Heather Rose Artushin, LISW-CP By Heather Rose Artushin, LISW-CP As social workers, we often embark upon this professional journey with a heart for helping people to live well. But what if dying well was a conversation that was never meant to be saved for the end of life? Ronald L. Riffel, retired social worker and board member of the Center for Conscious Living and Dying (CCLD) in North Carolina, initially responded to a call for volunteers to sit with people who were dying, in what he described as a profound experience. Nestled in the Swannanoa Valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains ..read more

April Ferguson LCSW-C Senior Practice Associate Children and Adolescents April 2024 The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) acknowledges April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) defines child abuse and neglect as any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caregiver that results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or failure to act that presents an imminent risk of serious harm. During this month, attention is focused on prevention efforts that eliminate abuse and neg ..read more

How often do you talk with clients about their alcohol use? Do you know how much drinking is too much, or what counts as a standard drink? April is Alcohol Awareness Month, an invitation to social workers to make conversations about alcohol use part of routine practice—and to make sure they’re armed with the facts. As the nation’s largest group of mental health services providers, social workers are uniquely positioned to help clients make significant positive changes in their health and well-being by taking time to talk with them about their drinking. These conversations can have a major impa ..read more

Our hearts ache for the families of the six individuals still missing in the aftermath of the tragic collision involving the Dali cargo ship and the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday around 1:30am. Despite challenging conditions, search and recovery operations persist, reflecting the resilience and dedication of first responders. We extend our deepest condolences to all affected by this devastating event. As investigations continue and the city remains in a state of emergency, it is crucial to prioritize support for impacted communities and ensure comprehensive recovery efforts ..read more

By Denise Johnson, LCSW-C Senior Practice Associate March 2024 In February 2024, a major healthcare cybersecurity attack occurred, affecting many patients and providers including clinical social workers (CSWs). The attack targeted UnitedHealth Group’s subsidiary Change Healthcare, a technology clearinghouse that manages billing and administrative tasks for healthcare organizations. The attack, known as ransomware, involved hackers gaining access to healthcare payment systems, encrypting files, and demanding payment in exchange for a decryption key. As a result, Change Healthcare became tempora ..read more

By Yasoda Sharma, PhD, MSW March is recognized as Women’s History Month, with the 2024 United Nations theme being “Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress.” Women worldwide face numerous challenges, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive actions to empower them. Investing in women is the pivotal first step to drive change and accelerate the transition towards a just, safe, and more egalitarian society for all. Women’s History Month. Women of different ages, nationalities and religions come together. Women’s History Month offers a dedicated time to recognize and celebrate the contributio ..read more

This Saturday, March 23rd marks the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Commonly referred to as Obamacare, this is a moment to reflect on the deep impact this revolutionary legislation has had on the healthcare landscape in the United States. When it was enacted in 2010, the ACA’s aim was to increase access to affordable healthcare for millions of Americans, improve the quality of care, and address gaps in health results. Since then, this sweeping, groundbreaking law has improved the health of all Americans, including children, women and families, men, older adults, communities ..read more

By Maren Dale Jennifer Pelham, MSW, is a self-defined corporate social worker from Albany, N.Y., and currently serves as a senior IT consultant and change management specialist for a major health care provider. She stepped into the corporate sector in 2008, taking on a role as a career development program manager for a major technology company, after serving as a hospital-based individual and group therapist. Other social workers often ask her about her work and wonder if social workers are needed in the corporate sector. Pelham finds it helpful to explain the opportunities she foresees by ..read more

By Sue Coyle Self-care is an often-discussed topic among social workers, the organizations that employ them, and the profession as a whole—and for good reason. Social work is a challenging career choice in myriad ways. From the client-based schedules that often extend into the evenings, to the lack of resources available for organizations and individuals, to the emotional toll service work can take on a professional, social workers are likely to feel overwhelmed and stressed—at the very least—at multiple points in their career. Evidence of this exists in the rates of both turnover and burno ..read more

Mel Wilson,  NASW Senior Policy Advisor in collaboration with Social Workers for Immigration Justice (SWIJ) Unauthorized entry of migrants into the United States along the country’s southern border has long been a contentious issue. That contention has intensified over the last decade — with Texas often being the center of controversy. Texas is again in the immigration spotlight with passage of highly controversial Senate Bill 4 (SB 4). This legislation, if enacted, would put immigration enforcement authority at the state level instead of federal. Specifically, the legislation would ..read more