NASW, MISSISSIPPI CHAPTER

Want to help Oklahoma tornado victims?  Go to www.naswok.org , and click "Chapter News" at the top of the website...you will get all the information you need about how to help!

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NASW, MS  IS WORKING FOR YOU!

 NASW, MS Chapter is supporting the fight to expand/continue medicaid services provided by social workers at the MS Department of Health and other programs through grass roots advocacy by members.  We continue to need social workers to contact their Senators and Representatives to let them know the impact of the interruption or loss of medicaid funds to our vulnerable populations, and how this will impact many jobs including those of social workers.  It is critical that contacts be made now in order to prepare for the possibility of a special session in June. 

Additionally,  we must begin to educate our legislative leadership about the essential need for social workers and how we contribute to the many areas we work in as our social work licensing law sunsets in 2014.  The licensing law will come up automatically in January 2014.  NASW, MS and the MS Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage & Family Therapists are preparing for this through ongoing meetings about the current law.  Please begin making your contacts with your legislators now. 

Please also plan to show your support for our social work licensing law bill and the profession by attending the Social Work Advocacy Day at the MS State Capitol on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm.  Join us for meetings and a press conference to highlight the importance of social work.  

Lastly, we are taking applications for two LCSW and one LSW nominations for MS Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage & Family Therapists for positions beginning July 2014.  The applications are due fall 2013.  These are voluntary positions on the licensing board for social workers that run for a term of four years, and each position is appointed by the Governor or Lt. Governor and must be confirmed by the Senate.  These are important service positions for our profession.  For an application, please see the Newsletter page.

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           Please be sure and check our pages listed above for program unit meeting information, pictures from our 

       recent activities, monthly newsletter, and President's page.  Remember to watch for your election ballot to

        be sent to all members by email May 30; you will have until noon June 20 to cast your vote for our new

       Board! 

       We will be "passing the gavel" from President Angela Gaddis on July 1 to President Virginia Adolph.  We want to

       thank Angela and her board for all of their hard work to grow our chapter membership, and establish student

       leadership at our annual conferences through poster sessions and student/faculty luncheons.  We look

      forward  to continued growth with Virginia and our new board.

       Please see the President's Page for Angela's final message to membership.

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            UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

        The Mississippi State University Therabot Project is looking for social workers, therapists, psychologists,

         and counselors who have worked with people with PTSD in therapy sessions to complete a survey regarding

         the use of specialized robots in specific therapeutic settings.  If you would like more information, please

        contact  Melinda Pilkinton, Ph.D., LCSW,   Associate Professor and Program Director,

        Social Program, MSU,  662.325.7874.