Napswnlwinter2017 Layout 1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The National Association of Perinatal Social Workers Volume 37 Number 1 Winter 2017 Every baby, every family...supported with competent and compassionate care. www.napsw.org FROM THE AUTHOR OF B R E A T H E… HOPE is the thing with feathers… By Kelly Kittel Saturday morning and that day the pregnant, I sun came out for the first time after went on a hey say there’s no greater 40 days and 40 nights of rain, making business trip agony than bearing an untold Noah the most fitting name for him. with Andy to story inside of you. For me, Our family seemed complete with Hawaii that story is told in my two girls and two boys, matched sets, where I took T and life seemed to be as perfect as it my baby memoir, Breathe. I was born with a book clutched in my fist and always could possibly be. Andy is the snorkeling in knew that some day I’d write one, but youngest of eight children and we Hanama Bay. I certainly never dreamed that life rocked along in our ark, surrounded My belly was would place this particular tale in my by his large, loving family. like a beach hands. I wrote Breathe to tell the Until the dreadful day, August 10, ball and the story of our sons, Noah and Jonah, 1997, when Noah, who was only 15 two of us floated in the warm, salty and I also wrote it to help other peo- months old, was run over by our 16- water while I hummed Beach Boys ple. But I carried this story inside of year-old niece in my in-law’s drive- tunes to my baby, this most amazing me, cleaved to my heart, for 10 long way on the Oregon coast. The world blessing. We were moving along, get- years before I wrote even one word. crashed over us like a tsunami and ting through our grief one day at a spit us out on a foreign shore, gasping time. It was still very painful but, like for breath. Life, as we knew it, was sea glass, the sharp edges were start- The Book Of Noah over. This was the end of “normal” ing to wear smooth. My husband, Andy, and I met in the for us. I tried so hard to be happy, tried not Peace Corps in Jamaica in 1985 and to cry, thinking it would make the when our fourth child, Noah, was The Book of Jonah baby sad. My due date was June 3 but born 11 years later on May 18, 1996, we had good careers and loving fami- Less than one month after Noah died, continued on page 4 lies. We were 34 years old, college I discovered I was pregnant and I was educated and our feet were planted gobsmacked. I was sick, so skinny firmly on the prescriptive path that and sick, that I was simply shocked In this issue … defines success in our society. There that somehow new life had taken was no reason to think we wouldn’t ahold inside of me. It felt like a mira- From the President........................... 2 cle and I cradled it like a delicious continue raising our family and con- Baltimore Takes on Infant secret. Like hope. This baby helped us tributing to our 401K accounts, retir- Mortality........................................8 ing some day as successful profession- all learn to crawl and walk again. It helped us get through all those terri- Interdisciplinary Recommendations als. Breathe takes place mostly in for Psychosocial Support.............11 Oregon, where I worked as a fish biol- ble firsts without Noah. Portland Conference .......................13 ogist in Portland for the Bonneville We weathered the first Halloween Power Administration. We lived in and at Thanksgiving, when I was Book Review....................................14 Portland when our second and third three months along, we took a family Regional Spotlight...........................15 children, Christiana and Micah, were trip to Jamaica where I gave thanks Innovation Programs/Research born but had moved to Salem by the for our Peace Corps experience, Grant ............................................16 time Noah graced our lives. knowing that for most of the world NAPSW Award for Excellence life is hard. And that even today I Noah was our first baby who Nomination Form .......................17 could sit with any woman in the so- emerged looking like I thought all of NAPSW Leadership them would. He had reddish blonde called third world and having lost one son wouldn’t be so unusual. Nominations................................19 hair and blue eyes like me. My first Social Action ...................................20 blue-eyed baby, he was just beautiful. We made it through Christmas and He was born in the wee hours of a Easter, and when I was seven months 2 NAPSW FORUM Winter 2017 NAPSW FORUM Published quarterly online at www.napsw.org by the National Association of Perinatal Social Workers. Views and opinions published in NAPSW FORUM are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Association. Managing Editor: Margery Pentland, LICSW Co-Managing Editor: Dasi Schlup, MSW, LCSW Production Editor: George Hatzfeld NAPSW Officers: President:JaNeen Cross, DSW, MBA, LCSW Philadelphia, PA [email protected] Vice-President: Hannah Raiden-Wright, LCSW from the president Berkeley, CA [email protected] Secretary: Evelyn Mascarenas, MSW s we move forward with Presi- need to focus on with the new admin- Oakland, CA Adent-elect Donald Trump, there istration. [email protected] appears to be many things unknown Trump’s immigration reform is of Treasurer: Diane Glenn, MSW, LASW about the future direction of the particular concern for social workers. Seattle, WA country. Although our country is Trump states that his agenda includes [email protected] grappling with more questions than deportation of undocumented individ- answers, there is little doubt that uals and families and abolishing sanc- Immediate Past President: Lisa Baker, LCSW, PhD sweeping changes will occur. The tuary communities by removing fed- Vestavia Hills, AL health care landscape and immigra- eral funds to states. Immigration [email protected] tion reform are areas that may reform is of special interest to perina- undergo many major changes. tal social workers who often provide Board of Directors: During his campaign speeches, perinatal services and support to Elizabeth Allen, LCSW** President-elect Trump promised to undocumented women. Trump’s pol- Colorado Springs, CO repeal Obamacare but also stated that icy initiatives may decrease the Will Crowder, LCSW** he may preserve some parts of it. It is amount of undocumented women Charlottesville, VA possible to repeal Obamacare using seeking perinatal, mental health, and Jenny Duffy, MSW, LISW * the budget reconciliation process that other needed social work services due Iowa City, IA will expedite considerations for con- to fear. Physical and mental health Sandy Dykstra, MSSW, APSW* troversial budget and tax measures. outcomes for these women then Milwaukee, WI At this time we are not sure how the become exacerbated without services Joan Hebert, LCSW, ACSW* new administration would modify or and support. Immigration policy Orlando, FL replace Obamacare. Perinatal social changes require close monitoring by Kara Marriott, MSW, LCSW ** workers must stay abreast of any perinatal social workers. South Elgin, IL changes to Obamacare that directly It is imperative that social workers Barbara Menard, LCSW** impact access and quality of health remain cognizant of these macro San Diego, CA care services to families. changes because they will have direct Beth Paul, LSW* Another area of focus is women’s practice implications at the micro and Newburgh, IN health and reproductive rights. Trump mezzo level of practice. The ability Dasi Schlup, MSW, LCSW** expresses support for abortion bans to provide perinatal social work serv- Jefferson City, MO after 20-weeks but conversely states ices and access to those services may Alison Tiedke, MSW, LCSW* that he is pro-choice. Trump appears be more difficult with the incoming Arnold, MD to be in favor of six weeks paid leave administration. The repeal of Oba- *2015-2017 **2016-2018 for new families, particularly moth- macare (also the expansion of Medi- ers. Similarly, these policy areas have caid) and conservative fiscal policies The National Association of Perinatal Social Work- direct impact on the type of reproduc- may limit access to health care, ers was incorporated in Oklahoma City in 1980 as a tive health services and postpartum diminished funding, support and nonprofit educational, professional organization support pregnant and postpartum resources to families across the coun- whose mission is to promote and support excel- mothers can receive. This is another try. Policy changes made in health lence in perinatal social work to maximize healthy area that perinatal social workers care specifically will have far reaching outcomes for babies and their families. consequences for all Americans, not Every baby, every family...supported with just the marginalized and oppressed. competent and compassionate care. Winter 2017 NAPSW FORUM 3 Although as perinatal social workers background and regardless of immi- includes leaders such as Barbara we know that it is the most vulnera- gration/citizenship status. We will Mikulski, Frances Feldman, Grace ble of populations that are at highest continue to serve and advocate on Coyle, Jeanette Rankin, Maurice risk. behalf of all families and execute the Daniels, Alberto Godenzi, Ruby Based on the widespread concerns mission of NAPSW. Gourdine, Mariko Yamada, Frances and implications for potential policy The purpose of NAPSW is to Perkins, and Jane Addams responding changes, the new administration was “share” our knowledge base and this to women’s rights, suffrage, civil met by turbulent protests around the will be important. As perinatal social rights, segregation, health care needs, country.