State Social Work Reinvestment (SWRI) Action Plans
Planning Document
SWRI Goal: To advocate for federal and state investments in professional social work to enhance societal well-being.
BASIC ELEMENTS of the SWRI Planning Document
Social Work Reinvestment Partnerships
This initiative is bigger than NASW and must include additional allies. Are there existing coalitions with which your chapter could work? Will you form a new coalition of social work groups and allies to guide this initiative in your state? Why or Why not? Who should be included? What will they potentially bring to the table?
Social Work Reinvestment Issue Areas
You have been provided with a variety of data about your state including population demographics, chapter survey results, and some social work workforce characteristics. Based on the current environment for social work in your state, the data provided and your experience, what are the most important issues for the social work profession in your state? Based upon these data and the Chapter’s experiences, think about at least three issue areas for your plan. Your partnership group may need to provide final approval. What
would you recommend to the group? List the issues. For each issue consider whether it is something that could easily be accomplished because of the current “ripe” conditions or is it something that is longer range and requires major structural or other changes to make happen?
State Plan Report Format– To Be Submitted by December 31, 2007
At the end of this document is a draft reporting format for your final state plan, including samples of the type of information that should be submitted. If you develop additional types of information/data you would like to submit, please contact Rebecca Myers at by August 1. In September a submittal document/process will be available. We would like you to submit your final plan to chapter services by December 31, 2007.
Social Work Reinvestment Initiative Partnership Group Members
Social Work Education Programs
Name and Contact information / Who will contact? / By when? / What they bring to the initiative?BSW Program
PlymouthStateUniversity
including IV-E Child Welfare initiative / ED / Faculty and student support
Ties with NH-DCYF
BSW/MSW Programs
University of NH including IV-E Child Welfare initiative / ED / Faculty and student support
Ties with NH-DCYF
Social Work Groups
Name and Contact information / Who will contact? / By when? / What they bring to the initiative?Clinical Committee, NASW
Social & Legislative Action
Committee (SLAC), NASW / ED / Ties with mental health community
Planning and advocacy skills
Board of Mental Health Practice
•Clinical Social Workers
• Psychologists
• Mental health counselors
• Marriage and family
therapists
•Pastoral counselors / ED
Sheila Renaud Finnegan, Social Work Board Rep. / Ties with provider groups, consumers, and legislators
Mental Health Coalition
• NASW NH Chapter
• NH Psychological
Association
• NH Mental Health
Counselors Association
• NH Psychiatric Society
• NH Marital and Family
Therapist Association
• National Alliance on
Mental Illness – NH
• NH Nurse Practitioners
• NH Drug and Alcohol
Counselors
• NH Medical society / ED
Chapter lobbyist, Stuart Trachy
Social Work Rep., Mary Ellen Forrestal, from NH-NASW Clinical Committee
Social Workers Advisory Group (Jill Johnson Bardsley, Gary Eager, Mary Ellen Forrestall Nicholls, Anne McCausland, ) / Ties with provider groups, consumers, and legislators
School Social Workers and Counselors group / Carol Herzig (former President) / Ties with education community
Other(E.g., provider groups, social welfare advocacy groups, other professional associations)
Name and Contact information / Who will contact? / By when? / What they bring to the initiative?NH Children’s Alliance / ED / Ties with child welfare advocates and activists and legislators
EngAGING NH / Cynthia Moniz, Chair,
Social & Legislative Action Committee / Ties with disability and aging advocates and activists
State Education Association / ED
Chapter lobbyist / Ties with education advocates and activists, legislators, and unions
SEIU / ED / Ties with legislators
NH AFL-CIO / ED / Ties with legislators
ReinvestmentIssue Areas
ISSUE #1
Define Issue:
Legislative proposal from licensed alcohol and drug counselors (LADC) under consideration by the LADAC Legislative Study Committee recommends 1) expanding LADCS’ scope of practice to (co-occurring) mental health disorders within the context of addressing substance use disorders, and 2) licensing this practice under the New Hampshire Board of Licensing for Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse Professionals. The regulation of mental health practice, as outlined in Chapter 330-A of Title XXX Occupations and Professions legislation, occurs under the authority of the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice (BMHP).
Data Available/Needed to build case:
Need information on Impact of legislation on 1) regulatory process and 2) scope of practice for mental health provider groups in state
Favorable conditions supporting the issue being addressed (key legislative support, public backing):
Former President of NH Chapter, Rep. James MacKay serves as one of seven members of legislative study committee.
Chapter leadership and Clinical Committee have strong ties to Rep. MacKay.
Chapter members, including lobbyist, actively participate in NH Mental Health Coalition. Other mental health provider groups are likely to have same concerns if issue is posed as a regulatory concern.
Unfavorable conditions/impediments to addressing the issue:
Chair of LADC Legislative Study Committee is “passionate” about supporting LADCs.
Committee has devoted an unusual amount of time and effort on proposal.
Estimated Time Frame for accomplishment (1-3 years or longer):
One year
People/partnership/consultant resources required:
Chapter lobbyist
SLAC Committee
Clinical Committee
Social Work Rep. to Board of Mental Health Practice
Financial resources required (budgetary, grant, PACE)
Chapter lobbyist
Key external resources – legislators/regulatory boards/other associations
Mental Health Coalition
Board of Mental Health Practice
Priority Ranking:
Most immediate issue - #1
Tasks/Timeline
Define Task / By whom? / By when? / NotesMeet with author of LADC proposal / SLAC / Oct 07 / Include chapter lobbyist
Monitor LADC Legislative Study Committee meetings / Chapter lobbyist / Nov 07
Meet with Rep. MacKay / Clinical Committee / Nov. 07 / Convey message of widespread concern among chapter leaders
Distribute Legislative Action Alert to ask members to contact members of legislative study committee / SLAC / Nov 07
Encourage Board of Mental Health Practice (BMHP) to oppose licensing for co-occurring disorders / ED
Social Work rep on BMHP / Nov 07
Encourage communication (meeting) between LADC Legislative Study Committee and Rep. MacKay to meet with Mental Health Coalition / ED
Chapter lobbyist
Clinical Committee
Rep. MacKay / Dec 07
Monitor final legislative action or bill introduced / Chapter lobbyist
SLAC
ED / April 08
Distribute Legislative Action Alerts as necessary / SLAC / May 08
Work in coalition with other provider groups to craft final bill / Chapter lobbyist
SLAC
ED / May 08
ReinvestmentIssue Areas
ISSUE #2
Define Issue:
Title protection for non-clinical (non-licensed) social workers in state employee positions
Data Available/Needed to build case:
Need information about state positions in fields of practice such as child welfare, juvenile justice, and adult & elderly services that use the title of ”social worker” for employee positions but do not require a degree in social work (BSW or MSW), including numbers employed
Favorable conditions supporting the issue being addressed (key legislative support, public backing):
Governor will be appointing a new Commissioner of Health & Human Services this year who is much more likely to be focused on consumer interests and willing to consider an initiative of this type.
The current legislature is newly controlled by a Democratic leadership with ties to NH-NASW. The Speaker of the House (Terrie Norelli) and the President of the Senate (Sylvia Larsen) were honored by the chapter as past Legislators of the Year and have strong ties with the social service community.
The Social Work BSW and MSW programs at PSU and UNH have ties to the NH Division of Children, Youth & Families through their Title IV-E Child Welfare Training and education contracts with the state.
Unfavorable conditions/impediments to addressing the issue:
Bureaucracy of the NH Dept. of Health & Human Services
Estimated Time Frame for accomplishment (1-3 years or longer):
3 years or more
People/partnership/consultant resources required:
Chapter lobbyist
Chapter SLAC Committee
Chapter Board of Directors and Executive Committee
State Employees Union
BSW/MSW leaders within Dept HHS, particularly those with ties to chapter
BSW Program, PlymouthStateUniversity
BSW/MSW Program, University of New Hampshire
Financial resources required (budgetary, grant, PACE)
Chapter lobbyist – increase in hours
Web administration and computer assistance to expand and publish data collected
New SWRI section for Chapter Newsletter
Laptop and camera for field work
In-state travel for discussion and organizing meetings
Key external resources – legislators/regulatory boards/other associations
Faculty, students, IV-E project, and Advisory Board, PSU BSW program
Faculty, students, IV-E project, and Advisory Board, UNH BSW/MSW programs
“Friends” in state legislature
Priority Ranking:
#2
Tasks/Timeline
Define Task / By whom? / By when? / NotesGather information about state positions that use the title of ”social worker” for employee positions but do not require a degree in social work (BSW or MSW) / SLAC / May 08
Meet with State Employees Union to gauge opposition or support / Chapter lobbyist
ED/ SLAC / May 08
Meet with BSW/MSW Leaders in Dept HHS to gauge opposition or support / Chapter lobbyist
ED/ SLAC / Oct 08
Identify legislator to file request to establish Social Worker Title Protection Legislative Study Committee / Chapter lobbyist
ED/ SLAC / Nov 08
Monitor bill to establish studycommittee for 2009-10
Distribute Legislative Action Alerts / Chapter lobbyist
ED/ SLAC / March 09
Establish SWRI section for Chapter Newsletter / Office Manager
SLAC
ED / April 09
Meet with social work students and faculty (including IV-E project), and practitioners to discuss importance of initiative and identify core group willing to work on effort / ED
SLAC
BOD / April 09
If study committee approved, work with committee to file legislation for title protection / Chapter Lobbyist
ED/ SLAC / Nov 10
Use SWRI Plan to support passage of legislation / Chapter Lobbyist
ED/ SLAC
BOD
Membership / Nov 2010 - ??
State Plan Report Format to be submitted December 31, 2007
Samples of types of information to be compiled for each state
Introduction to the SWRI Action Plan
- Process used in developing the plan
- Date plan development completed
- Names and affiliations of Social Work Reinvestment Initiative Partnership Coalition Members
- Names and affiliations of other individuals/groups who have signed on to the action plan
State Data Profile of Social Work Labor Force
Social Work Regulation
NASW has some data about each state’s social work labor force, both from our Workforce Study and from external sources. We need information from you that has not been collected by us nor available online. Some data is only partially available, and we need you to expand upon it.
- Categories of licensure
- Licensure designation (i.e., LSW, LCSW)
- Numbers in each designation
- Total licensed social workers by county, if possible
State Data to be provided by NASW:
- Timeframe for individuals to renew their license
- Number of continuing education credits required for renewal of license
- Specific elements of licensure, such as privileged communication or diagnosis that define social work practice in your state
Social Work Education Programs
- Name and location of social work program(s), including additional campuses
- Number of enrollees in each program by level of degree
- Number of graduates in each program by level of degree
Social Work Employers
- Largest employer/employers of professional social workers in the state, including location(s) and numbers employed
SocialWorkState Level Requirements
- Social workers required in certain agencies or positions due to legislative or policy requirements from the state or federal level.
- Social workers required due to accreditation standards (i.e., JCAHO, CARF, COA, NCQA)
Social Work Insurance Reimbursement – to be provided from the Chapter surveys
Social Work Education Incentives – to be provided from the Chapter surveys
Social Work Labor Force Characteristics – to be provided from the Workforce Study
Please note that italics indicates the data will be compiled by the national office; you do not need to gather this data.
Social Work Reinvestment Initiative Issue Areas
- List each issue in priority order.
- For each issue, please include the following:
- Goal
- Definition of the issue
- Data driving the issue and/or creating the compelling case for the issue
- Favorable conditions supporting the issue being addressed at this time
- Unfavorable conditions and/or impediments to addressing the issue at this time
- People/partnership/consultant resources committed (if different from signers on and SWRI partnership group)
- Financial resources committed and source
- Strategies to accomplish goal and timeline