIAL WORKERS OF THE MONTHContinued from page 19

l Identify and make any changes that will occur as a result of the new software.

l Enroll in training courses to become familiar with the soft-ware.

l Conduct internal and external testing to ensure that electronic transactions can be sent and received.

l Begin using Version 5010 prior to Jan. 1, 2012, to ensure elec-tronic transactions are working smoothly.

Clinical social workers should be aware that successful implementa-tion of Version 5010 will depend on when they are able to acquire and install the new software. The

Clinical Social Workers Be Aware: HIPAA Version 5010 Is Coming

RESOURCES

NASW offers members several resources on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Please visit https://www.socialworkers.org/hipaa/ to access this member ben-efit. Articles of interest include:

l Overview of HIPAA: Review HIPAA basics, learn about important deadlines and find out if you are required to com-ply with HIPAA.

l Medical Privacy: This section includes a comprehensive collection of materials on the HIPAA Privacy Rule, including NASW Practice Updates, a legal overview, guidance from HHS, sample forms and the complete text of the federal medical privacy regulations.

l Electronic Transactions Standards and Code Sets: This section provides answers to frequently asked questions about the electronic transactions standards applicability and deadlines, HHS’s enforcement plan, and an NASW Practice Update with compliance tips.

l Security Standards: This area provides requirements of the HIPAA Security Standards, including an NASW presen-tation, a Small Practice Implementation Guide, and the text of the federal regulations.

l National Provider Identifier: This section contains information about the National Provider Identifier system, its benefits, what is required, an NASW Practice Update and CMS registration information.


amount of time it takes for clinical social workers to become compli-ant will depend on the size of their private practice and available resources. To avoid placing them-selves at risk for payment denials and other interruptions of services due to inappropriately submit-ted claims, clinical social workers are responsible for confirming compliancy of Version 5010 with practice management and billing services employed by them to per-form electronic billing. Additional information about Version 5010 is available online from the CMS website at http://www.cms.hhs. gov. NASW members may also contact NASW for questions: atmcoleman@ naswdc.org. l

Join NASW-PA for a 5k or TriathlonSelf-care may mean a number of different things to different people. For some of us at NASW-PA, it means running, swimming and biking our way to happiness or peace of mind.

Have you ever thought of run-ning a 5K or doing a sprint tri-athlon? Are you interested, but do not want to do it alone? Then join NASW-PA as part of our team effort. The staff of NASW-PA plans to pull together teams for a few events occurring in cen-tral Pennsylvania this spring. If you would like to join us at one of the following events, please email [email protected].

Domestic Violence 5k Walk/ Run for RandiThis event will be held on Sat., May 12, 2012, at Adams Ricci Park in Mechanicsburg.

York YWCA Ladies Sprint TriathlonThe YWCA event features a sprint distance triathlon with an indoor pool swim. It is held at the end of June each year. This event also allows teams. If you can bike, run, or swim, we may be able to organize teams and partner you with another participant. l


There are many rea-

sons members give

for not seeking elec-

tion for a position on the

NASW-PA board of directors.

Reasons include lack of experience, uncertainty about what the board does, lack of time, too many other commitments, feeling others are bet-ter qualified, thinking candidates must be nominated by someone else — the list can be a long one. There are just as many, or more, reasons some members decide to run. There are even more benefits when serving.

Mike Jeffrey, former NASW-PA treasurer, states that “One of the sections in the NASW Code of Ethics is ethical responsibilities to the social work profession. I felt that serving on the NASW-PA board of directors was an excellent way to contribute my time and expertise to the advancement of the social work profession.”

“My experience on the board has made me more aware of the broader picture of social work and how it impacts me, the profession as a whole and the clients we sup-port on a daily basis.”

Daisi Dumas, current West Central Division chair, talked to me about what she gains from serving on the board. “My experience on the board has made me more aware of the

broader picture of social work and how it impacts me, the profession as a whole and the clients we support on a daily basis. It has improved my advocacy skills and empowered me to speak up for our profession and our clients.”

William Johnston-Walsh, current vice president, said, “Being a part of the NASW-PA board of direc-tors allows me to feel connected to the community at the local level through outreach and advocacy. I realize that NASW makes a differ-ence in Pennsylvanians’ lives every day.”

“Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

My own service on the board, at different times as Philadelphia Divi-sion representative, at large member and vice president, was driven by reasons similar to those given by Mike Jeffrey and William Johnston-Walsh. But, my service also gave me some of the same benefits Daisi Dumas spoke about. At first I was hesitant to run, feeling unsure about what would be expected of me and concerned about how effective I might be as a board member.

Once I got past my own hesitation to run for office, I found a collegial-ity among the board members that proved the axiom that the sum is greater than its parts. I found sup-port for the words of Margaret

Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

One great benefit to serving on the board comes from meeting oth-ers similarly committed. There is the opportunity to make connec-tions across that state that serve us professionally, as well as person-ally. Those who have served have developed relationships with others on the board that have lasted long beyond their time in office.

Nominations for the next election must be made soon. NASW is a membership organization that is overseen by an elected board of its own members. Serving in office is an opportunity to live some of the values in the Code of Ethics, spe-cifically the values of service and importance of human relationships. While serving the membership and the profession, you have an oppor-tunity to develop strong professional relationships that will live beyond your time on the board.

Look at the current list of offices to be filled in the next election and see if you might be qualified to run or if you know someone else you might support in running. My colleagues on the Chapter Committee on Nom-inations and Leadership Identifica-tion and I will soon be slotting the ballot for the next election.

Now is the time to consider having your name on the ballot.

We look forward to receiving a number of nomination forms. Find your own reason to run for office. l

Becoming a Leader within NASW-PAL L O Y D L . LY T E R , P H D , L S W

Member, N A SW-PA C hapte r Commit t ee on Nomin at ion s & L eade rship Ident i f i c a t ion

— Daisi Dumas

— Margaret Mead

BE A LEADERUse your leadership skills! Develop new skills!Volunteer for a NASW-PA Elected Position.

Chapter elected positions include the Board of Directors and the Chapter Committee on Nominations and Leader-ship Identification (CCNLI).

Here’s your opportunity to use your

leadership skills in a social work

environment or to develop new skills!

A number of positions are open on

the 2012 slate.

Procedure

A Nominate yourself or another

chapter member (form on next page)

A If you are nominating someone else

for a position, that person will be

contacted.

A People selected for chapter leadership

may also be asked to complete

a biographical fact sheet.

Thank you for your interest in assisting

the chapter with this important task!

Positions Open for 2012 BallotFor more information about the positions, please visit www.nasw-pa.org.

OFFICERS Terms begin 7/01/2012Any member in good standing is eligible to run.

A President-Elect (2012 – 13, President 2013 – 15)A Treasurer-Elect (2012-13, Treasurer 2013 – 15)A Vice President (2012 – 2014)

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD 3-year terms 7/01/12 – 6/30/15Any member in good standing from the division specified is eligible to run.

A Southwest Division ChairA Southwest Division Representative

STUDENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD 1-year terms 7/01/12 – 6/30/13Any member in good standing who will be a social work student during the 1-year term is eligible to run.

A MSW Student RepresentativeA BSW Student Representative

NOMINATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1, 2012

BE A LEADER


2011 Annual Conference

HIGHLIGHTSIn October, social workers converged on Lancaster to take part in the 2011 NASW-PA Annual Conference and listen to Dr. Harry Aponte, Beverly Mackereth, Elizabeth Williamson, and our panel discussing Mar-cellus Shale natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania. Panel members included Jason Weigle, Pamela Twiss, Rhonda Keller, Mark Roinick and Nancy Sidell. Many social workers received all 30 continuing edu-cation credits toward licensure renewal, networked with peers from across the state, and learned about new programs from more than 25 exhibitors. The conference reviews have been excellent, and we will work hard to incorporate comments/reviews into the 2012 conference agenda. l

At a Glance 302 social workers registered for the conference 75 attended pre-conference institute trainings 60 workshop presenters 37 workshops offered (including 4 ethics workshops) 31.5 possible credits earned 27 exhibitors 7 award recipients 4 student poster presentations 1 amazing conference

NASW-PA executive director Jenna Mehnert and president Gwen Phillips pictured with Dr. Julia Szarko and Dr. Jason Pedersen. Julia and Jason were honored with the Colleague of the Year Award.

Keynote speaker Beverly Mackereth.

Chris Hoffman accepting the Social Worker of the Year Award

Keynote speaker Elizabeth Williamson


This year’s conference PACE raffle hit an all time high by raising more than $1,000. Congratulations to student member and poster presenter Laura Gochnauer on win-ning the PACE Pot. Laura won $425 as part of the raffle, but donated $325 back to the political action committee. She used the remaining $100 to pay for her conference registration. NASW-PA staff is grateful for the generous contributions of our confer-ence attendees, as well as their continued dedication and commitment to our ongoing legislative advocacy.

to all of our sponsors, advertisers, and exhibitors:

Association of Social Work Boards Associates of Springfield Psychological Beechwood Rehabilitation ServicesBehavioral Health of the Palm BeachesCommunity Care Behavioral HealthCommunity Service Foundation/

Buxmont AcademyDevereuxFamily Design Resources (Diakon, SWAN)Gateway Health PlanGenesis HealthCareHighmark Caring PlaceKutztown UniversityLifeForce Eldercare CorporationMalvern InstituteMarywood University Milton Hershey SchoolNHS Human ServicesNR Pennsylvania Associates LLCPennsylvania Army National GuardPennsylvania Partnerships for ChildrenProfessional Mediation Associates Inc.Real AlternativesSocial Work p.r.n.Staffing Plus Inc.Success RehabTCRThe Meehl FoundationUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PittsburghWhite Deer Run/Cove Forge/

Bowling Green Brandywine

Thank You

Laura Gochnauer, winner of the PACE Pot.

Rep. Seth Grove accepting the Legislator of the Year Award.

Rep. Mike Sturla accepting the Legislator of the Year Award

Lifetime Achievement Award winner Nadine Bean, pictured with her family.

Jenna Mehnert and Gwen Phillips with Stephen Stoeffler, honored with the Kristin Bowser Outstanding Young Social Worker Award

T H E P E N N S Y L V A N I A S O C I A L W O R K E R 2 5


All continuing education events listed below are approved for continuing education credits

(CEs) for the licensure period from March 1, 2011, through February 28, 2013, for licensed social work-ers, licensed clinical social workers, professional counselors and marriage and family therapists in the Common-wealth of Pennsylvania.

Trainings marked with (E) are des-ignated as ethics courses, meeting the requirement that each licensee secure three credits in ethics per licensing period.

Additional trainings will be added throughout the year. Please check our website (www.nasw-pa.org, Pro-fessional Development) for updates.

NASW-PA reserves the right to cancel courses with insufficient regis-tration. In the event that NASW-PA cancels a workshop, all fees will be refunded in full.

Film Festival workshop fee covers discussion and CEs.

*NASW is responsible for the registration of these workshops. Form on page 23.

All workshops listed are NASW-PA approved and meet the continuing education requirements for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Winter 2011/12 Continuing Education

DECEMBER

December 6 — Treatment Planning. Aldie Foundation, Inc., 228 N. Main St., Doylestown. 9 am – 4 pm. Cer-tificate fee: $15 NASW members, $25 nonmembers. 6 CEs. Offered by Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc. To register call Peg McCloskey at (215) 444-2710.

*December 6 — Elder Abuse: Neglect and Exploitation. New Haven Court at Linewood, 100 Freedom Way, Greens-burg. 5 – 7 pm. Free. 2 CEs. Offered by Southwest Division. To register visit www.nasw-pa.org.

December 8 — Medication Assisted Therapy: A Pharmacologic and Medical Overview for Non-Medical Profession-als. Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc., 600 Louis Dr., Suite 102A, Warminster. 9 am – 4 pm. Cer-tificate fee: $15 NASW members, $25 nonmembers. 6 CEs. Offered by Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc. To register call Peg McCloskey at (215) 444-2710.

December 8 — Group Soup Series Part 5: Personality Disorder. Mon Yough Community Services, 500 Walnut St., Lower Level, McKeesport. 11 am – 2 pm. $50 NASW members, $60 nonmembers. 3 CEs. Offered by Mon Yough Com-munity Services. To register visit www.nasw-pa.org and download brochure.

December 10 — Meditation Teacher Training. Plasha Yoga Studio, 4508 Zuck Road, Erie. 1 – 4 pm. $500 NASW members, $500 nonmembers. 30 CEs. Offered by Plasha Yoga Studio. To register contact Michael at [email protected].

December 13 — HIV/AIDS. Family-links, 2644 Banksville Rd., Pittsburgh. 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. $85 NASW mem-bers, $85 nonmembers. 6 CEs. Offered by Familylinks. To register contact Deborah Murphy at (412) 924-0115 or [email protected].

December 16 — PA FASD (Fetal Alco-hol Spectrum Disorder). Erie Maenner-chor Club, 1607 State St., Erie. 9 am – 4 pm. $60 NASW members, $70 non-members. 6 CEs. Offered by Preferred Systems, Inc. To register call Mike Chevalier at (888) 455-7437. Offered by It Takes a Village, Inc. To register visit www.ittakesavillageinc.com.

JANUARY

January 20 — Prescription Drug Abuse. Erie Maennerchor Club, 1607 State St., Erie. 9 am – 4 pm. $60 NASW members, $70 nonmembers. 6 CEs. Of-fered by Preferred Systems, Inc. To register call Mike Chevalier at (888) 455-7437.

FEBRUARY

February 28 — Speech and Language: The Key to Development. Valley Forge Education Services, 1777 N. Valley Road, Malvern. 6 – 8:30 pm. $15 NASW mem-bers, $25 nonmembers. 2 CEs. Offered by Valley Forge Education Services. To register visit www.nasw-pa.org for more information.

2011-12 Licensure Prep Courses

Licensure preparatory courses are being scheduled. Dates for courses at Edinboro University, Marywood University (Scranton), Temple University, and the University of Pittsburgh are to be announced. Visit http://www.nasw-pa.org to view a complete list of scheduled courses.

One-Day Prep Courses (Fee: $75 for NASW members, $150 for nonmembers)

December 3, 2011 Marywood University – Lehigh ValleyJanuary 29, 2012 Bloomsburg UniversityMarch 31, 2012 Marywood University – Lehigh ValleyApril 20, 2012 West Chester University

In anticipation of passing legislation that will exempt those holding the ACSW credential prior to January 1, 2001 from providing docu-mentation related to supervision, NASW-PA is offering additional licensure preparatory courses to prepare these seasoned professionals for the LCSW exam. This course will be offered to ACSW credentialed persons for a reduced rate of $50.

March 9, 2012 NASW-PA office (Clinically focused for ACSWs)TBA University of Pennsylvania


Winter 2011/12 Continuing Education

✁

Registration for the workshop on the previous page that has an asterisk (*) in front of the date.

NASW-PA is pleased to provide you with a diverse calendar of workshops. You have several options to register for these workshops.

• Visit www.nasw-pa.org and click on Continuing Education Calendar. Find the date and click on the workshop that you wish to register. More information about the location, presenters, the workshop itself, and cost of workshop will be on this screen. At the top right-hand side of the screen you will find a Register for Event Now button, simply click and follow the on-screen instructions.

• Complete this form and fax (717-232-4140) or mail it to the address below.

Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________________________________________

City, State, & Zip _____________________________________________________________________________________

Phone number ( ______) ________________- ______________ E-mail __________________________________________

If you do not have an active e-mail address, a confirmation will be mailed to the address above.

NASW member ❏ Yes, member # _____________________________________ ❏ No

Date Title Location Cost

I.e. 1/28/09 Ethical Decision Making with Children Camp Hill $30______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Total ____________

Credit Card information ❏ Same as mailing address

Name on Card ________________________________________________________________________________________

Billing Address ________________________________________________________________________________________

Billing City, State, & Zip _______________________________________________________________________________

Phone number ( ______) ________________- __________________

Will you be using ❏ MasterCard or ❏ Visa

Credit Card # ____________________________________________

Exp. Date _______ / ______________ CVV (# on back of card) __________

Please print the name you would like to have printed on your CE certificate.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mail this form and make checks payable to NASW-PA, 425 North 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill, PA 17011.Please direct questions to [email protected] or by calling 717-232-4125.


NASW-PA is pleased to highlight the Pennsylvania Fund for Work-force Solutions.

What Is the Pennsylvania Fund for Workforce Solutions (PFWS)? The Pennsylvania Fund is a unique collaboration of organizations committed to investing in work-force development to benefit both businesses and low-income work-ers. PFWS investors include philan-thropic partners from four regions (southwestern, northwestern, southeastern, and south central Pennsylvania); statewide philan-thropic, business, workforce and labor organizations; associations of manufacturers and technology businesses; and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

A Dual Customer Approach to Workforce Development The efforts of the Pennsylvania Fund complement the Common-wealth of Pennsylvania’s compre-hensive workforce reform based on investments in “industry partner-ships” (training consortia) that link to key regional industry clusters across Pennsylvania. Both the Com-monwealth and the Pennsylvania Fund support a “dual customer” approach to workforce development — the idea that public investment in skills must connect not only to workers (the “supply side” of the job market) but also to employ-ers (the “demand side” of the job market). Connecting to employers enables the identification of the workforce needs of businesses with good jobs and the targeting of skills training to those needs. For low-

income workers, connections to employers provide information on good-paying jobs and how best to enable low-income workers to qual-ify for jobs with pathways into the middle class. As the foundation of its dual customer workforce system, Pennsylvania invests in more than 70 “industry partnerships” tied to regional industry clusters.

The Pennsylvania Fund Strategy In the context of the state’s work-force reform, PFWS’s goals are to 1) increase partnership activity that benefits low-income families through investments in particular partnerships, as well as technical assistance and capacity building; 2) to institutionalize the state work-force strategy though legislative change (In a major victory, PFWS

The Pennsylvania Fund for Workforce SolutionsM E G A N K . S M I T HPubl i c Pol i c y M an age r, Uni t ed Way of Pennsylvan i a


just helped achieve the unanimous passage of industry partnership leg-islation by the state legislature.); and to 3) build civic leadership support, led by philanthropy and business, for workforce systems change built on investment in partnerships.

The PFWS Investors PFWS is a robust collaborative with the United Way of Pennsylvania (UWP) as fiscal agent and a rich mix of statewide and regional investors, including the Pennsylvania Depart-ment of Labor and Industry, the National Fund for Workforce Solu-tions (see below), The Pittsburgh Foundation, the Erie Community Foundation, the Philadelphia-based Job Opportunity Investment Net-work, the United Way of the Capital Region, the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania, the Manufac-turers Association of South Central Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Partners, and the Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board. PFWS is a natu-ral fit for the United Way of Penn-sylvania. UWP seeks to advance the common good in three areas: educa-tion, health and income. Thus, both UWP and the Pennsylvania Fund share a commitment to promoting financial stability for all Pennsylva-nians. The structure of UWP also matches the structure of PFWS, and includes both local UW efforts grounded in particular regions and the statewide work of UWP.

The National Fund for Workforce Solutions The Pennsylvania Fund is one of more than two dozen philanthropic groups (or “funders’ collaboratives”) across the country which invest in workforce partnership projects that have strong connections to employ-ers and that also help low-income workers. These funders’ collabora-tive are part of a national network,

the National Fund for Workforce Solutions (NFWS). NFWS pro-vides funds to each site along with technical assistance, including via annual peer learning meetings and evaluation. Of the NFWS sites, Pennsylvania is the only one that spans a large state. Except for Rhode Island, the other National Fund sites are metropolitan or span a single rural region. The reach of PFWS reflects the statewide span of Pennsylvania’s workforce develop-ment reform.

Projected Outcomes The PFWS anticipates serving 2,854 job seekers over a two-year period that began in late 2010, with 1,899 enrolled in training/education and 1,084 job place-ments. In addition, PFWS’ goal is to serve 1,016 incumbent workers over two years, with 836 enrolled in training/education, 551 receiving wage increases and 584 education/skills credentials earned.

Long-Term Workforce Systems ChangeLong-term, the PFWS vision includes three mutually reinforcing components:

l Regional collaboratives across the state that work with local Workforce Investment Boards to understand the regional economy, support the contin-ued development and mainte-nance of industry partnerships in critical sub-clusters of the regional economy, and align the services of PA CareerLinks and other education, training, and workforce service provid-ers with the needs identified by industry partnerships. These partnerships, already tightly linked with their employer members, would

promote two kinds of employer systems change: 1) effec-tive organizational practices within employers, increasing productivity, quality/service, and competitiveness; and 2) human resource practices (e.g., widespread use of peer men-tors, career coaching) that increase retention, training and advancement opportunities for workers, including new hires and entry-level workers.

l Regional partnerships would collaborate across the state to define and implement: 1) capacity building and peer learning within and among regions, and among partner-ships (within and across sec-tors) that further enhance the employer success and opportu-nities for workers at all levels; and 2) state policies that sup-port high-performing industry partnerships and an overall workforce system that benefits employers and workers.

l The engagement of philan-thropy and other stakeholders (e.g., business, the workforce system, anti-poverty organiza-tions, labor and environmental organizations) with regional collaboratives and statewide policy advocacy that strength-ens broad, bipartisan civic leadership support for work-force systems change. This would ensure that the state’s dual-customer reforms founded on strong industry partner-ships takes root over multiple gubernatorial administrations, delivering growing benefits for businesses and workers. l

For more information about PFWS, please contact Megan Smith at [email protected] or 717-238-7365. You can also visit the PFWS website at www.pfws.org.


Nadine M. Bean, PhD, LCSW“I serve on the Board because I want to ensure that the public receives social work services of the highest standards. Social workers often serve the most under-served and disenfranchised populations in the Com-monwealth and across the country. These vulnerable populations must be protected by ensuring that licensed social workers have degrees from accredited institu-tions, are kept abreast of the latest in evidence-based

and innovative social work practice skills through high quality continuing education offerings, and adhere to the ethical standards of the NASW Code of Ethics.”

Nadine Bean is a certified disaster mental health services volunteer with the American Red Cross and also works extensively with its Service to the Armed Forces program. Her first “deployment” for the Red Cross was in New York City after the September 11th attacks. She has a long history of work in the public sector, from working in a rural Ohio community mental health center to working in child welfare and early intervention in Balti-more County. Her advocacy work extends into affecting change in social policies, as well as in direct services. She is a past president of NASW-PA (2005–2007) and has served on the boards of the Ohio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania chapters of NASW. Nadine is finishing her first term as a member of the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors. Nadine is an associate pro-fessor in the MSW program at West Chester University. She teaches courses in advanced social work practice with families, advanced social work prac-tice with individuals, child welfare, mental health and illness, social work in disasters, advanced social research methods, and applied social research. Nadine strives to model what she expects students to achieve via partici-pation in local, national and international social work and social service conferences, innovative classroom demonstrations, publication in profes-sional venues and service to the university, the profession and to the larger political and policy environment. Nadine is a founding board member of an innovative rebuilding organization in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward (www.lowernine.org). This organization combines wood, nail, brick and mortar rebuilding with mind, spirit and community rebuilding. She has been volunteering in New Orleans since June 2006 and has taken students and staff from West Chester University to the area.

Recognizing Our Social Work State Board Representatives

The State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors is led by a dedicated group of volunteer professionals. The role of this Board is to protect the public from

unprofessional, improper, unauthorized and unqualified practice of social work, marriage and family therapy and professional counseling. In doing so, the Board sets forth rules and regulations governing our profession—such as continuing education guidelines, clinical supervision regulations, and penalties for violating title protection.

The Board has seen a number of dedicated and strong advocates for our profession over the years. NASW-PA would like members to take a minute in order to familiarize themselves with the current social work representa-tives on the Board.

Renée Cardone, LCSW“The primary duty of membership on the Board is to protect the public through careful consideration of issues that arise in the deliberative process. Social work is unique and distinctive among the professions. I strive to preserve the essence of social work (as distinguished from marriage and family therapy or professional counseling) in the process of interpreting and apply-ing laws and regulations that govern our licenses and

practice. I aim to translate those laws and regulations into meaningful and understandable guidelines for social work practitioners, while educating non-social work Board members about our profession and working along with them to make the decisions that affect the practices of all three of the disciplines under the purview of the Board.”

Renée Cardone was appointed to the State Board in November 2010. She earned her MSW at Smith College School for Social Work. She has worked in a variety of settings with children, adolescents and adults for 30 years of practice in Pennsylvania and Virginia. She holds an LCSW license in both those states. Renée is a member of NASW and the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work. She is past-president of the Clinical Social Work Guild 49, OPEIU. Her professional interests, in addition to her work with college students, include promotion of the social work profession and the essay genre in social work. Renée also holds a master’s degree in Spanish literature and linguistics and is proficient in Spanish. She currently lives and works in central Pennsylvania, where she is employed at Bucknell Univer-sity, in Psychological Services, as a counselor to the students.

Lina Hartocollis, MSS, PhD, LSW“Serving on the Board is an honor and a privilege. It is also a commitment and responsibility that I take very seriously. I view my role as twofold: to protect the pub-lic by ensuring competent, ethical practice and to repre-sent my professional social work colleagues by drafting and enforcing policies and regulations that are fair, rea-sonable, and effective. What propelled me to invest the time and energy to serve on the Board can be summed

up by Eldridge Cleaver’s famous line, “you’re either part of the solution or you’re part of the problem.”

Lina Hartocollis earned her MSS and PhD degrees from Bryn Mawr Col-lege. She is associate dean for students and director of the Clinical Doctor-ate in Social Work (DSW) Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice, where she also teaches courses on social work practice. Dr. Hartocollis was a practicing social worker for many years, most recently in private practice. She was appointed to the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Profes-sional Counselors in 2010. l

I N M E M O R I A M

Kathleen ReeseNASW-PA sends its condolences to the family and friends of Kathleen Reese.

Kathleen passed away on Aug. 16, 2011. She had an extraordi-nary career as a social worker and leader. Kathleen advocated to improve the quality of life for tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians through a career at the Department of Public Welfare. She served as Commissioner for Mental Health Quality Assurance and Director of the Bureau of Hospital Services within the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. In this tenure, she was responsible for the administration of 16 state psy-chiatric hospitals and 2 restoration centers. She eventually returned to her home of Nanticoke to finish her career and engage in community service. She was a long-standing member of NASW and held the ACSW credential. l



How often do you hear people say that their troubles are someone else’s fault? If only some-one else would change, or if this had not hap-

pened, or if only I was treated better. But what if you are a victim of a serious crime such as rape, child sexual assault, domestic violence or physical assault? How does one cope with this? Victims do not ask for this to happen, yet they reap the consequences of the trauma. Through my experience of working with such victims, common characteristics of the aftermath that a victim feels are similar. Very often victims feel that they have lost control of their lives, they feel very alone, ashamed, depressed, afraid, unworthy, unloved, guilty, unlovable and more. There is no more joy, happiness, laughter, love – only pain, loneliness and sadness.

Most people live their lives holding onto their personal trauma that they experienced in childhood or as an adult, such as child sexual assault, rape, alcoholism, parents getting divorced, domestic violence and so on. By holding onto these past experiences, they are still allowing what happened to control their lives today.

When people live in the past, they do not experience the here and now. Subsequently, I witness so many people living in the past or the future. What I mean by this is that if you live in the past and are depressed, angry or sad because of past experiences, you are not concen-trating on today and embracing the life you have been given. If you focus on what you don’t have and continue to say things like “I wish I had this” or “I wish I could do that,” you are limiting yourself and again living in the future, worrying about things that you don’t have or may not happen. If only an individual knew that you can change your way of thinking, be able to live in the moment, be healed from all past traumas and live the life you desire. However, it has to start from within.

Many of those who are suffering from traumatic experi-ences do not know how to cope with this in a healthy manner and therefore reach for unhealthy coping skills such as drugs and alcohol, reckless behavior, isolation and other unhealthy coping mechanisms. Many of the victims use these unhealthy coping skills as a sense of control. They have felt so out of control as a result of the past trauma that this is the only method that they can use to feel like they have control over their lives.

What most people do not realize is that they have the power and control to take their lives back and recreate them in the direction they want to go. Happiness comes

from within, yet people are always searching for happi-ness in external forces.

On most occasions if someone has made the decision to come to counseling, somewhere in the mind, body or soul is unbalanced and they need help to repair it. When I think of a human being and our mind, body and soul, I think about a windmill. Why a windmill? Wind-mills have blades, pump rods and a piston. The blades catch the wind and rotate, the pump rod rises and falls, the pump rod makes the piston draw water from the ground, a valve in the piston closes and does not allow the water out. As the piston rises it pumps water into a collection tank. As the piston lowers, the valve opens so that more water can be collected.

Without these three components the windmill will not function properly. If the blades are broken, they will not catch the wind and the other two functions will not work properly. This is the same with our minds, body and soul. When one function is off balance the others will be, too. We cannot be in great physical shape and be unhealthy in our minds because it is unbalanced. If a person is overweight, this will affect their mental state and soon they will not feel good about themselves, depressed and so on. So, the goal here is to have a bal-anced mind, body and soul. There has to be balance in all areas.

So where does one begin to heal the mind, body and soul? It starts with dealing with the past; whatever you have experienced in the past has to be dealt with for you to move forward. Many people suppress their feelings and emotions and do not deal with the trauma they have experienced and wonder why they feel unhappy. This does not mean that they approve or condone what hap-pened, but, there is a level of forgiveness or acceptance that one must arrive at to move forward. If we cannot accept what has happened in the past, then we are still holding blame and judgment that will keep us stuck where we are.

How do you forgive or accept? In most cases, we would suggest that you seek a therapist who is trained to help you through the process. The therapist will be able to help the individual deal with the emotions that are com-ing up and help them work through it. To forgive or

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Healing the Mind, Body and Soul from WithinS i n e a d O ’ H a r e - B r o w n , M S W

Continued on page 34


accept, one must acknowledge what has happened and not hide, suppress, be shameful or embarrassed. Are individuals going to let their past continue to rule their lives today or do they want to be happy? Each person must decide. How has a past event affected them? What do they want to change? It is the ultimate goal to take power back and create their life!

One of the main characteristics that I see with all vic-tims is that they do not love themselves. When I say this I do not mean from an egotistical perspective — I mean really love and embrace the life that has been given to them.

How do we heal our mind, body and soul from within? I want to clarify that I do not believe that any-one should ever have to take this journey alone. There are so many people who are willing to help: friends, strangers, family, therapists, volunteers, etc. However, people in need of healing have to want it and must believe that they have the power to change and live a good life.

The mind, body and soul are all connected. Therefore, the recommendations are all connected and not specifi-

cally for one thing. You have to figure out what you like, what calms you, what relaxes you, what brings you to that feeling of inner peace. Each person is differ-ent, and one thing might work for one person and not another.

Our thoughts create our feelings. If we are choosing to think and believe that we are worthless and no good, then we will begin to feel that way — which will ulti-mately lead to feeling depressed, low self worth, not treating yourself well and attracting negative people into your life.

Individuals may have had a partner who continuously put them down, called them names and physically attacked them. If they had parents who made them feel like everything they did was not good enough, then they may begin to think they are not good enough, which leads to them feeling like they are not good. We could go on and on here, but the bottom line is that you get to choose who you are and who you want to be. I truly believe that when people judge others it really is a reflection on them and how they would like to be — or they see the same qualities as their own. However, if someone is happy in their lives, they would not feel the necessity to judge others. And when you are truly happy, the negative people in your life seem to disappear.

We must choose our thoughts and choose who we are and who we want to be. We must encourage others to decide today that they are never going to give anyone the power over their lives again. We must acknowledge that individuals deserve the best; we are all here on earth with the same goal and same mission. If your thoughts are always negative about others and about yourself, what are you masking? What is the real problem?

Write down (or encourage others to) affirmations that apply to you, such as “I love myself and am grateful for the life I have been given,” “I choose to create a positive future for myself and live a healthy life,” “I am loved by others, I am loveable,” or “I release the past and am open and ready for a healthy future.” You can make affirmations for anything in your life. You are the boss of your life, you get to choose. It is normal for people when beginning to say affirmations for the negative voice to pop back in. That is OK; just kindly ask it to leave and continue to say the positive affirma-tions. Even if you don’t believe it, continue to say it. As they say in rehab, “Fake it till you make it.”

Holding on to resentments, guilt, fear, jealously and all negative forces will hold you back from your healing. Love yourself enough to let go of the blame for others’ actions, take responsibility for your life now. What are you going to do now? How are you going to deal with it and recreate a positive life for yourself? Remember letting go is really for you, not for the other person. They still have to live with their actions. You live with

HEALING THE MIND, BODY AND SOUL…continued from page 33


yours and know that you are good enough and you deserve to have freedom and peace.

Are you religious or spiritual? Find whatever it is that makes you happy and brings you inner peace — whether it is going to church, praying at home, read-ing spiritual books like the Bible, reading and talking to your angels. Having that connection to a higher power, whatever it may be, is powerful and can help you through your process of healing. Learn to use your higher power for guidance when you are going through rough times. Talk to your higher power, ask for help and witness the miraculous results. If you do not believe in any higher power, that is OK. Find anything that you can consider your higher power and can bring that peace to you when you need it.

I personally find inner peace when I am at one with nature, walking along the beach, listening to the waves, walking at home listening to the trees glistening. Listen to the sounds around you, be grateful for everything you see and hear. Try walking and really embracing your surroundings; quite often you find that when peo-ple go walking they are not taking in their surround-ings. Stop and listen, and you will be amazed at what you see and hear.

There are many, many self-help books out there today. Some authors include Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, and Doreen Virtue. Find the one that you feel most comfort-able with and explore your options.

Learn how to meditate. Meditation helps you get the answers you need. When you silence yourself from the busy world, all the answers are within you. We all have a purpose, and our paths are set out for us.

I have always believed in healing our mind, body and soul from within. One of the methods that I have used myself and am certified to practice on others for my own relaxation and healing is Reiki. Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui developed the spiritual practice of Reiki in 1922. One of the greatest benefits from Reiki is stress reduction and relaxation, which triggers the body’s natural healing abilities and improves and maintains health. It is a natural therapy that gently balances life energies and brings health and well being to the recipi-ent. Reiki is excellent for healing any physical, mental, emotional and spiritual issues.

Another therapeutic practice that a person can do is writing. Write down all your feelings, frustrations, whatever it is that is going on for you at that moment. If you are trying to release anger, write whatever you would like to say to that particular person, once you have finished rip it and release that anger. Every time you do an exercise like this, you are getting rid of once piece of negative energy within you and as a result gain-ing healing. Art is also an excellent release and thera-peutic process, whether it is drawing, painting or music. Whatever helps you is worth doing. Exercise is also very important; it helps you both physically and mentally. l

Sinead O’Hare-Brown received her bachelor’s of social science at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. She earned her MSW at Marywood University. She is currently an assistant director at the Handicapped Chil-dren’s Association in Binghamton, NY. Sinead can be contacted at [email protected].

The National Guard Is Your Ticket to Higher Education

The Pennsylvania Army National Guard is seeking licensed clinical social workers to provide behavioral health services as Army officers in our units. As an LCSW for the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, you may be eligible for up to $20,000 in annual bonus or up to $75,000 in student loan repayment.

Are you a BSW graduate and seeking to further your education? Serve as a Pennsylvania Army National Guard soldier and apply to the Fayetteville State University Master of Social Work program. Earn your MSW with no out-of-pocket expense, health care benefits and a paycheck while doing so. For more infor-mation please contact Capt. Kara Brinks at 717-673-5058 or [email protected].


NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDHARRISBURG, PAPERMIT NO. 147425 North 21st Street, Ste. 401

Camp Hill, PA 17011 www.nasw-pa.org

888-480-5865Toll Free

215-641-2311 • Fax: 215-641-2313

[email protected]

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