Social work and advocacy may 2013

Social Work & AdvocacyMay 2013

Janlee Wong, MSWExecutive Director

NASW California Chapterwww.naswca.org

©2011 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 2

Learning Objectives

• Social Work and Policy• The Policy Debate• Cutbacks• Social Work Fights Back• Title Protection• Lobby Days Bills• Resources


Social Work and Policy

• I want to help with society’s ills, but I have no model• I have an idea to visit a model program in another

country• I’m going to try that model in the U.S.• I learn through trial and error doing good is not the same

as changing society• I focus on changing society as well as doing good, the

two learn from each other• Who am I?


Emotional Intelligence

• Aware of your emotions– Why did you come into social work?

• Manage your emotions– I feel sorry for that person– I’ve been in that person’s shoes

• Focus your emotions – Is there more to social work than just “doing good”

Steven J. Stein, Ph.D.


It’s Mine

• Great recession has led to a fear– I’ll lose my job– I’ll lose my house– My taxes are paying for things I don’t want

• Welfare, Immigrants

• Our budget deficit is our greatest problem– Our children and grandchildren will pay the price

• “We don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem”– Fiscal cliff, sequester


Cutbacks

• Education cuts• End of Redevelopment

(including affordable housing set aside)

• End of Adult Day Healthcare

• Cuts to CalWorks• Medi-Cal Cuts


Fight Back

• Resisting Budget Cuts – Political advocacy• NASW Advocacy for social work jobs in fields

with resources:– Military, veterans social work– Healthcare – healthcare reform care homes and

managers– Corrections (rehabilitation)– Mental health – Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63)

• NASW alliances and coalitions (labor, other)©2011 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 2

How far can we cut? What the voters said in November

• Prop 30: – Increases personal income tax for the wealthy (earners over

$250,000, next 7 years)– Increases sales and use taxes by ¼ cent for 4 years– Allocates revenues to education– Generates $6-9 billion annually

• Prop 39: – Single sales factor for in and out of state businesses– Dedicates $550 million annually for five years to fund “clean

energy jobs and projects”


Compassion to Policy 100 YearsEra PolicyAddams Charitable OrganizationsGreat Depression FDR and the New Deal (social

security, unemployment)1960s-70s LBJ, War on Poverty,

Medicare/Medicaid1980s Reagan Compassionate Conservatism1990s Clinton Block granting welfare2000s Bush Faith basedObama Healthcare Reform


The Policy Debate: Healthcare Reform


Individualism CommunalismSmall Government Big GovernmentOptional EntitlementIndividual choice, many choices

Government choice, few choices

Prices vary Fixed priceBlue Cross, Blue Shield, Kaiser, Sutter, Mercy, UCD

Medicare, Medicaid, VA, Military

Affordable Care Act ?

State Legislature Social Workers Caucus

Assembly Member Mariko Yamada (D-Davis)MSW: USC

Assembly MemberDr. Susan Eggman (D Stockton)MSW: Stanislaus State


Outside

• Register to vote:http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm• Visit your legislator’s office

– Who are your state representatives? – http://leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html


Social Work Under Attack Too

• Cuts in social work jobs• Flat salaries, attacks on pension plans• Tuition increases makes recoupment over 20 years• Stipend students unable to “payback”• Few social workers in management, policy positions• Deprofessionalization, Encroachment, Supervision

issues, no title protection• Unclear image


Social Work Title Protection

• What’s wrong with this picture it?


AB 252 Yamada/Eggman Social Worker Title Protection

• This bill would require anyone using the job title “social worker” to possess a social work degree from a school accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

• This measure would not apply to an individual classified as a social worker prior to January 1, 2014.

Title Protection What It Is

• Not an employment act– Doesn’t require employers to hire MSWs, BSWs

• Not a practice act– Doesn’t define or license social work practice

• Not a definition of a social worker– Only identifies the educational credential

• Little or no budget impact– Doesn’t set salaries– Doesn’t require reclassification


The First Hearing

• “I have a MSW and my county training was better than my university education”

• I know many “social workers” without a MSW or BSW and they are excellent social workers

• Many “social workers” are better than those with a degree in social work

• “This bill would prevent MFTs and counselors from getting social work jobs”

• This bill would reduce the diversity of social workers


Title Protection Advocacy

• Organize a small group to lobby for title protection• Visit or Contact:

– State Assembly Member and/or State Senator– County welfare, social services, children’s services directors– County Board of Supervisors representative– County social services advisory board– Union representatives

• Lobby the Governor if bill is enrolled


Other Legislation

• SB 61 (Yee) Juvenile Solitary Confinement– Sets conditions and standards

• AB 663 (Gomez) LGBT Training for Residential Care Administrators


California Public Education Program

• Advertising:– Gallerias, bus stops, billboards, BART, radio (Spanish),

• Public Service Announcements (PSA) www.naswca.org– Video competition



National Public Education Campaign

NASW Advocacy Resources

• California Lobbyist:– Rebecca Gonzales, Chapter Director Leg and Political Affairs– [email protected] or (800) 538-2565 x12

• www.naswca.org– Title Protection webpage– Bill tracking– LEG ALERT: Letter, email, fax, phone campaigns to

legislators

• NASW Federal Advocacyhttp://socialworkers.org/advocacy/default.asp


References

• www.socialworkers.org• www.naswca.org• www.cbp.org• www.helpstartshere.org• www.bbs.ca.gov• www.cswe.org• http://www.bls.gov/home.htm• http://calswec.berkeley.edu/


Social work and advocacy may 2013

Documents

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