Offer tangible support to trans folks by donating to TransOhio’s emergency fund>>

To our fellow social workers and mental healthcare providers:

While HB 68 will affect the regulation of our practice, HB 68 does NOT ban gender affirming mental healthcare, even for minors. Now is NOT the time to change how you practice. In the next 90 days before the law takes effect, it IS time to get informed and get prepared so that you can continue to offer the best possible care to your clients. Here are some things you can do to start preparing:

Read the final version of the bill yourself so that you are not relying on synopsis, headlines, or misinformation. The bill language is quite confusing at times, especially in its practical application to mental health practice, so take note of your questions. Read here>>

Read our summary of the bill. We will issue more practice guidance about how to adapt your practice in the coming weeks. Read NASW Ohio's guidance>>

Read NASW Ohio’s Gender-Affirming Care Whitepaper. Please note that there have been some small changes to HB 68 since the whitepaper was written. Read the white paper>>

Think through all the possible scenarios in which this bill could affect your practice and begin to think through how you would respond based on regulations, professional ethics, best-practice standards of care, etc. As you do this, write down practice scenarios in which the bill language leaves ambiguity or conflicts with other regulations, ethical standards, or even the safety of clients. NASW will ask for these scenarios soon.

Seek consultation. It is essential to seek consultation as you determine how you will respond to various situations given this new law. Email your questions and practice scenarios to NASW Ohio at info.naswoh@socialworkers.org. While we will likely not respond to your email right away, these questions and practice scenario examples will help us help you as we create practice guidance in response to this new law.

All donors will be recognized in the NASW Ohio magazine. Donors can elect to make a monthly donation. Donate here>>

Contact your state Representative In support of amendment HC0294 for behavioral workforce sustainability using the example script below. Look up your representative by visiting https://ohiohouse.gov/members/district-map 

"Hello, Representative [your rep's name]. My name is [your name] and I am a [your title: social worker, student, etc.] contacting you in support of amendment HC0294. With the majority of Ohio counties being in Health Professional Shortage Areas, we know that the current worker capacity is unable to meet Ohio's high demand for mental health and substance use treatment. Without access to adequate care, our most vulnerable populations are more likely to experience worsening symptoms, causing harm to our clients and further straining Ohio’s healthcare system. The Medicaid rate increase in amendment HC0294 would be invaluable in leveling Ohio's behavioral health workforce crisis by investing in mental health practitioners. Thank you."

Advocacy Alert: Stop SB 83

Help keep DEI in higher education and allow collective bargaining rights for all

If passed, SB 83 would:

• Create policies for "intellectual diversity" and "controversial" concepts

• Ban mandatory DEI programs and training for staff at stated funded universities

• Ban affinity groups and affirmative action policies in higher education

• Ban public positions on controversial issues, such as advantages/disadvantages based on race or sex

• Ban relationships with China, such as receiving donations/gifts or study abroad programs

• Require US history and government courses

• Require online posting of course syllabi, including biographical information of the instructor, assignments, and a description of each lecture
• Establish criteria for performance evaluations for instructors
• Ban striking and forms of collective bargaining for public employees, including any employee of state institution of higher education, law enforcement officers, first responders, and correctional facility employees
• Revise faculty workload policies
• Require discipline & funding loss for violations

Why this matters for social workers:

SB 83 is an attempt to dismantle diversity and inclusion efforts in higher education and allows for discrimination and hate to occur where students and staff should feel welcome and safe to have the freedom to learn.

SB 83 is particularly harmful to social work education as specific coursework related to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion is a requirement for CSWE Program Accreditation.

What you can do:

1) Call and email the Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee to voice your opposition and ask the committee to VOTE NOon SB 83

2) Prepare opponent testimony (written or verbal) to be submitted for the opponent testimony hearing. If you have questions about how to do this, please email us a info.naswoh@socialworkers.org

3) Follow Honesty for Ohio Education or become a partner agency to stay updated and involved (https://www.honestyforohioeducation.org/)

4) If you have questions regarding SB 83 or DEI efforts andcollective bargaining, please email us at info.naswoh@socialworkers.org!

Workforce and Higher Education Committee Contacts

Jerry C. Cirino (R) - Chair  
Cirino@OhioSenate.gov
(614) 644-7718

Michael A. Rulli (R) - Vice Chair 
Rulli@OhioSenate.gov
(614) 466-8285

Catherine D. Ingram (D) - Ranking Member 
Ingram@OhioSenate.gov
(614) 466-5980

Bill Reineke (R)  
Reineke@OhioSenate.gov
(614) 466-8049

Michele Reynolds (R) 
Reynolds@OhioSenate.gov
(614) 466-8064

We know that state-by-state licensing is extremely difficult to navigate for social workers and our clients. Telehealth has grown in such significance that it is unacceptable to have social workers who need to be licensed in multiple states to serve clients or for a client to move and not be able to continue to see their therapist. Or for those on state lines, it is difficult to carry licenses in all of those states. NASW nationally has been working with the Council of State Governments to create an interstate licensure compact to ease these burdens. 

The interstate compact would be a separate license that someone could choose to obtain on top of their regular state license. The compact license would then authorize the social worker to practice in any other state that has also implemented the compact by passing the legislation. The compact will start when seven states across the country have passed the compact legislation. Anytime licensure is discussed it is important to acknowledge that there are significant concerns about the ASWB exams that are used for licensure. States across the country, including Ohio, are looking at how to make changes to the exam to ensure that social work is not gatekeeping people from our profession. NASW had a significant victory on this front by ensuring that the interstate compact legislation did not require states to use the ASWB exams moving forward. We were concerned that we would be in an impossible situation of either making a change to the exam in Ohio or having the compact. But fortunately NASW’s advocacy was successful and we can move forward with potentially changing the exam without endangering the compact.The ASWB exam would be required to obtain an interstate license.

Ohio could be one of those original seven states as SB 90 has been introduced in the Ohio Senate. Read the bill draft here>>

Read more about the compact>>

Take Action

To help pass the interstate compact contact your state Senator (look up their information) and ask them to support SB 90 when it comes before them.

Learn More

Attend a special member meeting Friday, March 24 from 10am-11am to learn more about the compact (and other issues NASW is working on). The recording will be posted on this webpage following the meeting. RSVP to attend the meeting live via Zoom or have the recording e-mailed to you.

Action Alert

We are calling on you to join us in contacting Governor Mike DeWine using the following sample script.  You may reach Governor DeWine by calling 614-644-4357. "Hello, Governor DeWine. My name is [your name] and I am a [your title: social worker, student, etc.] from Ohio contacting you urgently about the train derailment disaster in East Palestine, Ohio. Residents in East Palestine and surrounding communities need your immediate support as its residents desperately need resources and healthcare. I am calling on you to declare a State of Emergency and mobilize Ohio's Rainy-Day fund which rests at a historic high near $3.5 Billion. I hope you will make the call to be proactive rather than reactive when considering the lives of Ohioans to reduce harm and mitigate future safety concerns by holding those responsible accountable. Thank you for your time."

Continue to watch NASW social media pages for additional updates.

NASW Ohio and Pennsylvania Chapters’ Statement on the Train Derailment in East Palestine, Ohio

The train derailment that took place earlier this month in East Palestine, Ohio is an emergency situation that requires social workers to take action. East Palestine is adjacent to Pennsylvania. Ohio and Pennsylvania have a duty to their citizens to take action. Environmental justice is social justice– people are a part of and tremendously affected by the environment.

This disaster has and will continue to have environmental consequences. The Ohio River is a major waterway that flows through six states and serves as a source of drinking water for five million people, and contaminated waterways have already led to the deaths of an estimated 3,500 fish. Affected residents have reported nausea, shortness of breath, and headaches. Also reported have been the sickness and death of animals in the vicinity of the derailment site, including livestock. Economic consequences are also at play; many people cannot afford to move out of the area, and homeowners will now face difficulty selling.

Ohio and Pennsylvania need to ensure communities within a 50-mile radius of the derailment have what they need as they endure the aftermath of this incident. Reparations should be provided for related costs including those for relocation and healthcare.

We urge Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to declare an emergency for East Palestine and use Ohio’s resources to appropriately assist those affected by this disaster. Federal assistance offered by President Biden has been requested, however just last month DeWine announced the largest “Rainy Day” fund in Ohio history– the state has the ability to provide aid to those affected.

Norfolk Southern Corporation needs to be held accountable for not only the safety issues that 

led to the derailment, but the mismanagement of the incident response as well that put residents and first responders at risk. We thank Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro for his letter criticizing Norfolk Southern and its failure to coordinate with Ohio and Pennsylvania response teams, and share his belief that decisions were made to prioritize profit over safety.

As we recover from this incident, mechanisms for ongoing monitoring of the possible long-term health and environmental effects need to be put in place. As we know from past incidents such as September 11th or the use of burn pits in the military, health impacts from exposure to toxic chemicals can take years to develop. We cannot simply clean up and return to normal.

Prevention efforts to minimize future safety concerns need to be prioritized rather than simply responding to disasters when they occur. Improvements need to be made to railroad safety regulations that are informed by our workers. Rail unions should be empowered to raise safety concerns, and those concerns should be addressed. Efforts should also be made to ensure railroads are adequately staffed and have appropriate sick leave policies.

Specifically, we urge President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg to immediately reinstate safety measures, including the requirement to upgrade braking systems, that were implemented by the Obama administration and repealed under the Trump administration. We also urge that the category of “high-hazard flammable trains” be expanded to cover Class 2 flammable gasses – such as the vinyl chloride involved in the crash – as recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board nearly a decade ago.

To those affected by this disaster, NASW Ohio and Pennsylvania stand with you. We have heard reports from our members that many local residents and surrounding areas are facing significant mental health consequences, as they deal with the fear and anxiety of what may happen to themselves and their families. Social workers in Ohio and Pennsylvania are prepared to help alleviate those challenges. If you know of efforts where social workers could assist please contact our chapters, Ohio- dsmith.naswoh@socialworkers.org and Pennsylvania- jbyrd.naswpa@socialworkers.org. 

Evacuated residents can request assistance by visiting the Norfolk Southern Family Assistance Center at Abundant Life Church located at 46469 State Route 46, New Waterford, Ohio or calling 1-800-230-7049. Air and water testing can be accessed by calling the Residential Re-Entry Request Hotline at 330-849-3919.

If you are in the position to financially support those affected, follow the link below to donate to their GoFundMe campaigns. https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/ohio-train-help

Anyone who planned on testifying in-person tomorrow (Wednesday, December 7) is still welcome to do so but it is not needed. Thank you so much for planning on being there.

Our next advocacy step to stop HB 509 from removing title protection for social workers is to testify against the bill this Wednesday, December 7 at 10am. We must urge the committee to adopt

Senator Antonio's amendment to remove the section of the bill that allows related degrees to be licensed as a social worker. The testimony can be in-person in Columbus at the Ohio Statehouse or via submitting written testimony. All testimony is due by Tuesday, December 6 at 10am so please submit ASAP. For steps on how to testify visit naswoh.org/testify509.

An update on title and practice protection issue in Substitute HB 509:

The Ohio Senate Workforce & Higher Education committee adopted the substitute bill at their hearing on Wednesday, November 30, so the language that would allow for people without degrees in social work to be a LSW is now in the bill. NASW expected this to happen, in simple terms it moved from a proposal to being in the legislation text.

The committee will hold a hearing next week (currently not scheduled) where they will consider amendments to the bill. We need social workers to contact the members of the committee to urge them to support an amendment introduced by Senator Nickie Antonio to remove the related degree section of the bill. Read the amendment>>

We are hopeful they will adopt the amendment to protect social work. Our hope is based in so many contacts happening to Senators, that many other professions are also negatively impacted by this bill and are lobbying against it, and from a question during the hearing from committee member Senator Reineke indicates concern for the impact on the future interstate compact. The interstate compact is an important talking point for us to stress. Ohio will want to enter the compact when it is ready but if this legislation passes Ohio would likely be unable to join as we would not meet the base requirements. To our knowledge there are no other states that allow a related degree to become licensed as a social worker, putting us out of compliance with the model regulation standards. We will need help to keep pressure up, particularly on the Republicans on the committee who voted for the substitute bill, to urge them to adopt that amendment next week.

Sample script- I am a licensed social worker/degreed social worker/or social work student and I am calling to urge Senator {NAME} to support an amendment to Substitute HB 509 next week that would remove the section that would allow people without degrees in social work to become licensed as a social worker. This is a public protection issue and an issue that would negatively impact Ohio as it would likely bar our state from joining the interstate licensure compact that is currently in progress. 

Members of the Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee

Republican members of the committee- 1st priority for contacts

Terry Johnson
(614) 466-8082
johnson@ohiosenate.gov

Jerry C, Cirino
(614) 644-7718
cirino@ohiosenate.gov

Rob McColley
(614) 466-8150
mccolley@ohiosenate.gov

Bill Reineke
(614) 466-8049
reineke@ohiosenate.gov

Michael A. Rulli
(614) 466-8285
rulli@ohiosenate.gov

Democrat members of the committee
Dale B. Martin
(614) 466-4857
martin@ohiosenate.gov

Nickie J. Antonio- Senator Antonio is the sponsor of the amendment so less important to contact her other than to thank her
(614) 466-5123
antonio@ohiosenate.gov

Update 12/5

Our next advocacy step to stop HB 509 from removing title protection for social workers is to testify against the bill this Wednesday, December 7 at 10am. We must urge the committee to adopt

Senator Antonio's amendment to remove the section of the bill that allows related degrees to be licensed as a social worker. The testimony can be in-person in Columbus at the Ohio Statehouse or via submitting written testimony. All testimony is due by Tuesday, December 6 at 10am so please submit ASAP. For steps on how to testify visit naswoh.org/testify509.

Update

An update on title and practice protection issue in Substitute HB 509:

The Ohio Senate Workforce & Higher Education committee adopted the substitute bill at their hearing on Wednesday, November 30, so the language that would allow for people without degrees in social work to be a LSW is now in the bill. NASW expected this to happen, in simple terms it moved from a proposal to being in the legislation text.

The committee will hold a hearing next week (currently not scheduled) where they will consider amendments to the bill. We need social workers to contact the members of the committee to urge them to support an amendment introduced by Senator Nickie Antonio to remove the related degree section of the bill. Read the amendment>>

We are hopeful they will adopt the amendment to protect social work. Our hope is based in so many contacts happening to Senators, that many other professions are also negatively impacted by this bill and are lobbying against it, and from a question during the hearing from committee member Senator Reineke indicates concern for the impact on the future interstate compact. The interstate compact is an important talking point for us to stress. Ohio will want to enter the compact when it is ready but if this legislation passes Ohio would likely be unable to join as we would not meet the base requirements. To our knowledge there are no other states that allow a related degree to become licensed as a social worker, putting us out of compliance with the model regulation standards. We will need help to keep pressure up, particularly on the Republicans on the committee who voted for the substitute bill, to urge them to adopt that amendment next week.

Sample script- I am a licensed social worker/degreed social worker/or social work student and I am calling to urge Senator {NAME} to support an amendment to Substitute HB 509 next week that would remove the section that would allow people without degrees in social work to become licensed as a social worker. This is a public protection issue and an issue that would negatively impact Ohio as it would likely bar our state from joining the interstate licensure compact that is currently in progress. 

Members of the Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee

Republican members of the committee- 1st priority for contacts

Terry Johnson
(614) 466-8082
johnson@ohiosenate.gov

Jerry C, Cirino
(614) 644-7718
cirino@ohiosenate.gov

Rob McColley
(614) 466-8150
mccolley@ohiosenate.gov

Bill Reineke
(614) 466-8049
reineke@ohiosenate.gov

Michael A. Rulli
(614) 466-8285
rulli@ohiosenate.gov

Democrat members of the committee
Dale B. Martin
(614) 466-4857
martin@ohiosenate.gov

Nickie J. Antonio- Senator Antonio is the sponsor of the amendment so less important to contact her other than to thank her
(614) 466-5123
antonio@ohiosenate.gov

Monday, November 28 Action Alert

An amendment to HB 509 has been proposed that would allow for people with degrees other than in social work to be licensed as an LSW. If the amendment is adopted and if the bill is passed by the Senate, title and practice protection for social workers in Ohio would end. The public could no longer trust that a “licensed social worker” is actually someone with a degree in social work, eroding our professional standing and reputation. Social work is a specific profession with regulated standards for education, field practicums, and licensure. A degree from a related field likely carries no requirements for an internship meaning that an LSW could have no practical experience before becoming licensed. Furthermore, it devalues and disincentives earning a social work degree as a baccalaureate program requires 400 hours of field education and a master program requires 900 hours. 

Title protection is a public protection issue. It is critical to note that the LSW in Ohio has a significant scope of practice with the ability to diagnose and assess mental health disorders under supervision. If the amendment and bill passes, Ohio faces a future where someone who has no training in mental health is able to diagnose under supervision which could result in serious harm to people experiencing mental health struggles.

There are no “related fields'' that are social work; social work is social work. Ohio has repeatedly taken the position that title protection and practice protection are important. In 2012, the state removed the ability for people who earned related degrees before 1992 (degrees that consisted of social work curriculum but with a different degree name) to become licensed. This proposed amendment would not only return our state to one without title protection but it would take it a step further by not requiring any social work training for social work licensure, deeply harming the reputation of our profession.

The proposed change would remove Ohio from compliance with the ASWB exam, requiring Ohio to seek a waiver to allow non-social work degree holders to be able to take an exam. ASWB may not permit Ohio to have a waiver which would deny non-degreed social workers from becoming licensed. NASW is currently engaged in advocacy work to address inequities in the profession caused by the ASWB exam but this legislative proposal does nothing to address the exam. People with degrees in non-social work fields would be ineligible in most other states to become licensed as other states are maintaining title protection. 

The amended bill also contains proposed changes to the fee structure for LSWs. The amendment would lower the renewal fee for LSWs from $80 to $60 and create a mechanism for LSWs to request a hardship exemption from paying initial licensure and renewal fees. While we appreciate the Ohio General Assembly’s interest in addressing financial barriers in social work we believe this is a misguided attempt as it would increase the workload for the licensing board at the same time as lowering their revenue. This would result in less availability of the board to provide customer service and increase already long wait times for licensure processing and other critical services. The Ohio General Assembly should enact these policies to help social workers cover licensing costs but fund them through the general revenue fund rather than forcing social workers to work with an overburdened licensing board. 

We need social workers to contact members of the Ohio Senate Workforce and Higher Education committee and the sponsors of the bill to urge them to oppose the proposed language on line 12858 as underlined here: “A baccalaureate degree in social work or another field acceptable to the board.” 

We need these calls and emails to happen immediately as the committee will hold a hearing on the bill on Wednesday at 3pm.

Sample script- I am a licensed social worker/degreed social worker/or social work student and I am calling to urge Senator {NAME} to oppose the proposed change to HB 509 that would allow people without degrees in social work to become licensed as a social worker. This is a public protection issue and could result in serious harm to the vulnerable community members. This proposed change would devalue the social work profession by eroding our professional education, values, practice standards, and reputation.

• Members of the Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee

  • Terry Johnson

    • (614) 466-8082

    • johnson@ohiosenate.gov

  • Jerry C, Cirino

    • (614) 644-7718

    • cirino@ohiosenate.gov

  • Dale B. Martin

    • (614) 466-4857

    • martin@ohiosenate.gov

  • Nickie J. Antonio

    • (614) 466-5123

    • antonio@ohiosenate.gov

  • Rob McColley

    • (614) 466-8150

    • mccolley@ohiosenate.gov

  • Bill Reineke

    • (614) 466-8049

    • reineke@ohiosenate.gov

  • Michael A. Rulli

    • (614) 466-8285

    • rulli@ohiosenate.gov

• Primary Sponsors

  • Marilyn S. John

    • (614) 466-5802

    • Rep02@ohiohouse.gov

  • Sarah Fowler Arthur

    • (614) 466-1405

    • Rep99@ohiohouse.gov

• That individuals of any race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, or national origin are inherently superior or inferior
• That individuals should be adversely or advantageously treated, or should treat others disrespectfully, on the basis of their race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, or national origin
• That an individual, by virtue of the individual’s race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, or national origin is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously
• That individuals, by virtue of their race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, or national origin bear collective guilt and are inherently responsible for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, or national origin
• That meritocracy or traits such as hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by individuals of a particular race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, or national origin
• That any individual cannot succeed or achieve equality because of the individual’s race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, or national origin
• That an individual’s moral character or worth is necessarily determined by the individual’s race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, or national origin

This prohibition targets grades K-12 as well as higher education. Sub HB 327 would have a devastating impact on education of social work.  If this proposed legislation is passed, a significant of social work courses will be destroyed. Sub HB 327 is housed in the Committee of State and Local Government. Take action against Sub HB 327 and contact the committee chair, Scott Wiggam and inform him of your stance against Sub House Bill 327. Because this issue impacts all Ohioans, he needs to hear from all of us regardless of your district. Please call Chair Wiggam at (614) 466-1474 or email him at rep01@ohiohouse.gov.

You can say something like: My name is [name], and I am calling/writing to ask Chair Wiggam to stop Sub HB 327, an anti-academic freedom legislation that unfairly targets LBGTQ+ students and hinders efforts to address racial disparities. I am asking Chair Wiggam to keep politicians out of our classrooms and defend the freedom to learn. Please stop Sub HB 327 and do not allow this bill to receive another hearing.

In just a couple of minutes, you can make a powerful impact toward the future of our education.

We need your immediate action to contact Governor DeWine to ask for a line item veto in the budget that directly affects our profession. (Additionally there are many anti-choice provisions in the budget that should be vetoed as well. Visit Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio for the info.)

A few weeks ago, we were made aware of a last-minute change to the Ohio Senate’s version of the state budget that sought to allow medical professionals to refuse services based on their personal religious or moral beliefs, opening the door for doctors, nurses, receptionists, and even health insurance companies to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people and deny them important healthcare services. We have one more chance to stop it. Gov. DeWine has the power to veto this provision in what is called a line-item veto, and we need him to do just that. Additionally, there will be a Rally at the Statehouse with our partners, and we encourage you to join if you are able. Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at 6 PM Outside the Ohio StatehouseCorner of State and High Streets, Columbus, OH 43215. (There is also a rally at 12pm today to stop the anti-choice provisions).

Call Governor DeWine: https://equalityohio.org/call-dewine/

Email Governor DeWine: https://equalityohio.org/our-work/legislation/license-to-discriminate/

Early on the morning of December 22, another Black Ohioan, Andre’ Hill was killed by the Columbus Division of Police. Words are no substitute for justice or healing, but they are what we have in the moment.

To everyone working to end police violence and systemic racism, and particularly to our Black colleagues, clients and neighbors, we want to say that your fear, rage, grief, and exhaustion is more than valid. You deserve rest. You deserve real freedom. Freedom to visit a friend late at night, to play loud music, to drive your car, to send your kids to play in a park, to live your life- without fear. Enough is enough. 

A recent comment from Jewel Woods, LSW of MALE Behavioral Health drives home how social workers play an important role in processing this grief and fear. He said: “More and more black men and boys in private practice are talking about feeling paranoid and unsafe. It has been my experience that it is essential to create an environment where you can explore and embrace such feelings, but also do so in such a way as to put historical and contemporary traumas in perspective as a means to move forward.”  

To our fellow social workers who continue to deny or downplay the systemic rottenness of policing in the United States and Ohio in particular, you are doing a disservice to your clients and to our profession. It is time for you to join us. Current social work practice often involves policing and while it will not change overnight, it is imperative that social workers work to reduce this involvement. Social workers can be part of building a new vision for public safety.

NASW Ohio supports initiatives that make tangible progress toward a future of transformative justice with safety for all. We encourage all social workers to avoid reform proposals that do not address systemic roots and maintain status quo. Body-worn cameras may help bring justice, but they did not prevent the death of Andre’ Hill. In Columbus, applications are open for a new Civilian Review Board and we encourage social workers to apply here, but even increased accountability is not enough. It is time to shift funding from punitive policing into true public safety: housing, education, and healthcare. 

These deaths are preventable. We can have a better world. #BlackLivesMatter

While the moments leading up to the killing of Casey Goodson Jr. are still under investigation, we know that Casey was not under arrest or suspected of any crime and should be alive today. It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge that this incident is one of many in which law enforcement officers act as judge and jury; brutalizing and killing community members who they have sworn to protect. We acknowledge that Black and Brown individuals are vastly overrepresented among these victims – as the color of one’s skin can be seen as a threat. Ohio, and particularly Columbus, has lost too many of our own at the hands of law enforcement – Tamir Rice, Henry Green, John Crawford III, Julius Tate Jr., Tyre King, Jaron Thomas, and countless others.

We stand in solidarity with Casey’s family  as they mourn the loss of their beloved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend. We also stand with grassroots organizers who have been working for years to end police violence and prevent deaths like Casey’s. We believe in the family’s right to establish demands and support them as they seek justice. The community list of demands are as follows:

• The immediate termination, arrest, and indictment of Michael Jason Meade, the Sherriff’s deputy, for the murder of Casey Goodson Jr.

• Revocation of Jason Meade’s pension.

• Transparency in the investigation and release of all video and audio recordings.

• Immediate release of evidence to Casey’s mother, Tamala Payne

• The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department covers the funeral expenses of Casey Goodson Jr.

• Fire Columbus Police Chief Quinlan for negligence in failing to contact Ohio’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation in a timely manner.

• Commitment from Franklin County Commissioners to divest from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

• Commitment from Columbus City Council to divest from the Columbus Police Department.

The killing of Casey Goodman Jr. comes at a time when a greater awakening to the systemic racism that exists in our nation has spread, sparked by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others – but the fight for racial equality is far from over. Racism is a pervasive problem, affecting not only our police departments and criminal justice system, but all institutions, including those in which social workers practice. We call on social workers to deeply invest in the cause of racial equality and to stand in solidarity with Casey Goodson Jr.’s family.

We encourage social workers to read our previous statement on the Movement for Black Lives, available at www.naswoh.org/BLM. We have also made the recording of our Fall Advocacy Day webinar focused on addressing racism and violence of current systems of policing available for free at this page. In line with our Code of Ethics, NASW Ohio supports and promotes actions to establish systems where no person is disposable, where safety and self-determination are centered, social justice is actualized. 

NASW Ohio is proud to support the efforts of a small group of organizers who are working to get a group of Ohioans to the 2020 March on Washington. The 2020 March will be August 28 and will recall the goals of the 1963 march including policing and justice demands. The group is organizing five buses and ninety hotel rooms to bring a total of 280 people to the march from Columbus while following COVID-19 precautions.

Here are some ways you can help and get more information.

-Watch this 20 minute overview video of the effort by the organizers. (Please be aware that the video includes a short video that has traumatic imagery of the protests, the murder of George Floyd, and pictures of lynchings.)

-Sign up to attend the march. The cost is very reasonable for a two-night hotel stay and transportation.

-Donate to the march. The group is fundraising to provide scholarships for folks to attend the march and to equip the group with COVID-19 safety equipment.

Contact CMS here: https://bit.ly/2mxelZB

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed two reductions in reimbursement for clinical social workers (CSWs) who are Medicare providers. These proposed cuts include a four (4) percent cut in 2020 for code revisions or a seven (7) percent cut in 2021 to increase reimbursement for evaluation and management (E/M) services which are provided by physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) strongly opposes these cuts.

The proposed reductions are included in the proposed rule issued by CMS, "File Code CMS-1715-P; CY 2020 Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Payment Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment Policies."
CSWs are already only reimbursed at 75% of the physician fee schedule, lower than any other mental health provider in Medicare Part B. NASW's congressional champions have introduced legislation in the House and Senate to increase this rate to 85%.

If CSWs cannot afford to remain in Medicare, then millions of Medicare beneficiaries, including older adults and persons with disabilities, will lose access to essential mental health services. The nation can ill afford to implement these disincentives to CSW participation in this major federal program.

Even if you are not a Medicare provider, it is important to note that private insurance often follows Medicare's lead when updating payment rates and policies. In other words, this proposal may affect all CSWs.

We urge you to reach out to CMS by this Friday, September 27 to make your voice heard. Simply click on the link below to send a pre-completed email to CMS Administrator Seema Verma expressing your opposition to the proposed payment cuts.

NASW is submitting comments on the proposed rule.
Thank you for your engagement in this critically important advocacy effort.

Contact CMS here: https://bit.ly/2mxelZB

NASW Ohio Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) Committee is working diligently to interview potential candidates for NASW Ohio endorsement in the 2019 election cycle but we need your help! Join PACE to help further our mission of electing candidates to public office who support legislation and policies consistent with the goals of the social work profession and the needs of those who are served by the social work profession. No prior knowledge is required. PACE is a great way to learn more about public policy and electoral advocacy work. Respond to this email if interested! Know of a local candidate that aligns with NASW’s values and priorities? If so, put them in touch with us! Please have all interested candidates send an email to info.naswoh@socialworkers.org and include NASW Ohio Endorsement Request in the subject line.