LEAD: THE BEST YEAR YET

Every year the Chapter’s annual Legislative Education and Advocacy Day gets better and better.  This  year’s event hit the top of the scales.  What a powerhouse of speakers, workshops and attendance.  Every MSW program in Massachusetts sent a contingent with Boston College Graduate School of Social Work offering a special gift to its group of 200 MSW students, paying everyone's registration fee.  Nine of the Massachusetts BSW programs were in attendance.  There was even a group of criminal justice students from Merrimack College who joined us so they could rub shoulders with and learn from social workers on how to lobby and make one’s voice heard.  In total, 750 students, professionals and other advocates joined legislators, professional lobbyists, faculty, and Health and Human Service administrators who were either in the audience or at the podium.

The event was highlighted by the appearance of several Constitutional officers.  State Treasurer Steven Grossman addressed the group, acknowledging several of his family members were professional social workers.  Attorney General Martha Coakley brought greetings from her office.  Both these high profile officers are closely aligned with the values and priorities of the social work profession.

The featured dignitary, Governor Deval Patrick graced the audience with his usual thoughtful and substantive remarks about the social work profession and the work we do.  And of course, the centerpiece of the morning was Governor Patrick’s declaration of March as Social Work Month and the handing over to me, his official proclamation.

The day was truly memorable, not only for the substance of the presentations, the energy of the participants but also the celebration of Social Work Month through the banner that flew on the front of the State House.  LEAD is a reminder of what it means to be a part of our proud profession.

NASW Steps Up House in the State House

This Tuesday, March 25^th  marks one of the highlights of the MA Chapter’s commitment to legislative advocacy, LEAD (Legislative Education and Advocacy Day).  Over 700 social work professionals and students will convene at the Grand Staircase, Hall of Flags, and in Gardner Auditorium to prepare themselves for the lobbying event of the year.  Tomorrow  attendees will become intimately familiar with NASW-MA Chapter’s legislative agenda so they can then meet with their legislators.  Together they will promote the professional and social/economic justice priorities that serve social workers and the individuals and communities that social workers serve.

Governor Deval Patrick will address the group as he proclaims March as Social Work Month. State Treasurer, Stephen Grossman and Attorney General Martha Coakley will add their support to the Chapter’s legislative agenda.  To top it off, flying from the front façade of the State House will be the most enormous social work banner ever to appear in public.

This confluence of social work clinicians, organizers, faculty, researchers, administrators and planners is the compelling profile of this wonderful profession.

The Voice of Professional Social Work will be echoing throughout Beacon Hill.

Who Is Responsible?

Last week I attended a meeting with DCF Commissioner Olga Roche and a group of child welfare stakeholders who were briefed on the imminent release of the Child Welfare League of America’s (CWLA) Progress Update to Governor Patrick and Secretary Polanowicz.  This is the interim report of the ongoing independent investigation of the Department of Children and Families, the culminating report to be released in May.

Click HERE for the Report

CWLA is one of several groups investigating the recent disappearance of Jeremiah Oliver, a 5-year old boy, along with the longer standing issues impacting the delivery of services to children and families involved with DCF across the state.   In turn, the Office of the Child Advocate did an inquiry and the House Committee on Post Audit and Oversight is in the midst of its investigation.  The Department has also performed its own study. 

Everybody wants someone, or someone else to DO SOMETHING about DCF.  It is true that some of us (i.e. child welfare agencies, SEIU, NASW, etc.) are some of the key groups that have visible and even legal accountabilities.  Responsibility for the current state of child welfare in the Commonwealth is not restricted to these easily identified groups.   It is ALL of our responsibility.  Our neighbors, family members, school personnel, the mailman who comes to the door daily, along with those individuals in the medical profession.  The task of looking after members of our communities who may be compromised by a complex combination of mental and physical health issues, poverty, generational domestic violence, homelessness, joblessness and addictions, belongs to all of us.

Recently, I developed an interest in ancient society’s view of family and child welfare.  I found that 4,500 years ago papyrus scrolls placed in pyramids spelled out acts of mercy that society members had to follow.  3,000 years ago the Mosaic code instructed the Jewish people to help the poor and disadvantaged people and in 530 BCE Siddhartha, the Buddha, taught that the path to enlightenment included love and charity to others.  There was no Department of Children and Families in ancient times, no Riversides, Waysides or MSPCCs…just everyday people looking out for each other.  True we have become more specialized 6,000 years later with the advent of groups performing the functions that all early peoples were expected to perform.  However the development of these fairly modern (at least post Romanic) institutions still does not exempt  the rest of us who are not officially  ‘in the business’ from watching out for our brothers, sisters, cousins, neighbors and friends.

POLITICS, POWER & SOCIAL WORK

How often do we here the word "politics"and immediately assign it a negative connotation? 

Well, I want you to consider this.  There is nothing inherently nasty about politics. In fact, the NASW-MA Chapter has, and continues to, positively affect social change through politics.
 
Case in point- PACE which is the acronym for  the NASW MA Chapter’s Political Action for Candidate Election arm.  This Committee of highly informed political ‘junkies’ –all lively NASW members – who are hungry for political and electoral happenings, keeps the Chapter and the Association on the front burner of electoral activities.  Because of PACE’s important work, which includes interviewing and endorsing candidates who share the same values and vision as social workers, NASW-MA is seen as the organization that candidates seek endorsement when running for both State Senate and House seats.  Sitting at the small conference table in the Chapter office, interviewing the next potential Treasurer or Governor for the state is a thrilling experience. This is an exciting time to get involved with PACE as the group starts to plan  its upcoming strategies.  You can be part of this worthy AND positive process.

Empower yourself. Join PACE today!

For more information about PACE please contact Julie Balasalle at Balasalle@naswma.org or 617-227-9635 x20.

Carol J. Trust

CONSENSUS AMONGST THE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES ON TAX QUESTIONS. NASW IS ALIGNED WITH THIS POSITION.

On September 28^th 2010 gubernatorial candidates assembled at Faneuil Hall for the first ever debate devoted solely to human services issues. Gov. Deval Patrick, Republican Charles Baker, independent Tim Cahill and Green-Rainbow candidate Jill Stein addressed vital issues concerning 185,000 employees in the human services field and the clients they serve. Health care reform, managed care and salaries were top on the list.

One question that struck at the heart of the debate was the following:

“Human services employees are paid $12 an hour on average. Most have to work two jobs just to make ends meet. What would you do to change this?”

As expected, each candidate had varying plans to improve the current system.  However, they all agreed that human service workers are underpaid and struggling to provide invaluable services to vulnerable populations.  With that in mind, I was encouraged to learn that there was consensus against the passage of ballot Question 3, on the November ballot. This question would reduce the state sales tax from the current 6.25%  level to 3%.   

NASW is part of a state wide coalition that opposes Question #3 as well as Question #1 which will remove the current sales tax on alcoholic beverages.

Governor Deval Patrick, who NASW/MA Chapter PACE has endorsed, simply stated “There will be a time to cut back on taxes, but the time is not now.”

Please remember to VOTE on Nov. 2^nd 2010.  For a full report on the MA Chapter NASW endorsed candidates, go to www.naswma.org.

Carol Trust