July 2023 Newsletter

NASW-MO participates in Advocacy Day on the Hill!

NASW Missouri’s Executive Director, Cassie Brown and Board President, Derrick Howell, attended NASW’s Association Leadership Meeting in Washington, D.C. June 26 through June 29. One of the highlights was engaging with national leadership on issues of importance to Missourians. There were three bills that NASW prepared its national leaders to discuss with the staff of representatives and senators, but the one addressed by Missouri’s NASW leaders was the Improving Access to Mental Health Act (S. 838/H.R. 1638).

Derrick Howell, Board President and Cassie Brown were asked about their experiences speaking to the office of Representative Cori Bush (St. Louis).

Ethically Speaking

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of the Dignity and Worth of the Person

by Cassie E. Brown, MSW, LCSW (she/her/hers)

When we say in the Ethical Principles (linked & below), that “social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person”, we are asserting that each person has inherent dignity and worth . That might seem to be obvious, but when we use this reframing to examine our Code of Ethics, many things fall into place (and, as often occurs with ethics, into conflict). 1.01 of our Code: Commitment to Clients states: “Social workers’ primary responsibility is to promote the well-being of clients. In general, clients’ interests are primary.” Yet, we have, according to our Code, Ethical Commitments to people who are Clients and Colleagues, as well as the Broader Society . Wherever there are people, we are obliged to consider our impacts .

NASW-MO ED Leads Discussion on Fighting Anti-LGBTQIA+ Legislation

At the NASW Association Leadership Meeting in Washington, D.C., NASW-MO’s Executive Director, Cassie E. Brown, was asked to lead a panel on Fighting LGBTQIA+ Hate. Much of the panel focused on the work NASW chapters have done at the state level across the country opposing legislation aimed at limiting the rights and freedoms of LGBTQIA+ Americans. Cassie invited executive directors Brenda Rosen (Kentucky), Dawn Brown (Florida), Molly Arbogast (West Virginia), and Nathan Stahley (Montana) to speak to their experiences in their respective states.

From the Executive Director’s Desk

Greetings Colleagues! 

Earlier this year, I read the autobiography Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann and Kristin Joiner. Judith Heumann lived an incredible life of activism, struggle, and power, and consistently centered the humanity of all those she encountered. If you want inspiration—that will also challenge and critique the ableism society has infused us with—find and read this book!