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The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.
Jane Addams
NASW-Tennessee 2010 Legislative Issues
The NASW-TN Legislative Committee has approved the following advocacy agenda for 2010. NASW-TN invites you to monitor the Chapter website at www.naswtn.com to keep informed on ways to be involved in supporting these important issues. For additional information please contact the Chapter Office and make plans to join your colleagues at the NASW-TN Social Work Day on the Hill on April 7th in Nashville.
Federal Legislation
The Tennessee Chapter of NASW is pleased to join with NASW nationally and chapters around the United States in supporting efforts to recruit, retain and retrain social workers in order to enhance societal well-being. Professional social workers provide essential services to individuals across the lifespan and have long been the workforce to guide people to critical resources, counsel them on important life decisions, and help them reach their full potential. Social workers are society’s safety net, and with our current economic challenges, this safety net has grown to include and protect a diverse group of people from all walks of life. However, serious safety concerns, significant educational debt, and comparatively insufficient salaries are threatening the future ability of our nation’s social workers to provide these indispensible services. NASW-TN supports the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act designed to address these challenges to the profession, thereby helping to ensure that millions of individuals, families, and communities throughout the nation can continue to receive competent care.
Tennessee Priority Issues
State Budget
The economy is impacting the lives of Tennessee families and the state’s budget. As unemployment and needs in Tennessee communities continue to grow we will monitor and work with partners to ensure the state budget maintains a framework of services that protects our most vulnerable citizens. Key areas of interest include:
- Ensuring adequate resources for community based mental health services as funding decreases for inpatient care.
- Protecting our future by promoting the well-being and safety of Tennessee’s children.
- Ensuring health security for Tennessee residents.
Implementation of Tennessee’s Multi-level Social Work Licensure Law
NASW-TN appreciates the Tennessee General Assembly’s approval of Multi-level Social Work Licensure Legislation in 2008. We will continue to work with Social Work Licensure Board regarding implementation of this legislation. NASW-TN commits to ongoing efforts to ensure public policy leaders and social work professionals understand the important changes made through this legislation.
Partnership Issues
(NASW-TN will work with other organizations in monitoring these issues. Our legislative work
on these issues may increase if we need to play a strategic role in these areas.)
Adoption and Foster Care
NASW believes that every child has a right to a permanent, continuous, and nurturing relationship with a parenting person or people who convey to the child an enduring sense of love and care. We believe public social policy on adoption and foster care should be evidenced-based and focus on the best interests of the child. NASW-TN will work with others to educate legislators about evidenced-based practice in the area of foster care and adoption and oppose legislation that restricts Tennessee’s children from living in loving, nurturing relationships with single or unmarried caregivers.
Child Care and Early Childhood Education
NASW recognizes that all young children deserve excellent early care and education and those high quality early experiences make a difference in children’s lifelong academic and social success. The Tennessee Chapter of NASW will continue to work with the Governor and other groups to support continuation of current funding for Pre-K classrooms. We also recognize the important role family and environmental factors play in educational development and advocate the involvement of social work professionals in early education programs.
Department of Children’s Services
The Tennessee Chapter is impressed by the strong child focused leadership of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. NASW-TN will work with them to improve the professionalism of the child welfare workforce and on initiatives to improve the lives of and protect Tennessee’s children.
Discrimination
NASW supports an inclusive society in which racial, ethic, social, sexual orientation, and gender differences are valued and respected. NASW-TN opposes legislation that discriminates on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, political belief, religion, or mental or physical disability.
Economy and Unemployment
The economic crisis is placing an increasing number of Tennesseans in vulnerable situations. NASW-TN supports the continuation of federal and state programs that help Tennesseans though transitions while the economy recovers.
Families First
NASW-TN has been actively involved in advocacy efforts related to the Families First program since its inception under a federal waiver in 1997. NASW-TN continues to support Families First services, including Families Services Counseling and Child Care, which address barriers preventing vulnerable families from achieving success.
Health Care
The Tennessee Chapter of NASW recognizes the importance of health care coverage for all Tennesseans including our most vulnerable. We will advocate with others for fiscally responsible programs that ensures persons receive needed and appropriate medical care. We recognize the importance of:
· TennCare in providing health care coverage for our state’s children and vulnerable Tennesseans,
· Federally qualified and faith based health centers in providing primary care, and
· The Coordinated School Health Program in improving student health outcomes and supporting the connection between good health practices, academic achievement, and lifetime wellness.
Mental Health
Economic factors and changes in TennCare threaten reductions in mental health services that could result in personal tragedy and increased burdens on emergency rooms and local law enforcement. NASW-TN will continue to work with the Tennessee Coalition for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO) and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) to maintain a mental health safety net for Tennessee residents.
People With Disabilities
NASW-TN will work collaboratively with the Tennessee Disability Coalition and other disability advocates on budget and policy issues that ensure the right of people with disabilities to participate fully and equitably in society, with appropriate supports to meet individual needs.
Predatory Lending Practices
NASW-TN worked with others in 2006 to pass the Tennessee High-Cost Home Loan Protection Act. We remain committed to partnering with other advocacy groups to protect low income and vulnerable Tennesseans from predatory lending practices.
Refugee and Immigrant Issues
Tennessee is a state with a growing immigrant population. This demographic shift has made many within the state uneasy. At a national and Chapter level NASW supports immigration and refugee policies that uphold and support equity and human rights, while protecting national security. As professional social workers we are committed to helping our lawmakers and others understand how immigrants and refugees contribute to our communities so that public policies are designed in an environment of mutual respect.
School Social Work
Healthy children and stable families are at the core of a strong community, but often families are threatened by the challenges of poverty, substance abuse, violence, mental illness, and homelessness. Not only do these challenges affect a community’s success, they could limit a student’s ability to learn. School social workers address these and other barriers that interfere with student achievement. NASW-TN will continue to educate legislators regarding the important efforts of school social workers and their role in helping students succeed.
Seniors
NASW-TN recognizes the crucial efforts of social workers in serving Tennessee’s growing senior population. We support dignified, humane, effective and client-based services for seniors that are consistent with social work values.
Tax Reform and Reduction of Tax on Food
NASW-TN is a member of Tennesseans for Fair Taxation. We support their efforts to secure the long-term revenue needed to enhance Tennessee’s progress and to relieve the tax burden on low-income families.
TennHelp
NASW partnered with the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services and the Department of Children’s Services to create a website that assists families and social workers in locating and linking to services in their area. The TennHelp website is a statewide listing of services for families and children searchable by services needed and by location. We will continue to work with public officials to let them know how TennHelp can assist their constituents.
Additional Monitoring & Information Dissemination Issues
Abortion Related Issues
NASW-TN will track legislation related to abortion and update members when key actions are being considered.
Death Penalty
NASW advocates the abolition of the death penalty as this punishment is at variance with social work values. NASW-TN is committed to monitoring this issue and keeping our members informed of developments in Tennessee’s death penalty system.
Management Data
The Tennessee Chapter of NASW knows the utilization of good data can improve public policy management decisions. We support the development of strong data systems for evaluating and improving the delivery of services to our most vulnerable populations.
Transportation
NASW-TN will monitor efforts to increase funding for mass transit and other transportation options that increase accessibility for low income and vulnerable populations.
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