NYC and NYS Chapters Go to Albany to Advance Action Agenda 2001
As this issue of Currents goes to press, the leadership of the NYC and NYS Chapters are preparing to go to the State Capitol in Albany to advocate for NASW's legislative agenda.
Our lobby day in March is the culmination of a year of activities that lays the groundwork for NASW to make its voice heard in the legislature.
The NYC and NYS Chapters have developed a collective legislative policy agenda. The collaboration between our two Chapters makes us stronger force in Albany. Together, the NYC and NYS Chapters represent 22,000 social workers throughout the state of New York, the largest organization of social workers in any state in the USA.
This year, NASW's joint legislative agenda presents a number of policy positions in several key areas related to social service delivery. Because some of these positions are also priority issues for other like-minded advocacy groups, NASW seeks to work in coalition whenever possible.
NASW's political clout has been significantly increased because of our Alliance with 1199-SEIU. 1199-SEIU is the largest health care union in New York and widely considered to the most politically powerful and influential organization in the state.
In January, The NYC and NYS Chapters of NASW along with 1199-SEIU hosted a legislative breakfast in the State capitol with the goal of formerly introducing our Alliance to the legislators. The high turn-out of key members of the Assembly and the Senate was testimony to the notice that this Alliance is receiving in the political world. Dennis Rivera, President of 1199-SEIU, in his remarks, said that his union is a friend to social work.
In addressing the joint action agenda that covers a broad number of issues, NASW will zero in on three areas that the Chapters believe are crucial to the profession's strength, standards of practice, and services to clients.
First, NASW is going forward with a revised licensing bill and are pressing for support among legislators and enable the bill's passage.
Second, NASW is lobbying for a student loan forgiveness program that will help people get a BSW or MSW degree.
NASW's third legislative priority is to lobby for salary increases for social workers working in the fields of mental health, child welfare, and addictions. The Chapters recognize that it is not sufficient to professionalize social services by increasing the pool of qualified social workers. Salaries must be increased in order to achieve a stable workforce. NASW is focusing on these areas of practice because there is a momentum to push the legislators to get salary increases. A number of other advocacy groups are forcing attention on the crisis in the delivery of services to the mentally ill, children, and substance abusers caused, in part, by low salaries that lead to high turn over and staff shortages. NASW recognizes that other areas of social work are underpaid and we intend to put salary increases across many fields of practice front and center as we move forward.