As a Currents reader, you may remember that the central idea in the recent series on social workers in diverse service systems – hospitals, schools, child welfare, etc. – was that social workers and their services are “a matter of life and death” to the clients and communities we serve.

This got me thinking about the theme underlying many of NASW’s current and projected initiatives and struggles – also matters of life and death, for the Association, our profession, and by extension, New York City residents and communities.

National NASW – Unification of the Profession

Together with the Council on Social Work Education, the National Association of Deans and Directors, and other education and research-oriented social work associations, NASW is engaged in a process of unifying the profession.  The goal of this initiative is to form one professional social work association by 2012 and thus to halt debilitating competition for limited resources (including for members’ dues), better represent the profession in the halls of government, and provide social workers with one comprehensive organizational home consolidating our practice, research, education and advocacy interests.  

Sounds good.  But immediately upon receiving word of this unification effort in June and noting who was represented in the initial planning, your Executive Director, officers and Board of Directors questioned the absence of important practice organizations from the table. 

There is no question that many smaller social work associations are on the ropes financially.  And there is no question that NASW represents both the largest and fiscally sound party to the endeavor.  Nevertheless, this proposed unification plan will not survive and our profession will suffer if the practice community in all its breadth and diversity is not central in this process – from the beginning. 

Practice is our purpose.  As a former school of social work faculty member, I believe that the function of education and research are to support and improve practice, not overshadow it.  It is essential that we claim and retain our place as preeminent, quality providers of social and mental health services in this country, if we wish to gain greater public support.  This means that respect must be accorded and the highest credentials required of the teachers of practice who prepare bachelors and masters level students in our universities.  Tenure and promotion decisions must value practice and community service together with research and publication.  Instructors with little direct practice experience should get more before they are permitted to teach practice courses.  [Direct practice in this view includes organizing, planning, policy advocacy and administration – the adjective “indirect” is neither accurate nor useful.]

The debate should not divide us into camps: research or practice or education.  An evidence base and advanced or specialized education are essential for quality, relevant practice intervention.  But our profession’s survival requires that we not lose our essential value to those we serve and the public that, broadly speaking, finances our work.  Thus, the structure of the membership association we devise must keep this in mind now if it is to prosper and succeed down the road. 

Social Justice: the Fight for our Clients and Public Support

Living in “liberal” New York City, we may not be confronted daily with socially conservative views as are our sisters and brothers nationally.  Thus, you may not be familiar with George Will’s recent column entitled “Code of Coercion” appearing in newspapers across the country, attacking social work education and our professional code of ethics for our social justice standards and values.   NASW Executive Director Betsy Clark’s response in the Washington Post made no apology for our commitment to high standards and vigorous advocacy for rights and access to resources for all citizens, especially those marginalized by racism, poverty or illness. 

Like Betsy, many social workers and NASW Chapters, forcefully conveying social workers’ diversity in views and values together with our common obligation to fight systemic injustice, are using this assault as a positive public relations opportunity.   This kind of attack is not new, and we in New York City will be vigilant to the need to counteract it, hopefully joining together with local schools of social work in the effort.  The challenge for the profession is to prevent organizations like the National Association of Scholars, whose report stimulated Will’s column, to de-legitimize and marginalize the profession as “politically correct” thought police misusing public trust and support. 

Fortunately the National Public Image Campaign is an ongoing counterweight, portraying the value added to people’s lives through social work knowledge and expertise.  And, we are most proud that one of our own Board members and veteran practitioners, Susan Matorin, is featured with her client in a new “Help Starts Here” media campaign entitled “On Any Given Day, Social Workers Help.”

Proactively staying ahead of the curve, communicating quickly when attacked – both are essential to social work’s future. 

The Corrosive Impact of Racism, the Healing Impact of Community

As we all know, many problems we face – as a nation, a City, or as individuals – are partially self-inflicted and historical.  So it is that all of us suffer from the continuing heritage of racism affecting our institutions, world views and practices.  Attending the recent Undoing Racism workshop, sponsored by the Human Services Council for executives of the City’s most prominent social agencies and organizations, was both sad and heartening. 

It was crushing to hear some of our most accomplished black leaders reflect with frustration on colleagues’ lack of interest in the impact of racism on their organizations and client service, or the personal fear they sense from whites who react to skin color and are closed to the achievement or person it masks.  There is so much about race and color and the difference they make in personal and organizational experience that whites simply don’t understand.  

But there are ways to change that.  Developing the trust and language afforded by the Undoing workshop experience is an important initiative to open a constructive dialogue across racial lines and take steps together to improve our work organizations and systems of service.  Organizational leaders who completed the workshop will now be meeting monthly with Alan Siskind and Bob Schachter to further explore ideas and opportunities. 

Equally important, addressing racism has the potential to strengthen the ties that bind us into a stronger, more resilient professional community.  We can not survive if we are divided within, but we will prosper if we build a community of respect, understanding, mutual support and positive action. 

Leadership for Succession and Survival

Encouraging the development of social work leaders and leadership is an NASW-NYC priority.  We need a cadre of new leaders to replace those retiring from social agency executive positions.   To highlight the importance of social work succession to the profession’s future, NASW-NYC created the November 29th “Celebrating Emerging Social Work Leaders” awards dinner.  With eight honorees representing diverse agencies and service sectors from among 35 strong nominees, we clearly have a wealth of practitioners and administrators positioned to guide human services.  But to assure this occurs, our professional community must consciously mentor and promote new leaders to compete effectively in the increasingly difficult struggle for executive positions. 

Beyond executive succession, it is increasingly clear that all social workers must assume leadership in their work and community lives.  Some part of professional school education and expectation must help prepare all practitioners with leadership skills – the ability to speak, write and participate effectively in agencies and with other disciplines on behalf of the clients and communities we serve.  Passivity and lack of vision will inevitably result in irrelevance and restricted options for our practitioners and the social work profession. 

Political Leadership for Workforce Benefits

The focus on PACE in this issue of Currents highlights the importance we all must place on political action and the election of candidates that support our issues and agenda.  As we know, the merit of the argument or the weight of the evidence does not necessarily confer victory or adequate resources.  Social work needs the help of friendly legislators and regulators to succeed – whether the issue is the increasingly narrow interpretations of licensing issued by the State Board for Social Work or the inadequate level of funding of the New York State loan forgiveness program for social workers struggling to survive mountains of college and professional school debt. 

I ask that you support PACE on your annual membership renewal check-off, and become involved in New York City PACE candidate education and selection efforts.  A network of members in ongoing communication with the elected officials or candidates in their home districts, from the Council to Congress, would enhance our political currency and ability to garner support for the initiatives we know you need.  So, when you think about how we can increase the numbers of Latino, black, Asian, or East European social workers, or how to be included in Workers Comp or other insurances, or how to increase the low contractual salaries for social workers in aging, child welfare and other service sectors - think of the important role of NASW-NYC political leadership and the significance of PACE.    

Board Retreat to Advance Workforce and Membership Priorities

Our Board of Directors and Committee/Task Force Chairs held an all-day retreat to update NASW-NYC priorities and revise our Strategic Plan for 2008-2011.  Without question, strengthening and supporting our workforce and increasing Association membership and its benefits were identified as core to the future of the profession and NASW.  In this regard, one objective is to work with agency executives and others to improve working conditions, from salaries to the level of respect accorded social workers in the organization.  Another is to engage in collaborations and legislative advocacy to increase funding for recruitment, education and retention, especially for social workers to practice in communities of color or with non-English speaking populations.   A third is the effort described above to promote leaders and leadership to assure the profession’s future. 

Licensing - related to both workforce and membership concerns - is emerging again as a major priority for attention and advocacy.  The profession must come together to battle efforts, through misinterpretations of the intent and wording of the 2004 licensing law, to constrict understanding of the term “clinical.”  This includes an effort to restrict who can supervise MSW students with clinical assignments and to curtail the kinds of organizations that will be permitted to qualify LMSW’s to earn the LCSW or clinical license. 

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