March is Women's History Month, and Social Work Month!
The Social Work Policy Network sends weekly resources regarding national & local legislature, events, as well as media.
Thank you for your continued support of the Social Work Policy Network.
Professional Opportunities
Community Organizer - Garden State Equality (Asbury Park, NJ)
Social Work Case Manager - Legal Services of New Jersey (hybrid: Edison, NJ)
Mental Health Program Specialist 2 - NYS Office of Mental Health (hybrid: New York, NY)
Program Associate, Progressive Talent Pipeline - Demand Progress Education Fund (remote)
Program Manager, Trenton Neighborhood Initiative - Trenton Health Team (hybrid: Trenton, NJ)
Lead Organizer - Make the Road States (Elizabeth, NJ)
Advocacy Manager - Unchained At Last (hybrid: Northern NJ)
Upcoming Events
Disability Justice: Driving Authentic Change Towards Action
Presented by The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 4:00 - 6:00pm
Gov. James J. Florio Special Events Forum
33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ
"Are we doing enough within our policies to not just accommodate, but also uplift people with disabilities?
"Join the Bloustein School for an important conversation as we collectively work towards dismantling barriers and building a society where everyone can thrive. Attendees will gain valuable insights into creating spaces celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion, and ensuring that we all play a significant role in developing an inclusive and just society.
"Our annual DEI Lecture will critically assess the systems that seek to build inclusive communities. From access to health equity, discussants will navigate the landscape of inclusivity, shedding light on areas that demand attention and reform.
"The lecture will serve as a call to action for students, organizations, and policymakers to examine their roles in driving authentic change. It seeks to foster a deeper understanding of disability justice and its impact on health equity, policy development, and community building. By giving voice to the lived experiences of people with disabilities and examples of disability justice at work, we aim to catalyze tangible strides toward a more inclusive and equitable future for all."
For more information about the speakers and the event, click here.
Click here to register!
Legislative Education & Advocacy Day (LEAD)
Presented by NASW-NJ
Thursday, April 4, 2024
10:00am - 1:00pm
**virtual**
"Every year, LEAD brings hundreds of social work students and professionals together to learn about the legislative process, key policy issues impacting social workers and their clients, and to draw attention to the work we do and the needs of our profession and our clients.
"Attendees can expect a day filled with learning, collaboration, and empowerment. The agenda includes advocacy updates, insights into the bill-to-law process, and discussions on civic engagement efforts.
"...[the] feature presentation, Civic Duty - Poll Working as a CEU, will be given by, District Representative Chief of Staff, Ameerah N. McCoy, LSW. As we delve into the realm of civic duty and the importance of poll working as a community engagement opportunity, Ameerah, will guide us through a thought-provoking discussion on the impact and significance of active participation in the electoral process. She will shed light on the vital role that individuals can play in shaping the future of their communities through their involvement in the democratic process.
The presentation will discuss:
Recognizing the intersection of social work principles with election poll work.
Identify key roles and responsibilities of social workers in election engagement.
Explore the impact of election poll work on community empowerment and social change.
Identifying opportunities for social workers to contribute to fair and equitable elections.
This event is FREE to attend, but registration must be done before the day of the event!
Demand Rutgers Social Work Students are Paid for their Labor!!
"The national issue of unpaid placements is compounded by major national issues such as income inequality, inflation, and the student debt crisis. Therefore, it is imperative that students are monetarily compensated for their labor. [Rutgers Payment4Placements is] asking Rutgers School of Social Work to promptly address this issue by properly compensating practicum students. Dignity and worth of the person is a core value in the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics- students deserve to be treated as such by being compensated for their labor.
"Rutgers Master of Social Work students are required to complete 1125 hours of work at their practicum placement, significantly more than the Council on Social Work Education’s national requirement of 900 hours to sit for the social work licensure exam. Traditional full-time students spend between 15-22.5 hours per week outside of classes working at human service agencies in order to graduate. Duties are the same, or largely similar to, those of paid agency employees. These range from all types of social worker responsibilities such as case management, group therapy, classroom support, and other critical human services. Working at a placement for 2-3 days a week and attending classes 1-2 days leaves minimal time for students to spend with their families, engage in self-care, complete readings and assignments, and work an alternate job(s) to pay for basic living expenses."
To learn more, follow the Rutgers Payment4Placements chapter and the Payment4Placements movement on Instagram: @rutgersp4p @p4pnational
Sign the petition!
National Updates
Fight Over Texas Law Underscores a Battle of America vs. Its States: The New York Times
“The face-off between Texas and the federal government over whether the state can enforce its own immigration policy reflects a broader and recurring feature of American politics: a number of hot-button issues have become proxy battles over who gets to decide.”
A new bill would enhance LGBTQ+ youth mental health services: The Advocate
“Democratic U.S. Sens. Laphonza Butler and Tina Smith [recently] introduced the Pride in Mental Health Act, which would strengthen mental health and crisis intervention resources for at-risk LGBTQ+ youth. “Accessing mental health care and support has become increasingly difficult in nearly every state in the country,” Butler, the first Black LGBTQ+ senator, said in a press release.”
Alabama governor signs bill barring diversity, equity and inclusion programs: The Associated Press
“Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday signed legislation that would ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public schools, universities and state agencies and prohibit the teaching of “divisive concepts” including that someone should feel guilty because of their race or gender. The measure…takes effect on Oct. 1…”
Judges use ‘arbitrary,’ ‘horrendous’ reasons to keep teens in adult court: WYPR (NPR of Maryland)
“Each year, hundreds of Maryland teens find themselves face to face with a judge and two possible outcomes: a judgment in adult court and possible prison time, or a transfer to the juvenile court and the opportunity to get therapy. It’s up to the judge to decide. An investigation by WYPR and APM Reports found that some judges are using what juvenile justice advocates say are arbitrary and inconsistent reasons to keep teenagers charged with serious crimes in adult court.”
Local & Regional Updates
Governor Murphy signs affordable housing overhaul into law: The New Jersey Monitor
“Gov. Phil Murphy signed an overhaul of the state’s affordable housing system into law Wednesday…which ends a court-run system that has overseen affordable housing construction for close to a decade, abolishes the defunct Council on Affordable Housing, guards municipalities from exclusionary zoning lawsuits under certain conditions, and creates a bevy of new bonus credits that municipalities can use to reduce their affordable housing obligations, among other things.”
Surge in applications for concealed-carry permits in NJ: New Jersey Spotlight News
“It’s been nearly two years since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling made it easier for people around the country to carry guns in public. State officials say New Jersey is feeling the effects of the ruling. Known as the Bruen decision, the ruling — which said Americans have a right to carry a firearm outside the home for self-defense purposes — undercut laws in states like New Jersey that required a person to show a “justifiable need” to carry a firearm in public.”
Rutgers student sues over ‘selfish and illegal’ faculty strike: The New Jersey Monitor
“A Rutgers University student sued seven local and national faculty unions Friday for last spring’s weeklong walkout, accusing the labor groups of “a selfish and illegal strike” and demanding compensation for lost educational time.”
[The Open Public Records Act] OPRA lives: Politico’s New Jersey Playbook
“Just before the Assembly Appropriations Committee was scheduled to hold one last hearing on the bill to overhaul OPRA before the Assembly and Senate would be able to vote on it, it disappeared from the agenda followed shortly by a statement from Speaker Craig Coughlin.”
Learn more about the NJ Open Public Records Act here, and the proposed bill, A4045.
NJ Election News: Ballot Battles
Election season has begun, and New Jersey is starting off with banner (or should I say, ballot) drama! With the controversy surrounding Senator Bob Menendez, the Democratic leadership of our state has decided to move on and look for new candidates to fill his spot. The frontrunners so far are Tammy Murphy, Governor Phil Murphy's wife, and Representative Andy Kim, of our third congressional district. While other states would have Mrs. Murphy and Rep. Kim listed as candidates on a ballot amongst other Senate-hopefuls in no particular order, New Jersey adds a unique twist to its ballot design: the County-Line System.
Rep. Kim is suing to eliminate the county line, which would hurt Mrs. Murphy's chances of being elected as she is the candidate that was selected to be first "on the line." Candidates receive the spot on the ballot by county political parties placing their preferred candidates in the privileged position, per NJ Spotlight News. Mrs. Murphy has received significant backing from densely populated counties, including Essex and Bergen, which have propelled her to the line and pushed Rep. Kim to the left.
Why is the County-Line Ballot so hotly contested?
According to the New Jersey Monitor, Rep. Kim "alleges New Jersey’s unique balloting system tramples on protections granted by the First and Fourteenth amendments and the U.S. Constitution’s elections clause. [Rep.] Kim argues the county-line system...violates candidates’ constitutional rights because office seekers who choose not to be grouped with others face an automatic disadvantage on ballot placement and, therefore, in the election." Additionally, the county-line can blind voters from seeking other electoral options. Our own Rutgers professor, Dr. Julia Sass Rubin, has argued that the county line system impacts elections by “steering voters towards specific candidates” and “increases voter confusion, contributing to overvotes and undervotes” by as much as 50 percentage points in some races.
What do you think: keep the county-line, or break it up?
As New Jersey's Primary Election on June 4th is approaching, we are in for a wild ride! You can read the following articles below to learn more about the county-line ballots and court case, and follow them as the case progresses.
The Associated Press
New Jersey Monitor
The New York Times
POLITICO's New Jersey Playbook
The Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis invites you to participate in a collaborative international study on social work and policy practice engagement. You are receiving this invitation due to your connection to social work practice and/or membership to a social work organization.
The study purpose is to learn about social worker involvement in influencing policy through their work. All practitioner perspectives are important, so we want to hear from you regardless of your previous or current policy involvement!
The online survey takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Your participation is completely anonymous, and we will not ask for, collect, or store any identifying information. There are no direct risks or benefits attached to the study, but we hope that the information gathered through responses will benefit Social Work practice and policy education.
Participate in the survey through this link: https://wustl.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cw5cYEDFM7ON5gq
If you have any questions about this project, please reach out to María Gandarilla Ocampo at mgandarillaocampo@wustl.edu.
2024 NASW-NJ Annual Conference
"Life in a Traumatic World:
Implications for Social Work Practice"
Sunday, April 14 - Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, NJ
"As Social Workers know, trauma can take many forms, from interpersonal violence, sexual assault and medical trauma to natural disasters, institutionalized oppression, war-related trauma and the sudden loss of a family member. According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, 70% of adults have experienced a traumatic event in their lifetimes. This means more than 223 million people are living with the effects of trauma in the U.S. Over three days, we will examine how trauma affects our clients and ourselves, and also learn about cutting edge modalities to treat this pervasive and challenging subject."
The conference will include:
KEYNOTES – The opening keynote presentation on Sunday sets the tone for the conference. The closing keynote brings us back together to reflect upon all we have learned during the event.
PLENARIES – We have added plenary sessions to the schedule so we can come together to learn and examine key issues collectively.
CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS – You’ll have the opportunity to choose a workshop on a topic of interest to you from a selection of concurrent sessions. You’ll attend one concurrent workshop session a day.
ON-DEMAND WORKSHOPS – To help keep your conference schedule manageable, while still providing the opportunity to earn up to 23 CE credits, they are offering two pre-recorded workshops that you will complete on-demand any time between April 17-May 17. If you are a member and have registered for all three days of the conference, you will also receive a third pre-recorded webinar for on-demand credit. That’s 2 bonus CE credits, at no extra charge, just for members!
