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October 2014
From the President
From the Director
Happy fall y'all!
Promoting Social Work Across Arkansas
I hope everyone has had a very relaxing
summer and have slipped into the fall
routine that often accompanies school
schedules, football and planning for the upcoming
holidays. There are important developments from the
national office as the national board has been working
through a modernization task force to bring NASW into
the 21st century.
NASW-Arkansas wrapped up the summer
with the Annual Board Retreat and ushered
in fall with a wave of continuing education
opportunities throughout the state. I continue to be
overwhelmingly impressed by your board of directors –
those who have invested in a leadership role to represent
the hundreds of NASW members across Arkansas. They
advocate for social workers, the social work profession, and
social justice.
This summer, NASW-AR did not go on vacation! Holly,
my colleagues on the board and I have been busy
planning for FY2015. Our retreat was a success and we
gathered tremendous momentum for the year while
planning innovative ways to reinvest in our membership.
Right now we are busy planning many events for the
year. I have been on the NASW board for more than
three years and for the first time that I can remember
there are four NASW CEU events scheduled at one time!
We also have great committees working on exciting
opportunities for you throughout the year. We are in the
midst of planning for Lobby Day (February 2015) and the
Annual Conference set for April 1-3, 2015. We’re also kicking
off the 2nd Annual Student Membership Contest – a friendly
competition among the Arkansas Schools of Social Work. The
University of Arkansas took home the trophy at the 2014
Awards Luncheon…which school will take it home this year?
Be on the lookout for more information.
Please take a moment to read about important
developments from the National Office and what we
have planned for this year, right here in Arkansas.
I hope you’ll read about other exciting things that are
happening in your chapter, such as our recent work to
advocate for lifting the Arkansas ban on same-sex marriages
and the leadership positions that will be open in Spring
2015.
All the best this fall,
All the best,
Alishia Ferguson, PhD LMSW
President, NASW Arkansas
Holly Barron
Executive Director, NASW Arkansas
Our Vision
NASW Arkansas is committed to being the most relevant and visible force for
social work professionals. We will impact the state of Arkansas and empower our profession through
education, advocacy, and networking
News from Around the State
The theme for NASW-AR this year is NASW-AR: iNspire, iNnovate, iNtegrate. We will use this theme to guide all
our work throughout the year. We will use these verbs to move us forward with a positive focus. Following
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grow our organization over the next year, striving for relevance in the professional lives of you, our members.
We are planning a significant reinvestment in the membership. This includes an exciting and functional new
website that will include registration and payment options for the Annual Conference along with helpful
information about social work and for social work. This upgrade will include member only features. There will be
quality CEUs all over the state with each branch representative committed to 4 educational opportunities for
their branch! We are on track to advocate productively during the upcoming legislative session. We also plan to
integrate YOU into our efforts through committee work and other events that we hope will inspire you to be an
active leader in OUR organization.
There are exciting things happening at NASW-AR this year. Don't miss Lobby Day, Social Work month activities
OR the annual conference! The call for proposals is already out there with great early bird incentives. Through
this conference, we hope to inspire you to continue the great social work you do by presenting innovations that
you can integrate into your micro, mezzo and macro practice.
Dr. Alishia Ferguson
Mark your calendar for
April 1-3, 2015 for the
NASW-AR Annual Conference!
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Social workers are leaders of change! We inspire, innovate and integrate knowledge, skills, and common values to
help others identify strengths, overcome adversity, and fulfill potential. The National Association of Social
Workers—Arkansas Chapter (NASW-AR) invites YOU to submit a presentation proposal for consideration at the
2015 Annual Conference: iNspire iNnovate iNtegrate.
Presentations for this year’s conference should present evidence based information that focuses on best
practices and skill building for Social Work practice. Proposals should incorporate the theme of the conference
and include adequate information for evaluation through a blinded peer-reviewed process. Proposals are
encouraged in all Social Work practice areas, and at all levels of practice including: micro, mezzo, or macro.
Please visit http://www.naswar.org/ for important Submission Guidelines, Deadlines, and our NEW incentives for
early submissions.
Continuing Education Opportunities
The "Great" Divide in Social Work: What
do we do when our personal values and
our professional values collide?
Green Dot Violence Prevention and the
Role of Social Workers
Presented by Dr. Alishia Ferguson
1.5 CEU hours
3 Ethics hours
Wednesday, October 22, 2014, 6:00-7:30pm
Monday, October 13, 2014, 1:00-4:00pm
Mid-South Training Center, Little Rock
Presented by Dr. Shannon Collier-Tenison
Arlington Hotel, Hot Springs
FREE to NASW members/$10 non-members
FREE to NASW members/$10 non-members
For more information call (501) 663-0658 or
For more information call (501) 663-0658 or
email [email protected]
email [email protected]
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
NEW
CEU!
Candidates, Social
Policy, and the Effects
on Our Clients: Meet
Sen. Robert Thompson
Presented by North East Branch
The Phenomena of Adultism:
What are we doing to our youth?
Presented by Marie Jenkins, LMSW & Donna Taylor, LCSW
1.5 CEU hours
Tuesday, November 4, 2014, 5:00-7:00pm
1 CEU hour
University of Monticello
Thursday Oct 16, 2014, 5:30 pm
Arkansas Methodist Medical Center’s Auditorium
900 W Kings Hwy, Paragould
FREE to NASW members/$10 non-members
For more information call (501) 663-0658 or
email [email protected]
FREE to NASW members and the public
$10 fee for social workers who are non-members
For more information call (501) 663-0658 or email
[email protected]
___________________________________________
Southern Arkansas University and NASW will host
Domestic Violence Awareness events including the
Clothesline Project on October 7/8. Rebecca Ojeman,
JD, will present on Friday October 17 at 8:30am in the
Foundation Hall about strangulation in domestic
violence cases.
Rebecca Bennett, MSW, Education Coordinator from
the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence
(ACADV) will speak at 11:00am on “The Intersection of
Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, and Stalking on the
College Campus.”
2 hours of CEU available (not provided by NASW)
___________________________________________
Ethics and Arkansas Health Disparities
Presented by Dr. Rejoice Addae and Dr. Larry Morton
1.5 Ethics hours
Wednesday, November 12, 2014, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Arkansas State University
FREE to NASW members/$10 non-members
For more information call (501) 663-0658 or
email [email protected]
The good we secure for
ourselves is precarious and
uncertain until it is secured for all
of us and incorporated into our
common life.
– Jane Addams
Strength in numbers…
The NASW Arkansas Chapter recently filed an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief in Smith v. Wright with the
Arkansas Supreme Court, urging the justices to clear the way for marriage equality. We joined COLAGE and
the Family Equality Council in the brief to present the stories and voices of children raised by same-sex
parents and to offer detailed accounts of how the denial of marriage protections harm these families.
"We are not treating all Arkansans equally if some can marry and others cannot," says Alishia Ferguson, PhD,
LMSW, and President of NASW Arkansas Chapter. "The law should protect all people equally, and all
Arkansans should have the freedom to marry," she said.
Social workers have consistently fought for social justice, equality, and constitutional protections for
America’s most vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups. Along with other social justice and civil
rights advocates, social workers have played an indispensable role in preserving freedom and ensuring
opportunity for all. In accordance with their Code of Ethics, NASW believes that lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender persons deserve the same protections and opportunities in their work, family, career, and
health equal to other members of society.
Holly Barron, Executive Director, said, “Joining this brief is an extension of our advocacy and ongoing work to
safeguard children and families in Arkansas. Families led by same-sex parents are typical American families,
experiencing the same joys and challenges as families led by heterosexual parents. Social workers see on a
daily basis how denying marriage protections negatively and profoundly impacts the self-esteem, sense of
purpose, and well-being of children raised in same-sex parented families.”
Plaintiffs in the case recently asked the Arkansas Supreme Court to hear oral arguments. The State of
Arkansas is seeking to appeal Sixth Judicial Circuit Judge Chris Piazza’s May 2014 ruling striking down the
State's ban on same-sex marriage as violating the Constitution of the United States. The Arkansas Supreme
Court enforced a stay of Judge Piazza’s ruling while the decision is appealed by the State’s Attorney General.
Social Workers
As you know, advocating for your profession relies on strength in numbers. There are more than 4,000 social
workers in the state of Arkansas, yet fewer than 20% are members of their professional association: NASW.
To have your voices heard on matters of social policy, reimbursement for services, and increased salaries,
you must magnify your voices with numbers and stand together. The best way to stand together is to get
involved with your Arkansas chapter and local branch, and encourage your friends, colleagues, and social
work students who are not yet members to join. Our members are the best ambassadors for the association.
Your chapter office and board of directors are working hard to bring opportunities to you and advocate for
you and the profession, but we need your help. Have a conversation with other social workers about the
value of membership.
Get Involved with NASW Arkansas!
NASW Arkansas Chapter Nominating Committee is seeking qualified candidates for leadership
positions on the Board of Directors for 2015.
If you are interested in being a part of the leadership of your professional organization you could become a
candidate in the 2014 election. Taking a leadership position in the AR/NASW puts you on the cutting edge of the
profession: you will be faced with making critical decisions regarding the future of your profession. You will meet
other talented, ambitious people and have the opportunity to represent your colleagues.
Vice President (two year term)
Vice President fulfills the duties of the President in the event of absence or disability and assumes the Presidency
upon the President’s resignation or inability to discharge the office. The Vice President shall undertake other
duties as assigned by the President.
BSW Student Representative (one year term)
Represents the interest of MSW student members. Meets annually with 1-3 groups of students.
MSW Student Representative (one year term)
Represents the interest of MSW student members. Meets annually with 1-3 groups of students.
Nominating Committee – two openings (two year term)
Develops a double slate of candidates for Chapter elections, meeting election deadlines as set in by-laws. Works
with the Board and members to identify leadership roster. Submits suggestions for national nominations.
Branch Representatives (two year term)
Represents branch members and the Board to one another; conducts regular branch meetings; is a catalyst to
generate activity in the branch; prepares reports noting branch activity and concerns for presentation at quarterly
Board meetings. Positions open for the 2015 term are:
Central Branch Representative 1
Central Branch Representative 2
North Central Branch Representative
North East Branch Representative
North West Branch Representative
South East Branch Representative
West Central Branch Representative
Western Branch Representative
Time Commitment
Attend four annual Board meetings of one-day duration. Attend an annual retreat, typically held in August. May
represent NASW at functions 1-3 times per year.
Please email [email protected] if you are willing to help lead the NASW Arkansas Chapter.
YOU are the power of Social Work….NASW is the power behind the Social Worker.
News from National
There are two important things to share about the "goings on" in the National Office in Washington DC. For more
than a year, a modernization task force organized by the national board of directors has been working to push NASW
into the 21st century. The committee has written a set of recommendations that will be presented to the national
board sometime this month. A sample of recommendation includes recommended Structural changes to NASW,
technology upgrades including a plan to allow for incremental dues payments, elimination of the Delegate’s
Assembly (DA).
NASW-AR will keep you posted on all the developments, advocating for our best interest, however the
recommendation to eliminate the DA was directly addressed this summer. For those of you who don't know, the DA
is a body of NASW members who vote all by-law changes, how the dues are split between the national office and the
chapters and all of the position statements found in Social Work Speaks.
The assembly is made up of NASW members elected to the assembly and chapter presidents as voting members.
Each state is allotted delegates based on number of members and AR is a very small chapter. The AR chapter
president is the sole voting delegate. The largest states have up to 18 delegates. Executive directors are included and
may speak as non-voting members.
In August 2014, the NASW Delegate's Assembly met by teleconference and online “real time” voting system. The bylaws change that would eliminate the DA and replace it with full national board control was brought to the DA in
advance of the modernization task force official report because the assembly only meets every 3 years with no
mechanism for additional meetings.
Proponents for the change argued that because the DA only meets one time every three years, the DA is a
cumbersome and slow way to make change. They also argued that the expense of the virtual meeting was too great
and representativeness/diversity of the membership is limited in this process because of an unwillingness of
members to serve as delegates leaving the same members to be elected as delegates year after year.
Opponents of the measure disagree with the argument that the assembly is not representative, stating that the DA
is still the best way to hear the many voices of NASW. Opponents also argued that the timing for such a profound
change is poor, particularly with an organizational restructure on the table. This point is especially applicable
because the by-laws change that would eliminate the DA indicated that the state chapters would vote any change in
the dues split. At this time, there is no certainty that state chapters will remain intact. Opponents argued that
although the national NASW staff does a good job overall, many are not social workers. The alternative plan utilizes
national NASW staff to review and write position statements for Social Work Speaks.
This was a very heated debate. There were strategies used to waste time and block the vote. There were technology
issues with the online assembly hall and some by-laws change opponents considered this a strategy designed to give
the proponents the edge. These tactics and issues were key contributors to the strained tone of the delegates on
both sides of this issue. The vote was very close with about 58% of the voting delegates voting no. The measure was
voted down.
I felt honored to represent Arkansas as our delegate. My decision to vote no was based on ensuring long-range
stability for our chapter. The argument that the DA is a non-responsive and cumbersome decision-making process is
valid. However opponents made a compelling argument that there is too much change at this time to consider such
a major shift in the governance of the organization. There are ways to improve the assembly and I am hopeful that
some of the recommendations discussed during the meeting will be implemented over the next three years.
Dr. Alishia Ferguson
From Our Members
Bullying From One School-Based Social Worker’s Perspective
By Angelia Frazier-Henson
“Bullying” is a term we hear frequently, in our daily lives and in the media. Children
today of all ages are so sensitive to the term they now use the word “bullying” to
describe every conflict they experience. Students today label everything from someone
looking at them to teachers redirecting or prompting them as bullying. “Bullying is
comprised of direct behaviors such as teasing, taunting, threatening, hitting, and
stealing that are initiated by one or more students against a victim.” (Banks, 2013)
Many definitions have expanded upon this to include repeated instances of the
aforementioned behaviors over time. While bullying continues to be a very serious
issue, we as social workers need to help educate children and the adults in their lives of
the differences between bullying and being mean. We also need to be aware of, and
teach, both children and adults where bullying behavior comes from.
Children today are quick to label perceived maltreatment as “bullying.” Frequently, however, upon
interviewing the “bullied” children they will reveal that the bullying behavior took place only once. We need
to teach our children that bullying is a process that happens repeatedly, over time. It is normal for children to
have conflicts with one another; learning to get along is a vital part of their social development.
Much of the bullying I have observed doing school based social work does not start with the children, but with
the adults who influence them. We need to first look at the examples we adults are setting for children.
Adults spend our days caught up in reality television and airing dirty laundry on social media. Children learn
from the example we set for them. It is important for adults to take the time to understand how our choices
and behaviors impact the children in our lives.
We also contradict ourselves as we raise our children. We teach children from an early age to tell adults when
something happens to them, but over time we change that direction to “stop tattling.” Eventually children do
not feel that they can tell adults when actual bullying is taking place. This leaves children struggling with
bullying and not reporting it when it really needs to be reported.
As social workers, we need to find a balance between bullying and teasing, and telling and not telling. This
balance can start with teaching children which conflicts they are able to handle and giving them the tools and
skills to resolve those conflicts. We also need to make sure our children know that when the conflict is out of
their hands, that the adults are there to help.
Banks, R. (2013, July 15). Bullying in Schools. Retrieved October 2014, from education.com:
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Bullying_Schools/
From Our Members
October: National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
By V. Ann Brown
Those of us living in Central Arkansas have grown accustomed to the color PINK that seems
to canvas everything in the weeks leading up to the Central AR Susan G Komen Race for the
Cure. We have embraced this event as a symbol of strength and hope. The people of Central
Arkansas are not set apart due to this large event. Breast Cancer does not discriminate based
on geographic location, socio-economic status, or race. Many of us are directly affected by
the diagnosis of breast cancer and others are further removed. As we become more familiar
with the sea of pink as part of our fall landscape, we must not forget the importance of the color PINK this time of year!
Social workers provide support in many ways for family, friends and clients that may be fighting breast cancer. We pride
ourselves on treating the whole person and being the experts at finding resources for our clients. This year’s Central Arkansas
race was chaired by a graduate of the UALR Masters of Social Work Program, Ashley Hurst.
Here are a few key factors to pay attention to (this is often repetition; however, early detection is the best measure of positive
outcome).
1. Know your risk
Talk to your family to learn about your family health history
Talk to your doctor about your personal risk of breast cancer
2. Get screened
Ask your doctor which screening tests are right for you if you are at a higher risk
Have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you are at average risk
Have a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years starting at age 20, and every year starting at age 40
Sign up for your screening reminder at komen.org/reminder
3.
Know what is normal for you
See your health care provider if you notice any of these breast changes:
Lump, hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm area
Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast
Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
New pain in one spot that does not go away
4.
Change in the size or shape of the breast
Dimpling or puckering of the skin
Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
Make healthy lifestyle choices
Maintain a healthy weight
Add exercise into your routine
Limit alcohol intake
Limit menopausal hormone use
Breastfeed, if you can
For more information visit our website or call our breast care helpline: www.komen.org 1-877 GO KOMEN