March 2023 Newsletter

Monthly News & Updates

SPECIAL FEATURE

Social Work Month Membership Drive? Give me a reason!

I learned growing up you don’t brag on yourself, your income, your house, or your truck. So, please know it’s difficult for me to “make a pitch” to you for this organization. But my family was never slow to share the merits of those we cared about. Our people.

And NASW-MO is people. I cannot express how energized and uplifted I am by you, NASW-MO members, as your Executive Director. The calls and emails I receive regularly show me a social work community that cares about Missouri and Missourians, that understand the complexity of our policy climate and how policy will impact our profession. I am proud to be a part of an organization that pursues justice, enhances professionalism, and supports social workers. .

Advocacy Updates

By Winton Policy Group, NASW-MO’s lobbying team

The Senate gave initial approval to legislation extending postpartum Medicaid benefits with language added on abortion and Medicaid reform, which was sought by a group of conservative Senators.

Under current law, coverage under the Mo HealthNet for Pregnant Women and Show Me Healthy Babies programs ends 60 days postpartum. SB 45, sponsored by Senator Elaine Gannon (R-DeSoto), would extend this coverage to one year. This bill was supported in committee by a broad coalition of health and child welfare groups as an avenue to improve outcomes for new moms and babies. 

Ethically Speaking

This History of the Code
by Peggy Reed-Lohemyer, MSW, LCSW

Last month the reason the social work profession has a code, as well as the value of the Code was discussed.This article will focus on the history of the NASW Code of Ethics.The Code was first approved by the Delegate Assembly on October 13, 1960.The original Code of Ethics “defined the social work profession and the responsibilities of the social worker” (NASW, n.d.).It “outlined fourteen responsibilities for social workers” (NASW, n.d.).The original Code fit on one page and can be accessed electronically: Original Code

The first revision of the Code was to add a principle addressing non-discrimination.This occurred on April 11, 1967.This revised version of the Code can be viewed here:1967 Revised Code.

Licensure Compact Update! Significant Changes made, NASW-MO supporting it!

Important changes have been made to the Social Work Licensure Compact . NASW-MO is supporting it. Check out the current language of the Licensure Compact and a great section by section walk through here. NASW-MO is supporting this legislation which has been filed in the Missouri Legislature at this time. You can follow these bills filed in the Missouri Legislature. They are SB 670 in the Senate and HB 1284 in the House. If you want more information, feel free to contact the chapter chapter.naswmo@socialworkers.org (best for questions about Missouri) or the Council for State Governments (legislative authors, only about the Compact itself) socialworkcompact@csg.org.

From the Executive Director’s Desk

THEME OF SOCIAL WORK MONTH 2023: Social Work Breaks Barriers

Greetings Colleagues!

It’s Social Work Month! In some of your work settings, you might be honored with a mug or a fancy pen for Social Work Month. Maybe even a luncheon. In others, no one knows or notices. Except those impacted by your work. Your clients. Your students. Your stakeholders. What you do matters to them.

And you. Something brought you to this calling. I have noticed patterns in our profession. There are those who sought to do good in some way—any way—and social work was the path that opened up for them. And then there are those for whom this is personal. Perhaps their clinical populations are not “these people” but “my people.” Perhaps their lives were touched by helpers. They thought, “I want to help like they did!” Or perhaps, “I could do so much better.”