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.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) recognizes the critical role of field placements in preparing future social workers and believes that financial barriers should not prevent students from successfully completing their education.

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!