PRIORITIES

Membership Recruitment and Retention

1. Student Recruitment in Five Graduate Schools resulted in over 400 new members
2. Planning Your Social Work Career for the 21st Century attracted 125 students
3. Awards with $250 cash grants to graduating students presented at graduation ceremonies at each school.
4. Post Masters Education and Credentialling Fair with five alumni associations attracted 500 participants and over 35 programs.
5. Job Book Expansion Project: outreach to 200 organizations soliciting job notices.
6. New Social Workers Focus Group revealed problems in the field and suggestions for NASW; new social workers committee formed.

Continuing Education

1. 1998 Fall Semester of 16 Workshops held, evaluations showed most workshops were consdered to be excellent.
2. Planning for 1999 Fall semester began in June following hiring of new coordinator.
3. Two Day Addictions Institute: "Addictions Through the Life Cycle" was first conference co-sponsored with the national NASW ATOD section and was underwritten by a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant of $50,000.

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1. Daily News covered findings from Critical Incident Report Project on front page of its May 17 health and Fitness section.
2. New York Times published letter to editor on fee reduction and mental health parity
3. August, 1998 WNYC talk show on centennial of the social work profession
4. Social work "demonstration" at ABC headquarters of Norm Show resulted in media coverage on ABC-radio, Hollywood Reporter, CNN
5. Two Focus groups held for Exemplary Social Workers Project with 20 social workers participating.
6. Draft of Directory of Exemplary Social Workers and Rapid Response Spokespersons completed; first step in preparing to reach out to media.

Social Work Practice in the Employment Setting

1. September Leadership Retreat attended by 35-40 chapter leaders to discuss questions related to effect of working conditions on practice.
2. March Think Tank held in follow-up to September Retreat to hear experts on trendsaffecting practice and employment.
3. Identification of 1999-2000 Program Objectives at May meeting of Board of Directors:
   • Focus group(s) with directors to determine best organizational practices
   • Convene New Social Workers Committee to plan additional programming
   • Convene leaders in social work education, agencies and practitioners to discuss employment issues from respective perspectives.

Multi-Cultural Affairs

1. Convened chairs to form the Council of Equity Committees and planning began for roundtable discussion.
2. Roundtable discussion on Bias and Privilege Among Social Workers held in June with 70 participants.

Social Policy and Action

• Licensing
  1. Licensing bill passed Higher Education Committee in Senate and Assembly
• Health Care Policy and Practice Network
  1. Critical Incident Report Project (CIRP) publication "How Healthy Is Managed Care?" was published and diseeminated.
  2. Meeting with NYS Attorney General held following CIRP report .to explore basis for lawsuits by governemnt office.
  3. Meeting with Governor's Office and Health Department focused on need for social workers in Mediciad Managed Care
  4. State Health Department surveyed MCO's provision of social services in aftermath of meeting with Governor's office.
  5. Meeting with Health First and plan to develop grant proposal on effect of social work on continuity of enrollment of medicaid recipients in managed care.
• Welfare Reform Task Force
  1. Social Worker Speak out held in May to hear the about direct line expriences related to welfare reform.
• Committee on Families and Children's Services
  1. Development of Draft paper on education and utilization of social workers for child welfare
  2. Support given to students employed at ACS when funding for MSW's was vetoed, resulting in students joining the committee.
  3. First social work month held reception at ACS
• PACE
  1. "Rap With Your Rep" with Assemblyman John Ravitz, MSW resulted in his active support of Chapter priorities.
  2. Endorcement of Charles Schumer for Senate
  3. Reception for legislators supporting licensure held in October, 1998, rsulting in two dozen legsiulators attending.
  4. Endorcements for Senate and Assembly Members
  5. Support to lobbying efforts through contributions to attend political fund raising events.
  6. Student Voter Registration efforts (on rainy day) brought three year registration total to over 18,000.
• Lobbyist
  1. Lobbyist hired in collaboration with NYS Chapter, NASW
  2. Leadership lobbying day on state budget held in February.
  3. Lobbied on Scholarships for Child Welfare, resulting $.75 million.
  4. Recommended requesting funds from legislator(s) member item budget to student relationship between social work and health costs resulting in a $10,000 grant to the Chapter.
  5. Lobbied against involuntary commitment of outpatient mental patients, resulting in reporting requirements being reduced and social workers identified as staff for new positions.
  6. Convened meetings with managed care organizations

Delegate Assembly

April/May Eastern Regional Coalition Meeting held in Wilkes-Barre, PA in prpearation for 1999 Delegate Assembly.

Annual Meeting

1. "And Justice for All?" with Dean William Pollard attracted 200 participants
2. Planning for Year 2000 Annual Meeting began earlier than in past.

1. International Affairs Committee:
   • Cosponsored Social Work Day at the UN
   • Hosted reception for IFSW Executive Committee
   • Met with delegations from Germany and Denmark
2. Mental Health Committee: new committee formed
3. Gerontological Social Work Committee: new committee formed
4. Workplace Social Services Committee: new committee formed
5. School Social Work Committee:
   • New committee formed
   • Workshop for school social workers on election day.

Other Events

1. Open House to Celebrate New Office held in october, 1998.