National NASW Delegate Assembly 2002 Setting National Policy, Establishing Program Priorities

By Susan Egan, CSW, NYC Chapter Delegate

(October 2002)

The National NASW Delegate Assembly 2002 was held in Crystal City, Virginia August 14th through 18th. Mary Pender Greene and Elaine Congress, current and past Chapter Presidents, were the co-chairs of the nineteen member New York City Delegation. Two years ago the membership elected the delegates that represented the Chapter at this very important meeting.

The delegates are shown in the photo to the right. Director Robert Schachter also attended. Terry Mizrahi, a past New York City Delegate and current National President, did an excellent job of chairing the Assembly.

The Delegate Assembly is the representative decision making body of NASW which sets broad organizational policy, establishes program priorities, and develops a collective stance on public and professional issues. The by-laws mandate 300 elected members and meetings every three years.

Structural Changes

At the 1999 Delegate Assembly there was serious discussion about this structure. Concerns had to do with the cost to National and the Chapters because of the large size of the group. Another concern about the structure is that the Board of Directors has difficulty implementing program and priority goals when they are not part of establishing them. At the 1999 Delegate Assembly, a Task Force was appointed to examine alternate structures for future Delegate Assemblies.

The NYC delegates are pleased that most of the NYC Delegation took an active role in the events. In particular, the New York City Delegation proposed an alternate model for the Delegate Assembly that would comprise 200 members selected proportionally from the Chapters. This was well received as an amendment to a much smaller structure proposed by the National Task Force.

The other significant change is that the National Board of Directors will also be voting members of the Delegate Assembly and that Chapter Executive Directors will be able to speak from the floor, but not vote. While these changes reduce the number of delegates from large Chapters, such as the NYC Chapter, it was endorsed because it is fair, inclusive, and will reduce costs.

The Policy Statements that were revised at this assembly were Confidentiality and Information Utilization, Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Foster Care and Adoptions/Public Child Welfare, Social Services, Mental Health, Community Development, Managed Care, Employee Assistance, Peace and Social Justice, Parental Kidnapping, Volunteers and Social Services Systems, AIDS/HIV, Capital Punishment, Voter Participation, and Hospice Care.

Newly introduced Policy Statements were Investing in Adolescent Health, Crime Victim Assistance, Rural Social Work, School Violence, and Sovereignty and Health of Indigenous Peoples. All of these, as well as other policy statements, will be available for review in Social Work Speaks, which can be purchased through NASW Press beginning in January 2003.

Professional Goals were prioritized and approved. These include a campaign to enhance the social work labor force, an effort to increase the number of social workers in areas of policy making and implementation, and a national campaign to increase membership and recruitment.

Organizational Goals that were prioritized and approved were advocacy for the preservation and expansion of the nation's social and health insurance program, advocacy for ethical, inclusive and comprehensive behavioral health care policies and practices, and advocacy for human and civil right, civil liberties, and affirmative action.

Several resolutions were passed, two of which were authored by members of our delegation. Jeane Anastas wrote a resolution on Full Access to Reproductive and Sexual Health Care Services and Henry Cohen and Carol Cohen wrote one on the Permanent Partner Immigration Act.

Delegate Assembly is hard work but a chance take part in our national agenda and to meet colleagues from around the country. At the end of the Assembly, the Eastern Regional Coalition which represents several chapters includes NYS, NYC, NJ, PA and Puerto Rico voted on the co-chairs for the Assembly scheduled for 2005. We are pleased that Mary Harrington, NYC Board Member will co-chair. Among the Policy Statements up for revision at that assembly are Child Abuse and Neglect, Cultural Competence in the Social Work Profession, Education of Children and Youth, Homelessness, Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Issues, Racism, and Women's Issues. If you are interested in running as a delegate or working on a policy statement, please see page 7 in this issue.

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