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A Call for Macro Social Work140 Social Workers Launch Inaugural Mentorship ProgramSocial Workers Face Tough Ethical Dilemma with Refugee

ChildrenMPACE Endorses Candidates for the 2018 Elections

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supporting, promoting, & advocating for professional social work practice & the social work profession*

Wayne SchmidtRepublican for State Rep.Endorsed for the 37th District

Padma KuppaDemocrat for State Rep.Endorsed for the 41st District

Mallory McMarrowDemocrat for State Rep.Endorsed for the 13th District

Jocelyn BensonEndorsed by M-PACE forSecretary of State

Dana NesselEndorsed by M-PACE forAttorney General

GretchenWhitmer Endorsed by M-PACE for Governor

Poppy Sias-Hernandez Democrat for State Rep.Endorsed for the 24th District

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What's inside ...*

Ethical Dilemmas: Laws, Morals, and Ethics 28

4Robert Lathers Receives the Hal Madden Award

2018-19 Pistons NASW Nights Announced 29

Updates to Billing Issues for Clinical Social Workers 11

Chapter Board of DirectorsPresident

Kevin Holzinger, LMSW, ACSW, CAADCkevin.holzingernasw@gmail.com

Vice President of Social PolicyEdward D’Angelo, LMSW

grettenbergerse@gmail.com

Vice President of Finance & Budgeting –ElectGabrielle D’Angelo, MSW

edwardidangelo@gmail.com

SecretaryJennifer Strange, LMSW, CAADC

ms.jenn.strange@gmail.com

Member at Large Sean Stallworth

stallwos@yahoo.com

Region I RepresentativesJudith Krause, LMSW

judkrause@aol.com Shelley Ovink, ACSW, LMSW

dvip-mqt@hotmail.com

Region II RepresentativeToni Hernalsteen, LMSWthernalsteen@gmail.com

Region III RepresentativeLindsey DeRousse, LMSW, BS, CDP

lindseyderousse@gmail.com

Region IV RepresentativeRobert Lathers, MSW, LMSW

robertlathers@gmail.com

Region V RepresentativeRichard Osburn, LMSW, LMFT, DCSW

rcoz1@sysmotech.net

Region VI RepresentativeMary Skene, LLMSW, AASW

Skene.mary@gmail.com

Region VII RepresentativeRonnie Tyson, LMSW

ronnie.tyson@odysseyvillage.com

Region VIII RepresentativeAbby Segal, LMSW, LCSW, MJLS

avivabatia@aol.com

Region IX RepresentativeMarian Tripplett, LMSW

marian.l.tripplett@wmich.edu

Region X RepresentativeEllen Craine, JD, LMSW, ACSW, INHC

emcraine@crainmediation.com

Region XI RepresentativeSara Bazydlo, LMSW, CAADC

sduhr@umich.edu

BSW Student RepresentativeAlexander Barich

abarich@emich.edu

MSW Student Representative Erik Fuller

erikfuller5350@gmail.com

Chapter OfficeMaxine Thome, PhD, LMSW, ACSW, MPH Ext. 14Executive DirectorMthome.naswmi@socialworkers.org

Duane Breijak, LMSW -Macro Ext. 15Director of Member Services & Developmentdbreijak.naswmi@socialworkers.org

Allan Wachendorfer, LMSW–Macro Ext. 11Director of Public Policyawachendorfer.naswmi@socialworkers.org

Tricia McCarthy Ext. 16Office & Events Managertmccarthy.naswmi@socialworkers.org

Robin Simpson, RSST Ext. 17Manager of Continuing Education Collaborativersimpson.naswmi@socialworkers.orgwww.socialworkcec.com

Megan Farnsworth Ext. 10Administrative Assistantmfarnsworth.naswmi@socialworkers.org

Caleb Cooley Design & Layout

NASW-Michigan Chapter Office741 N. Cedar Street, Suite 100Lansing, MI 48906www.nasw-michigan.orgoffice@nasw-michigan.orgPhone: 517.487.1548Fax: 517.487.0675Front cover flag image created by 4vector.comPages 7-8 fireworks image created by Freepik.com

Questions about your state license? Contact the Department of Community Health Bureau of Health Professions, at 517.335.0918, bhpinfo@michigan.gov or www.michigan.gov/healthlicense.Questions about continuing education requirements or how to become a continuing education provider? Visit www.socialworkcec.com or Contact Robin Simpson at 517.487.1548 Ext.17, rmingus@nasw-michigan.org.

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Regional Programming

Region 1 - Upper Peninsula

Region 1 Board Representative, Shelly Ovink, was interviewed by TV6 at the Upper Peninsula Substance Use Disorder Mini-Conference. Ovink stated, “It’s important to educate the people who work with clients who have addiction issues.” To watch the clip, visit https://bit.ly/2pPxLHT. Thank you Marquette-Alger RESA for hosting this mini-conference, and thank you Catholic Social Services for hosting the September workshop on HIV/AIDS Education for the Upper Peninsula!

Region 2 - Northwest Lower Michigan

NASW-Michigan welcomes new Region 2 Representatives. Thanks to the Traverse City Library for hosting Opiate Crisis: How Did This Happen? On August 29th.

Region 3 - Northeast Lower Michigan

Thank you Munson Hospital for hosting Opiate Crisis: How Did This Happen? on August 28th. Region 3 members are invited to join our new Facebook page at https://bit.ly/2ylSXsz or search NASW-Michigan Region 3 Network.

Region 4 - Western Michigan

Don’t miss this year’s NASW-Michigan Legislative Education and Advocacy Day on November 1st! Join together with hundreds of social justice advocates from around Michigan for the largest annual gathering of social workers in the state! This all-day event at the Lansing Center features an advocacy-oriented keynote address, networking opportunities, social justice forums, and nearly two dozen workshops on legislative issues, political action, and advocacy efforts. 5.5 CEs will be awarded to licensed attendees. Register today at www.nasw-michigan.org.

Region 5 - Central Michigan

Region 5 members are invited to a new networking series Friday Decompression: Coffee and Conversation beginning December 7th from 1:30-3:00pm at Coffee Chaos in Midland. These meetings are an opportunity to get to know local social workers, help plan future programming, and to discuss trends in social work in the region. For more information please email Richard Osburn at rcoz1@sysmotech.net.

Region 6 - Ingham, Eaton, Livingston, Clinton, & Shiawassee Counties

Thanks to NCG Cinemas at Eastwood Towne Center and Espresso Royale for hosting Region 6 Night at the Movies: Blackkklansman on September 9th. If you are interested in helping planning future movie nights or other regional activities in Region 6, please email

Region 7 - Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Tuscola, Sanilac & Huron Counties

Want to get even more connected with NASW Michigan and fellow social workers across the state? Follow us on our new Instagram! Find us using @naswmi.

Region 8 - Oakland & Macomb Counties

Thanks to the West Bloomfield Library for hosting Babies in Therapy: The Role of an Infant Mental Health Therapist on September 27th.

Region 9 - Southwest Michigan

Do you want to learn more about the link between trauma and pain without having to leave your desk? NASW Michigan will be offering a free webinar, which includes 1 FREE PAIN MANAGEMENT CE. This webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, December 11th from 12-1pm. Register at www.nasw-michigan.org/events.

Region 10 - Jackson, Washtenaw, Monroe, Lenawee, & Hillsdale Counties

Join NASW-Michigan and the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency for a 2-day, in-depth training for social workers, clinicians and case managers who want to learn how to work more effectively with people who have been incarcerated. We will explore barriers and challenges, clinical implications, hear directly from impacted people, and provide attendees with an opportunity to learn from, and problem-solve with, local experts. This event will be from 9am-4pm both on November 8th and 9th at the UU Church of Ann Arbor. Register at www.nasw-michigan.org/events.

Region 11 - Wayne County

VOTE!!! Election day is Tuesday, November 6th, and social workers need to show up to the polls and be the voice of the profession. Representative Stephanie Chang, MSW, is running for State Senate and has been endorsed by MPACE. If Rep. Chang wins the election, she will be the first Asian-American woman to be elected into the Michigan State Senate! To see a full list of NASW’s MPACE endorsed candidates for the upcoming election, visit www.nasw-michigan.org/page/MPACE.

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A Call for Macro Social Work

It is easy to feel siloed in the social work profession. Many of us work as the only social worker at our agency, work in private practice settings, or have ventured into non-traditional roles. From my experience, however, macro-focused social workers can be some of the most isolated and often the most under resourced within our field. Michigan is one of only a handful of states that specifically licenses macro social workers, and annually only a few dozen macro-specific professionals get licensed. On the national level, only 163 individuals took at the ASWB ‘Advanced Generalist’ exam (the exam for the macro license) in all of 2017.

The dwindling number of macro trained social workers is not a new problem, and many schools of social work, NASW, ACOSA, and CSWE have all been making concerted efforts to reverse this trend and to expand the macro training opportunities across the country. As of now, less than 10% of all MSW level students are focused in a macro area, according to data from CSWE. One group working to bring that number up is ASWB’s Special Commission to Advance Macro Practice in Social Work. “The primary goal of the Special Commission is increasing national enrollment of MSW/ masters - level students in macro-specialized concentrations to 20% by the year 2020. A secondary goal is to ensure that the curricula of all BSW and generalist MSW programs include a more equitable balance of macro and micro content. (ACOSA)”

In Michigan, there has been a concerted effort to incorporate more macro topics into many programs and trainings through NASW. In August, a passionate group of Michigan social workers met at The Children’s Center in Detroit to brainstorm ideas on how to better support macro practitioners across the state. A special thanks to NASW member Lindsay McCracken for organizing and facilitating this important conversation.

From the meeting came four main themes for macro needs:

• Enhanced visibility around macro social work and macro social workers

• Additional resources for those across macro practice (including career and licensure resources)

• Accessible training and networking opportunities around macro topics

• Increased collaboration with Michigan schools of social work around macro education and field placements

In response to this conversation, NASW-Michigan has developed a macro social work speakers bureau. If you have an area of macro expertise, WE NEED YOU! A database of experts is being developed for consultation, legislative engagement, collaborative groups, and educational/training opportunities. To add your expertise, please fill out a short form at https://goo.gl/forms/IQMbk8o9BEqcH7Uj1.

Another great resource for macro practitioners is the weekly #MacroSW twitter chat. This collaboration of social workers, organizations, social work schools, and individuals host a different macro-focused conversation each Thursday at 9pm. All you need to do to join the chat is use the hashtag #MacroSW. To see a list of upcoming topics, visit www.macrosw.com.

Be on the lookout in the upcoming months for information on a macro job search resources, a future “Macro Summit”, and for additional brainstorming sessions like this first one. If you have other ideas, or would like to host a brainstorming session in your area, please email dbreijak.naswmi@socialworkers.org.

Thank you to our initial macro brainstorming group!

Robin FloydCharles GainesAubrey GillandDesieree JonesDeirdre KingDouglas ManigaultMary MattsonLindsey McCrackenAshley McKinneCarlynn NicholsDoras PattersonChristina RamseyGabriela Santiago-RomeroReese ShasteenMarijo UpshawToni WilliamsTamarie Willis

- Duane Breijak, LMSW-Macro, NASW-Michigan Director of Members Services & Development

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Social Workers Must Work Together, Take Lead in Addressing Well-Being of Immigrant Children FamiliesNational policies on responding to families and unaccompanied minors, particularly those entering at the Mexico-U.S. border, recently took a sharp turn as the Trump administration implemented the so-called zero-tolerance policy. This policy - when coupled with family separation policies–has blurred the lines between how families and children are traditionally processed when they cross the border. As we know by now, the results have been that these unclear and rushed procedures have contributed to potentially life-long harm to both parents and children who are entangled in this morass.

Learn about NASW policy reform recommendations, best practices for justice, and comprehensive approaches for addressing the psychosocial needs of immigrant children families in a new Social Justice Brief, coauthored by NASW-Michigan’s Allan Wachendorfer.

Change Kwesele Awarded Verne LaMarr Lyons ScholarshipCongratulations to University of Michigan School of Social Work student Change Kwesele on being awarded a 2018-19 NASW Verne LaMarr Lyons Scholarship! The Verne LaMarr Lyons Scholarship is a monetary grant awarded to master’s degree candidates in social work who demonstrate an interest in, or have experience with, health/mental health practice and a commitment to working in African American communities. The scholarship is a memorial to social worker Verne LaMarr Lyons, who committed his life to increasing awareness of pernicious health concerns affecting African American such as insufficient prenatal care, infant mortality, AIDS, cirrhosis, and general life expectancy.

2018 Virtual Opioid Crisis Forum Coming This NovemberAccording to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, every day more than 115 people in the United States die from overdosing on opioids. The addiction to opioids has become a serious national public health crisis that affects people of all walks of life. Social Workers are an integral part of the collaborative multidisciplinary

approach in working to respond to the opioid epidemic.

On November 14th and 15th, join your social worker colleagues from around the world for two days of unparalleled professional development and continuing education opportunities by participating online and earn up to 8 CE Credits!

Learn more & register at virtualforum.socialworkers.org

Amicus Brief Filed to Fight LGBTQ Discrimination in Foster CareNASW has joined other organizations on an amicus brief that supports the City of Philadelphia’s authority to prohibit discrimination against people who are LGBTQ in its foster care program. Children ultimately are harmed when same-sex couples are not allowed to be foster parents. Read this press release to learn more: https://bit.ly/2Rthftx

Social Workers Recruited to Work at Polling LocationsNASW supports Work Elections because no one who is eligible to vote should be turned away from the polls. Work Elections is a nonpartisan project that has collected poll worker information and applications for hundreds of counties and other jurisdictions, making it easy for local election officials and potential workers to connect. Well-trained poll workers from diverse backgrounds are needed! Serve your community this Election Day 2018 by applying at workelections.com.

Robert Lathers Receives the Hal Madden Award

Robert Lathers, the recently retired CEO of the Right Door for Hope, Recovery, and Wellness, received the Hal Madden Award at the Fall Conference of the Community Mental

Health Association of Michigan. This award recognizes persons who have provided selfless

What NASW is Up To...

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leadership through a career of service within Michigan’s public mental health system. Mr. Lathers’ leadership of the Right Door, Ionia County’s Community Mental Health system, for nearly two decades, has been marked by innovation and creativity, by the use of evidence-based and promising practices, by the development of a diverse range of community partnerships, and a relentless commitment to the individuals, families, and communities served by the Right Door. Mr. Lather’s also serves as the Region 4 Representative on the NASW-Michigan Board of Directors.

Transmasculine Spectrum ParentingNASW Social Work Press recently examined Transmasculine Spectrum Parenting: Beyond a Gendered Fatherhood and discovers that little scholarship exists on parenting in the transgender and gender nonconforming community. In a recent issue of the journal Social Work Research, researchers presented their findings in a study designed to examine differences in likelihood of being a transgender or gender nonconforming parent across a number of sociocultural factors, as well as some parenting experiences specifically among assigned female at birth transmasculine parents, using data from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. Characteristics such as being assigned male at birth, identifying as African American/black or bi/multiracial, and having a physical disability were correlated with increased likelihood of being a parent. A curvilinear relationship between age and the likelihood of being a parent was also found, with the likelihood of being a parent increasing up to the late 50’s and decreasing after the mid 60’s.

As the research on parenting and fatherhood grows, this population of transgender and gender nonconforming individuals clearly needs a dedicated space in the emerging literature to ensure that their voices and experiences are heard.

Read the full article and others at https://academic.oup.com/sw.

Black Youth Continue to Be Sent to Adult Courts and Jails at Alarmingly High Rates

Juvenile arrest rates have fallen sharply in recent years, but black youth are disproportionately

sent to adult court by judges at some of the highest percentages seen in 30 years. “Research has proven that adults courts and jails are no place for children -- the brain development of youth is markedly different from adults and they are more prone to risk taking and not thinking through the consequences of their actions,” said NASW Social Justice and Human Rights Manager Mel Wilson. “Youth involved in the justice system are also more likely to have mental health needs and have suffered from trauma so they need rehabilitation and treatment services that are not provided in most adult jails.” Check out the new report from the Campaign for Youth Justice and NASW that examines this problem and urges policymakers to end generations of racial injustice and make much needed reforms: https://bit.ly/2DugZaW.

NASW Signs On To Support Climate Change ActionClimate change is the greatest threat to health of this century. It is impacting health in every country today and is projected to reverse half a century of progress on global health. Global action is urgent and must be accelerated to avoid potentially catastrophic levels of global warming. NASW has signed on to support A Call to Action on Climate and Health that outlines a set of ten priority policy actions for health leadership to advance ambitious progress towards global climate and health goals.

To read the statement and sign on, go to https://buff.ly/2QzU6Fk.

Chinese Delegation of Social Workers Visits NASWOn Sept. 12, NASW hosted a Chinese delegation of social workers from Hangzhou Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau. Each group shared how social work is conducted in their respective countries.

What NASW is Up To

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supporting, promoting, & advocating for professional social work practice & the social work profession

The visitors learned about NASW’s mission, organizational structure, primary services and programs it offers to members. Staff also explained how members adhere to the NASW Code of Ethics.

Research Sought on Social Work and Gun Violence, School Social WorkNASW Press will publish a special issue on Social Work and Gun Violence to spark action among social workers and researchers to address gun violence across the micro, mezzo and macro

systems. The deadline is now Jan. 15, 2019.

Visit this link for more information: https://buff.ly/2LPcZVS

Additionally, NASW Press is publishing a Special Issue on Children & Schools, highlighting free, feasible, and valid measurement tools to assist school social workers. Manuscripts should provide should provide key details for school social work practitioners. Deadline: 12/1/18 For more information, visit https://buff.ly/2x1g7Vw

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Send resume to:Sidney H. Grossberg

6960 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 100West Bloomfield, MI 48322

To Enroll, Visitwww.naswassurance.org

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7 www.nasw-michigan.org7 www.nasw-michigan.org

Welcome to the Association! The Michigan Chapter would like to welcome the following new members who joined NASW in August and September. Thank you to all our members for keeping our association strong! Brianne AbdoRaeanna AdamsDebra Alexander-MaxieDaniel AndersonLindsey AndrewsAlissa AylingKathryn BackusSneha BalachanderLisa BallMadison BanksStevie BartigElizabeth BartonKelly BeelmanDavid BoggessAmanda BolamAmanda BolanowskiRebecca BordnerMegan BoyntonJessica BrestGrace BridgesKasie BroeKimberly BrownJaleel BrownMarylynn BrownDanielle BudnickEric BullenDavid BurlewKaysie BurnsideKelly BurrowsJeffrey CalkinsDawn CarpenterKelli CelmerYoo ChangPaul ChaseHaley CoghlanPhoebe ColeTanee CollinsMichelle ColvinDawn ConroyMariela Contreras-BarajosNakedae CooperJoe Cooper Evan CopelandKathryn CranstonEmily Dame-GibesMelanie DavenportJeffrey DavisJessi De La CruzKari DeckerKatheryn DeForestCarlos DelvalleDanielle DevesonMaryann DexterDenise Diaz

Dana DickenKelly DiemondElise DiLauraAmber DobbersteinVioleta DonawaShantoria DonsonMallory DortonJohn EagleTaylor EberhartPatrick EdwardsRenay EllisonBreann FielderMary FordSarah FredricksJacqueline GallantMadeline GazarekIsabella GenzinkElizabeth GeorgeAziza GhanemMichael Ray GoldKalica GoodAshley GrangerKrista GravattHanna GrayAshley GriggsRachel GrishamDorinda HackworthMegan HallChardae HanksAlan HarasCarrie HarrisonKarlee HartmanShelly HarwellHaley HastingsLaura HaveyJaclynn HawkinsJoanna HayesDanielle Hession Lauren HollowayNathan HortonRachel HuardKodi HudsonKylie HukillCatherine IsbellRolanda JacksonLia JacobsenMalinda JamesKarah JohnsonShameka JonesLisa JonesHannah JordanHanna KampJoseph KanouseMariah Kemeter

Welcome to the Association!

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supporting, promoting, & advocating for professional social work practice & the social work profession

Ariel KennedyLeina Keski-HynnilaAngela KingErin KingTiffany KiperDavn KittingerTammy KittridgeHeather KnauerBadrina KuhlAllison KwasniakTiffany LemleyCarrie LewisDale LewisErica LewisLianne LindnerEbony LucasDiontwanette Mach-ParkerAubrey MajorMichelle MandleyBrandi MarableOliviah MarshallMatthew MartinezLaura MastersMichelle MattisonThian MawiShayla McCrayBlake McGheeVeronica McKissackMary McMahonKelly MerrillConcetta MillsteadBarbara MorganAshley MorrisonAmanda NealDaniel NewbergerDevin NicolaiBrittany NonamakerAnna OrlandoWhitney PenningtonCamille PerryNicholas PerryLisa PetersonRobin PiachNoel PowellJenna PryorMelissa PughSara QuachAlberta RayfordJessica ReedVictoria RifeKathryn RinkSamantha RiosEmmanuel RobinsonAlice Robinson

Kawah RodriguezKylie RoelJustin RolinMercuri RosePamela RossNicole RowleyAlison RudickAlexander SalehMonica SanchezElizabeth SaylorAmanda SchemmelSandra SchenkCourtney SchmidtGail SchupbachJustine SeeleyAnalisa SeldenCody SeldenJohanna SherryKari SherwoodAdrienne ShielsKatherine SmithStephanie SmithMaryssa Spadling-SchneiderMackenzie SpencerDebra StallingsHannah StawkeyMorgan TallmanBailey TebeauAlana ThomasBennett ThomsonFelicia ThorntonAngelita ValdezKimberley VanHaitsmaSara VanmaeleSarah VerhaegheMelissa WagnerLaird WalkerAngela WallaceGisele WallaceJatayvia WallerToby WardElizabeth WattsAmy WhitesallTara WilliamsKaylee WilliamsNicole WinansJoshua WinkelMeghan WintersteinOnika WitzkePaige WolskiWilliam WrayChristine WrightBlaine YoderKatelin Zylka

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Mentoring is an invaluable component of every social worker’s career. Many individuals choose the profession of social work because they have been inspired or advised by a social worker or a mentor. After choosing the profession, though, social workers must continue to make career choices and respond to a variety of unanticipated challenges. Over the next decade it is expected that a new generation of leaders will begin managing our agencies, and NASW-Michigan wants to help lead the way in making sure our field is ready for those changes.

With that, the inaugural statewide mentorship program officially launched this fall with 140 social workers participating. On September 29, 2018, over 70 of the initial mentorship cohort joined together at the University of Michigan School of Social Work to attend an all-day orientation and planning session. The mentorship program aims to help develop the next generation of social work leaders by partnering new professionals with seasoned mentors. The mentor/mentee matches have committed to meet at least monthly for the next year to cultivate a strong relationship and to be able to develop leadership skills.

A special thanks to the three orientation trainers and the mentorship program task force for pulling together this fantastic program.

Trainers

• Lisa Marquette, LMSW

• Rachel Naasko, LMSW

• Whitney Williams, LLMSW

Task Force Members/Matching Committee:

• Abagael Adair, LLMSW. Manager-Donor Relations at The Children’s Center

• Sarah Bannon, LMSW, ACSW, FACHE, SSGB. CEO at Lakeview Consultants and Integrated Health Program Director at the Chaldean Community Foundation

• Duane Breijak, LMSW-Macro. Director of Member Services & Development at the National Association of Social Workers – Michigan Chapter

• Denard Fenaud. PATH Outreach Case Manager/ CABHI Peer Navigator at Emergency Shelter Services

• Michelle Fitzgerald, LMSW. MIHP Social Worker at Cherry Health

• Lisa Marquette, LMSW. Medical/Clinical Social Worker at the Michigan Department of Corrections

• Robert Marvin, BSW Candidate. Spring Arbor University

• Lindsay McCracken, LMSW. Quality Improvement & Data Analytics Supervisor at The Children’s Center

• Rachel Naasko, LMSW. Field Faculty at the University of Michigan School of Social Work

• Chaundra Randle, LMSW, SSW. School Social Worker at Chandler Park Academy

• Kayla Roney Smith, LLMSW. Executive Director at Hazel Park Promise Zone and College Access Network

140 Social Workers Launch Inaugural Mentorship Program

Mentorship Program trainers Whitney Williams, Lisa Marquette, and Rachel Naasko

Seasoned social workers meet with Whitney Williams to explore how to become an effective

mentor

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supporting, promoting, & advocating for professional social work practice & the social work profession

Mentees gather and plan out their goals for the year

Attendees discuss their personality/temperament styles and how that might impact

their working relationships

Mentors network and explore their experiences with mentoring and supervision

Mentor Andrea Dewey meets with new mentee Sade Richardson

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Billing Issues and More with Priority Health

Three recurring issues with Priority Health (and some other insurers as well):

1. Good News! A long-standing issue with Priority Health has been their refusal to open their panels to social workers in some regions of the state. NASW-Michigan worked closely with Rep. Mary Whiteford of Allegan County to push for these panels to be opened to allow more social workers to provide services to Priority Health beneficiaries. We are happy to announce our efforts have been successful! If you have been denied in the past, please try again. Reach out to us at policy@nasw-michigan.org if you continue to have issues with Priority Health or any other insurer (we are aware of issues with HAP).

2. Priority Health (and some other insurers) refuse to allow therapists to bill for 90837 (60 minutes) and will only allow billing for code 90834 (45 minutes). Some companies have sent threatening letters about “overuse” of this billing code. Denying this code is very harmful to patients as many critical best-practices for outpatient mental health therapy require at 60 minutes, particularly those used to treat PTSD and other forms of severe trauma. Additionally, it puts providers in a legal (and financial) bind because if they choose to extend the visit beyond 45 minutes for the benefit of the patient, but only bill for the shorter session, they are in essence committing insurance fraud, even though it is to the benefit of the patient (and pays less). NASW continues to lobby to fix this issue.

3. Priority Health is denying services for patients based on their diagnosis. This shifting is caused by the bifurcated system between mild/moderate disorders (served by MHPs), and severe and persistent disorders (served by CMHs). This issue is not new, but reports indicate Priority Health is

one of the most frequent offenders. NASW continues to lobby to fix this issue.

Help Patients Manage Pain Beyond Medication

Pain affects more Americans than diabetes, cancer, and heart disease combined and has been cited as the number one reason to seek medical care in the United States. Medications including opioids remain important resources for pain management, but therapeutic techniques utilized by clinical social workers as part of interdisciplinary approaches to pain management are also effective. Learn about therapeutic techniques clinical social workers can use to help patients manage pain in the new Practice Perspective, Biopsychosocial Approach to Pain Management: A Role for Clinical Social Workers.

Does Your Practice Use Cloud Storage?

Many clinical social workers have questions about relying on the cloud to protect patients’ health information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The use of the cloud allows a clinical social worker to access information on more than one device (computer, tablet, etc.) and enables group practices to share information across providers to promote continuity of care and standard business practice. Make sure to follow best practices to maintain privacy and security standards when using the cloud in your practice. NASW has released a new Practice Perspective for private practitioners at https://www.socialworkers.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=CfGhYGen_Ms%3d&portalid=0.

Get Answers to the Top 10 Questions From Clinical Social Workers in Private Practice

NASW receives questions throughout the year from clinical social workers in private practice. During the first half of 2018, clinical social workers in private practice contacted NASW with questions on a range of topics affecting their businesses and practice, including mobile licenses, supervision, incident to billing, sliding scales, opening/closing a private practice, and forming a professional limited liability company. We appreciate your questions and have compiled a new resource with answers to these frequently asked questions.

Clinical Social Work Updates and Resources

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Make a plan:Be sure to plan how you will get to the polls on November 6, 2018 from 7am to 8pm. Think about time, transportation, daycare, etc. If you think you will not be available to go to the polls on Election Day, you can request an absentee ballot on the MI Secretary of State website or by going to your local clerk’s office. The clerk must receive the request by 2pm on the Saturday before the election. They must receive the completed ballot by 8pm on Election Day.

Do your homework: What is on your ballot? You can view a personalized ballot by visiting vote411.org or on the MI Secretary of State Website. This year is BIG! You are voting for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, United States Senate and Congress, Michigan Senate and House, State Boards of Education for K-12 and 3 universities, County Commission, Mayor, City Council, Michigan Supreme Court Justices, Local Judges, County College Boards, Libraries, Local taxes and other local issues, as well as 3 major statewide ballot proposals. Make sure you know what decisions you are going to make before you go to the polls. Also note: this year there will be no Straight Ticket Voting – you will have to check a box in every race.

Ballot Proposals:

Proposal 1 – Recreational MarijuanaThis proposal legalizes the possession, use and cultivation of marijuana for individuals who are at least 21 years of age as well as the commercial sales of marijuana through licensed retailers. Currently, marijuana use is restricted to medical purposes by the state of Michigan. In either case it would remain illegal under federal law. NASW-Michigan’s LSP Committee voted to not take a position on this proposal knowing membership would be divided on their position. While there are certainly benefits – decriminalization being one – there are also potentially harmful consequences like increased drug use.

Proposal 2 – Non-Partisan Redistricting This proposal would establish, through a constitutional amendment, a non-partisan commission of citizens with the authority to establish boundaries for the Michigan House, Senate, and U.S. Congressional Districts every 10 years. The commission would consist of 13 registered voters (4 Democrats, 4 Republicans, and 5 unaffiliated) randomly selected by the Secretary of State. Currently the district boundaries are redrawn every 10 years by the legislature – with the party in power having the most influence. Unfortunately, the current method has caused extreme gerrymandering to occur – diluting the power of many voters. NASW-Michigan’s LSP Committee voted to support a YES vote on this proposal because it strengthens our democracy and gives vulnerable populations an equal say in elections.

Proposal 3 – Voting RightsThis proposal would authorize, through a constitutional amendment, automatic and Election Day voter registration, no-reason absentee voting, straight ticket voting, legal requirements for military and overseas voting, and post-election audits. Currently voter registration is opt-in only, there is no Election Day registration, absentee voting can only take place if you meet one of the 6 criteria, and straight ticket voting was eliminated by the legislature last year. Additionally, audits are not a constitutionally protected right and military ballots are often not counted due to delays in the process. Because all of these changes will strengthen our democracy and give vulnerable populations more access to the ballot box, NASW-Michigan’s LSP Committee also voted to support a YES vote on this proposal.

Election Day Information

www.nasw-michigan.org13

Unsocial Consequences of Social Media on Social Workers

There are two interwoven emerging risks that impact professional liability and exposure to claims and lawsuits. They are Information Technology (IT), and Social Media Internet Usage. Many articles over the past several years have discussed particular HIPAA laws and client records breaches. Here is a brief overview of the topic with some fresh practice pointers.

IT refers to traditional electronic records management and interface with other systems as well as telemedicine, email, Skype, and social media networking.

Here are some of the IT hazards that you need to be aware of:

• Inadequate client file copy digital back up and lack of paper file storage in a secure location(s) to limit information loss and/or corruption.

• Hacking of electronic records and files that result in compromised client confidentiality and possible identity theft.

• Inappropriate disclosure of client information contained in text messages, paper notes, faxes, or emails.

• Stolen or lost IT equipment such as laptops, ipads, notebooks, cell phones, and other handheld devices that contain confidential information including client names, telephone numbers, and email addresses.

Read your Professional Liability insurance policy to determine First Party (You) coverage for client information breach. This includes misdirected records sent through electronic channels such as fax and email. Many policies exclude this coverage. Look for supplemental insurance policies that fill the gap arising from stolen computer devices and third-party information breaches such as client information lost by your employees or contractors, digital warehouse storage vendors, or even by movers who lose your paper records and files.

Insurance protection coverage is provided for all of these perils by the NASW Risk Retention Group’s Professional Liability, Cyber Liability, and Cyber Device insurance policies.

The use of social media and related tools offer a wide range of benefits for the social worker, but

also have a wide range of risks. With proper use, social media and networking platforms improve client compliance and service and strengthen the bond between the practitioner and the client. However, social media utilization may lead to increased liability risks and widespread negative circulation.

Social media is a great way to connect, but practitioners and students must realize that online postings are revealing and permanent. They can easily impact licensing and the ability to practice.

Social media professional standards are the same online as in any other circumstance.

Always think twice to protect yourself before you post any content that could be viewed as unprofessional at a minimum, and worse, fester into a client records breach Licensing Board Inquiry, a HIPAA violation, and a loss of license. Postings are not private, and they are permanent.

There are two key social media hazards to be aware of:

1. Violations of client privacy or confidentiality. This can be inadvertent or intentional, such as negative comments about clients, therapy disclosures and issues, clients’ names or photos, or any other names that link identity.

2. Unprofessional Behavior. This can be ethical standards that are breached by the practitioner such as comments or photos of drug use and alcohol consumption, profanity, sexually explicit or other derogatory comments, negative comments about co-workers or employers, or threatening or harassing statements.

Here are some of the social media hazards that you need to be made aware of:

• Online behavior that is inappropriate and breaches of professional etiquette which could escalate to HIPAA breaches and Licensing Board inquiries.

• Pure and simple unauthorized disclosure of protected client healthcare information that is mistakenly and/or innocently disclosed.

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supporting, promoting, & advocating for professional social work practice & the social work profession

• Potential legal consequences regarding what the social worker says in the practice’s marketing materials and websites that may contain implied warranties or implied guarantees.

• Injudicious postings that were not intended to create harm, but became the basis of a libel or slander lawsuit.

Here are some social media content tips to consider to mitigate liability risks:

• Client confidentiality and privacy must always be maintained, regardless of media or channel used.

• Do not post client pictures or images, or information that enables the identification of the client.

• Do not refer to clients in a disparaging way, even if the clients are not specifically identified.

• Do not take photos or videos or clients on cell phones.

• Beware of connecting clients with former or current clients using social media.

• Promptly report any client breaches that you witness at your workplace, and comply with employer policies regarding the use of all IT and electronic devices.

Resources and References

• Learn more about our Professional Liability Insurance for individual social workers.

• Visit ASI’s Professional Liability Insurance Program website to learn even more about this exclusive program for NASW members.

• Call 888-278-0038 to speak with a knowledgeable, licensed insurance representative.

• Check out more Avoiding Malpractice Tips sponsored by NASW Assurance Services.

• Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to receive notifications on news, updates, and announcements.

N e e d a n E t h i c s C o n s u l t a t i o n ?As a service to members, the Office of Ethics and Professional Review provides ethics

consultations for current NASW members. Ethic consultations are a resource for members who are experiencing an ethical dilemma. We do not provide advice or tell members

what to do. However, we do guide them through the Code and point them through the areas of the Code that address their concerns. We provide dialogue and considerations

that allow members to make ethical decisions. We may also refer members to the appropriate areas if their questions do not appear to be related to ethics but are more

related to legal issues or standards of practice.

Hours & Contact Info:(800) 638-8799

Tuesdays:

10:00am - 1:00pm (EST) ext.231

Thursdays:

1:00pm - 4:00pm (EST)

www.nasw-michigan.org15

Social Workers Face Tough Ethical Dilemma with Refugee Children

Dear Members,

For as long as social workers have been advocates for social justice, there have been instances when social workers were complicit in facilitating injustice – often due to the intertwining of caring and social control roles and the competition between the Code of Ethics and government rules and regulations. Some of the most egregious examples include facilitating Japanese Internment during WW2, carrying out “social hygiene” policies leading to the Jewish Holocaust, the “stolen generation” of Indigenous Australian children being removed and placed with white families, Native Americans being “assimilated” in boarding schools, and “Mexican Repatriation” efforts in the 1930’s. We are now at a crossroads of a similar dilemma, and it is imperative that we take a leadership role in steering the profession to the right side of history.

In June of 2018, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) entered into an agreement (MOA) with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its respective enforcement agencies (ICE and Border Patrol) to share information between these agencies. The information to be shared includes the legal status of the sponsor household members that contracting agencies engage with during their work placing refugee and unaccompanied children. Most children placed are between the ages of 14 and 17 and are escaping some of the worst violence imaginable from countries in Central America. Bethany Christian Services, in Michigan, is one of the largest contractors for this work in the nation. They were also heavily involved in the placing or reunification of separated children – most of whom were younger than 14 (most of those placed in Michigan have been returned, fortunately).

Until the MOA was in place, a typical social worker’s role in placing a child with a sponsor would be a simple background check and routine documentation. Priority is placing with family members. Now that the new MOA is in place, the social worker must gather this information from every member in the household and turn it over to ORR – who in turn hands it over to ICE. The result, so far, has been a minimum of 40 deportations. Anecdotally the number is much higher. Essentially, ICE is using children as bait to arrest and deport their family members. Social workers are complicit in this.

Some have stepped forward looking for a way out of this policy due to the following conflicts with the Code of Ethics:

• Social workers should be alert to and avoid conflicts of interest that interfere with the exercise of professional discretion and impartial judgment. Social workers should inform clients when a real or potential conflict of interest arises and take reasonable steps to resolve the issue in a manner that makes the clients' interests primary and protects clients' interests to the greatest extent possible.

• Social workers should protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of professional service, except for compelling professional reasons. In all instances, social workers should disclose the least amount of confidential information necessary to achieve the desired purpose; only information that is directly relevant to the purpose for which the disclosure is made should be revealed.

• Social workers should inform clients, to the extent possible, about the disclosure of confidential information and the potential consequences, when feasible before the disclosure is made. This applies whether social workers disclose confidential information based on a legal requirement or client consent.

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supporting, promoting, & advocating for professional social work practice & the social work profession

The MOA is already impacting the reunifications of children with their families by extending the length of stay for children in care. For example, it now takes approximately two weeks to schedule the required finger printing appointment because of the number of people who need printing and the lack of resources to accomplish this in an adequate period of time. In addition, it now takes approximately one month to even receive results for both sponsors and household members, thus, extending the length of stay of children in care.

Bethany staff are also reporting a general increase in apprehensiveness from sponsors and household members. They are no longer able to reassure sponsors that claiming their children won’t lead to their arrest and potential deportation to a country that they fled to escape violence and persecution. Sponsors are being forced to choose between the safety of their households and their children – a decision no parent should ever have to make.

Household members are growing especially resistant and concerned with the forced fingerprinting. If household members are not willing to get fingerprinted, sponsors must move or have household members move out, which many of them do not have the resources to do. Even more, in a September 21 memo, ORR informed service providers that they are granting a waiver to the fingerprint background check result. This means that all adult members of a household are still required to be fingerprinted even though the results will have no impact on the release of an unaccompanied child to a sponsor. In other words, household members get their fingerprints taken to be tracked in the system, without the purpose of safety evaluation.

It is important that social workers - for the sake of these children and families and for the profession itself - take an ethical stance against implementing this policy and take aim at eliminating the MOA all together. Members should be assured that NASW-Michigan is working closely with our national office, Bethany staff, and our advocacy partners to end this harmful policy and support the social workers who are standing up against it. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at policy@nasw-michigan.org. Thank you for your membership. Without it, we would not be here to do this kind of important work.

Sincerely,

Maxine Thome, PhD, LMSW, ACSW, MPH

NASW-Michigan Executive Director

Allan Wachdorfer, LMSW

Director of Public Policy

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MPACE Endorses Candidates for the 2018 Elections

For the State Senate, M-PACE endorses:

• Stephanie Chang (MSW) for District 1

• Sylvia Santana for District 3

• Dayna Polehanki for District 7

• Mallory McMarrow for District 13

• Bill LaVoy for District 17

• Jeff Irwin for District 18

• Kelly Rossman-McKinney for District 24

• Winnie Brinks for District 29

• Poppy Sias-Hernandez for District 24

• Wayne Schmidt for District 37

• Scott Dianda for District 28

For the State Representative, M-PACE endorses:

• Sherry Gay-Dagnogo for District 8

• Michelle LaVoy for District 17

• Darrin Camilleri for District 23

• Nate Shannon for District 23

• Robert Wittenberg for District 27

• Kelly Breen for District 38

• Mari Manoogian for District 40

• Padma Kuppa for District 41

• Tim Sneller for District 50

• Donna Lasinski for District 52

• Alberta Griffin for District 61

• Jim Haadsma for District 62

• Kara Hope for District 67

• Sarah Anthony for District 68

• Julie Brixie for District 69

• Angela Witwer for District 71

• Rachel Hood for District 76

• Kristen Brown for District 99

• Ken Summers for District 110

The National Association of Social Workers - Michigan Chapter (M-PACE Political Action for Candidate Election) is excited to announce the candidates receiving our endorsement for the 2018 election cycle.

The goal of any endorsement is to elect candidates who support NASW policy positions and increase visibility for NASW in the process. NASW also gains candidates’ recognition, improves connections with elected officials, advances NASW’s policy agenda, and builds respect for NASW as a powerful and committed activist organization.

NASW-Michigan members and staff are working harder than ever to get social workers and our allies elected to the Michigan House, Senate, and the Governor’s office. With the help of qualified and socially conscious candidates, we can increase our capacity to continue fighting for the issues we care about as social workers.

These issues include:

• Increasing social worker salaries and reimbursement

• Passing loan forgiveness for social workers

• Promoting the role of social workers in all settings

• Promoting voting rights and increasing civic participation

• Ensuring access to services that social workers provide

We are convinced that these candidates exhibit the deepest commitment to upholding the values and ethics of the social work profession and are most qualified for serving the communities that they will represent.

For the State Executive Office, M-PACE endorses:

• Gretchen Whitmer and Garlin Gilchrist II for the Governor and Lt. Governor

• Jocelyn Benson for Secretary of State

• Dana Nessel for Attorney General

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supporting, promoting, & advocating for professional social work practice & the social work profession

Wayne SchmidtRepublican for State Rep.Endorsed for the 37th District

Scott DiandaDemocrat for State Rep.Endorsed for the 28th District

Padma KuppaDemocrat for State Rep.Endorsed for the 41st District

Poppy Sias-Hernandez Democrat for State Rep.Endorsed for the 24th District

Mallory McMarrowDemocrat for State Rep.Endorsed for the 13th District

Stephanie Chang, MSW Democrat for State Rep.Endorsed for the 1st District

Alberta GriffinDemocrat for State Rep.Endorsed for the 61st District

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Michigan Legislation Impacts Mental Health Services – Parenting Coordination

It is important that licensed mental health providers be aware that Michigan has passed legislation (Statute #MCL 722.27c) that allows the Michigan courts to order high-conflict parents to appoint a parenting coordinator. This is an opportunity to educate your clients and to add a unique service to your current practice.

Parenting Coordination (PC) is a non-confidential, child centered process for conflicted, divorced, and divorcing parents. It is a form of dispute resolution for parents in which mediation would be inappropriate or ineffective due to high levels of conflict. Through education, mediation, and case management, the family’s progress is monitored to ensure that parents are fulfilling their obligations to their child while complying with the recommendations of the court. With prior approval of the parties and/or the court, the parent coordinator may make temporary decisions, within the scope of the court order or appointment contract, to help high-conflict parents who have demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to make parenting decisions on their own. The role of the parent coordinator is outlined by the authority granted in the appointment document such as a consent order or the stipulation of the parties.

Parenting coordinators assist parents to establish and maintain a healthy co-parenting relationship by reducing parental conflict and the risk factors that influence a child’s post-divorce adjustment. The overall emphasis is to offer children the opportunity to grow in a home environment free from the devastating stress of being caught in the middle of parental conflict.

Unlike co-parenting counseling, Parenting Coordination is a non-confidential process. As a result, parenting coordinators document parental behaviors and compliance with court orders. This is usually done through memos and, if necessary, by testimony to the court. The parenting coordinators may share their concerns regarding each parent and make recommendations regarding unresolved issues.

PC Benefits Children By:

• Reducing the child’s symptoms of stress as parental conflict decreases.

• Diminishing the child’s sense of loyalty binds.

• Increasing the likelihood of keeping two active parents in the child’s life.

• Creating a more relaxed home atmosphere allowing the child to adjust more effectively.

• Enhancing the child’s confidence and self-esteem by creating an optimal environment for growth.

PC Benefits Parents By:

• Reduces the emotional and financial cost of continued conflict and court intervention.

• Educating parents regarding the impact of their contribution to conflict on their child’s development.

• Monitors compliance of each parent and their behaviors.

• Clarifies any allegations made between the parents.

• Providing a neutral who can take action on the day to day crisis that arise in high-conflict cases.

• Teaching parents anger management, communication and conflict resolution skills.

• Recommending additional services such as reunification treatment, counseling, drug and alcohol treatment etc.

• When pre-divorce-Working with parents in developing a detailed parenting plan.

• When post-divorce-Working with parents to clarify and correct errors in their parenting plan.

- Susan Boyan, LMFT, Director of the Cooperative Parenting Institute

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supporting, promoting, & advocating for professional social work practice & the social work profession

PC Benefits Families By:

• Reducing the number of litigated cases.

• Communicating to parents that the child(ren) come first.

• Offering families a valuable resource.

• Providing prompt resolution to daily child-rearing issues.

• Monitoring parental compliance with the court orders.

• Providing the court a comprehensive picture of the family “in action” by way of court testimony.

PC Benefits the Legal Community By:

• Decreasing the number of client calls and

micromanagement of the difficult case.

• Improving client behavior and cooperation.

• Providing prompt and consistent resolution.

• Monitoring compliance with the court order.

• Determining when parental alienation exists versus estrangement and other visitation refusal factors.

• Reducing the number of litigated cases.

• Providing prompt resolution to daily child-rearing issues.

For more detailed information visit www.cooperativeparenting.com.

Promoting Michigan’s Public Behavioral Health SystemThe November general election is quickly approaching and now is the time to reach out to candidates running for election in your area. We are asking for your help to educate/inform candidates about Michigan’s public behavioral health system. The Community Mental Health Association of Michigan created an infographic that gives candidates a 10,000 ft view point of the key pillars to our current system and necessary points to move it forward in the future. Obviously, this is not a complete list and only the beginning of the conversation, but it is important we have these conversations with future legislators, so they know how vital this system is to the well-being of our clients. Additionally, we expect that issues impacting the public CMH system will come up during the Lame Duck session, so the graphic on the following page can also serve as an advocacy tool.

Use this link to access the document:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s9n37gikys6nfou/KeyPillars-FINAL.pdf?dl=0

The best ways to reach out to candidates would be local coffee hours (if current elected official), community forums, local fundraisers. Below is a link to a list of candidates running in November:

https://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/candlist/2018GEN_CANDLIST.html

* See next page for infographic

New social work student loan repayment program plan introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives!

House Bills 6137 and 6138Sponsored by Rep. Daire Rendon (R) and Rep. Stephanie Chang (D)

"Licensed Social Workers Student Loan Repayment Act"

www.nasw-michigan.org

NASW-Michigan is thrilled to announce the introduction of two critical bills for the social work profession. If passed, qualified licensed social workers (both BSW and MSW) can receive up to $15,000 each year for up to 4 years for service ($60,000) to go towards repayment of student loans.

To qualify, 2 of the following 3 criteria must be met:

• Services are provided full time in a mental health practitioner shortage area (defined by HRSA)

• Services are provided full time in a high need social work related sector (i.e. mental health, schools, criminal justice, etc.)

• Applicants are below 250% of the poverty level

More information will be available soon (please continue to check www.nasw-michigan.org). NASW-Michigan will be organizing efforts in the coming weeks and months to mobilize social workers, agencies, schools, and to gather stories about the impact of student loan debt and the potential impact of these bills.

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Michigan’s public mental health system is one of the most comprehensive and clinically advanced in the

country. However, as healthcare continues to evolve, we must prioritize certain fundamental concepts to

preserve and advance Michigan’s public mental health system.

Local governance, oversight, policy-making and public management. Keeping management at the local level enhances cooperation with community partners like law enforcement, judges, public health and schools

Addressing the Social Determinates of Health – services beyond “health care” – transportation, housing, employment, nutrition

Ability to share health information, access systems and continued development of clinical coordination at the provider/patient level:

• Electronic Health Records between physical and behavioral healthcare

• Locating mental health professionals in primary care sites and vice versa

Michigan’s mental health system must have the ability to retain and train competent staff across all levels: psychiatrists, nurses, socials workers and direct care staff

Funding must meet community expectations and obligations. NO funding mandates

A consistent set of standards and level of care across the state

Addressing Social Determinates

Mental Health SystemMichigan’s public mental health system is one of the most comprehensive and clinically advanced in the

country. However, as healthcare continues to evolve, we must prioritize certain fundamental concepts to

preserve and advance Michigan’s public mental health system.

Local governance, oversight, policy-making and public management. Keeping management at the local level enhances cooperation with community partners like law enforcement, judges, public health and schools

Addressing the Social Determinants of Health – services beyond “health care” – transportation, housing, employment, nutrition

Ability to share health information, access systems and continued development of clinical coordination at the provider/patient level:

• Electronic Health Records between physical and behavioral healthcare

• Locating mental health professionals in primary care sites and vice versa

Michigan’s mental health system must have the ability to retain and train competent staff across all levels: psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and direct care staff

Funding must meet community expectations and obligations. NO unfunded mandates

A consistent set of standards and level of care across the state

Addressing Social Determinants

Mental Health System

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New social work student loan repayment program plan introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives!

www.nasw-michigan.org

Policy Matters: Legislative Updates

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- Allan Wachendorfer, LMSW & Noah Smith

Harmful Changes Proposed for SUD Counselors

Reorganizing by the Executive Branch in Michigan has left Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) in charge of rewriting credentialing for substance use providers and clinicians that will be quite harmful to the treatment community. Two of the biggest concerns revolve around who is allowed to be credentialed by the Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Professionals (MCBAP) and requirements for residential detox centers.

LARA is proposing that only licensed professionals (LMSW and LPC) be allowed to provide treatment services. This would potentially cut out LLMSW, LBSW, LLBSW, and anyone working on their professional development plans to be certified addictions counselors. This cuts off the bottom of the career ladder for LMSW and CAADC addictions professionals and takes away nearly 1300 providers from the system.

The second issue is a proposed requirement that medical staff be on duty 24 hours a day at residential detox programs. This requirement will likely cause many sites to close their doors due to difficulty finding or paying for nursing staff. Residential detox programs have decades of successfully treating patients without the need for 24-hour staff. These sites closing their doors will mean thousands of social work jobs and tens of thousands of patients without care – during the worst opioid epidemic in history.

NASW-Michigan has worked closely with our partners, including MCBAP, to amend these proposed rule changes. Letters were written by members and the Chapter before the October 17th deadline and conversations were had with LARA, the Governor’s office, and key legislators. We will continue to work on fixing this issue and will keep members updated as more information becomes available.

Immigration Issues

As you know, there have been many concerning issues related to immigrants and refugees in the news lately. While the spotlight has somewhat gone away, the problems remain. They include, a harmful memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Department of Homeland Security

(DHS) and Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a proposed change to the definition of “public charge” which will likely cause tax paying immigrants to not seek important food and health benefits available to them, and a new rule that allows for the indefinite detention of children. NASW-Michigan is working closely with immigrant rights attorneys, advocates, social workers, and the appropriate government officials to try and stop these harmful policies. Additionally, NASW-Michigan will be submitting public comments to the latter two issues, with the support of our advocacy partners in this work.

In addition, we are working closely with our national office and Bethany Christian Services to remove the MOA between ORR and DHS. This policy has created a tremendous ethical dilemma for social workers in the agency by requiring them to share information that ultimately puts members of sponsor households at risk of arrest. Please read more about this earlier in the newsletter within the letter from the directors.

Ballot Proposals – Now legislation

MI One Fair Wage Petition – A proposed citizen-initiated law to gradually increase the hourly minimum wage to $12 by 2022 (including tipped workers) was taken up by the legislature within the 40-day window of time before it was to go on the ballot. This means it now becomes law. We expect to see this law amended during lame duck – likely to remove the tipped wage measure.

MI Time to Care – A proposed citizen-initiated law to require paid sick time (1 hour per 30 hours worked) be provided by employers was also taken up by the legislature within the 40-day window. This is also expected to be tinkered with during the lame duck session.

In both cases this was a maneuver by GOP leadership that will allow them to amend the legislation later with a simple majority rather than a ¾ majority (required if it would’ve have been passed by the voters on the ballot). However, many Democrats still voted for the measures despite knowing this because these initiatives were issues they cared about – in fact, some of the Dems had previously introduced

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legislation with a similar effect.

Several other citizen-initiated proposals made their way onto the November Ballot, including marijuana legalization, non-partisan redistricting, and voting rights. Detailed descriptions are available for those in the preceding pages.

Sexual Assault Bills – “Nassar Package”

As of the date of this report, there are over thirty bills that have been introduced and advanced in the Legislative process in response to the MSU/Nassar tragedy. Three bills have been signed into law (expanding statute of limitations). The remaining bills in the package are poised for final passage on the Senate floor, but no action has been taken since June. Given how few days remain in the 2017-18 session, and the impending election, there is increasing pressure on the Senate to move the bills.

Survivor Address Confidentiality Legislation

A package of four Senate bills would provide survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking with a means of keeping their addresses confidential.

SB 655 (sponsored by Sen. Margaret O’Brien, R-Portage) would establish an “address confidentiality program,” with the Office of the Attorney General reviewing and certifying eligible participants in the program, and the Department of Technology, Management and Budget serving as the address to receive mail for participants, and providing the mail forwarding service to participants;

• SB 656 (also sponsored by Sen. O’Brien) would protect the actual address of a program participant from being listed in the otherwise public “Qualified Voter File;”

• SB 657 (sponsored by Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge) would exempt current program participants from participation in jury duty;

• SB 658 (sponsored by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, R-Lawton) would prohibit schools from disclosing records to a parent when such disclosure is prohibited by a

personal protection order held by the other parent or a student’s guardian.

The bills passed the Senate and are currently before the House Judiciary Committee.

Raise the Age

Raise the age is a bill package that is now in its third term of the legislature and heard testimony recently in the House Law and Justice Committee. The measure would raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction from 17 to 18, among other things such as codifying a family advisory board for the MDOC. Currently 17-year-olds are automatically charged, sentenced, and incarcerated in the adult justice system and cannot be offered the supports in services available in the juvenile system. Michigan is one of 4 remaining states yet to enact such legislation. NASW has long been a supporter of this legislation and has submitted written testimony and actively lobbied for its passage.

Provider Fitness

Starting back in November, the state Medicaid office developed a policy to screen out Medicaid providers who have criminal backgrounds typical of service providers with lived experiences – particularly peer supports, recovery coaches, and social workers in substance use treatment. We’ve been successful so far in forcing rewrites of this policy. We expect to see a 3rd draft that will have a proposed effective date of January 1st. It is expected to be a much improved version of the one that originated but may still have some problems.

Private Police Forces

Senator Meekhof’s (R-Ottawa County) SB 594 and 595, bills that would allow local units of government to contract with a private police agency, though still in the Senate Government Operations committee, are likely to see some action after the election. Adding to the mix before the summer recess was Senator Kowall (R-White Lake), who introduced SB 924. SB 924 allows for a school or business to contract with a third party private police agency, and gives the agency’s officers misdemeanor arrest

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Policy Matters: Legislative Updates

authority. SB 924 is on the Senate Floor, having passed out of Senator Meekhof’s committee in May. The bill has been changed slightly since its introduced version, which at least requires MCOLES certification for officers of private police agencies. MCOLES is the agency that oversees law enforcement officer training standards. Law enforcement organizations from around the state oppose the legislation on the grounds that there is no recourse for wrongdoing. The legislation allows an armed private citizen to detain another private citizen, but if and when things go wrong in the course of that conduct, a citizen has no recourse – no

duly-elected board, legislative body (like a County Commission or City Council), or elected official (like a Mayor or Sheriff) to whom or which to complain or hold accountable. In addition, other public freedoms, like FOIA, are missing from the bill, as a private agency is not subject to FOIA. Moreover, questions about transportation and lodging at the jail remain, as is prosecution, and adjudication. Finally, MCOLES certification requires one to work at an agency and complete ongoing professional education and development, so there is a certification issue that remains.

NASW Assurance Services (naswassurance.org)

University of Michigan-Flint Social Work Program (umflint.edu/socialwork)

Social Work Advanced By Your SupportNASW-Michigan offers our community and professional partners a unique opportunity to assist in the advancement of the social work profession throughout the state. Social Work Advanced by Your Support (SWAYS) ensures the support, promotion, and advocacy for professional social work practice, social work students, and NASW-Michigan legislative efforts.

We would like to send out a special thanks to our current SWAYS partner organizations:

If you are interesting in learning more about the SWAYS program or becoming a partner organizations visit nasw-michigan.org/?page=SWAYS

or call the NASW-Michigan office at 517-487-1548.

Michigan Association of School Social Workers (masswmi.org)

Michigan State University School of Social Work (socialwork.msu.edu)

Silver Partners

Bronze PartnersConcerto Health (www.concertohealthcare.com)

Gold Partners

Organization of Latino Social Workers – Michigan Chapter (olasw.org)

Saginaw Valley State University Social Work Program (www.svsu.edu/socialwork)

University of Michigan School of Social Work (ssw.umich.edu)

Flint Odyssey House (www.odysseyvillage.com)

www.nasw-michigan.org 26

Moving from Insurance to a Cash Practice

NASW receives questions from clinical social workers about how to terminate their contracts as insurance providers and move to a private pay fee-for-service practice. This practice perspective highlights several important steps to facilitate the transition.

Notifying Insurance Companies

The first step toward terminating with your insurance contracts is to review each contract to determine each insurance company’s guidelines for termination. All insurance companies will require you to provide written notice that you are terminating your contract. Some companies will require you to provide services to patients for a period of time after submitting notice.

Notifying Patients

In addition to giving notice to insurance companies, patients will also need to be notified. Let your patients know in writing when you will be terminating as an insurance provider. It is recommended that you give between 30 and 90 days’ notice to clients when any fee changes are made. This gives patients time to review their financial situation and clinical needs as they determine how to adjust to changes in the practice. Patients also have the option of remaining with their insurance company and seeking another provider.

Updating Policies & Fee Schedules

The clinical social worker may need to update billing policies and fee schedules when terminating with insurance. New policies regarding payment and fees should be shared with patients. Best practice is to have patients sign updated policies and fee schedules when making changes. You may consider how you will accept payment, document payment, and provide receipts to your patients as you update policies.

Clinical social workers may also need to consider whether they will become an out-of-network provider by providing a superbill or another document to patients who wish to submit for out-of-network benefits with their insurance company.

Addressing Patients’ Concerns

Clinical social workers should be prepared to discuss this transition with patients, and the conversation may include financial practicalities and clinical concerns. Patients may express feelings of abandonment, guilt for missing sessions in the past, or concerns about the clinical social worker’s well-being.

Transitioning Patients

When patients want to continue therapy but cannot afford services without insurance coverage, the clinical social worker should work with the patient to make an appropriate referral. A patient may identify a new provider by contacting his or her insurance company and sign a release of information for the clinical social worker to speak with the new provider to coordinate care during the transition.

Resources

Legal Issue of the Month: Social Workers and Fee Collection: https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Legal/Legal-Issue-of-the-Month/Social-Workers-and-Fee-Collection

This article was a Summer 2018 NASW Practice Perspective, written by Yael “Ellie” Silverman MSW, LICSW, Senior Practice Associate, ysilverman.nasw@socialworkers.org.

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Merriam-Webster defines ethics as:

“the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation” (2018).

This sounds simple: make “good” choices and avoid “bad” choices. Follow policies and procedures. Know your Code of Ethics. Seems simple…right?

In theory, the concept of ethical practice seems simple enough, but in reality, ethical dilemmas can be multi-faceted and the answer may not always be clear. Experienced social work practitioners know that ethical practice can sometimes be a complex issue. Even Merriam-Webster’s definition, when unpacked, discusses three different aspects: what is good and bad, and moral duty, and obligation, which align at times and other times may be opposed.

Let’s review some varying ways of looking at ethical situations:

Our first instinct about what is the “right” choice is often rooted in our personal morals and values. Through our social work education, we learn that our upbringing and environment help shape the belief systems, values, and sense of right and wrong of both our clients and ourselves. As social workers, it is essential to understand our sometimes rather ingrained beliefs about what is right and wrong and how they influence our practice as social workers. While the morals and values that draw most people to a career in social work, such as altruism and a sense of service, serve us well, other times our belief systems may interfere with our ability to view situations objectively and make good practice decisions. For example, you may be working with a teen whose parents tell her she needs to quit her sports team in order to stay home to babysit her younger siblings. Does your personal belief system support this idea or oppose it? How would this reaction influence your response? How does this belief system align with—or oppose—our role as a social worker?

The law, or society’s system of rules that tells us what we can or can’t do, are often considered society’s ultimate driving force in regulating the behavior of its citizens. The policies and procedures of the agencies and

organizations we work for also fall into this category. This can be especially challenging when social workers are employed in “host” organizations whose sole focus is not social service. However, laws and policies are made and enforced by a set of “imperfect” institutions, which we know are not always perfectly thought out, executed or enforced. For instance, we may work with clients whose substance use, while illegal, is not causing harm to the extent to drive us to violate our commitment to the client’s confidentiality. Another interesting scenario discussed in my classroom involves a cognitively intact older couple in a nursing home who disclose to the Social Worker that they are involved in a sexually active, romantic relationship, despite the institution’s policies against such behavior. Our legal/policy obligation and our ethical obligation to our profession may conflict in these scenarios.

Ethics are standards of behavior expected of an individual by a group. The NASW Code of Ethics are specific to the value base of the profession of social work, and outline how we should respond as professionals. While most of us choose the profession of social work based on its values, this does not always mean that every ethical standard aligns perfectly with our instincts on how to respond to certain situations. There are also times when two ethical standards may seem to compete with one another. For instance, this week we encountered a decision as to whether or not to accept a child with behavioral and medical challenges into a volunteer-staffed therapeutic camp. Which is more important in this instance, the ethical obligation in providing service to this child, or our uncertainty as to whether or not the camp staff will be competent in responding to the child’s many needs?

Sometimes behaviors we encounter in practice are clearly all immoral, unethical and illegal, such as the severe abuse of a child, and decision-making is clear. This is called a “violation” and our response is straightforward. Other times, issues we encounter such as those mentioned above may seem complex and there may be competing perspectives;

Ethical Dilemmas: Laws, Morals, and Ethics

www.nasw-michigan.org 28

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supporting, promoting, & advocating for professional social work practice & the social work profession

in other words, it may look like there is more than one “right” answer. These are true ethical dilemmas. Consultation with a supervisor, trusted colleague, or NASW can help you explore a situation and examine alternatives. As responsible practitioners, we must continue to educate ourselves and make an active effort to engage in ethical practice.

Ann Crandell-Williams, LMSW, is a member of the NASW Michigan Chapter Ethics Committee, which seeks to assist fellow members with ethical dilemmas. For assistance, contact the Michigan Chapter office or go to www.nasw-michigan.org/page/Ethics to submit a question online. Find more ethics resources at www.socialworkers.org/ethics.

Ethics

Morality Law

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