NASW Georgia Chapter
2300 Henderson Mill Rd., Suite 308
Atlanta, Georgia 30345
National Member Services
membership@socialworkers.org
800-742-4089
2024 Social Work Advocacy Day
Social Work Advocacy Day is now virtual! Live stream via Zoom
Theme: "A Call for Action!"
Zoom link
*New Date: March 28, 2024 | Time: 9 am - 12 pm
Registration Fee: Free
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Agenda: The 2024 Social Work Advocacy Day is brief, consisting of a legislative update provided by NASW-GA Legal Advocate Wendi L. Clifton, Esq. NASW-GA Below is the list of bills NASW-GA is tracking during the 2023 legislative session. Additionally, we offer why we host Social Work Advocacy Day, along with a few resources.
Registration will open January 2024 on NASWGA’s website: http://www.naswga.org. Once on the site, click on the Events tab.
Facilitator: Wendi L. Clifton, Esq. | Managing Partner at Terminus Strategies, LLC
The social work profession was founded in social change. Social Workers have a long, proud history of legislative advocacy. NASW Georgia Chapter Legislative Advocate Wendi Clifton will highlight legislative issues and bills that impact the social work profession and provide key advocacy tips for meeting with policymakers.
Clifton has more than two and a half decades of political, government affairs and public policy experience and results. Spanning a variety of complex and controversial issues, including healthcare, judiciary, child welfare, juvenile justice, transportation, civil justice, and environmental, the firm has achieved remarkable results unmatched by competitors. In addition to these legislative victories, Clifton has a highly successful appropriations practice, securing more than $150 million in state funds for individual client services to Georgia citizens.
Clifton's most recent noteworthy legislative victory occurred during the 2018 legislative session with the passage of an update and modernization to the entire Georgia adoption code. The passage required a delicate balancing act between the House, Senate and Governor’s Office after the inclusion of a previously vetoed measure by the Senate that was significantly improved over the previous version. Gov. Nathan Deal held a massive signing ceremony on the South steps of the Capitol during the session at which Rep. Bert Reeves declared the “signing of this bill into law is the proudest moment of my professional career, and I know that literally the lives of thousands of Georgians will be positively impacted for decades to come.” Without question, this legislative accomplishment was a highlight for Clifton.
Other Facilitators: TBA
Why Social Work Advocacy Day?
Understanding the Political process is extremely important to the social work profession because it is often through it that social workers help bring forth and facilitate change that is beneficial to their clients, community, and the profession. The National Association of Social Workers and the National Association of Social Workers-Georgia Chapter recognize and support Political Advocacy and Lawful Political Involvement of Social Workers and Social Work Students! Each year the National Association of Social Workers, Georgia Chapter promotes and hosts Social Work Advocacy Day to honor the core value of Social Justice. Social Work Advocacy Day is significant for three reasons:
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Social Work Advocacy Day makes social workers, social work students and faculty more aware of the legacy of responsibility Social Workers share in being advocates for social justice while motivating and equipping them to be advocates for social change.
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Social workers, social work students, and faculty are exposed to and informed of the current state as well as national emerging political and social issues which impact social work professionals and those they serve.
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When Social Work Advocacy Day is offered in person, social workers, social work students, and faculty have an opportunity to observe firsthand – state government and the political process; thereby, learning how to employ the advocacy/lobbying method.
Resources:
House of Representatives (list of GA Representatives): http://www.house.ga.gov/Representatives/en-US/HouseMembersList.aspx
State Senate (list of GA Senators):
http://www.legis.ga.gov/members/senate
In-Person Capitol Tours are to be scheduled by Schools of Social Work and individual social work professionals. For more information on In-Person Capitol Tours click on the below link: http://www.libs.uga.edu/capitolmuseum/index.html
Click the link below to download a map of Capitol Hill:
2024 NASWGA’s Legislative Priorities: Reintroducing from 2023 Legislative Session
NASWGA Legislation -Interstate Compact Bill & School SW Early Licensure Exam:
Below you will find a quick summary of both bills. The bill numbers are linked to the Georgia legislative search page.
HB 839: Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact
This bill was inadvertently assigned to the Committee on Interstate Cooperation chaired by Rep. Mark Newton (R-Augusta). However, our lobbyists are working on getting this re-assigned to the Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities chaired by Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell).
HB 793: Sit For Exam During Last Semester
This bill was assigned to the Committee on Regulated Industries chaired by Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell).
NASW Key Policy Issues
Although a great part of the association’s energy is spent on the following issues, NASW’s work on Capitol Hill is not limited to these areas but is driven by the agenda that members of Congress set for themselves.
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Affordable Care Act Integration
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Child Welfare
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Interstate Licensure Compact
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Medicare Reimbursement
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Older Americans Act
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Social Worker Safety
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Student Loan Debt Relief
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Social Work Reinvestment Act
NASW Policy Updates | Visit: https://www.socialworkers.org/Advocacy/Policy-Updates
