Joel L. Rubin, MSW, ACSW, CAE
NASW-Illinois Chapter Executive Director
As I compose my executive director’s article this month, the Chicago teachers strike has entered its fourteenth day. There have been an array of issues on the bargaining table with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). A major issue has been the demands for hiring more social workers in the CPS system and moving CPS closer to the NASW Standards for School Social Work Services, namely that school social work services should be provided at a ratio of one school social worker to each school building serving up to 250 general education students (a ratio of 1:250 students). If you follow us on social media, the NASW-Illinois Chapter has worked very hard to have this issue front and center. Many thanks to chapter director of legislative affairs Kyle Hillman who has lead our advocacy efforts for this vital issue for students. We hope that the strike will be settled soon and that all outstanding issues that will benefit students, teachers, social workers, and other related staff are resolved.
2019 NASW-Illinois Chapter Statewide Conference
There is still time to join us November 5–7, 2019, at our statewide conference at The Westin North Shore in Wheeling, IL. This year’s conference will be the largest gathering of social work leaders, practitioners and educators in the state with over 800 attendees expected.
NASW Illinois MyNASW Community
I would like to encourage all chapter members to participate in the NASW Illinois MyNASW Community. Many of you will recall our long running Private Practice Shared Interest Group’s (PP SIG) discussion board hosted via Google Groups. When the new national MyNASW Community was established online in 2018, the logical next step was to transition the chapter’s PP SIG to chapter community geared specifically toward the topics and interests in of all Illinois members. To join this new online committee, click on the following article on the chapter website: https://www.naswil.org/post/nasw-illinois-mynasw-community.
NASW-Illinois Chapter Receives Grant to Study Workforce Issues
In our ongoing social work workforce initiative, the Chapter has been awarded $50,000 from the Telligen Community Initiative to conduct a needs assessment of the social work workforce in Illinois that will match the shortage needs throughout the state. Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work will be serving as our research partner. We will be reporting back on the progress of the grant.
And remember—November 30th is the end of the licensure cycle. In addition to the statewide conference, there are many opportunities across the state during the month of November to get last-minute CEUs with the chapter. Check out the all available opportunities at https://www.naswil.org/events.
See many of you at the conference!
A happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families!
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