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Influence
3.2/Fall '99
FROM THE CHAIRPERSON
Why should you
or anyone read Influencing State Policy's semi-annual newsletter, Influence?
You have plenty to wade through on your desk. A stack of analyses or
"must- readings" likely awaits your attention. I asked myself this question
as I sat down to write this column and decided to try to answer it for
myself and you. The "hook" that should motivate you to read Influence
is witnessing how social policies directly affect your social work clients,
how these policies alter your professional social work role, and how
you and others can do something about making different policies.
Whether you are
clinical or macro-oriented makes zero difference-you want better things
for your clients, agencies, or communities. Influencing policy becomes
a sine qua non for us. I think that you will be very motivated by the
examples of students and faculty participants in State Policy Plus Two
in this issue (p. 4). Please read the wonderful results of teaching
or actually influencing state policies.
To inspire you
even more, recall that part of the recent ISP national contest required
students to estimate the number of persons affected by their project(s).
A very conservative
count yielded 1,771,981 individuals impacted by a policy change! Can
you imagine the results once we have hundreds of students participating?
This leads to ISP's 1999-2000 goals, which I encourage every liaison
and member to tackle in some real way:
- We have over
200 programs without a liaison. Check your state's social work educational
programs at www.statepolicy.org/ under Liaison, and identify a program
that is without a liaison and call the Director/Dean or someone you
know on faculty. Convince them to appoint a liaison, usually the person
who is responsible for policy or macro practice. Email me the names
and I will follow up with materials. We want to reduce this number
to 100 this year!
- In Y2K, ISP
wants to confirm 2000 student visits to state legislatures! When your
students participate in legislative activities, please send me the
numbers and I will tally them. 2000 in Y2K! (At least!)
- ISP urges every
program to have at a minimum one (1) student, one (1) faculty, and
one (1) student/field instructor entry to State Policy Plus Three.
The deadline is April 1, 2000. Rules are on the website and in this
newsletter. Please advertise and promote the contest so that others
may do what you have read about in this issue.
- We have had
over 4,100 visits to www.statepolicy.org/ In this academic year, we
want to double that number to 8,000! Please require students to use
this site for a class assignment, project, papers, etc.
- The video, Making
A Difference: Influencing State Policy, has been received by over
750 persons. Please make every effort to have every student see this
video sometime this year. Offer it to colleagues. Use it yourself.
Take it to conferences and rallies. Plan a video- fest. Be creative,
but show it early and often.
Please help ISP
meet these goals this year! There are many other activities going on
such as pilot projects in NY and WI, a BSW program survey, assembling
an extensive bibliography on the "new federalism, working with the Commission
on Educational Policy of CSWE, a survey of social workers who are state
legislators, and development of a compendium of policy practice course
outlines. All ISP members will receive these materials and outcomes
as part of their annual dues...... please join up in November when you
receive a notice, or mail in your $25 with the application on the final
page of this letter.
This is the beginning
of our third year and ISP is becoming recognized for its role in making
social workers active in state policy processes. In my opinion, we are
off to a good start, but we must not believe we are even close to reaching
the many students and faculty who will be the future of the profession.
The NASW Code of Ethics demands policy advocacy and if social workers
do not engage in it, others with different agendas will certainly take
our place.
I trust your summer
went well and that the new academic year is off to a challenging start.
ISP is focusing on many issues for 1999-2000, as you can see in this
issue. Heartiest congratulations to the 7 winners of State Policy Plus
Two (see p. 4)! All the best!
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WEBSITE
The committee's
website, www. statepolicy.org/
continues to expand. As of October 1, 1999, there have been over 4,100
visitors to the site. It is a comprehensive resource of policy information
and education, open to faculty and students at all levels.
Linkages to social
work policy and practice sites, national organizations, job/career sites,
state legislatures and agencies, contest rules, sample student projects,
examples of faculty assignments focused on state policy, access to research
organizations, and much more are available. The newsletter, Influence
has been archived to the website including all back issues. Plans for
adding an interactive capacity are underway and there should be opportunities
for social work students, faculty, and professionals to "chat" or share
ideas soon.
New addresses and
sites: http://scuish.scu.edu/Ethics/:
This site is called the Ethics Connection and is open to anyone,
but designed to teach students how to recognize ethical dilemmas in
health care, social policy, and human rights, and how to think their
way through predicaments to resolution. At www.urban.org/,
the Urban Institute's Pamela Loprest has published an important study:
How Families That Left Welfare Are Doing: A National Picture. At
www.fraud.org/, the National Consumer's
League offers information and accepts complaints about fraudulent practices
against vulnerable people. www.drkoop.com
is a health-care information provider with millions of visitors to date.
It was founded by former U.S. Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop. At www.healthfinder.gov/,
social workers looking for support groups for a myriad of health problems
can find listings under "More Tools," such as www.
geneticalliance.org, which offers support for families with inherited
disorders. Faculty are urged to use www.statepolicy.org/
to access policy information and state legislation by posting the address
on course syllabi and requiring students to visit it at least twice.
Please send Dr. Schneider other
relevant sites.
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VIDEO
ISP's 25 minute
closed-captioned video, Making
a Difference: Influencing State Policy, continues to be used nationwide
by educators, students, NASW chapters, and agencies. Over 750 copies
have been distributed.
The purpose of
the video, funded by the 1998 Millennium Project of CSWE, is to educate
and inspire social work students, faculty and professionals to participate
in state legislative decision-making and influence policies that affect
our clients.
Themes tucked into
the video are:
1) policies impact
social work clients daily and directly;
2) clinical social workers are in a key position to influence policy,
and clinical practice complements policy;
3) policy practice is a part of the tradition of social work;
4) influencing state policy is not as mysterious as it looks;
5) the NASW Code of Ethics requires all social workers to advocate
for just policies;
6) students are the future of the profession;
7) if social workers are inactive, others will step in and set policies;
and
8) one person, one coalition, one group can make a difference.
Among the social
workers "starring" in the video are U. S. Representative Debbie Stabenow,
MSW, D-MI; Texas Representative Elliott Naishtat, MSW; Professors Sheila
Kamerman, Diana DiNitto, Edward Mullen, and Robert Schneider, and a
cast of students and social work professionals from VA, TX, MI, CT,
NY, WA.
The video is scripted
into three parts:
I) the current
scene of the new federalism and why social workers need to pay attention
to it;
II) a basic primer about how the legislative process works; and
III) a call to action including 15 activities that students, faculty,
and professionals can initiate in order to influence state policies.
A set of discussion
questions, a handout, and an evaluation form accompany the video. To
receive your own copy, please join ISP as a member for $25 annual dues
that includes the video or send $15 plus $2.50 handling (=$17.50) to:
Dr. Robert L.
Schneider, ISP
VCU School of Social Work
Box 842027
Richmond, VA 23284-2027
or call him at
804.828.0452. Proceeds go to support future activities and the State
Policy Plus contest of ISP. Allow three weeks for delivery.
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DID YOU KNOW....
The economic output
of the 550 million people in 41 of the poorest nations is less than
the net worth of the world's three richest people: Microsoft co-founders
Bill Gates and Paul Allen, and investor Warren Buffet.
Forty-one (41)
out of fifty (50) state legislatures in the USA are part-time.
In March, over
300 social workers, students and faculty participated in the annual
legislative rally at the Minnesota capitol building. Gov. Jesse Ventura
issued a supportive proclamation and was greeted by the social workers'
refrain: "You've got the BODY, we've got the SOUL."
There is an ISP
brochure available to liaisons and friends of ISP. Attractive, modern,
and eye-catching, this circular outlines our mission and highlights
the benefits of belonging to it. It is avail able on request from Dr.
Robert L. Schneider at rschneid@saturn.vcu.edu/ or phone at 804.828.0452.
ISP now has 323
liaisons in the approximately 601 different BSW, MSW, and Ph.D. social
work educational programs (incl. in-candidacy) in the United States.
[There is some overlap where a BSW and MSW program are in the same school.]
Of course, our goal is to have 100%.
ISP has approximately
404 members in three categories: 19 Board of Advisors, 323 liaisons,
and 62 friends (who support our mission, but are not liaisons).
Over 540 social
workers and students attended the annual Lobby Day at the Illinois state
legislature in April and were present when the House of Representatives
passed a significant managed care patient's Bill of Rights proposal.
More than 10% of
all Medicare beneficiaries in HMOs have been or will be dropped by their
health care plans in 1999 or 2000. That's about 3.9 million persons.
But why? HMOs say that they are not adequately reimbursed.
The Policy & Practice
journal is published four times a year by the American Public Human
Services Association in Washington, DC for $50. It examines social work
theory and social legislation. Call 202.682.0100.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
September 1,
1999-Kickoff of State Policy Plus Three, ISP's national contest
for social work students, faculty, and field instructors. (See rules
inside this issue and on the website, www.statepolicy.org/
October 15,
1999-Los Ninos de Los Barrios. A regional tele-conference about
Latino children, families and the child welfare system. Sponsored by
Kean University, Rutgers University and the Puerto Rican Association
for Community Affairs.
November 3-7,
1999-ISP Membership Meeting at the Baccalaureate Program Directors
Conference in St. Louis. Presentation by Drs. Anthony Bibus and Roena
Haynie.
January 1, 2000-Annual
$25 dues renewal date. Forms will be sent out in November to all
members.
February 26-29,
2000-Luncheon planning session for ISP members. Noon 'til 1:00 PM.
Annual Meeting of CSWE in New York City. TBA
February 26-29,
2000-Annual Meeting of ISP at Annual Meeting of CSWE in New York
City. TBA
February 26-29,
2000-Special Session with Ruth Messinger, MSW, former candidate
for Mayor of New York City, and panel discussing the role of social
workers in policy and politics. TBA
April 1, 2000-Deadline
for entries to national contest, State Policy Plus Three.
June/July, 2000-Presentations
of ISP Awards to winners of State Policy Plus Three at a national
social work conference (TBA).
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NATIONAL CONTEST--STATE POLICY PLUS TWO
Enthusiasm
for entering the 2000 State Policy Plus Three national contest is mounting.
Most state legislatures meet in the Spring, allowing students and faculty
opportunities to participate actively before and during these sessions.
All BSW, MSW, Ph.D. students, faculty, and field instructors are eligible
(see inside this newsletter or check the website for the contest rules
and awards). This year's contest introduces a new category: students and
field instructors working together to influence state policy! If you want
to review last year's winning entries, see the summary on page 4 and visit
Student Projects and Faculty Assignments on the ISP website. The $150
cash awards and 8 plaques will be awarded to the winners at a national
conference in spring/summer, 2000. ISP members know that making this project
a required assignment or giving extra credit increases student participation
(sic)! Please encourage other faculty, students, and field instructors
to enter by April 1, 2000. Go for the cash and commitment!
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1999 STATE POLICY PLUS TWO NATIONAL CONTEST WINNERS
Ms. Sarah E.
Morris of Ball State University, Muncie, IN., a BSW student, influenced
legislation in the state of Indiana that would ban homosexuals from
adopting children or becoming foster parents. She organized students
on campus and gathered 300 signatures on a petition that was mailed
to the Governor, state patrons of the bill, and local representatives.
Ms. Morris created a series of packets to distribute for people to sign
and mail to the state legislature. She and other students flooded the
legislators on key committees with over 5,000 hand-delivered letters,
obtained critical media coverage, and collaborated with other statewide
organizations. One attempt at amending the bill offered language that
would ban "unmarried" people from adopting. The bill quickly failed
in the full Senate. 3,000 homosexual families would have been affected
by the bill. She stated that "one motivated person can create change"
and that it is important to "know whom you are trying to influence and
frame your argument in a way that compels them to agree with you."
Ms. Donna McIntosh,
CSW, Assistant Professor and Coordinator of BSW Field Instruction
at Siena College in New York, uses a semester-long assignment consisting
of four (4) teams of BSW students to influence state legislation. Team
1 mobilizes a letter- writing campaign; team 2 conducts a survey on
community impact of the legislation and does a comparative analysis
with two other states; team 3 conducts a public education and media
campaign; and team 4 engages legislators "creatively" as part of NASW
Lobby Day. Ms. McIntosh's assignment incorporates all elements of policy
practice through a "learn- by-doing" approach. Internet sites and technological
resources are used to track legislation. In the Spring, 150 letters
were mailed to legislators, 300 persons signed a petition, voting record
"report cards" were developed, analyses were completed, students were
asked to mobilize other students, and some presented their experiences
at a statewide conference.
Mr. Noran Sanford
and Mr. John Salay, MSW students at Virginia Commonwealth University
School of Social Work in Richmond, VA, personally lobbied committees
in the Virginia Legislature to pass Senate Bill 430, a bill that would
require insurance companies to cover serious mental illness on parity
with physical illnesses. They worked with a state lobby group called
the Mental Health Association of VA as part of a project for a MSW foundation
policy/ macro class. Mr. Sanford and Mr. Salay made personal appeals
to all fourteen members of the powerful House Corporations, Insurance,
and Banking Committee (CIB) by using fact sheets, meeting with aides,
answering questions, incorporating research findings into a cost-effectiveness
argument, and developing value- laden arguments when meeting with delegates.
One key, but very conservative delegate on the committee represented
one of the student's voting district, and he opposed the bill. The students
made a presentation in order to persuade him to support the bill. With
this delegate casting the deciding affirmative vote, the bill passed
the CIB. The students then followed the bill through the remaining journey
to the full House and Senate where it passed by a comfortable margin.
An estimated 1 million Virginians will be affected by this bill and
more if you include family members. Mr. Sanford and Mr. Salay stated
that "two student- citizens, armed with facts and a polite demeanor
can make a difference," and "legislators are eager to have access to
the facts surrounding an issue."
Ms. Jean E.
Avera, LMSW-ACP and Ms. Kathy Armenta, LMSW-ACP of the University
of Texas at Austin School of Social Work teach an MSW course called
"Social Change and Community Practice." One assignment calls for students
to develop an awareness of the politics of social change by publicly
advocating for social policy and legislative issues. It is called "Speak
Out," requiring each student to articulate a concern by testifying at
public hearings, boards, local/state governments; or write a letter
to the editor shedding "light" rather than "heat" on an issue; or present
a radio or TV editorial spot informing the public of an issue and its
effects; or write letters to decision-makers about an issue and get
others to join a letter-writing campaign. Students report on their activities,
provide other students with copies, and analyze their success. Students
last Spring published two letters in the media, with one letter leading
to funding for an agency, collaborated with the national Bertha C. Reynolds
Society, and provided leadership at meetings, marches, and rallies at
the legislature.
Ms. Loretta
Ebbighausen, a Ph.D. student at SUNY-Stony Brook School of Social
Work in New York, developed a teenage-focused training program to provide
skills and issues awareness about the state legislative process. The
training took place at two levels: county and state. Legislative committees
were formed and sessions about the budgeting process were conducted,
including the "behind the scenes" activities. The youth conducted a
Legislative Breakfast for 150 legislators, aides and the press. Later,
they made appointments with key legislative leaders and aides and followed
up on their proposals. Ms. Ebbighausen stated that she "learned about
the empowerment of traditionally powerless constituencies." These 20
youth now enthusiastically await the outcome of the budget battle.
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STUDENT PROJECTS
Phoebe Sade, a
University of Washington MSW student, pursued legislation that would
provide health insurance for a large number of children. In order to
influence state legislators to vote for passage of legislation that
would provide state matching funds for federal dollars, the student
joined a coalition of interested parties, attended relevant hearings,
tracked other health care bills, and spoke with key legislators, educating
them about the various pieces of legislation. She also sent out action
alerts and legislative updates to interested constituents.
Elizabeth Michelle
Veasey, a North Carolina State University BSW student, designed a survey
to help publicize Health Choice, a new insurance program for children.
This program is designed to provide health coverage for the approximately
71,000 children from low-income families in North Carolina who are not
eligible for Medicare because of their families' incomes. Preliminary
results of the survey suggest that knowledge of the program is widespread
among school social workers, that mail and newsletters are the most
effective means of communicating with them, that television would be
the most effective way to reach families of children eligible to participate
in the program, and that high-risk children could be reached by identifying
students who receive free or reduced lunches.
Jennifer Hentowski,
a Grand Valley State University MSW student chose to fight passage of
state legislation that would permanently expel from all state public
schools any student who had assaulted someone while on school property.
She met with school personnel, her state representative and numerous
juvenile and court officials in order to educate them about the bills
and their implications. She also met with community members to discuss
the positive and negative aspects of the legislation.
Laurie Kelley,
a Ramapo College of New Jersey BSW student, served as an assistant to
the chairperson of the newly established NJ Advisory Council on Elder
Care. She helped to organize caregivers to present testimony at public
hearings, gathered this testimony into written form for the committee's
records, and helped to plan several on-site meetings to investigate
issues at eldercare residential communities. She presented this paper
along with the Council's preliminary findings to board members of agencies
that deal with issues of the elderly. The information served as a draft
of the Council's report, helping to substantiate major policy recommendations
by the Council.
Whit Moorman, a
Georgia State University MSW student, had a twofold project. The first
component created a Student Lobby Day, wherein social work students
learned about current state legislation and policy affecting social
work professionals; they heard from a professional lobbyist about effective
lobbying strategies. Student activity yielded passage of one House bill
and garnered public support from the Lieutenant Governor for a Senate
bill. The second component of the undertaking was a research project
exploring the factors that influence social work students to become
politically active.
Laura Facas-Sullivan,
a BSW student at Rutgers University-Newark helped to plan and organize
a conference to educate social work students and the community about
their responsibility to influence state policy. The goal of the conference
was to stress the importance of participating by voting and lobbying
and providing attendees with practical information on impacting the
legislative process. Active in local politics, she was able to recruit
public officials and lobbyists for discussions on a range of issues
including housing, managed care, mental health, disabilities, and women.
The conference attracted over 100 people from NJ colleges as well as
licensed social workers in the community, and provided them with tools
to influence policy decisions at the state and local levels.
Johnathan Lein,
a Grand Valley State University MSW student, joined the Antrim County
multipurpose collaborative body (ACMPCB), a body designed to increase
coordination between county health and human service agencies and the
education community. In order to encourage more input from his own community
members, he joined the Communities in Schools (CIS) subcommittee, which
set about identifying the needs of local schools, communities and at-risk
youth. Once these needs were identified, the committee submitted a grant
proposal for funds to address them.
Jennifer Carlucci
and six other Richard Stockton College BSW students, working with Legal
Services of New Jersey (a not-for-profit organization), interviewed
agency clients to explore the type of adjustments low-income families
have been forced to make in the wake of the 1996 Personal Responsibility
and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. The students found that single
mothers and their children are the hardest hit by the restrictions of
the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) legislation, and
that the policy perpetuates poverty by providing short-term training
for jobs that provide little opportunity for advancement. One of the
students presented her findings at the 16th Annual Baccalaureate Program
Directors (BPD) Convention in Albuquerque, at the New Jersey Baccalaureate
Social Work Education Association 15th Annual Conference, and at Richard
Stockton College in New Jersey.
Betty Crossman,
Jean Getchell, Jeanie McPherson, and Christopher Morse, University of
Maine MSW students, advocated for passage of state legislation that
would protect victims in the workplace through increased employer education
and enhanced workplace protections. By educating themselves through
current literature, the students were able to elicit informed support
of the bill from various agencies and workplace professionals. In addition,
they attended a public hearing on the bill and shared with legislative
committee members the plight of a 45-year-old woman who wanted her story
told. During this project, the students were able to educate members
of the community, legislators, and members of their MSW program about
the impact of domestic violence in the workplace.
Karen Yvette Sims,
a California State University-Sacramento BSW student, lobbied the faculty
of her program to change the core curriculum of the social work program
to include a course on political action and social policy. She and fellow
classmates argued for the need for instruction to better understand
the social policies and legislative processes that impact their work
with clients and the avenues available to them to influence this process.
They contended that this course would help them develop the skills and
resources they need to better help their clients. Anita Jones, a Howard
University MSW student, along with a social work intern, undertook the
coordination of a Candidates Forum, in the Edgewood/ Brookland community
near Washington, D.C. With their help, community members played active
roles in the event, serving as moderators, introducing candidates, and
presiding over the question and answer period. Community youth distributed
flyers about the event. As a result, more than 250 community voters
were able to ask the candidates questions face to face.
Kristine Bickham,
Shelli Schade, Linda Townsend, and Terri Ellis, University of Texas
at Arlington MSW students, chose to oppose the passage of state legislation
that would prohibit homosexuals from adopting children or serving as
foster parents, and would remove foster children already placed with
parents who were found to be gay or bisexual. By participating in Texas
Social Work Student Day, they were able to educate legislators about
the negative impact the proposed legislation would have on foster care
and adoption. They were also able to point out the dangerous precedent
of setting the stage for further discriminatory legislation.
Adam Alter, a senior
BSW student at Ramapo College helped to coordinate the conversion of
the Council on AIDS in Riceland (C.A.I.R.), NY, from 501(c)3 to 501(c)4
status. He also brought together a group of people with AIDS and their
service providers to lobby county representatives for the development
of services and the reinstatement of $10 million in funding. Their efforts
provided insight into the existing environment of increasing caseloads
and overloaded delivery systems and the need for comprehensive, coordinated
services. Adam also lobbied in support of a bill that would create an
outreach program to prevent HIV infection among homeless youths and
sex offenders.
Stephanie Gore,
a Virginia Commonwealth University MSW student, sought support for a
state bill seeking to reduce long-term dependency on welfare. Ms. Gore
was instrumental in scheduling appointments with the Commissioner of
the Department of Social Services and his aide for three of her clients.
This gave her clients an opportunity to express their concerns directly
to an influential person(s). In addition, she attended committee meetings
and met with legislators and their aides.
Teresa Palmer,
a University of Georgia MSW student, participated in organizing Student
Lobby Day, an event designed to encourage student participation in influencing
state policy. The event included discussions of current legislation,
tours of the State Capitol, a press conference with the Lieutenant Governor,
and presentations by the Governmental Affairs Consultant, as well as
by various staff and interns. Over 200 students participated in learning
how classroom theories applied to real-life action.
Jesus A. Fernandez,
a SUNY at Albany BSW student, helped to organize social workers for
a statewide day of lobbying as part of his field practicum with the
state NASW-NY chapter. Their primary goal was the passage of legislation
to create licensure requirements for individuals working as social workers
and to protect clients by ensuring accountability for misconduct or
illegal actions. The legislation stipulated 3 different social work
designations: Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker, Licensed Master
Social Worker, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. This student called
legislators, wrote letters to social work schools throughout the state,
and wrote to all members of the state chapter to encourage their participation
in "Lobby Day."
Readers are urged
to visit our website and review many other exceptional student projects
at the About
Us site: Student Projects.
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FEATURE INTERVIEWS
During the Summer
of 1999, Influence surveyed three social workers who hold key positions
in legislative and policy-related positions. Interviewed were: Mr. Steven
Harms, Legislative Fiscal Analyst for the Virginia Senate Finance Committee;
Ms. Frederica Barrow, Social Insurance Specialist for The Social Security
Administration, a federal agency in Baltimore; and Mr. David Knutson,
Senior Research Analyst, House of Representatives, Children and Family
Services Committee, Washington State Legislature.
ISP: As
a social worker, how do you handle the political side (compromise, pressure,
influence, tactics, opposing values) of your job?
Harms:
Rarely are individuals or families completely healed or helped as
one might hope for. Similarly, social policies are rarely adopted
in the form for which we advocate. We must aggressively pursue our
goals, but recognize the inevitability and value of negotiation and
compromise.
Barrow: To deal with influence, I stay focused on a few issues
and maintain my own resource file(s). I respond to all opportunities
to grow stronger in a particular knowledge area. I also translate
concepts (tactics) into action when given the opportunity to respond
to a policy area, e.g., symposia, project implementation, inter-agency
collaboration. Opposing values make me suffer, but I stay tuned to
my own values, recognizing that change is the only constant and that
my values (self-determination, dignity, and the common good) might
become in vogue again.
Knutson: I think you find "politics" in any job situation.
Basically, the legislature allocates a finite amount of money to address
a seemingly infinite number of competing interests. There are compromises
in any job. Dealing with them and advancing a human services agenda
in the legislature has been very satisfying for me.
ISP: In
your experience over the years, how effective do you find social workers
in influencing state policy processes?
Harms:
Influence in policy circles is often exerted through statewide associations.
"Front- line" social work professionals do not have a visible, statewide
organization that is active in social policy issues like other organizations.
On the other hand, strength is not always achieved through numbers.
I have seen tenacity and dedication in a single individual, operating
on a shoe-string budget, advocate effectively for the needs of the
homeless.
Barrow: This is hard to evaluate if we mean influencing = tangible
outcomes. I work to accomplish particular projects rather than get
caught in the "process" work. I observe some young and new staff social
workers who are just "trying to get ahead" and I cannot discern their
professional agendas to influence policy.
Knutson: In general, I think that social workers do not like
to get their "hands dirty" by participating in the political process.
I have heard many social workers say that the legislature should "just
do the right thing." Unfortunately, if social workers are not active
participants, their concerns and interests will be ignored.
ISP: How
did (or did not) your social work education prepare you for your current
position? Any recommendations for the future?
Harms:
Generic social work education emphasizes listening, evaluation, and
intervention skills. These skills are just as useful in dealing with
policy-makers. But, they also expect polished delivery of information.
Social workers pursing a career in public policy should emphasize
clear, concise, and convincing written and oral presentation skills.
Social work education programs must build upon students' heart-felt
desires for helping and equip them with the vision and skills for
policy-level intervention.
Barrow: Social work educational programs need to develop policy
as a "core part" of the curriculum of MSW programs. Faculty should
teach the relationship between political economy and social welfare
history and also coalition building. Programs should develop internships
with all federal agencies. High-level university and school administrators
should demonstrate appreciation and support for a "policy" emphasis.
Knutson: It gave me a good grounding in the major human services
policy areas: income maintenance, mental health, developmental disabilities,
and child welfare. Internships in state and local government should
be emphasized. It would also be helpful to include courses from law
and public affairs programs.
ISP: What
opportunities do you see for social workers in today's political and
policy arena? Jobs? Actual impact on policy implementation?
Harms:
"People-helping" professionals with a first-hand understanding of
human needs and an appreciation of the complexity of solutions provide
a healthy balance to political ideology. More such professionals are
needed in program evaluation, management, and policy positions. It
is often tough to break into high level-positions, so entry into this
career track should start early.
Barrow: I see unlimited opportunities for social workers to
participate as volunteers in the political arena. NASW chapters are
in the best position to work on policy issues. More and more social
workers need to be involved in all phases of government such as task
forces, commissions, & elected officials. Knutson: Social workers
should run for public office, advocate before the legislature on policy
and budget issues, and go to work in the legislative and executive
branch agencies. The best way to have an impact on policy development
is to be an active participant in the process.
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FACULTY LIAISONS
ISP continues
to develop a national network of faculty liaisons who implement critical
tasks, without which the mission and goals of the project cannot be attained.
Each social work educational program (over 600) has been invited to assign
one or more faculty members to serve as its liaison to ISP. Any faculty
member is eligible and the committee asks only for a commitment to the
following: 1) willingness to distribute information about ISP goals and
activities to students and other faculty; 2) readiness to respond to questions
about the ISP, its projects and plans; and 3) agreement to respond to
an annual survey regarding successes, failures, changes, and/or planning
options. To date, approximately 323 liaisons have agreed to be active
links to the committee. Their universities and liaison names are published
on the committee website at http://www.statepolicy.org/html/liaisons.html.
If there is no liaison appointed at your program, consult your Dean/Director
or call Dr. Robert Schneider, National Chairperson, 804.828.0452.
During the 1999-2000
academic year, all liaisons are asked to focus their efforts on the
following strategies and goals in order to promote the mission of ISP:
Strategy #1:
Promote student participation in State Policy Plus Three.
Goals:
Make STATE POLICY PLUS THREE a course requirement.
A minimum of one entry from each of the 601 educational programs.
ISP has set a Y2K goal of ensuring 2000 student visits to a state
legislature.
Keep track of your numbers for future reporting!
Show the video, Making A Difference: Influencing State Policy.
Strategy #2:
Promote visibility of ISP in your area.
Goals:
Require students to use the website, www.statepolicy.org/
Make presentations at local, state and regional conferences
Contact NASW chapter locally and/or PACE committees
Meet with faculty colleagues and distribute ISP programs
Ask field instruction dept. to support students in ISP activities
Distribute the newsletter, Influence, widely. Duplicate it or ask
Schneider for more copies
Experience from
1997-99 indicates that three main points of entry can lead to a successful
campaign to promote participation: faculty requiring students to enter
the national contest as a course requirement; clear, expressed sanction
from top school or departmental administrators; and regular distribution
of materials and examples to faculty that readily assist them in course
preparation, provide content on state policy, and offer ideas to field
instructors.
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FACULTY ASSIGNMENTS
Below are several
new assignments submitted by social work faculty for the 1999 State
Policy Plus Two contest. [The winning assignments are on page four of
this issue.] Much thought and creativity have gone into these assignments
and readers are urged to consider them for their classes or share with
others.
Ann Nichols at
Arizona State University expanded her usual assignment, requiring students
to choose an advocacy effort relating to proposed state legislation
by including state budget advocacy. After selecting an appropriate issue,
program, or agency, the students engaged in active advocacy, such as
directly contacting legislators, writing letters or testifying before
legislative committees. Among the resources provided to students were
materials from advocacy agencies and legislative budget information.
In addition to gaining insight into how the budget process works, students
reported successes in influencing budget decisions.
Ellen Walston at
East Carolina University created an assignment designed to challenge
current state Medicaid coverage for bone marrow transplants for patients
with breast cancer. Current policy does not cover this treatment, and
a second-year MSW student joined her efforts in advocating for a policy
change. By reviewing current literature addressing the efficacy of the
treatment, by helping patients voice their concerns to legislators,
and by contacting relevant parties, Professor Walston and her student
helped three Medicaid patients win coverage for the treatment.
Richard Hoefer
at the University of Texas at Arlington, expects students to work in
groups to affect pending state legislation by developing and implementing
an advocacy plan. The assignment has several objectives. Among them
are providing an environment where students must develop the skills
necessary for group tasks, thus providing first-hand experience in how
to influence state policy. The assignment also increases the students'
awareness of the connection between policy and direct practice.
Terry Cluse-Tolar
at the University of Toledo in Ohio asked her students to help promote
a bill to reduce the punitive effects of sanctioning imposed by welfare
reform legislation. Students had the option of working on a public information
committee, an information- gathering ("stories") committee, or a community
organizing committee. Students on the public information committee put
together a petition drive, passed out literature, registered people
to vote, and recruited the assistance of other social work organizations
throughout the state. Members of the stories committee visited food
stamp offices and local shelters to collect the stories of individuals
who had had their benefits discontinued because of sanctions. The community
organizing committee organized a rally featuring representatives from
the state Welfare Rights Organization and individuals impacted by welfare
sanctions. They also helped to promote awareness of the issue by writing
to the editors of all the major newspapers in the state.
Joseph Wronka at
Springfield College Dept. of Social Work makes drafting a common statement
of human rights principles an assignment. In order to do this, students
work in teams, finding other groups or agencies interested in pursuing
this idea. Together the students and the participants draft the statement,
make appropriate changes, publish the final results, monitor compliance
with it and implement it whenever possible.
Jill Berrick at
the University of California-Berkeley asks students to choose a current
bill from the state legislature using the legislature's website. Students
assume the role of a legislative aide who has been asked to prepare
an analysis of the bill for a Health and Human Services Committee member.
Students are then expected to give five minutes of oral and written
testimony before a mock committee meeting composed of fellow classmates
and the professor. The committee evaluates the students' testimony based
on how informed the student was and its effectiveness.
Scott Ryan at Case
Western Reserve University's Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
chose telecommunications access for persons with disabilities for a
field student. After analyzing the programs of 20 other states, the
student developed a new program encompassing the best elements of the
others. With the help of three other people, the student and her instructor
developed a survey and used it to verify the need for such a program.
Upon graduating, the student passed the project to a professional lobbyist
who is now working to make communicating for the disabled community
in Washington, DC, a reality.
Paul G. Shane at
Rutgers University decided on a multi-faceted approach to galvanize
"politically disengaged" students in his Social Welfare Policies and
Programs courses. Students were assigned to research different areas
of social policy by examining the legislative and executive actions
from the two previous sessions of the state legislature. From their
research, the students wrote papers that analyzed changes in policies
and programs in that area of social policy. The papers now serve as
the basis for summary sheets to be used in a campus "voter education
campaign" during statewide elections in the fall of 1999. In addition,
the curriculum of the course was changed to include student visits to
local service providers. During these well-orchestrated visits, students
learned about changes in policy that impact local agencies and explored
the effects of policy changes on the populations served by the agencies
and on social work practice. The students also helped to organize a
daylong state legislative symposium, co-sponsored by the statewide social
work education group.
Readers are encouraged
to visit our website and see other faculty assignments under the About
Us site: Faculty Assignments.
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STATE POLICY DIFFERENCES
Listed below are
examples furnished by ISP liaisons and friends about how states are
establishing their own priorities and shaping social policies to fit
them. Send Dr. Schneider
your exemplars at rschneid@saturn.vcu.edu.
California, Michigan,
Alabama, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia have been notified
that they will each win $20 million in welfare bonus money for reducing
the rate of out-of-wedlock births......if.....they can show abortions
also declined.
The U.S. Supreme
Court ruled that California and 14 other states cannot pay lower welfare
benefits to newcomers than to long-time residents. It is a violation
of their constitutional rights.
The Children's
Right Council concluded that Maine is the best state in which to rear
a child. Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire followed
Maine. At the bottom, in descending order are California, Arizona, Texas,
New Mexico, Louisiana, and Washington, DC. Their study measured rates
of abuse and neglect, immunizations, dropouts, child deaths, infant
mortality, divorce, teen birth, children in poverty, and total juvenile
crime.
In Minnesota, amendments
to the welfare reform efforts included job-related policies such as
"upon agreement by the job counselor and the participant, a job search
support plan may limit a job search to jobs that are consistent with
the participant's employment goal."
In Michigan, a
pilot program in three localities will require all welfare applicants
to be tested for drugs before receiving benefits.
In Nevada, the
high school dropout rate, 9.9%, is the highest in the country. Working
in casinos, construction, or adult entertainment means big bucks for
many young adults.
Today, twenty-five
(25) states have official-English language laws: AK, AL, AR, CA, CO,
FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MS, MO, MT, NH, NB, NC, ND, SC, SD,
TN, VA, WY. The gap between annual earnings of workers who speak English
poorly and those who speak it well widened between 1979 and 1989, from
81% to 113% more earnings.
In Nebraska, the
legislature voted to halt executions in the state for two years in order
to conduct a fairness study.
In Illinois, in
May, 1999, Ronald Jones, was set free from death row due to new evidence.
He was the 12th person waiting death in IL who was cleared in the past
12 years.
In Illinois, the
legislature passed a bill to ban teachers from locking students in closets
as punishment. A health care proposal was also passed that allowed managed
care clients better access to specialists, choice of a primary care
doctor, and a more efficient and fair appeals process.
With most states
awash in budget surpluses and expectations rising for tobacco cash from
lawsuits, about half of the states are squirreling away the bulk of
their surpluses rather than use them to meet current needs, according
to the Nat'l Association of State Budget Officers.
In Los Angeles,
CA, some of the funds from the national tobacco litigation are earmarked
for sidewalk improvements.
In Rhode Island,
they are discussing using the funds for reducing car taxes.
In Connecticut,
these funds might be used to reduce property taxes, and in Alabama,
funds may be going to a juvenile prison.
In North Dakota,
they want the money for state employee salaries and in Oklahoma, for
teacher retirement funds. Why wouldn't these funds be used to prevent
more people from suffering from smoke-related illnesses?
In Madison County,
Alabama, where Huntsville is located, the local tax assessor refuses
to give a tax benefit to immigrants who own and occupy property and
are thus entitled to a tax break. The assessor states that immigrants
"are coming over here and taking what is ours." He does not allow interpreters
because he does not believe they will translate the truth.
In Texas, Georgia,
and Missouri, the legislatures recently passed laws allowing patients
to sue managed-care firms if the companies refuse to pay for some medical
care that the doctors deem essential.
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FEATURED PAPER
Both electoral
politics and government relations can be sources of interesting and
influential employment opportunities for professional social workers.
Government relations cover work in any of the three formal branches
of government at any level as well as many regulatory agencies. Professional
social workers are employed in Congress or state legislatures either
in a legislator's office, on district staff, or on a congressional or
legislative committee or in a legislative research bureau. In the executive
branches of government, social workers often function as chiefs of staff
or as special assistants in specific policy areas such as health, mental
health, substance abuse or education. Even the judiciary provides opportunities
for social workers with strong organizational or research skills. Powerful
regulatory agencies such as the Health Care Financing Administration
(HCFA) on the federal level or a Human Right Commission on a state level
have great responsibility and authority to effect public policy.
There is also a
sector called intra-governmental relations that includes familiar organizations
such as the National Governor's Association, the National Conference
of State Legislators, the National League of City, and the National
Association of Counties. These organizations play a tremendously vital
and vigorous role in coordinating and shaping policies among and between
the many different branches and levels of government in this country.
Electoral politics,
that is, working with political candidates, political action committees,
political parties, campaigns and elections, statewide ballot measures
like initiatives and referenda, and transitions teams (groups that prepare
winning candidates to assume public offices) offers many exciting and
influential ways to shape public policy agendas.
Professional social
workers function as political professionals in roles such as campaign
managers, political fund-raisers, political party staff or officials,
political action committee staff and as organizers for large statewide
issue campaigns.
A useful way to
access either government relations or electoral politics jobs is to
secure a field placement or internship in the specific activity or function
that appeals to you. Field placements in these arenas provide students
and employers the chance to get the full measure of each other's strengths
and limitations. Placements frequently lead to employment in powerful
and influential positions. The employment of professional social workers
in these responsible positions also provides a greater foundation for
similar training opportunities for colleagues.
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PILOT PROJECTS
ISP collaborated
with three pilot programs in CT, NC, and VA which were attempting to
learn more about encouraging social workers, students, and faculty to
influence state policy. Below is a brief summary of their efforts after
the academic year, 1998-1999:
Ms. Myrna Miller,
MSW, JD, who is the NASW chapter Legislative Director, has been
coordinating much policy activity throughout North Carolina since fall,
1998. She has organized an email network for policy educators in all
BSW and MSW educational programs in the state through which she has
forwarded information about policy issues, meetings, etc. She has called
each program and identified a faculty member who is willing to participate
in her network and the pilot project. Students participated enthusiastically
in an advocacy training in Greensboro where legislators, the media,
lobbyists, advocates, and others assisted. In the spring, Mryna sent
out a packet of legislative advocacy materials to all NC programs and
conducted a very successful Advocacy Day in Raleigh. Most MSW and BSW
program sent representatives. Students have also become active in the
Email Alerts project.
Mr. Steve Karp,
MSW, Executive Director of the NASW-CT chapter, led a pilot project
for the second year, attempting to strengthen the relationships between
the chapter and social work educational programs. He eliminated the
10 year-old, traditional Lobby Day at the legislature and provided legislative
training sessions for 80 students, using a mock legislative hearing
in which all students took part. The half-day session included lunch
with CT legislators. The chapter also conducted "mini-lobby" days with
students who worked with a lobbyist on tracking bills, including phone-
banking, testifying, meetings with legislators, and letter-writing.
Students also made phone calls as follow-ups to legislative alerts after
learning about the issues. Learning from the experience reaffirmed previous
experience that a committed faculty member is needed to make these activities
succeed. Educational programs were pleased that the chapter was able
to assist with practical training. Students gave positive feedback to
training and opportunities to lobby. [Steve Karp has recently been hired
by national NASW to serve as its new Director of Chapter Services and
Continuing Education Division. Good luck and many thanks, Steve, from
ISP!]
Dr. Robert Schneider,
a VCU classroom macro professor, collaborated with Dr. Jaci Miller,
Director of Field Instruction, and her staff of field instructors and
liaisons this year in searching for ways to promote student learning
about influencing state policies through their field placements. During
the spring, three advocacy agencies, The Virginia Alliance for the Mentally
Ill, the Virginia Mental Health Association, and the ARC of Virginia
(mental retardation) worked with 22 graduate students to promote their
legislative agendas during the 1999 General Assembly. Each of the agencies
agreed to work with teams of 2-3 students each who were assigned activities
or roles to play in order to advance various bills or amendments with
a mental health/retardation focus. E.g., some students designed a letter/phone
campaign, some gave testimony, some analyzed the budget impact while
others met with legislators' aides, the media, and coalition members.
Exciting opportunities arose: a deaf student was asked and gave testimony
to a legislative committee; one student's uncle was the Chairman of
the influential House Appropriations Committee; students as constituents
were receiving special attention from their legislators. An evaluation
was done among students, agency staff, and field instructors after the
legislative session ended. Among the findings were: 81% of students
would recommend it to other students. 100% of the agency staff would
undertake the project again. Over 75% of staff said that students' efforts
helped more than 2,000 or a significant number of clients. Coordinating
student's efforts with their field agencies (different from the 3 agencies
above) were complicated due to late notifications, making assigned bills
compatible with agency priorities, and the time required away from agency.
For questions, Bob is at rschneid@saturn.vcu.edu.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abel, M. E. and
Kazmerski, K. J. (1994). Protecting the inclusion of macro content
in generalist practice. Journal of Community Practice, 1(3), 59-72.
Abramovitz, M.
(1998). Social work and social reform: an arena of struggle. Social
Work, 43(6). 512-526.
Domanksi, M.
D. (1998). Prototypes of social work political participation: an
empirical model. Social Work, 43(2), 156-167.
Haynes, K. S.
(1998). The one hundred-year debate: social reform versus individual
treatment. Social Work, 43(6). 501-509.
Petit, M., Curtis,
P. Woodruff, K, Arnold, L., Feagans, L., and Ang, J. (1999). Child
abuse and neglect: a look at the states. Washington, DC: Child
Welfare League.
Salcido, R. M
and Seck, E. T. (1992). Political participation among social work
chapters. Social Work, 37(6), 563-564.
Schneider, R.
L. and Netting, F. E. (1999). Influencing social policy in a time
of devolution: upholding social work's great tradition. Social
Work, 44(4), 349-357.
Slater, C. and
Davis, M. (1999). State profiles: the population and economy of
each U.S. state. Lanham, MD: Bernan Press.
Stuart, P. H.
(1999) Linking clients and policy: social work's distinctive contribution.
Social Work, 44(4), 349-357.
Wolk, J., Pray,
J., Weismiller, T., and Dempsey, D. (1996). Political practica:
educating social work students for policy making. Journal of Social
Work Education, 32(1), 91-100.
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BOARD OF ADVISORS
- Ms. Nancy
Amidei, Senior Lecturer, University of Washington School of Social
Work
- Dr. Darlyne
Bailey, Dean and Professor, Case Western Reserve University, Mandel
School of Applied Social Sciences
- Dr. Ruth
Brandwein, Professor, State University of New York at Stony Brook
School of Social Welfare
- Ms. Alison
Campbell, Student, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Dr. Ronald
B. Dear, Professor, University of Washington School of Social
Work
- Mr. David
Dempsey, Political Affairs Associate, National Association of
Social Workers
- Dr. Diana
Dinitto, Cullen Trust Centennial Professor, University of Texas
at Austin School of Social Work
- Dr. Leon
Ginsberg, Carolina Distinguished Professor, University of South
Carolina College of Social Work
- Dr. Lorraine
Gutierrez, Professor, University of Michigan, School of Social
Work
- Dr. Karen
Haynes, President, University of Houston at Victoria
- Dr. Nancy
Hooyman, Dean and Professor, University of Washington School of
Social Work
- Dr. Bruce
S. Jansson, Professor, University of Southern California, School
of Social Work
- Dr. Alice
Johnson, Treasurer of ACOSA and Associate Professor, Case Western
Reserve University, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
- Dr. Sheila
B. Kamerman, Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's
and Youth Problems, Columbia University School of Social Work
- Dr. F. Ellen
Netting, Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University School of
Social Work
- Dr. Jack
Sellers, University of North Alabama
- Dr. Michael
Sherraden, Professor and Director, Center for Social Development,
Washington University in St. Louis, George Warren Brown School
of Social Work
- Dr. Fernando
Torres-Gil, Professor, UCLA School of Public Policy and Social
Research
- Dr. John
Turner, Professor and Dean Emeritus, University of North Carolina
Scbool of Social Work National Chairperson,
- Dr. Robert
L. Schneider, Professor, Virginia Commonwealth Univ. School of
Social Work. 804.828.0452, Fax 804.828.6770. rschneid@saturn.vcu.edu
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MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Please send your
name, address, phone number, fax number, email address and the annual
$25 membership/liaison fee payable to the: "National Committee"
to:
Dr. Robert
L. Schneider, Nat'l Chairperson
Virginia Commonwealth University
School of Social Work
P. O. Box 842027
Richmond, VA 23284-2027
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