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Making
a Difference Video: Influencing State Policy
INTRODUCTION
Greetings!
INFLUENCING STATE POLICY is pleased to provide you with its video,
Making a Difference: Influencing State Policy. We hope that
you will use it frequently with social work students, faculty, field
instructors, agency heads, professional social workers, and others
interested in the important task of formulating sound and just social
policies in our state legislatures across the country.
Along with
other materials, i.e., discussion questions, handouts outlining
what you can do to influence state policy, an evaluation form,
the newsletter, INFLUENCE, and our website, www.statepolicy.org/,
this page is intended to give you the purpose of the video, an
outline of its basic themes, and point out the underlying structure
of the script.
Purpose
of the video: This 28 minute video is intended to inspire and
educate social work students, faculty and others to participate
in state legislative processes and decision-making. In an era
of "devolution" and "a new Federalism," state legislators have
increased authority to initiate policies that affect social work
clients and the profession. Social workers need to be active and
effective in influencing these decisions.
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OUTLINE OF BASIC THEMES
- Policy(s)
impacts social work practice directly and daily.
- Clinical
social workers are in a key position to influence policies.
Clinical practice complements policy.
- Influencing
state policy is not as frightening as it looks.
- Policy
practice is part of the tradition of social work.
- The NASW
Code of Ethics requires all social workers to advocate for just
policies on behalf of clients.
- If social
workers are inactive, there are plenty of others who will influence
state policies.
- Students
are the future of the profession.
- One person,
one group, one coalition can make a difference.
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STRUCTURE OF THE SCRIPT
- Introduction
includes the NASW Code of Ethics and a collage of persons and
voices.
- Part
I: The current scene of a new federalism and the important
reasons why social workers ought to pay attention to state policy-making.
- Part
II: A basic primer in general terms about how the legislative
process works and how social workers can influence it if they
commit themselves to improving clients' well-being through legislative
action.
- Part
III: A call to action that includes a list of projects or
activities that social work students, faculty and others could
initiate in order to influence state policy and legislation.
Finally,
we urge all to consider entering the national contest, STATE POLICY
PLUS, sponsored annually by INFLUENCING STATE POLICY. It is a
great way to learn and to participate in the purpose of the video.
Rules are on the website.
If you have
any questions or comments, please fill out the evaluation form
enclosed or send them to: Dr. Robert L. Schneider, POB 842027,
Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Social Work, Richmond,
VA 23284-2027. Email: rschneid@vcu.edu/
Phone: 804.828.0452. Enjoy and Thanks!
PS: The
28 minute format is perfect for public TV stations.
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