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Social Workers across the state are making a difference in our communities, one person at a time Before daybreak, Jennifer Thompson is up. Watching the news, reading the headlines, tracking legislation and speaking with national colleagues about issues that range from child welfare to Women’s Rights, pending statewide marijuana legislation and telehealth regulations. She’s researching opioid addiction in New Jersey, responding to emails on livable wages and dialoguing with colleagues about the federal government shutdown now on day 21. The issues are so varied that a connection is not immediately visible, but when asked becomes clear— Social Work. Thompson is the Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers - New Jersey Chapter (NASW-NJ), the largest professional organization of social workers in the world, with nearly 7,000 members in New Jersey alone. The organizations mission is simple, yet visionary: to enhance the professional growth and development of social workers, to maintain professional standards and to advance sound social policies on behalf of the populations, clients and communities social workers serve.
“Most people don’t recognize the depth and breadth of the work social workers do. Their view is typically limited to an interaction they’ve had with a social worker or what they have seen in television and movies. However, social workers can be found in every space in our community— serving others, researching, teaching, advocating,” Thompson says. “That’s what’s so exciting about the profession. We’re everywhere, doing transformative work on a daily basis.” March is National Social Work Month. This year we’re elevating the stories of social workers within our state.
GOVERNMENT Social workers can be found in the highest levels of government in New Jersey. Former General Assembly Speaker and current Lt. Governor, Sheila Oliver, says her work has been shaped by her training as a social worker. “I strive to help the voiceless and underserved people in New Jersey to be heard and to thrive,” says Oliver. “We have a state with extreme income inequality. We also have one of the highest rates of disparity between black and white incarcerations. I want to help address these social justice issues and close the gaps in equality.”
CHILD WELFARE
Also working to address the needs of the underprivileged, Christine Norbut Beyer, MSW works at the intersection of government and child welfare. As Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) Beyer oversees the work of thousands of front line social workers who are serving families, children, and women across the state. Beyer’s career in child welfare began as an intern at DCF in the early 1990’s. Through dedication and perseverance, she has risen to the highest ranks, now leading the agency. One pillar of NASW-NJ’s efforts is to work collaboratively with elected and appointed officials such as the Lt. Governor and DCF Commissioner to advance social policies on behalf of the families and communities social workers serve. “Social workers are trained listeners, inquisitive in nature, with a true desire to get to a common place of understanding and agreement,” says Thompson. “These traits make social workers uniquely strong leaders and advocates.”
ADVOCACY
Such is the case of Cinthia Osorio, a recent BSW graduate. Osorio is a DACA recipient and immigrant rights advocate in New Jersey. Last year Osorio spoke at the Women’s March on New Jersey, telling her personal story and advocating for the rights of immigrants across our state. “My childhood was very difficult, especially since my family and I immigrated to the US,” says Osorio. “I chose to be a social worker because I wanted to help families who are experiencing similar situations and show them they are not alone; that their life and their decisions are valid.”
INTERNATIONAL
Change doesn’t stop at the local, state or even federal level for social workers. Dr. Juan Rios, LCSW is an educator and a leader in international social work, working on programs in our state as well as overseas. “I am passionate about educating young scholars to become analytical thinkers that can change policies, practices and limited thinking that prevent us from engaging globally—and compassionately,” says Rios. Like Osorio, and many other social workers, Rios was inspired to become a social worker by his life experiences. As an adolescent he lived in a dysfunctional home, had first hand experiences with child protective services, welfare programs, racial discrimination, and other challenges. “Never in a million years did I think I would have had a private audience with the Dalai Lama, walked the Great Wall of China with social work students, and fed homeless individuals on the streets of Hong Kong,” shares Rios. “Social work has allowed me to be able to travel, experience different cultures, see the world from various perspectives and know that I am a part of this larger global community that brings together the foundational human value of dignity for all.” As an organization, NASW-NJ is involved in advocacy issues from the local to the international—from supporting social workers who are running for local town council to sending representatives to participate in Social Work Day at the United Nations. They participate in broad coalitions such as the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice and the Anti-Poverty Network. In the 1990’s, NASW-NJ was instrumental in the passage of the New Jersey Social Workers’ Licensing Act, which set standards for qualification, education, training and experience for those who seek certification or licensure to practice as a social worker in New Jersey. The organization’s current advocacy work includes efforts to increase the minimum wage in the state, strengthen our state’s Family Leave Insurance program, enhance mental health and substance abuse parity protections, and to increase the ability of Licensed Clinical Social Workers to provide services to Medicaid recipients, among others. NASW-NJ also works closely with the numerous schools of social work in the state to provide high-quality educational opportunities to social work students and professionals.
PRIVATE PRACTICE & EDUCATION
Educating the next generation of social workers—ensuring they are skilled, trained and qualified to tackle the needs of our rapidly changing world— is something that Dr. Tawanda Hubbard feels passionately about as well. Dr. Hubbard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Researcher and Professor at Monmouth University. She is also the current President of NASW-NJ. Her passion for education does not end with students; Dr. Hubbard routinely speaks around the state and nation on issues surrounding child protection and adolescents and has a thriving private practice where she provides family and individual therapy. Dr. Hubbard says there are numerous reasons she loves her career as a social worker. “As a clinician, it is an honor and joy to be a part of the solution for struggling individuals and families, making a difference in their lives as they turn things around for themselves in positive ways,” she explains. “And as an educator, I am humbled to be able to invest in the next generation of social workers and shape social work education.” Dr. Hubbard also says a common misconception is that social workers only work in child welfare or as therapists, when in fact, there are social workers in just about every industry that exists. “The Master of Social Work (MSW) is a wonderful degree that offers flexibility and mobility,” adds Hubbard.
LAW
A primary example of the many paths open to those who possess an MSW is the number of individuals who earn advanced degrees in both social work and law. David Barry, JD, LSW is the most recent past president of NASW-NJ and a Partner with Brown, Barry & Barry, Attorney’s at Law. Barry chose to return to school to obtain his MSW after he was already an established lawyer. “I wanted to gain insight into the human factors that you don’t learn or focus on in law school so I could better understand and represent my clients in court,” Barry says. “As a lawyer, I love the idea that my guidance helps social workers serve their clients in a better, more ethically and legally sound manner.”
CRIMINAL JUSTICE From legal assistance to criminal justice reform, social workers continue to lead across the state. Dr. Darcella Sessomes says she became a social worker to fight systemic injustice. She is currently the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Program & Community Services for the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC). Her career spans over 25 years, with 15 years dedicated to state government. In 2004, she established and built the NJDOC reentry preparation services. During the past three decades, she has worked in various areas of social work policy and practice including, but not limited to domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, addictions, homelessness, juveniles, and incarceration. “When I see former clients in the community and they are doing well and say ‘thank you’ with tears in their eyes, it reminds me to stay humble and not judge. If it wasn’t for God’s grace, I could have easily been in their shoes,” Sessomes shares. Indeed, the practice of social work is often a transformative experience not just for the clients, but for the social workers as well, explains Thompson. Regardless of the type of social work being conducted, practitioners frequently experience a wide-range of responses stretching from the heights of personal growth and enlightenment to the lows of burnout and secondary trauma. NASW-NJ offers a place for social workers from various practice setting to share their experiences, and support, and learn from each other. Over a thousand social workers meet annually at the NASW-NJ Annual Conference in Atlantic City, the largest convening of social workers in the tri-state area, to network, dialogue, recharge their batteries, and learn from one another’s areas of expertise. When these individuals return to their respective fields of practice, they are more informed about other perspectives, trends and firsthand knowledge so they can best support the clients and populations they serve.
ADDICTIONS
“Cross-dialogue and collaboration is critical to solving the most pressing issues of our time,” reminds Thompson. “Never has that been more true than surrounding the issue of opioid addiction, where social workers are leading national charges to create change.” Frank Greenagel, Jr. a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor from New Jersey, specializes in addiction and recovery treatment and is a leader in the national dialogue on addictions. Mr. Greenagel served in the U.S. Army and is a First Lieutenant in the National Guard. He consults for a variety of treatment programs and universities and regularly writes for a number of journals and trade websites. Greenagel has served on the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse (GCADA) since 2011 and was the Chairman of the NJ Heroin & Other Opiates Task Force. He spent much of 2016-17 training police in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania on issues surrounding addiction and community policing and trained over a thousand Corrections Officers and Therapists for the New Jersey Department of Corrections in the first half of 2018.
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HEALTHCARE From a national level to a community level, social workers are addressing the opioid crisis and other healthcare issues on a daily basis in organizations such as the New Jersey Community Research Initiative (NJCRI) led by social worker and Chief Executive Officer, Brian McGovern, LSW. The NJCRI began as an HIV/ AIDS organizations and under Mr. McGovern’s leadership has grown into a full service organization offering behavioral health, transgender medical care, pediatrics, primary care, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, a homeless drop in center, training programs and programs for LGBTQIA youth. McGovern says his work at NJCRI has been the most rewarding experience of his social work career. “When we created this Community Center and Healthcare Center… so many potential clients would keep away at first because of the stigma of HIV,” he shares. “Today they are attracted to our center for the many services we provide, primarily because we strive to create a respectful and supportive environment no matter your race, gender identity, sexuality, age, housing status, health, and more.” “I love hearing the stories of my colleagues--what led them to social work, their passion for what they do,” says Thompson. “Dr. Hubbard was drawn to social work after the significant personal loss of her brother to community violence, and now she’s changing the world for adolescents here in New Jersey. Mr. McGovern felt so passionately about the work his organization was doing that he went several years without taking a salary so the organization could continue to meet its mission,” she continues. “Social workers are passionate about what they do, personally invested in their work in profound ways, and always giving to the community in ways we may not necessarily see.”
SCHOOLS School Social Worker, Lenora B. Keel, LCSW is the Coordinator of Student & Family Services for Princeton Public Schools. Prior to this position she was the social worker with the Child Study Team at Princeton High School, a role that has changed substantially over the years with the issue of gun violence and school safety driving our national discourse. Despite the challenges, Keel says she loves her work as a social worker. “Every day I have the ability and the opportunity to lift someone up, to empower, to challenge, to guide, and to be a light for someone who is struggling to find their way out of the dark. Every day, I have the opportunity to make a difference,” says Keel. “School social workers are the unsung heroes of our community,” says Thompson. “I realized that the moment my Kindergartner came home from school to talk about shelter in place” she continues. “It’s social workers like Ms. Keel who are not only helping our children make sense of what this means to them, but supporting us parents as we struggle to understand a world which is so drastically different than the one we grew up in.”
INNOVATORS It is precisely these types of challenges that drive social workers to become innovators in their field. One such social worker is Dr. Randolph D. Sconiers, LCSW— “Dr. S” to his clients—who specializes in mental health treatment, interventions, and education with youth, adolescents, and young adults utilizing Hip-Hop culture as a bridge to learning and change. “I became a social worker to serve others and create change. I wanted to help those that felt like they didn’t have a voice to be heard. I created Mental-Hop (mental health education & Hip-Hop culture) to engage, educate, and empower our youth in an innovative way,” explains Sconiers. “To see young people discuss mental health [issues] for the first time ever and understand the positive impact it can have on their lives has been incredible. Helping to break the cycle of stigma and shame has been so rewarding!” “The diversity of social work is what keeps my role interesting,” Thompson remarks. “When people think of becoming a social worker, rarely do they imagine that role leading to a career as an international researcher or the Lt. Governor. But social work education sets the foundation for a career in so many spaces, in roles that are affecting real change.” Ultimately, that is what the story of social work is about— these seemingly unrelated areas are bound together by a profession of helpers— social workers who are creating change, lifting and inspiring others, raising awareness, eliminating stigma, and ensuring all individuals, families, and communities have the tools and resources, both internal and external, to not just live, but thrive.
To learn more about social work as a career or to connect with other social workers, please visit naswnj.org.