NASW-FL responds to disaster in Haiti

Florida, more than most other areas of the continental US, has a direct connection to Haiti and it’s residents who were impacted by the recent 7.0 earthquake in Port Au Prince due to the high number of Haitian immigrants in Florida. An estimated 3 million residents of Haiti were affected, and the extent of the devastation is still unknown.

The Board and staff of the National Association of Social Workers, Florida Chapter would like to reach out to the Florida social workers who are directly impacted by this disaster. In Florida, there are a large number of local social workers who have families and friends in Haiti, and more who have clients who are being impacted in a variety of ways. NASW-FL would like to offer our assistance to our members by providing information on how to access resources, donate, or volunteer.

Our hearts go out to all who were touched by this tragedy!

Please click here for additional information and resources.

Social Work Lobby Day 2010

It’s time for social workers from across the state of Florida to come together. By joining forces, we demonstrate to legislators and other leaders in Florida the importance of social work issues and help to move our legislative agenda forward. We hope to see you there!

SOCIAL WORK LOBBY DAY 2010 SCHEDULE

January–April 2010—Lobby Day Training, Part I: Local events held at the Schools of Social Work to provide information and training on legislative advocacy techniques in preparation for Lobby Day. Training will also be held as a refresher/make-up session before the Part II training, on April 5th from 2:00–4:00 p.m.

Monday, April 5th—Lobby Day Training, Part II: This event for social work professionals and students will provide advanced training and tools in legislative advocacy and a discussion of the issues that will be highlighted during Lobby Day. 4:00–7:00 p.m. at the Tallahassee Antique Car Museum. The keynote speaker will be Elizabeth Franklin, one of the lead legislative staff with NASW’s national office in Washington.

Tuesday, April 6th—Social Work Lobby Day 2010: There will be a rally at 8:30 a.m. on the front steps of the Historic Capitol Building. Finally, attend appointments with your legislators and make a difference!

For additional information about Lobby Day and NASW-FL's Legislative activity, please click here.

Licensure Exam Fee Change

Beginning January 1, 2010, the cost for taking the LCSW exam will raise significantly. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) voted at their last meeting to increase the fees for the Advanced Clinical Exam, the one used in Florida, from $175 to a new rate of $260. This cost will apply for everyone registering to take the exam on or after January 1st. The vote was 36-16, with Florida’s delegation opposing the increase. Reasons cited for the rate change include increased administrative costs, including the costs necessary to ensure the continued validity of the exam, and implementing new security measures. The last rate change was in 2001, and there is expected to be a minimum of five years before any additional increases are considered.

Social Work Public Education Campaign

The National Social Work Public Education Campaign has created tools for social workers to use to educate people about the breadth and depth of the profession. We have created advertising, public relations, and marketing materials that tell people about the profession. Now, we have a 5-minute video that will show people that, on any given day, social workers help in so many ways.

Goals of Video:

Where can I see On Any Given Day?

... On PBS. NASW has secured sponsorship placement on public broadcasting stations across the country through Spotlight On programming.

... On the Internet. On Any Given Day is on www.SocialWorkers.org and on www.HelpStartsHere.org, as well as popular video Web sites such as www.YouTube.com.

On Any Given Day is an excellent tool to educate people about the breadth and depth of the social work profession. If you are willing to show the DVD at your agency or in your community during March, the NASW-FL Chapter Office will provide you a copy at no cost. Please contact the Chapter Office to request your copy at 1-800-352-6279 or naswfl@naswfl.org.

• legal and advocacy strategies;
• marketing the social work profession in Florida.