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.
