NASW-IL Web Blog

Free CEUs! Recession Buster New Member Benefit and Other Volunteer Opportunities

Earlier this month, social workers around the state received their June membership issue which is comprised of articles and descriptions of the multitude of products and services the NASW Illinois Chapter offers. Responding to member responses to surveys and the current economic challenges our state and country face, the NASW Illinois Chapter is now offering FREE CEUs. Free CEUs are now being offered to NASW Illinois members attending any live CEU event including attendance to all CEU courses (with the exception of ethics trainings and symposia/conferences) , LSW/LCSW review courses, and district meetings until November 30, 2011. This even includes attendance to live virtual CEU events with a small technology fee of $8. In dollar terms, that’s $405 worth of free CEUs (27 out of 30) for the cost of one membership! If you’re not a member of the association, take advantage of this recession buster new member benefit.

Our June membership issue also includes a call to members to volunteer with the NASW Illinois Political Action Committee (PAC). This unique volunteer opportunity comes around every two years and coincides with the election cycle in Illinois. NASW PAC Illinois helps elect candidates to public office who support legislation and policies consistent with the goals of the social work profession and the needs of social work professionals statewide. This summer we need members to meet and interview Illinois candidates for the 2010 election in their areas of the state. NASW PAC Illinois has developed a list of political races around the state that are of great importance. A questionnaire is provided as well as support for volunteers in the process. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to interview many incumbents and candidates during this process. It is one of the most important ways we begin to cultivate relationships with future elected officials and make them aware of the importance of our profession to the lives of their future constituents. If you are interested, contact NASW Illinois PAC Chair Joe Harper or NASW PAC Staff Liaison at pac@naswil.org.

Wishing all of you a happy and safe Independence Day weekend.

Town Hall Meetings, CPS School Social Workers Honored, and a Fundraiser for the NABSW-CC

Social workers are always meeting in a variety of settings. This past week was no different, as I had the opportunity to participate several social work gatherings.

On Wednesday night, I attended a town hall meeting hosted by Jewish Child Family Services (JCFS), Keshet, and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago that dealt with the state’s current fiscal crisis and the threats to special education funding. State senators Ira Silverstein (D-8) and Heather Steans (D-7), representatives Karen (D-58), Rosemary Mulligan (R-65), Elaine Nekritz (D-57), as well as Julie Smith, Education Policy Advisor in the office of Governor Quinn, and Beatrice Diaz, Associate General Counsel, Illinois State Board of Education, participated on a panel moderated by NASW Illinois’ Government Affairs Consultant Phil Milsk. JCFS provides an array of programs that make a difference in the lives of thousands of children, adults, and families throughout Chicago’s diverse community each year. Their services include counseling, treatment for individuals with disabilities, respite care, special education programs, and residential care of abused and neglected children. Although the general message was not overly encouraging, it was important for social workers and consumers at this town hall meeting to speak directly to their elected officials about the personal impact the current inaction on the budget will have on individuals and their families.

On Thursday, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Office of Specialized Services held its first school social work professional development conference in at least six or seven years. In the early part of the 2000s, CPS held annual conferences for their social workers. We’re glad they are back. The NASW Illinois Chapter exhibited at the conference which over 300 persons attended at the UIC Forum on the University of Illinois at Chicago’s campus. CPS social workers Melvin Caldwell and Theresa Toro presented a workshop on Media, Marketing , and Messages: School Social Work Practice, Working to Undo the Damage by Creating More Peaceable Schools. They both presented to the NASW Illinois Chapter Board of Directors at its November 6 , 2009, meeting, as well as co-wrote an article in the February/March 2010 Networker magazine. During the lunch a variety of service awards were presented to CPS social workers. Most noteworthy was the recognition given to CPS social worker Dan Coyne. This past March, Dan donated a kidney to his favorite Jewel store checkout cashier in Evanston, Myra de la Vega. De la Vega, a Phillipina immigrant and single mother of two teenagers, also attended the event. A pretty remarkable act of kindness.

This past Friday, the National Association of Black Social Workers–Chicago Chapter (NABSW-CC) held its annual award and recognition event at the Bronzeville Community Club House. The 2010 Award recipients included Dr. Miranda Samuels, Khalid Scott, Diane Bradie-Baskin, Jataun Williams, and Dr. Dorothy Holly-Turner. Newly elected NASW Illinois Chapter President-Elect Yolanda Jordan and I attended.

 

Annual Leadership Meeting, Julie Hamos, Marge Berglind

This past Thursday and Friday, NASW Illinois current board leadership and incoming board membership met in Chicago, IL, first for a leadership training on Thursday and then on Friday for the last NASW Illinois Chapter Board of Directors meeting of the fiscal year. Friday’s meeting competed with the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks’ rally and parade. The board attended to the business of the chapter all day and was not distracted by the celebrations of the close to two million revelers!

Julie Hamos, the newly appointed director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (see 4/13/10 blog post) was invited to speak to the chapter leadership in the afternoon. She outlined some of the challenges she faces as the director of the largest of all of the state agencies in Illinois, making up a one-third of the state budget. She also discussed the influx of new people who will be coming into the heathcare system as a result of federal healthcare reform, as well as questioned whether we will have a sufficient workforce to serve this group. The NASW Illinois Chapter Board also discussed the lack of movement regarding the LCSW Medicaid reimbursement issue, which has been a Public Act since August of 2007 yet still lacks a system of billing and reimbursement. Director Hamos indicated a willingness to “reopen the conversation” on the issue and setting up a meeting to do so.

Director Hamos also discussed the nursing home reform issue at length and the Williams v. Quinn consent decree.

Jane Addams Hull House Association, located in Chicago is celebrating the accomplishments of Jane Addams by holding four symposia in a year-long celebration that will culminate in Jane Addams’ 150th Birthday Celebration in September 2010. One of these symposia was held this morning in which the Jane Addams Women of Valor Award was presented.

One of the awardees was Margaret (Marge) Berglind, LCSW, and longtime NASW Illinois Chapter member. Marge is president and CEO of Chicago Care Association of Illinois. The Child Care Association of Illinois (CCAI) promotes, protects, advocates for, and strengthens a responsive, not-for-profit service delivery system and shapes public policies for the benefit of children and families. Marge is true advocate for the member child welfare agencies and articulates the needs and the realities of the child welfare system in the state of Illinois. The keynote speaker at the event was Dr. Creasie Hairston, dean of the University of Illinois Jane Addams College of Social Work.

Illinois Mental Health Courts, CHA Waiting Lists Open Up, Go Blackhawks!

The NASW IL Chapter was a sponsor once again at the third annual Mental Health Courts in Illinois: Supporting Recovery and Resilience Conference that took place yesterday at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.  NASW IL member Lisa Salvadore, LCSW, CADC, a senior clinician/consult for the DuPage County Health Department, was one of the conference’s coordinators.  The workshops included the preliminary results from the Illinois Mental Health Courts Study. The complete results will be available at the 2011 Illinois Mental Courts Conference.  There are currently twelve operational mental health courts in Illinois. The following is a list of Illinois Mental Health Court Coordinators:

Illinois Mental Health Court Coordinators
Cook County
Mark Kammerer
(773) 869-2258   
mekammerer@hotmail.com

DuPage County MICAP       
(630) 407-8846
james.wojtas@dupageco.org

Kane County TAC   
Leigh Bell
(630) 444-3158   
bellleight@co.kane.il.us

Lake County TIM       
Tania Murillo           
(847) 377-3898   
tmurillo@lakecountyil.gov

Lee County
Kim Becker           
(815) 284-5247   
kbecker@countyoflee.org

Madison County
Glenda Bell           
(618) 692-8691   
glbell@co.madison.il.us

McHenry County
Susan Van Diggelen
State’s Attorney’s Office   
(815) 334-4824   
smvandiggelen@co.mchenry.il.us

McLean County
Dennis McGuire       
(309) 888-5360   
dennismcguire@mcleancountyil.gov

Rock Island LIFE Program
Mark Raskie
Adult Supervisor       
(309) 558-3716   
mraskie@co.rock-island.il.us

Will County
Julie McCabe-Sterr
State’s Attorney’s Office   
(815) 774-7852   
jmccabe@willcountyillinois.com

Winnebago County TIP
Michelle Rock
Specialty Court Administrator
(815) 319-4805   
mrock@wincoil.us

For the first time in a decade, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is opening its Family Housing Wait List. This is the list used by the CHA to fill rental units as they become available in CHA-owned properties across the city. There will be 40,000 families selected by lottery for CHA's Family Wait List. The lottery will be conducted at the end of a four-week period during which anyone eligible can register for the lottery. Those selected will be offered housing as it becomes available.  You can find out more about this at the CHA Web site.

National Cancer Survivors Day, June 6, 2010

This coming Sunday, June 6, 2010, is National Cancer Survivors Day. Around the country, over eleven million cancer survivors will join survivors around the world in observing this day. Events will be taking place in communities to celebrate life and to demonstrate that life, following a cancer diagnosis, can be meaningful and productive. It’s on this day that the contributions of families, friends, researchers, and healthcare providers who support cancer survivors (Including oncology social workers) will be recognized.

Social workers play a major role in providing psychosocial care to persons with cancer, as well as to their families, and caregivers, through networking, education, advocacy, research, and resource development. In fact NASW National Director Betsy Clark’s background is health care with a specialization in oncology. She has worked in direct clinical practice; has held several academic positions including an associate professorship in medical oncology; has been a hospital administrator; has conducted research and has published in such areas as cancer survivorship and bereavement. Betsy is past president of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and an advisory board member of the Intercultural Cancer Council, a partner with C-Change: Collaborating to Conquer Cancer.

As noted in a recent article in the May 2010 National NASW News, the demand for cancer care in the near future will far outpace the workforce trained to help people with the disease. NASW is joining the campaign to address this problem by encouraging non-oncology social workers and social work students to strengthen their core understanding of cancer.

 National Cancer Survivors Day will be observed in a variety of settings around the state of Illinois. One of those settings is the Community Cancer Center in Normal, IL. The center’s mission is to improve the health status of individuals by providing comprehensive, community-based cancer care. Candi Gray, MSW, LCSW, OSWC, chair of the NASW IL East Central District and member of the NASW Illinois Chapter Board of Directors, is the only social worker at the Community Cancer Center. She notes that “as an oncology social worker, I have the privilege everyday to help those who are affected by cancer find the knowledge, support, and hope they will need to face the challenges and changes their diagnosis brings.”

This past April, the Oncology Nursing Society, the Association of Oncology Social Work, and the National Association of Social Workers developed a Joint Position on the Role of Oncology Nursing and Oncology Social Work in Patient Navigation.

Additional cancer resources for social workers can be found at here.