Debra Fromm Faria, LCSW, President, NASW-NYS Chapter
The NASW-NYS Chapter’s Workforce Commission has completed its charge to conduct an analysis of the current BSW and MSW workforce in NYS and develop a report detailing emerging trends, workforce opportunities and overall recommendations. We are grateful to Commission Chair Dr. Janna Heyman, LMSW for her outstanding leadership and for the work and contributions of the members of the commission in accomplishing this goal.
As part of this detailed effort, the commission reviewed the current status of the implementation of licensure and associated proposals regarding the licensure exemption in the context of its potential impact on the workforce. In addition, the commission reviewed initiatives that are changing service delivery systems statewide such as the implementation of the regional Behavioral Health Organizations as well as the recommendations of the Medicaid Redesign Team. Data from the 2012 NASW-NYS Annual Survey which received nearly 1,700 responses was also included in the analysis. The Commission identified the need for regional perspectives on the workforce and consequently decided to hold a series of roundtable discussions in four areas of the state (Long Island, Westchester/Hudson Valley, Capital District and Genesee Valley).
Roundtable participants represented a broad array of practice specialties and included social workers new to the profession as well as seasoned practitioners. While there were some regional differences noted in the report, there were some key common themes identified to be challenges facing the workforce: loss of jobs and salary cuts; higher caseloads; increasing amount of paperwork and an increase in needs of different population groups (newly returning veterans, people with alcohol and substance abuse issues, older adults and their families, recent immigrants, victims of trauma and people with disabilities).
When asked about projected changes in the workforce, some noted there is a redefining of social work roles. One associated issue identified was the need to recognize the importance of the role of case management in the field of social work. With regard to future continuing educational needs, the importance of staying current with the federal and state policies that impact social work services and client systems, professional development on innovative approaches and best practices, and enhancing competency in the use of technology were the key areas identified. I encourage you to review the full report for details on the commission’s findings.
In reviewing the recommendations put forward by the commission, it is affirming to see that many of the activities NASW-NYS has been engaged in over the past few years are very much in line with the areas highlighted. For example, we are keenly aware that care coordination and case management roles are central to the integration of health and behavioral health service delivery systems as well as in the reduction of unnecessary hospitalizations, both key elements of the ACA, and positions for which BSW and MSW social workers are well qualified. To that end, our Chapter Policy Director has been an advocate and proponent for the inclusion of social workers as the go-to professional for such roles in relevant stakeholder venues; this was also the central theme of our 2013 annual power of social work conference.
Another area of practice the Chapter has focused on in recent years is underscoring the value of social workers in schools. We have issued positions of opposition to proposed budget cuts to school social work positions in districts across the state, and provided informational resources to school social workers and district administrators outlining the vital role school social workers play in supporting student academic success and delineating the scope protected tasks that cannot be transferred to alternate pupil personnel professionals as a consolidating cost-savings measure. Most recently I submitted a letter to the editor of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, published April 15, 2014, in support of the Rochester City School District’s budget proposal to provide funding to hire additional social workers to ensure at least one for every school. The school board approved the proposed budget and it is now awaiting approval by the City Council.
A population of increased needs identified by the workforce commission report is veterans who are returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Chapter has been a pioneer with its Veterans Mental Health Training Initiative, which is now funded through a NYS Legislative grant secured in the 2014-15 state budget for year four. The VMHTI is collaborating with stakeholders at the local, state and national levels to ensure New York’s mental health workforce is well equipped to meet the unique needs of our returning veterans and military families, and currently serves as a model initiative for states throughout the country. Through this and other chapter initiatives, we are building ground-breaking collaborative relationships with organizations like the NYS Psychiatric Association, Medical Society of the State of New York, NYS Society for Clinical Social Work, and the NYS Association of Deans of Schools of Social Work. A brand new initiative to mitigate the projected uptick in problem gambling stemming from the planned expansion of casino gambling in New York State has our Director of Policy collaborating with her counterparts from the state organizations for marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors and psychoanalysts. We will continue to find new and innovative partnerships to advance our mission.
To support the recruitment and retention of social work professionals in geographic and service delivery areas identified as high need, NASW-NYS played an instrumental role in the creation of the NYS Social Work Loan Forgiveness Program in 2006, and its renewal in 2011 through 2016 in the annual amount of $978,000. In 2014, our legislative advocacy sought to expand the program’s funding by an additional $500,000 and expand eligibility criteria. Our actions were met with partial success as we secured $250,000 in the 2014-15 state budget [in addition to the existing $978,000 of program funding]. Language changes to the statute included an expansion of eligible service delivery categories to include Home Care and an agreement was brokered between the houses and the Governor’s office to re-examine the current formula used in determining high need counties, the details of which will be forthcoming. Given the state’s current fiscal climate, receiving any INCREASE in funding is a major win for the profession!
Our legislative advocacy has also led to the passage of the continuing education requirement for licensed social workers, bringing us in alignment with every other state in the union and in keeping with the professional standards for competence in social work practice. The Chapter has, and will continue to be a reliable source of high quality, relevant continuing educational opportunities across the state that provides added value to our membership.
As with every organization, there is always opportunity for growth and this report will serve as a tool to guide us as we move forward. The report has been reviewed and formally accepted by the Chapter’s board of directors and has been shared with our strategic planning committee for consideration in their planning efforts. While my role as President of NASW-NYS comes to a close at the end of June my successor, Dr. Peter Chernack, has played an integral role on the commission and is leading the Chapter’s Strategic Planning Committee and under his leadership the Chapter will build actionable steps to further our efforts of strengthening New York’s social work workforce.