NASW WI Fall Conference 2008 and Lobby Day 2009
Photographs Courtesy of John Hanrahan

Ruth Ann Berkholtz speaks about the Mental Health Access and Equity bill at the Fall Conference

CHECK OUT OUR NEW NASW WI You Tube VIDEOS!

“Why Is NASW WI Important to You as a Social Worker” and

“NASW WI Executive Director Marc Herstand’s Welcome to Members”

NASW WI members talk about why their profession and their professional association are important to them. To view “Why Is NASW WI Important to You as a Social Worker” click here

Our Executive Director, Marc Herstand, talks about the many benefits of NASW WI membership. This film features footage of Marc lobbying in the Capitol. To view “NASW WI Executive Director Marc Herstand’s Welcome to Members” click here

These videos were produced by former NASW WI Intern Mark Carroll.

JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE PASSES BUDGET WITH MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS/VENDORSHIP BILL!

NASW WI Members Lobbying Efforts Make a Difference

On May 28th the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee passed the Wisconsin State Budget, which included our Mental Health Access/Vendorship bill. Given the worst fiscal crisis in a generation, it was a major coup for NASW WI to get our bill included in the budget.

The Mental Health Access/Vendorship bill, as adopted by the Joint Finance Committee, would implement the private insurance provisions on the effective date of the budget (July 1, 2009) and the Medical Assistance provisions on January 1, 2011.

The Wisconsin State Budget still needs to be approved by the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate and signed by the Governor. The Senate and Assembly are expected to approve the budget over the next several weeks with few if any changes. The Governor will then need to sign the budget and could make line item vetoes as he sees fit. At this time we are hopeful that the Governor will retain our bill in the State Budget

NASW WI will send out an alert if we need any further action by members.

In the meantime we would like to ask NASW WI members who are constituents of Joint Finance Committee members who voted for the bill to send thank you letters to them. Even if you are not a constituent, you could still send a thank you letter to the Joint Finance Committee members. Joint Finance Committee members who voted for the budget, which included our bill, were; State Senators Mark Miller, Dave Hansen, Lena Taylor, John Lehman, Judy Robson and Julie Lassa and State Representatives Mark Pocan, Pedro Colon, Jennifer Shilling, Cory Mason, Tamara Grigsby and Gary Sherman.

State Senator Mark Miller and his chief of staff Jamie Kuhn, MSSW, deserve special thanks for their leadership on our behalf. In addition, State Representatives Tamara Grigsby, MSSW and Jennifer Shilling, lobbied their fellow Joint Finance Committee members for inclusion of our bill into the budget.

For more information, please contact Marc Herstand at the NASW WI office toll-free at 866-462-7994 or (608) 257-6334.

To download a list of Finance Committee Members with contact Info click here 

DISTINGUISHED SOCIAL WORKER AND PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD NOMINEES SOUGHT

Take Time to Recognize Excellence

NASW-WI is beginning its invitation for nominations for the 2009 Distinguished Social Worker and 2009 Public Service Awards. These awards will be presented at the 2009 Annual Conference Luncheon on Wednesday October 21, 2009, at the Sheraton Madison Hotel in Madison, WI.

The qualifications for the Distinguished Social Worker include:

• Has a degree in social work at the BSW, MSW or doctoral level
• Is an outstanding professional in her/his field of practice
• Practices social work in the State of Wisconsin

Qualifications for the Public Service Award include:

• Supports social work values and ideals in the pursuit of social and economic justice
• Her/his work impacts on the people in the State of Wisconsin
• Is not a social worker

Candidates rated on the following criteria:

• Magnitude of impact of nominee's work
• Timeliness of nomination
• Importance of recognition of issue area
• Diversity of nominee and client population

Distinguished Social Worker nominees will also be rated on whether they are ". ..an outstanding professional in her/his field of practice," and the Public Service nominees will be evaluated on whether they "support social work values and ideals in the pursuit of social and economic justice."

To nominate an individual for one of these awards, please include her/his name, current place of employment, address and telephone number. In no more than 500 words, please explain your reasons for nominating this person. You may include up to 3 letters of support. Include your name, address, email and phone number.

After we receive your nomination, we will contact the nominee and request a resume. We will not inform the nominee that you were the nominator, but you are free to do so if you wish.

Please send your nomination by mail to NASW-WI Chapter, 16 N Carroll Street, Ste 220, Madison, WI 53703; FAX 608-257-8233 or email marcherstand@tds.net 

All nominations must be received in the NASW WI office by Wednesday July 31, 2009.