Volume XXXIII, Number 5• September-October 2010 The 2010 NASW Ohio Chapter Annual Conference October 28 -29 Keynote Address • A Focus on Values, Ethics, & Principles, 29 to be delivered by Workshops to Choose From (earn 10 CEUs) Senator Capri Cafaro! • Introducing the newly developed Supervision Certificate Program (ability to earn 13 CEUs) • Opportunity to Exhibit Social Work Scholarship -Student and Faculty Research Symposium! • Network with 300+ Social Workers and represen- tatives from 30+ Human Service Organizations Evening of Entertainment on Oct 28th: Fresh Air Gallery presents: national award winning art by Kyle Boganwright! Social Workers as Advocates: Changing Our Communities for Moving Our World Forward: the Better A Documentary about the Power of Social Work *Additional CEU Opportunity September - October, 2010 1 Rebecca L. Sanford Ohio-NASW President of the Board of Directors The Value of NASW My last article focused on the value of social work and the importance of defining what this means. This time I’d like to focus on the value of NASW. When we talk about Ohio NASW the value of NASW membership, there are some questions that the NASW staff and Board of Directors July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011 leadership continue to explore and struggle to find the answers to. President Rebecca Sanford Why do people join NASW? Why do people maintain their membership while others [email protected] decide not to renew? What can we do to encourage members to renew? How can we appeal to social workers at greatly varying stages of their professional life? President-Elect Victoria Marion [email protected] In an era of a recession when many people, myself included, try to limit themselves to only the necessities of life, how do we make membership valuable? The truth is that First Vice President Louis Weigele [email protected] the value of NASW is different for each member. Some members find value in the advocacy work that NASW does on behalf of client Second Vice President Tim Moss [email protected] populations and the social work profession. Others value the networking opportunities that NASW provides. Some people join to take advantage of the malpractice insurance Treasurer Pam Reid [email protected] benefits. And there are others who join simply because they think it is important to be a member of our professional organization. Secretary Tara Hubrins-Lett [email protected] I will admit that I joined as an undergraduate student to get the malpractice insur- ance. But I remained a member because I wanted to take advantage of the intangible MSW Student Representative Stephanie Rapp benefits, such as leadership development and networking. I started by joining the [email protected] PACE committee and getting involved in the activities in Region 3 (Cleveland area). BSW Student Representative Kendal Johnson I am fortunate to have found a niche with supportive mentors and colleagues along [email protected] with an opportunity to make a difference in the profession. I have found this to be a Regional Directors very valuable benefit of my membership in NASW. Region I (Toledo Area) Jessica Demaline The true value of NASW is that your membership can be exactly what you want it to [email protected] be. Certainly, there are constraints that limit what we as a Chapter are able to do for Region II (Akron Area) Lesley Anderson individual members. But I believe that beyond the tangible benefits that NASW offers [email protected] to you, there is a limitless possibility for other benefits, especially if you are willing to Region III (Cleveland Area) Molly Martin put forth ideas, effort, and support to make it happen. [email protected] I’d like to share the story of Molly Martin, Regional Director for Region 3 (Cleveland Region IV (Youngstown Area) Brad Smith area). Molly first contacted me in the Spring of 2008 when I was serving as the Regional [email protected] Director in Region 3. She was completing a training program through the Cleveland Region V (Columbus Area) Vacant Executive Fellowship and contacted me for support from NASW to complete her independent project around social worker safety. Part of the project included a survey Region VI (Cincinnati Area) Diane Kristi Williams which was sent to NASW members in the state to get a better understanding of the [email protected] safety issues that social workers are concerned about. Region VII (Dayton Area) Tony Zdybek [email protected] What started as a small project has turned into a powerful movement. Today Molly is the co-chair for the statewide Workplace Safety Taskforce which was convened by Region VIII (Canton Area) Michelle Chaido NASW and includes collaboration of 11 organizations and agencies in the state to [email protected] explore and address safety issues that impact social service professionals. NASW can be what you want it to be. What’s your NASW membership story? I encourage you to share your story – email me at [email protected]. I would like us to use more stories like Molly’s to emphasize the unique value of NASW. 2 NASW - Ohio Chapter Cynthia M. Webb Executive Director Thank You I want to thank each of you who took a few minutes to answer our recent member survey. 2010-2011 The data collected from the survey will help us establish priorities for the coming year. Committee Chairs Ethics Committee Communication is critical for us to be a responsive membership association. We will con- John Hostetler tinue to utilize surveys along with various communication modalities we have developed [email protected] to increase dialogue. These include our new blog where staff and leadership discuss key Legislative Committee issues to social workers providing you the opportunity to comment, membership forums Annie Davis to ask questions and dialogue with other social workers, Facebook to keep connected to [email protected] opportunities and information, and Linkedin and Twitter. Membership Committee Sarah Ghee We must be able to communicate with you to gain understanding of what is important. [email protected] Communication can not be one-way. NLIC Benette DeCoux We will intermittently send out surveys, but please don’t wait for the survey --reach out [email protected] and share your interests and concerns by: PACE Committee Bob Littmann [email protected] • Giving us a call at the office or sending us an email; Program Planning & Budget Committee • Contacting your regional director; Pam Reid [email protected] • Volunteering to host a forum to discuss issues with other social workers in your community. Contact the chapter office and we will help you with the event; International Service Committee Karina Harty-Morrison • Utilizing the forums on the website to develop discussions with other social [email protected] workers; Professional Issues Committee Louis Weigele and Kathleen Barnett • Commenting to a blog; [email protected] & • Attending conference; [email protected] • Submitting an article to the Ohio Update. Office Staff www.naswoh.org 614.461.4484 E-mail: [email protected] I look forward to hearing from you…. Cindy Executive Director Cynthia M. Webb, MSSA, LISW-S [email protected] Ext.14 NASW Mission Office Manager/Accountant Marie Milo, BS Founded in 1955, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest [email protected] Ext.10 membership organization of professional social workers in the world, with more than 150,000 members. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its Services Coordinator members, to create and maintain standards for the profession, and to advance sound social Danielle Smith, MSW, MA, LSW policies. NASW also contributes to the well-being of individuals, families, and communities [email protected] Ext.16 through its work and advocacy. September - October, 2010 3 From the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Seniors are fre- June, my office has received over a dozen The best way to defeat these financial quently targeted by reports of Ohioans targeted by scammers predators is to keep telling your loved consumer scams. Re- posing as grant officers. Many calls appear ones to be very cautious and to watch out cent reports estimate to originate in the 202 area code, which for these telltale signs of scams. Do not be that one out of five creates an illusion of legitimacy because afraid to check in with older parents and seniors have been that is Washington D.C.’s area code. friends and ask them if they have received victims of financial suspicious offers. Bring it up when you fraud. This can hap- The reported scams are reaching con- have a chance this summer and see if they pen by inappropriate sumers through phone calls, e-mails, and have heard about these scams. With a little investments, unfair letters. All use the term “grant” and most more vigilance, and by sharing informa- Richard Cordray is fees, or outright require you to pay a percentage up front tion about what scams look like and how Ohio’s Attorney fraud. There are before acquiring the “free” money. they work, we can go a long way to pre- General. many reasons why Be wary of mailings that appear to be from vent others from becoming victims. seniors are targeted. government agencies. Do not assume Often they have money available or good that a communication is legitimate just Richard Cordray is Ohio’s Attorney General. credit they have built up over their life- because it uses words such as “federal,” For information about the office’s work, times. Also, perhaps surprisingly, they are “stimulus package” or “grant.” Even if the visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/ statistically less likely than younger people sender’s name sounds official, the source SignUp.