From the Pen of the Executive Director: July 2026

Joel L. Rubin, MSW, LSW, ACSW, CAE

NASW-Illinois Chapter Executive Director

NASW-Illinois Chapter Executive Director, Joel L. Rubin, LSW, ACSW, CAE

I am writing this on the eve of our nation’s 250^th anniversary. 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 notions in mind.

Earlier this month, NASW-IL Chapter President LaTasha Roberson-Guifarro and I, and many social workers from Illinois, traveled to Washington, DC, for the 2026 NASW National conference. We convened a meet-up of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri social workers, which gave us all an opportunity to connect with our new regional colleagues. Many thanks to our Illinois staff people, namely Kyle Hillman, who was conference staff lead, and to Mia Hill, who coordinated all volunteers for the DC conference.

At its last meeting of 2026 fiscal year in early June, the NASW-Illinois Chapter Leadership Council welcomed our newest council members whose terms will begin on July 1 2026:

1.      LaTasha Roberson-Guifarro, MSW, LCSW, President

2.      Jennifer Gazda, DSW, LCSW, CMC, CDP, President-Elect

3.      Anjanette Young, MSW, LCSW, Vice President

4.      Dr. Diane Williams, AM, MSW, Secretary

5.      Terri Davis, BA, MS, LSW, Calumet District Chair

6.      Hilary Douin, BA, MSW, LCSW, ICDVP, Chicago District Chair

7.      Lita Simanis, LCSW, PMH-C, Northeastern District Chair

8.      Patrice Bonner, MSW, LSW, Jane Addams District Chair

9.      Staci Knox, LMSW, LCSW, Southern District Chair

10. E. Cordelia Miller-Mohammed, MSW, LCSW, Three Rivers District Chair

11. Hannah Rovey, LCSW, West Central District Chair

12. Michael Mallory, LCSW, Member-at-Large

13. Lorraine Guerrero, MSW, LCSW, CADC, PEL, Member-at-Large

14. Kimberly Keenan, PhD, LCSW Member-at-Large

15. Cameron Purnell, BSW Student Representative, University of Phoenix

16. Amber Parkinson, MSW Student Representative, Aurora University

Some additional important items of note:

Federal Court Blocks the Department of Education’s Professional Degree Definition

In an ongoing advocacy priority for social workers in Illinois and around the country, on June 25, 2026, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction blocking the U.S. Department of Education's attempt to narrow the definition of a "professional degree" for federal student loan purposes. Federal Court Blocks ED's Professional Degree Definition - Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR)

NASW-IL Stands with Civil Rights Protections for People with Disabilities

Many of you may be aware that on June 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel released a legal opinion that aims to dismantle one of the most important civil rights protections for people with disabilities. This new opinion declares that states will no longer be required to serve people with disabilities in their own homes and communities, contrary to current law, and that the federal rules requiring it should be thrown out. Together with 44 other leading human service, advocacy, and legal organizations, NASW-IL signed on to the joint statement. Read it here.

Accepting Nominations for the 2026 Social Work Awards

We are now accepting nominations for the annual 2026 NASW-Illinois Chapter Social Work Awards. Please consider nominating colleagues for our annual awards by September 14, 2026. Request a nomination form here or learn more about the awards and deadlines here.

Register Now Open for the 2026 NASW Chapters Virtual Conference

As the summer heats up, so do the many CEU and networking opportunities for members. You can already take advantage of the early bird rates for the 2026 NASW Chapters Virtual Conference: Strength in Action - How We Uplift, Defend, & Transform and hosted by the NASW-Illinois, Missouri, and Nevada Chapters. Learn more at: https://www.naswil.org/conference.

More CE and free social events can be found on our Events page at: https://www.naswil.org/events

Enjoy the summer!

—Joel