January 2024 Newsletter

Monthly News & Updates

SPECIAL FEATURE

NASW-MO Relaunches Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee

What better way to start the year than by recommitting yourself to the advancement of social justice within the social work profession! The NASW-MO Chapter’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Committee is set to relaunch on January 5th, 2024 and will be organized by Jess Harman (she/her) - the current MSW Student Representative on the NASW-MO Board of Directors, Travanna Alexander-Toney, LCSW, LSCSW – the current Unit B Representative on the NASW-MO Board of Directors, and Elizabeth Fuchs, MSW (she/her) - a current NASW-MO DEIB Committee Member. With demonstrated commitments to DEIB work, these three are excited to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within Missouri’s social work profession specifically.

Ethically Speaking

Legislative Session is Upon Us

The Missouri Legislative Session opens on January 3, 2024.It is anticipated that once again, we will see human rights at the forefront of debate.The beauty of Social Work is YOU ARE ALWAYS a SOCIAL WORKER.Being a Social Worker does not stop when you leave the office, agency, hospital, school, etc. at night.Social Work is political and our Code of Ethics calls us to take political action.

NASW-MO Advocacy Committee Update

The NASW-MO Advocacy Committee’s primary purpose is to support the Chapter’s advocacy efforts on behalf of the social work profession and social justice by setting the legislative agenda on an annual basis.The committee is also responsible for hosting the LEAD Advocacy Day on March 5, 2024 (Mark your Calendar now).The Advocacy Committee will meet the 1^st and 3^rd Friday of every month (beginning on January 5 through legislative session).On the 2^nd and 4^th Fridays, the committee will open the meetings to any Social Worker that is interested in learning about advocacy in Missouri.All meetings will occur on Zoom at 3 PM.

Please reach out to the Advocacy Committee co-chairs with any questions:

Heather Bradley-Geary (Heather@VecinoGroup.com)

DeAnna Dinwiddie (ddinwiddie1@outlook.com)

From the Executive Director’s Desk

Cassie E. Brown MSW, LCSW 
Chapter Executive Director

Welcome to 2024! I am writing to you from the past, as our office closed for the last week of December.

Beginning this year, NASW-MO is committed to beginning our advocacy and educational mission strong! The theme of 2024 Social Work Month is Empowering Social Workers! And NASW-MO is excited to do this.

Although the Missouri Legislative Session begins on January 3, your NASW-MO advocacy team has been reading pre-filed bills and following those topics of importance to the social work profession. We expect a challenging and exciting year.