Chapter News

Governor JB Pritzker has officially signed House Bill 1806, the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources (WOPR) Act, into law, making Illinois one of the first states in the country to directly prohibit AI from impersonating a licensed mental health professional.

This is my first letter to you NASW-Illinois Chapter President, and I want to begin by saying how honored I am to serve this powerful community of social workers. I step into this role with humility, hope, and deep respect for the strength and resilience of our profession.

Beginning January 1, 2026, any LCSW applicant utilizing the alternative to the ASWB clinical exam must obtain their additional 3,000 hours of supervised professional work experience while holding a valid LSW or Professional Educator License with School Support Personnel Endorsements in School Social Work

From regulating AI in therapy to securing new clinical supervision funding, this work is the result of collective action—it only happens because of you thanks to your membership, your advocacy, and your commitment to social work values.

Get ready for the upcoming November 30th deadline for Illinois social work licensure renewal!

Following recent changes made by the state to social work continluing eduation requirements, we have updated our NASW-IL CE Worksheet...

Registration is now open for this year's 2025 NASW Chapters Virtual Conference: Mental Health - Compassion + Action will be a two-day live virtual conference hosted with our sibling chapters, NASW-Nevada and NASW-North Dakota.

If you were not able to attend the 2025 NASW National Conference which Illinois hosted from June 15–19, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, you missed an incredible week of education, networking, and fellowship. Setting attendance records with over 2,000 people in attendance including over 400 Illinois attendees, the conference marked the first time in many years that our association ventured out of Washington, DC. 

Nominations are now being accepted for the annual NASW-Illinois Chapter Social Work Awards!

The state requires that all Illinois social workers who work with children must fulfill the mandated reporter training with implicit bias section requirement once every three licensure cycles (i.e., one in every six years).

If lawmakers fail to pass HB1085 sponsored by Sen. Karina Villa, the mental health workforce crisis in Illinois will deepen, and access to care will become a privilege reserved for the wealthy.

IL State Rep. Bob Morgan’s Ban on AI Therapists Secures Bipartisan Support, Heads to Governor’s Desk for Final Signature

HB1085 will result in a rate increase for all mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUD) services through most state-regulated private health insurance plans in 2027 and contains other important reforms.

HB1806 ensures that care is delivered by licensed, trained providers—not unregulated chatbots.

HB1715 removes outdated statutory language that gave the DCFS unused police authority.

ISAC is currently accepting applications for their School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program through June 30, 2025.

2025 NASW-Illinois Chapter election results

SOGICE fundamentally violates the social work profession’s commitment to affirming human dignity, advancing social justice, and protecting client self-determination.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has received inquiries from clinical social workers (CSWs) who are experiencing delayed reimbursements and administrative burdens from TRICARE, the Department of Defense’s health care program that serves active-duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, retirees, and their families.

Last summer, the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) launched a virtual version of the application process for social workers. This new process has significantly sped up application processing times which, in turn, has allowed us to update our recommendations for all graduating social work students applying for the LSW.