Chapter News

AI note taking software has become a routine part of practice for many clinicians, and the appeal is easy to understand. They save time and cut down on after-hours charting. But there's a gap between what these tools are marketed to do and what they actually create: a permanent, detailed record that behaves very differently from the notes clinicians have written by hand for decades.

A recent federal court decision shows how a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on mental health counseling, Chiles v. Salazar, is beginning to influence other legal disputes involving licensed mental health professionals. As the leading resource for the social work profession, NASW is committed to helping members understand important legal developments that may affect practice, licensure, and client care.

On July 1, 2026, unprecedented cuts to the federal student loan system because of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) went into effect. In response, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) as part of a broad coalition of labor unions, consumer protection, student, borrower advocacy, and civil rights organizations launched the “One Big Bill” campaign today to elevate the stories of millions of Americans with student loan debt....

What are you seeing that needs to exist? What knowledge are you carrying that another social worker could use? Where could your experience strengthen someone else’s idea? What community or professional need might benefit from several of us thinking about it together? Knowledge becomes more powerful when it moves. Share what you are seeing.

Registration is now open for this year's 2026 NASW Chapters Virtual Conference: Strength in Action - How We Uplift, Defend, & Transform. Hosted with our sibling chapters, NASW-Missouri and NASW-Nevada, this two-day live virtual conference will be taking place on Wednesday, October 28 and Thursday, October 29, 2026, and offer up to 8 CEUs.

Successful advocacy is measured by more than the number of bills signed into law. Preventing harmful legislation from advancing, negotiating improvements before passage, and educating lawmakers on the impact of proposed policy are all part of the work. The NASW-Illinois Chapter remained actively engaged on all of those fronts throughout this session.

Although it is very difficult to put aside the foreboding feeling many of us in the social work community have at this time, it is also important to look at the core values laid out in our code of ethics—those of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity and competence—and celebrate how these have helped shaped and strengthened our country. However, you spend your Independence Day weekend, please keep these positive

The NASW-Illinois Chapter joins with 44 other leading human service, advocacy, and legal organizations today to issue the following statement denouncing the June 18 legal opinion issued by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel, which seeks to dismantle one of the nation’s most important civil rights for people with disabilities: the right to receive services in their own homes and communities.

The NASW-Illinois Chapter Ethics Committee (NASW-IL EC) is seeking new members. This is a great opportunity for chapter members to guide and lead the chapter in the exploration of new territory and expanding our vision in all ethical areas. By joining the Ethics Committee, you aren’t just interpreting rules—you are building the resources, leading the training, and driving the advocacy that protects both our clients and our peers.

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

Be wary of employers advertising clinical positions for Licensed Social Workers and listing them as 1099 independent contractor roles. It's illegal in IL, and the consequences for both the LSW and the organization can be severe.

NASW National has embraced a three-state chapter model designed to strengthen the collective impact of our chapters and expand what we are able to deliver to members.

These individuals will work to represent and serve you on the NASW-Illinois Chapter Leadership Council starting July 1, 2026.

Thank you to the over 500 social work students and social work professionals who joined us last week at our annual 2026 NASW-Illinois Chapter Advocacy Day on Wednesday, April 15, 2026! This year's brought participants to the Illinois Capitol Building to meet with their direct legislators and advocate for key issues affecting the social work profession this session.

This step-by-step overview is designed to help first-time LCSW applicants prepare to complete the online LCSW license application.

The 2026 NASW-Illinois Chapter Elections will take place from April 1–30, 2026.

Conversion ‘therapy’ is not therapy. It is abuse, and it causes documented psychological damage. No ethical social worker or mental health clinician should be engaging in this practice, full stop, regardless of what any court decides. We stand with the legislators and advocates who have spent more than a decade fighting to protect LGBTQ+ youth in this state, and we will keep fighting alongside them.

So, to the Illinois General Assembly, here's the NASW-Illinois Chapter's humble suggestion—raise their taxes and fund school social workers with the revenue.

With graduation season approaching, this step-by-step overview is designed to help first-time LSW applicants prepare early, submit quickly, and enter the profession alongside their peers.

The engagement of social workers and social work students around this issue reflects the 2026 Social Work Month theme of "Uplift, Defend. Transform." By submitting a public comment, we are advocating to ensure social work retains its professional degree status and continued access to federal financial aid.