HIGHLIGHTS 5 | Annual Celebration Recap 6 | From the Border VOL 29•2 | OCTOBER 2019
8 | Hispanic Heritage Month 12 | Social Work Spotlight: Domestic Violence Awareness Month 13 | Social Work Spotlight: Long-Term Care Planning Month 17 | Partner Spotlight: Lyons & Associates, P.C.
National Association of Social Workers
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER
NASW Legal Defense Fund Since 1972, NASW’s Legal Defense Fund (LDF) has provided financial assistance and support for legal cases and issues of concern to NASW members and the social work profession. LDF supports educational projects and programs to improve the legal status and knowledge of the social work profession. For more information, visit www.socialworkers.org/about/legal/legaldefensefund.
Cover Image: Representatives from Clear Conscience Counseling and Hoarders Express celebrate with NASW-NJ staffers at the Annual Celebration. 2 20192019 | www.naswnj.org 2 June October | www.naswnj.org
INSIDE THIS ISSUE President’s Message
|3
Social Work Spotlight: Long-Term Care Planning Month
| 13
Executive Director’s Message
|4
Annual Celebration
|5
Advocacy in Action
| 14
From the Border
Partner Spotlight: Lyons & Associates, P.C.
| 17
|6
Hispanic Heritage Month
|8
Student Center
| 18
Member Benefits
| 10
NASW Swag
| 20
Meet Our Staff
| 11
Classifieds
| 21
Fall/Winter Professional Development Workshops
| 22
Social Work Spotlight: | 12 Domestic Violence Awareness Month
President’s MESSAGE
Nkechi Okoli, MSW, LSW
Dear Members: This month, I want to take a moment to reflect on how heartwarming it was to have so many social workers gathered together for our Annual Celebration in September. Our slate of award winners—who combined represented more than 150 years of social work leadership in New Jersey—were nothing short of inspirational. Yet even more inspirational was the energy of the nearly 200 guests in the room—the buzz of dedicated and passionate social workers, eager to affect change and bring light to the world. During this year’s Celebration, we made time to acknowledge the contributions of our volunteer leadership: our Unit Leaders, Committee Chairs, and Shared Interest Group facilitators. We also had the opportunity to welcome and install our new Board of Directors, also all volunteers. One of the greatest gifts you can give is your time, and as an organization, we appreciate the active participation of our members. Giving back to your social work community and fellow social workers through volunteering not only enhances the work we do and the visibility of our field, but also helps social workers make a lasting impact in New Jersey and nationally. It is amazing to witness the many accomplishments of our volunteer leaders as they continue to strengthen our organization as a whole. As Chapter President, I am proud to lead such a dynamic group of committed individuals and I know that the governance of our organization is in good hands. Overall, Celebration was an opportunity for us to acknowledge the collective of social workers in New Jersey. We celebrated more than just our awardees, volunteers, and board members. We celebrated all of you – our 6,400 members. As I looked around the room, I was pleased to see not only the diversity of the people in the room, but also the diversity in the areas of social work that were represented. As a profession, we find ourselves working as both micro and macro practitioners. We are working in private practice, government agencies, higher education, and even in areas not traditionally identified as social work jobs. Social workers are instrumental to the fabric of society and because of that I am proud to be here representing all of you and our profession. Moreover, I am glad NASW-NJ is the professional organization you turn to for your continuing education, advocacy, and social justice efforts, and most importantly, as your professional home.
Sincerely, Nkechi Okoli
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Friends & Colleagues:
DESK OF
NASW- NJ’s Executive Director
In late August I had the honor and privilege to travel to the US/Mexico border and spend time in the immigration centers. The experience was life changing. While I have worked in communities in crisis before, this trip was the first time that I traveled to a location experiencing an emergency of this magnitude. It was certainly the first time I actively participated in an issue with such national attention. I took so much from this experience, which I have shared with you via e-mail, our newsletter, and social media—but the most important take-away from this trip was the power and relevance of our Association, our statewide and our national community of social workers. We talk about the benefits of being a member of NASW–but so often those conversations are about what I call our transactional benefits: our ethics consultations, legal consultations, continuing education programs and discounts. While I certainly believe those benefits hold tremendous value, the truth is—our Association is about so much more.
Jennifer Thompson, MSW
NASW is our community and your home. It is where you have an opportunity to come together and share your passion for the most pressing issues in our world—and to act. Our member, Widian Nicola, led this trip to the border. She envisioned an experience that not only changed me but affected real change. Because of our experiences at the border, we have been able to create policy recommendations, share them with national leaders, and lead the discussion on the crisis at the border in a way that no other chapter of NASW has been able to do. You can read more about Widian’s experience at the Border on page 6. This professional home, our community, gives you the space to come together and share your passions, to bring others together to create programs, lead dialogues, and create change that is broad reaching. For many social workers, we don’t have that opportunity in our daily work—or our passions reach broader than the agencies we work in. NASW is your home to feed your social work soul, nurture that passion and lean in further. When I think about the value of the Association to me, as a member, it’s in you and in these experiences. You connect me to something larger, drive me to do more, and challenge me to give of myself in ways I never dreamt possible. I hope you feel that as well. Our team is busy developing new ways to strengthen our community, and I invite you to the dialogue. C’mon over, lets chat. Tell me what you’re passionate about—together, we’ll continue to fight injustices and change the world. In Solidarity, Jennifer Thompson, MSW
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Annual CELEBRATION On September 17, nearly 200 people – social workers, their families and friends — gathered to celebrate the profession and honor the dedicated efforts of our colleagues and peers. This year’s slate of Annual Award winners represented more than 150 years of combined social work knowledge and experience. And while these awardees practiced in varied areas of social work and public service, from academia to politics, and school social work to community organizing, there was one common thread that became evident throughout the evening—Service. SERVICE TO COMMUNITY. SERVICE TO PROFESSION. SERVICE TO OTHERS. SERVICE TO AUTHENTIC, CONNECTED SELF.
Social Worker of the Year, Mitch Kahn, has dedicated a half-century to service, as a tenant organizer, advocate, educator, mentor, and community leader. Likewise, Lifetime Achievement Awardee, Dr. Phylis Peterman, has spent 47 years in social work education and leadership, impacting the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of aspiring social workers across New Jersey and beyond. And Outstanding Service Awardee, Dawn Clarke, worked for more than 30 years as a school social worker in Elizabeth, has been an active member of NASW for more than 60 years, a leader of the NJ Association of School Social Workers since 1972, and a volunteer with the League of Women Voters for almost as long. Our non-social work honorees—while not social workers by degree—have shown themselves to be social workers in spirit, fighting tirelessly for social justice and the rights of working families. Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, our Elected Public Official of the Year, has been one of the most progressive members of Congress during her three-terms in office and is continuing a decades-long family commitment to public service. Public Citizen of the Year, Analilia Mejia, lived in poverty as a child and has risen to the heights of public service, serving as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, and now as the National Political Director for Senator Bernie Sanders 2020 Presidential Campaign. This collection of individuals, our 2019 awardees, serves as our north star, illuminating the path to systemic change and a better, more just world. Their dedication and determination serves to demonstrate what we can achieve, as individuals and collectively, when we commit to a life of service. We are honored to follow in their footsteps. June2019 2019 || www.naswnj.org www.naswnj.org 5 5 October
From the BORDER “In busy downtown McAllen, TX – a city that sits directly on the U.S./Mexican border – stands a massive multi-thousand square foot building connected to other seemingly average structures. From the outside looking in, the space doesn’t look all that unique. But business was not ‘as usual’ inside.”
So began social worker and NASW member Widian Nicola’s address to the assembled group of social workers, their friends, and supporters at the NASW-NJ Annual Celebration last month. In August, NASWNJ’s Jennifer Thompson and Helen French accompanied Widian and her friend, Kate, on a multi-day mission to the immigrant detention center in McAllen, TX. Inside the innocuous building was a humanitarian respite center, forced into creation by the humanitarian crisis at our border. Business there was indeed far from normal. Widian described the center as “a frenzied, yet well-organized space of refuge and respite for thousands of men, women, and children who had traveled days – if not weeks – in search of safety.” Widian and her companions on this mission of mercy quickly found that the families housed in this facility had nothing. Their belongings were confiscated and incinerated upon their arrival to the U.S. Even their shoelaces were deemed dangerous. The fate and destiny of each person who walked through the respite center doors was uncertain. Upon inquiry, Widian learned court dates would be scheduled for each family member at the facility; however, these hearings would often be scheduled on the same day and at same time, placing families in the impossible situation of having to be in two places at once. Failure to appear at a hearing would result in a deportation order.
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While there, the team from New Jersey did whatever was needed to help. They washed floors, cleaned bathrooms, sorted clothes, greeted families, played with children, and shopped to fill the gap in supplies at the center: underwear, shoes, bras, hats, plastic bins, anything that could be distributed to the migrant families. Their efforts were aided by the nearly $10,000 in donations they raised from the community in support of the trip. While the overall situation was overwhelming, the personal connections the volunteers made kept them connected to the reality of what was happening, serving as a constant reminder of the human face of this mass crisis. Widian described an encounter she had on her first day of work at the center.
they discovered. “We heard stories of rape, kidnappings, gang violence, and poverty,” she shared. “And we vowed to bring these terrible stories and our experiences back home so we could do more.” Widian said she and her companions will be forever transformed by this experience. “To be honest, I’m still grappling and struggling with the complexities and bizarre nature of this U.S. reality,” she paused. “I’m truly sad and angry about every aspect of it.” The questions remaining: “now what?” and “where do we go from here?”
“I felt a gentle tug at my left pant leg,” she shared. “Jonathan Pablo – a curious six-year old boy – was making an attempt to play with me. He smiled and laughed in a sweet attempt to hide under the plastic chairs. Like any child around the world, his innocence and purity of heart captivated us.” The social workers from New Jersey would see Jonathan Pablo every day they were at the Center. And each day, they would step back from the trauma, the struggle, and the inhumanity of the situation, to briefly play hide-and-seek with this young boy. Jonathan Pablo would run behind his mama, laughing and hiding when they would chase him. It was a brief glimpse of normality in the most abnormal of situations. Jonathan Pablo and his mama left two days after Widian met them. They took with them nothing but a bagged lunch, a few toiletries, and a bus ticket to their destination. “And one more thing,” Widian added. “Jonathan Pablo took a piece of my heart with him that day, too.” Kate, Jenn, Helen, and Widian spent hours talking about and processing what they were witness to each day. They cried, laughed, and at times became outraged at the realities of what they were seeing. Widian’s expression was grave as she recounted the many horrors
“The short answer is this:” Widian declared, “remain willing to have your heart break open and use that brokenness as fuel to fight for change. Draw near and confront the reality of suffering.” So, what can we, as social workers, do? Widian proffered multiple steps and suggestions: Advocate for bipartisan immigration reform. Call in all stakeholders. Advocate for humane treatment instead of punitive policies. Advocate for solutions in those countries that people are fleeing. Address climate change. Support relief efforts like the Catholic Charities Humanitarian Respite Center. “Do something. Anything,” she concluded. “And make sure to bring your friends with you.”
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Hispanic
HERITAGE MONTH It was fifty-nine years ago, 1960, arms locked, Black-skinned, in protest for equal rights. Banners with expressions of economic equality and justice, hunger strikes, marches, and songs filled the streets with the hope of a better society. The Civil Rights Movement in America? Nope. The movement was called “La Marcha del hambre y la desesperación (The March of hunger and desperation).” The leaders – two young revolutionary Afro-Latinos: Andres Galvan and Eugenio Barrera. The place: Colón, Panama, a vibrant city filled with Black folks who are rightfully proud of their skin tones and Congo roots. A place where the music more resembles the authentic reggae Patuá language than Spanish Castellano. Its history is the cornerstone of Panamanian culture and an epicenter of what it means to be Black and proud. Colón was, and still is, the country’s most powerful economic generator due to its location near the Caribbean. There, the port of the famous Panama Canal resides, as well as the Canal duty-free zone. This zone consists of acres of duty-free stores that generate millions of dollars for the country annually. So, why, with Colón’s rich resources and proud culture, would its folks have to fight for economic equality and social awareness? Why would the starving workers of Colón, who were the engine that kept the economic train moving in the country, even need to continue to fight for such equality? Simple -- Oppression.
By Dr. Juan Rios, DSW, LCSW
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Colón is similar to many cities in America. It was built on the backs of slaves. Cheap AfroAntillean labor meant workers for a fraction of the cost of the salary of their lighter-skinned co-workers. It also meant horrible and unsafe living and working conditions. This type of systemic, oppressive treatment of Black folks is not exclusive to Panama, the United States, the Caribbean, or Latin America. It is present around the world and is a systemic approach to divide those who are deemed “worthy” from the “unworthy” in a society where white supremacy still reigns. It has instilled in people’s psyche, the belief that being Black means you deserve and should be treated as “less than” regardless of language, cultural affinity, and nationalism. Tens of thousands of miles away, Dr. Martin Luther King was organizing one of world history’s most impactful social movements – the Civil Rights liberation movement. Black brothers and sisters, thousands of miles apart, although speaking two entirely different languages, simultaneously fought for the same cause. Unbeknownst to many, Panamanian civil rights
leaders were directly inspired by Dr. King and even received direct training from the Black Panthers on social activism and mobilizing communities. Andrés Galván and Eugenio Barrera, the same leaders who challenged the Panamanian government policies on equal wages, safe working conditions, and minimum wages to combat poverty, were two of those leaders. Despite the distance and language barriers, unity over the fight for global social change occurred. The fight for oppression was not specific to a region, language, country or color. Allies are Allies. Full stop. In present day Latinx culture, we can see the divisive indoctrination of the marginalization of Blackness. It can be seen through our shaming of skin tones, hair textures, and definitions of beauty. This is nothing new. I find myself focusing on the power of change through the inspiration of those who say, “¡Esta vaina se acabo!” or simply put, “this ‘BS’ is done!” We must stop this systemic brainwashing that has separated ancestral cousins, brothers, and sisters because of white supremist beliefs that also have a grasp in Latinx communities. This summer, I went back to Colón, my birthplace, where my roots reside, to reconnect with my native land by working with its young people. Fifty-nine years after La Marcha, the inner city looks similar to a scene from the Brazilian pop-culture film, City of God. Poverty, crime, and economic inequity are more visible than ever. Black families have not moved further up the social ladder in Colón. It also does not surprise me that Panama still derives a majority of its economic wealth from this city and its underserved people. While there, I heard narratives of hopelessness and desperation from both my family members and members of the community. Yet, they are still very proud to be Black, holding strong to their deep roots and connectedness to Afro-Antillian and African culture. Leaving there, I was prouder than ever to be Latino, to be black, and to hold the same Social Work DNA as my grandfather, the revolutionary Eugenio Barrera. I feel a strong conviction and a duty to carry on his legacy and create a new renaissance for change both in the United States and my birth land of Panama. Latinx communities across the world have their relative history that must be shared to educate both younger Latinx leaders and all of those who advocate for change through social work, the ultimate transdisciplinary field. Latinx heritage means Black heritage. Social justice means human rights and human dignity. And Social Work means to dedicate one’s whole self to the fight against inequality and oppression of any peoples. Such is the message of Hispanic Heritage Month.
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JOIN NASW-NJ NOW AND SAVE! Enjoy the benefits of Membership throughout the year: ADVANCE YOUR CAREER • Reduced rate for all in-person and online CE programs • Reduced rate for LSW and LCSW Test Prep Courses • Reduced rates for Annual Conference • Free CEUs during Social Work Month • Clinical Supervisor Directory (Find a Supervisor/ Promote your Practice) • JobLink (Members-only online Career Center) • Access to NASW Scholarships (for students) • newSWire™ e-newsletter (weekly) and FOCUS magazine (bi-monthly) • Social Work Advocates (National bi-monthly magazine) • Free annual subscription to Social Work journal • Practice updates • Specialty Practice Sections • Unlimited access to NASW Research Library (including 25 international research databases) • NASW Press – 10% discount PROTECT & GROW YOUR PRACTICE • Free Ethics Consultations • New Jersey licensing updates • Tools & resources created just for you • Legal resources
• HIPAA Resources • Discounted liability (malpractice) insurance • Reduced rate for NJ Private Practice Manual • Help Starts Here (free listing on Social Work directory) • EAPrefer (referral of EAP clients) BE AN ADVOCATE • Social Justice Priorities and Briefs • Advocacy and Legislative Alerts • Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) CONNECT WITH PEERS • Unit events (regionally based): activities, networking, & CE programs • Private Practice Shared Interest Groups (regionally based) • Social Work Meet & Greet Networking Events • Take on a volunteer leadership role • Join the MyNASW Online Community NEW JERSEY SERVICES • Personalized Licensing Consultations • Brief Legal Consultations • Exclusive personal and professional discounts for members • Competitive advertising across NJ platforms
TO JOIN NASW NOW, GO TO: WWW.SOCIALWORKERS.ORG 10 2019 2019 | www.naswnj.org 10 June October | www.naswnj.org
MEET OUR STAFF
Annie Siegel, MSW
Membership and Education Coordinator
Please give a warm welcome to Annie Siegel, NASW-NJ’s newest full-time staff member. Annie joined our team in July as our first ever combined Membership and Continuing Education Coordinator. Her role was created to form a bridge between our Member Services and Continuing Education departments to assist with providing outstanding service and opportunities for our members. Annie helps plan events with Unit leaders, coordinate professional development courses, and answer member questions, among other tasks. She is excited to be on the team and to have the opportunity to connect with social workers throughout New Jersey. A New Jersey native, Annie grew up in Monmouth Beach, where she went on to complete her BSW from Monmouth University and recently graduated with her MSW from Columbia University. Prior to that, she spent time as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in Burlington, VT working in nonprofit development and eating lots of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. In her free time, Annie enjoys completing home improvement projects and baking delicious treats. As a result, she’s quickly become the office’s resident baker, feeding the staff endless goodies she’s whipped up in her kitchen. Annie’s interest in social work lies in generalist practice, specifically program development and evaluation, making her a perfect fit for this new role! She is also very passionate about issues surrounding income inequality, access to affordable healthcare, and women’s health. If you have questions about NASW membership or the Chapter’s continuing education offerings, you can reach Annie at 732-296-8070 or asiegel.naswnj@socialworkers.org.
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SOCIAL WORK SPOTLIGHT Domestic Violence Awareness Month
SAFE + SOUND
SOMERSET
Domestic Violence (DV) intersects with every field of practice and population social workers encounter. One in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will experience DV during their lifetime, says Lauren Lia, LCSW, Interim Clinical Coordinator at Safe + Sound Somerset (S+SS), the DV resource center for Somerset County. As such, it is imperative for all social workers to be educated about DV and aware of the resources available to help survivors, Lia says. “The most important thing I can share with other social workers about DV is that there are no ‘cookie cutter’ survivors,” shares Lia. “Each survivor responds to trauma and crisis differently. As such, we must believe survivors even if they do not look or act the way we envision a ‘victim’ should,” she continues. Lia and the team at S+SS touch the lives of over 7,000 people annually through a continuum of trauma-informed and responsive counseling, crisis intervention services, housing, violence prevention education, and legal advocacy. S+SS has become a national leader in the use of progressive, evidence-based modalities in the DV field, according to Lia, including the application of Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Prolonged Exposure Therapy for the treatment of PTSD
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in adults. S+SS is also expanding its services to include EMDR. Working in trauma is not always easy, says Lia. “Hearing the explicit details about an adult’s or child’s worst abuse takes a toll. So, self-care is essential,” she says. “However, it is truly a privilege to know someone’s story; to be given permission to walk through their pain, but also their joys. Through my work at S+SS, I have had the honor to see people rebuild their lives and create change in such positive ways.” S+SS has several community events planned to coincide with DV Awareness Month, including their Annual Candlelight Vigil on October 16. In addition, the SPEAK Violence Prevention Program will conduct programs on healthy relationships and dating abuse awareness for middle and high school students in Somerset County throughout the month of October. To learn more about Safe + Sound Somerset and their services, visit www.safe-sound. org. If you or your clients are in an abusive relationship, you can access assistance anywhere in the state 24/7 by calling the New Jersey Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-572-7233.
SOCIAL WORK SPOTLIGHT Long-Term Care Planning Month According to the American Geriatric Society, conversations focused on Advance Care Planning (ACP) are an essential part of ensuring our older Americans receive high-quality, patient-centered care. Such conversations are key to preserving patient dignity and maximizing comfort at the end of life (EOL). Research has also shown that ACP improves quality of life for patients at the EOL, improves patient and family satisfaction and reduces stress, anxiety, and depression for family caregivers and other relatives. Long-term care facilities play an increasingly prominent role in EOL care. Unfortunately, few have developed processes for helping residents discuss, decide and document their end-of-life wishes. As a result, facility residents too often are hospitalized during the last weeks and months of life, resulting in unnecessary suffering and the potential for increased healthcare costs. To provide the highest quality care in these settings and increase access to palliative and hospice care services, Gov. Phil Murphy recently signed a law tasking state officials with ensuring that hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities give accurate and comprehensive information about these services to patients with serious illnesses. As a result, long-term care facilities will be required to educate their staff about options including palliative and hospice care, the importance of ACP and how to facilitate conversations with facility residents, family members, and care providers in order to document treatment preferences.
As a member of the Goals of Care Coalition of New Jersey (GOCCNJ), NASW-NJ is already working to address these educational needs. GOCCNJ is a network of organizations working together to make certain that patients with serious illness get the care they need and no less, and the care they want and no more. They believe human interests, values, and dignity must be at the core of medical decision-making. Through education, resource development, support and advocacy, their mission is to ensure that healthcare providers, patients, and family caregivers have the information, resources, training, and tools they need to facilitate discussions that result in a care plan that aligns treatment with the patient’s goals of care. In the coming months, we will be working closely with GOCCNJ to create an Advanced Care Planning Certification
Program for NJ’s social workers. The program will prepare certified social workers to lead these educational efforts in hospitals and long-term care facilities. “Given that the state’s population is aging, and we are seeing a greater incidence of Alzheimer’s, heart disease and cancer, the demand for skilled communicators to help educate patients and families about options including hospice and palliative care services and facilitate advance care planning will undoubtedly increase,” says Jennifer Thompson, Executive Director, of NASW-NJ. “We are thrilled to be partnering with GOCCNJ to equip social workers with the necessary skills to meet this demand.” For more information on the Goals of Care Coalition visit www.goalsofcare.org.
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Advocacy in
ACTION
Update on Actions Pending Before the Court In July, we informed you that NASW had joined several other labor and advocacy organizations in filing an amicus brief in the lawsuit Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey vs. Donald Trump. This legal brief supports a lawsuit challenging the final contraceptive rules issued by the Trump administration on November 7, 2018, which allow for broad-based religious and moral objections to the coverage of contraceptives under the preventive services requirement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We were recently informed that the Third Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the preliminary injunction against the Administration, finding that the States have legal standing to challenge the exemption rules. The preliminary injunction also ensures that the exemption rules will not take effect prior to the outcome of this court case. This injunction is a major step forward in the litigation and in our ability to protect access to contraceptive coverage for millions of Americans. In short, it means the courts have agreed with the
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States (as well as with NASW and other advocacy groups that have joined the case) that the lawsuit has merit and should be pursued further. In August, NASW-NJ—in coalition with nearly two dozen other NASW Chapters and more than 20 organizations dedicated to protecting the health and welfare of children—signed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiff in Jenny Lisette Flores v. William Barr, Attorney General of the U.S., arguing that longterm detention of migrant children has a proven devastating impact on their health, education & welfare.
In the brief we argue: • That the Trump Administration’s Final Rule runs counter to previous court decisions implementing the Flores Settlement Agreement (FSA) and ignores the recommendations of its own Department of Homeland Security advisory committee that “detention or the separation of families for purposes of immigration enforcement or management are never in the best interest of children.” • That the long-term detention of children has a proven devastating impact on their health, education and general welfare. This is particularly true for infants. • For family unification in the community, not in detention centers. We will continue to keep you updated on these litigations and other efforts as more information becomes available.
Coalition UPDATE: NJ For Health Care is a coalition of diverse organizations dedicated to common sense, consumer friendly solutions to ensure every New Jerseyan can get the health care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. NJ for Health Care members were instrumental in the passage of legislation earlier this year to establish a state health insurance exchange. This entity will ensure affordable health care coverage for residents of our state should Trump administration efforts
to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA) succeed. The Coalition will be sending a letter to Senate President Sweeney urging him to pass additional legislation pending in the NJ Senate that addresses additional protections in our state should provisions of the ACA continue to be eroded. The Coalition also continues to support efforts around the Cover All Kids campaign. The Coalition will be working with and supporting efforts by key legislators in the Senate and Assembly
to introduce and pass legislation in November that would guarantee health care insurance for all children in New Jersey. The Coalition will also be working with legislators on a comprehensive prescription drug reform bill in the coming weeks. Lastly, the Coalition reminds member organizations that open enrollment for the ACA runs from November 1st – December 31st. The Coalition will be offering a one-day training session at the end of October for organizations and individuals who wish to help in the enrollment process. Training will include information and updates on eligibility, public charge rules, and enrollment resources. Details will be forthcoming. For more information visit www.njforhealthcare.org
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Preparing for
ELECTION
Behind the Scenes with PACE Each election cycle, the NASW-NJ Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) Committee convenes to make candidate endorsements in state and local elections. Endorsements are considered in a nonpartisan fashion, with all sitting legislators considered, as well as challengers. The Committee applies a two- or three-pronged process to determine endorsements.
La’Tesha Sampson, PhD, MSW, NASW-NJ PACE Committee Chair
For incumbent legislators who are up for reelection, the Committee members review the voting records of each legislator to see how they voted on key issues the Chapter supported or opposed during the most recent legislative cycle. The voting record is used to determine whether or not an endorsement will be made. For challengers— who do not have a voting record to assess—questionnaires are distributed to each campaign in a district where an incumbent will not be endorsed by PACE. The questionnaire is used to ascertain candidates’ positions on multiple issues of importance to the Chapter that may arise and be voted on in the upcoming legislative cycle. If enough information can not be gleaned from the questionnaire, in-person or phone interviews may be conducted with candidates. When endorsements are made, they most often take the form of endorsements in name, where the Committee publicly announces the endorsements the organization has made and provides the candidate a letter of support. At
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times, these endorsements will also include a financial contribution to a candidate’s campaign. PACE resources are limited and financial contributions are made with multiple considerations taken into account, including: the candidate’s existing relationship with the Chapter and their support for the social work profession, its principles, priorities, and values; the competitiveness of a district and the likelihood that a contribution will be of significant aid to a candidate; and whether or not the candidate is a social worker (one of the founding principles of PACE is that the Committee will actively work to support social workers seeking elected office, provided their goals and policy stances align with the Chapter’s and with the ethical mandate of the profession). The PACE Committee’s ability to make financial contributions to campaigns is dependent on members’ support for PACE. NASW Members can make voluntary contributions to PACE whenever they renew their annual NASW membership— contributions are not taken from membership dues dollars and are in addition to regular dues paid. Members can also contribute to PACE at any time during the year by visiting socialworkers.org/Advocacy/PACE. Your contributions enable us to have a stronger voice in Trenton and around the state and enable us to make contributions in significant races to candidates and incumbents who are the strongest supporters of our issues and the needs of the clients we serve. The PACE Committee will be sending out endorsement letters this month to those candidates we will be supporting. The full list of endorsements will be available at naswnj. org and will be publicized in newSWire, our weekly e-newsletter. Stay tuned!
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: “Lawyers think too much, and Social Workers feel too much,” says Theresa Lyons, Esq., MSW, Founder and Managing Partner of Lyons & Associates, P.C. “That constant tension makes for a lot of sleepless nights, but it’s a struggle worth having. And the firm’s pro bono amicus work is just one example of how that struggle can bear impactful fruit not simply for NASW and NASW-NJ, but also for the betterment of society at large.” Lyons & Associates, P.C. is a full service law firm, with multiple attorneys practicing in the areas of family law, estate planning, real estate, special needs advocacy, and related financial services. 100% of Lyons lawyers have enjoyed judicial clerkships in the courts (the national average is only 19%), and 100% of Lyons lawyers engage in annual charity work above and beyond the state regulated licensure requirements. That creates a cadre of counsel with brains and heart. As part of the firm’s mission to give back, Lyons & Associates has started the “Pro Bono Amicus Project” to weigh in on behalf of NASW and NASW-NJ in various important cases across state and federal courts. This project will allow NASW-NJ and NASW to not only participate in existing legal briefs, but also create the capacity for the organization to initiate court proceedings. Staff at Lyons & Associates are licensed to practice in Washington, D.C. as well as in New Jersey’s courts. As such, Lyons and Associates will have the opportunity to litigate cases on behalf of NASW that reach our nation’s highest court, the U.S. Supreme Court. “Lyons & Associates is privileged to be speaking on behalf of social workers across New Jersey and the United States,” says Lyons. “Every social worker has a solemn duty to ‘identify relevant considerations when professional obligations conflict or when ethical uncertainties arise,’ as noted in Purpose #3 of the NASW Code of Ethics.” Lyons also shared her expertise with New Jersey social workers through a presentation at last month’s Private Practice Symposium, where she reviewed key New Jersey laws and regulations that impact social workers and offered tips and guidelines for how practitioners can ensure they remain in compliance with these laws. Lyons & Associates, P.C. has offices in Morristown and Somerville, New Jersey. Learn more at www.lyonspc.com.
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MICHELLE BENLOSS NASW-NJ MSW Intern
Student CENTER
Student Leader Spotlight:
Growing up in Jamaica, Michelle Benloss experienced first-hand the well-known adage, it takes a village to raise a child. “One of the experiences in Jamaica that most impacted my career choice was a visit with a homeless family—an unemployed single mother with 4 children,” says Michelle. “The mother was a survivor of domestic violence who was fearful of seeking help; the children were unable to attend school due to a lack of financial resources.” Michelle says a neighborhood family reported the situation to the agency where she was employed, bringing her into direct contact with this family in need. Through Michelle’s efforts, her agency was able to provide help for the family, enter the mother into an employment program to break the cycle of poverty, and enroll the 4 children in school. This experience solidified her choice to pursue a career in social work. Flash-forward 8 years. Michelle is now completing her final year in the MSW program at Monmouth University, with a focus in Global Community Practice. She says she is most passionate about Human Rights, Immigration, Racial Justice, and Juvenile Justice. Her interests have evolved over time to encompass work in Community Development and policy. She is a member of the Phi Alpha Honor Society, a graduate assistant at the Offices of Student Life and Equality and Diversity, and a member of the Global and Community Practice Action Group on campus. “My most rewarding experience as a student so far” Michelle says, “has been my selection as a 2019 Housing & Community Development Network – New Jersey Community Scholar.” This scholarship allowed her to work with the Affordable Housing Alliance this past summer where she engaged in programmatic, policy, and advocacy work on behalf of residents in need. Her primary project involved working with senior citizens and county-based Offices of Aging to provide financial coaching programs for senior citizens to help them manage their finances and connect with eligible state and federal benefit programs. She also had the opportunity to meet with her Congressman, Frank Pallone, to discuss affordable housing initiatives in the state and advocated in Trenton to support the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Michelle says she is thrilled to be interning at NASW-NJ and is looking forward to engaging in policy and advocacy work that will help her grow as a professional. “I want to be able to make a difference in the lives of families in need, both in the U.S. and back in Jamaica,” she says. “I can’t wait to take the skills I’ve learned in the classroom and apply them in the field.”
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NEW JERSEY CHAPTER N ational Association of Social o W rkers
Join us for the
Social Work Student Organization Spotlight The Social Work Society at Monmouth University is a group of motivated students united to create social change. The group consists of student members from within the social work major and outside of the major, as well as faculty advisors. “We are proud to have 71 new members in the club this year,” says Brittany Macaluso, a Junior in the BSW program and the Society’s current President. Macaluso has been involved with the club since she was a Freshman and served as the club’s event chair last year. She anticipates graduating in 2021 and plans to move straight into Monmouth’s MSW program. Her longterm aim is to work with trauma victims, with a specialization in sexual trauma. She credits the club with helping to build her leadership and community organizing skills. “The excitement around the club brings more Monmouth students and community organizations to our radar and it helps to draw them in to our club as a whole,” says Cory Cummings, one of the club’s advisors. Sanjana Ragudaran, the other advisor adds, “the new student Board has been very engaged, energetic, and cohesive. We look
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forward to a year filled with meaningful events.” In an effort to educate the Monmouth community and the neighborhoods that surround the University, the first event the group will be hosting is a Teach-In. The theme of the event is the opioid crisis, which has hit Monmouth County especially hard. The group is partnering with a local organization, Prevention First, to host the event. Speakers for the day range from Monmouth faculty, representatives from the YMCA, to a former Senator. As the current President of the Social Work Society, Brittany says her vison for the club is “to be a space where social work majors can network and form connections with people who have the same values and work together to run events that promote inclusion, social change, and a stigma-free world.” Brittany welcomes other social work students and community members in the Monmouth University area to check out the club’s events and join their growing network of activists.
largest gathering of health care
social workers in New Jersey
Healthcare Social Work
SYMPOSIUM October 21 9am – 3pm
North Brunswick More information and registration available June2019 2019 || www.naswnj.org www.naswnj.org 19 at naswnj.org 19 October
NASW Swag Amplify your voice and show your support of the issues that matter most to you! Whether you're fighting for equal rights, furthering redistributive justice, or bringing change to the political arena, let people know what you stand for. Buying merchandise not only makes you look super awesome, you are also supporting your professional organization. All proceeds go to help social workers in New Jersey access even more resources through our Chapter.
To purchase NASW-NJ apparel and merchandise, visit our online store at naswnj.org and access the store access the store by clicking “shop� in the upper right-hand navigation bar. 20 2019 2019 | www.naswnj.org 20 June October | www.naswnj.org
College of Education and Human Services
FOCUS Classified Rates: • Over 7000 members • Digital delivery and printed • Frequency: 1 issue • Text only • 50 words or less, $100
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Contact wwilliams.naswnj@socialworkers.org, call 732-296-8070, or visit naswnj.org for more information.
Focus Ad/Image Rates: • Over 7000 members • Digital delivery and printed • Frequency: 1 issue • Full-color, camera-ready image sent to NASW-NJ via electronic upload • Full page/bleed: $1000 • Advertorial: (story ad w/ image or logo) $1500 • 1/2 page: $700 • 1/3 page: $450 • Inside back cover: $2000 • Back cover—limited availability, call for details
PhD in Family Science and Human Development Strengthening diverse individuals, families and communities Family Science and Human Development is an interdisciplinary field that teaches you how to Areas of expertise: • Close relationships, marriage and resilience family interactions • Development across the lifespan/life-course • Diversity, inclusion • Prevention, science and translational science • Social justice Key program features: • Degree completion in four years; • Community engagement 48 credits, Full- and part-time • Funding available • Applied research • Just 12 miles from New York City
EMPOWER. TRANSFORM. Applications for fall admissions only deadline: February 1, 2020. Contact us at: phdfamily@montclair.edu or 973-655-4171, or visit aries.montclair.edu/fcst-phd for more information.
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NEW JERSEY CONTINUING EDUCATION APPROVAL COLL ABOR ATIVE Do you offer professional development courses for social workers? Are you looking to reach more people and increase your revenue? Adding CE credits for social workers is a geat way to do so! The New Jersey Social Work Continuing Education Approval Collaborative (CE Approval Collaborative) is recognized by the New Jersey State Board of Social Work Examiners as an approving entity for social work CEUs in the State of New Jersey.
To learn more & apply visit: www.naswnj.org
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LATER FALL/EARLY WINTER 2019/20 NASW-NJ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OFFERINGS What Works in Therapy? Understanding the Common Factors of Psychotherapy November 5, 6:00 – 8:00pm Live Webinar (2 CEUs) Clinical Supervision Course November 15-17, 9:00am – 4:30pm daily North Brunswick, NJ (20 CEUs) Storiez: Trauma Narratives with Inner City Youth December 4, 6:00 – 8:00pm Live Webinar (2 CEUs) LCSW Test Prep – Clinical Level December 6, 9:00am – 4:30pm North Brunswick, NJ Grieving Children & Teens: Creative Interventions for Individual and Group Work December 10, 12:00 – 2:00pm Live Webinar (2 CEUs) Census 2020 December 12, 6:00 – 8:00pm Live Webinar (2 CEUs)
DISCOUNTED RATES FOR NASW MEMBERS!
Clinical Supervision Course December 14-16, 9:00am – 4:30pm daily North Brunswick, NJ (20 CEUs) Clinical Supervision Course January 10-12, 9:00am – 4:30pm daily North Brunswick, NJ (20 CEUs)
More information and registration at www.naswnj.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nkechi Okoli, President Judyann McCarthy, 1st Vice President
CHAPTER OFFICE NASW–NJ Chapter Office
30 Silverline Drive, Suite 3 North Brunswick, NJ 08902 Ph:732.296.8070 www.naswnj.org
Jennifer Thompson, MSW
Executive Director jthompson.naswnj@socialworkers.org
Jenny Conger, 2nd Vice President Pat Spencer, Secretary Frank Greenagel, Central Regional Rep Sierra Spriggs, Northeast Regional Rep Krystal Gold, Northwest Regional Rep Dawn Konrady, Southern Regional Rep Megan O’Brien, Graduate Student Rep Thomas Cadmus, Undergraduate Student Rep
Christina Mina, MSW
Director of Member Services cmina.naswnj@socialworkers.org or ext. 117
Helen French
Director of Development & Education hfrench.naswnj@socialworkers.org or ext. 122
Jeff Feldman, MSW, LSW
Director of Advocacy & Communications jfeldman.naswnj@socialworkers.org or ext. 114
Annie Siegel, MSW
Membership & Education Coordinator asiegel.naswnj@socialworkers.org or ext. 128
Willis Williams
Office Manager wwilliams.naswnj@socialworkers.org or ext. 110
Michelle Benloss
MSW Intern Mbenloss.naswnj@socialworkers.org
UNIT LEADERS NASW-NJ has 12 units across the state of New Jersey. Atlantic/Cape May/ Cumberland Melissa Sandoval, Chair Bergen/Passaic
Hudson Lauren Snedeker, Co-Chair
Morris Cheryl Cohen, Co-Chair
Chair & Co-Chair, Open
Mercer/Burlington Mary Beth Kohler, Chair
Somerset/Hunterdon
Camden/Gloucester/Salem
Middlesex
Danica Rivello, Chair
Ron Zulli, Co-Chair
Joshua Collins, Chair
Essex
Monmouth/Ocean
Felicia Fdyfil-Horne, Chair Ruby Sekhon, Co-Chair
Jeff Firsichbaum, Co-Chair
Krystal Gold, Chair Sussex/Warren Dina Morley, Chair Union Chair & Co-Chair, Open
To learn more about Unit Leadership opportunities, contact asiegel.naswnj@socialworkers.org
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NASW-NJ 30 Silverline Drive, Suite 3 North Brunswick, NJ 08902
Mark Your Calendars Now for the Meeting of the Profession.
SAVE THE DATE
NASW-NJ ANNUAL CONFERENCE
24 June 2019 | www.naswnj.org
April 26-28, 2020 Borgata Hotel & Spa, Atlantic City Call Us Today to Become a Sponsor