Jacki Brunk (she/her), LCSW
Northeastern District Chair
Welcome to the monthly district update for the Northeast District! Read on for important information regarding your local district, as well as state-wide events.
I am pleased to announce two of our northeastern district members who are honored with NASW-Illinois Chapter Statewide Awards! Please help me congratulate Ann Fisher Raney (Lifetime Achievement Award) and Sue Loellbach (Public Citizen of the Year Award) for their exemplary work in the field of social work!
Ann Fisher Raney, AM (The University of Chicago, 1987), LCSW, has served as CEO of Turning Point since 2001. With advanced degrees in social work and religion, Ann has taught at The University of Chicago and maintains a private psychotherapy and consulting practice. She is a graduate of Leadership Evanston and of the Executive Leadership Program at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. She has a certificate in Leadership Arts from the Graham School at the University of Chicago. She was selected for the 2014 Executive Leadership Program by the National Council for Behavioral Health. She serves on the Board for the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health.
Sue Loellbach is director of advocacy for Connections for the Homeless based in Evanston, Illinois. She leads Joining Forces for Affordable Housing, an advocacy program which focuses on changing policy at the municipal and state levels, community education, and community organizing. Joining Forces has conducted an Equitable Zoning Study of Evanston, supports grassroots housing advocacy in multiple municipalities, and has collaborated with other advocacy groups to draft and pass state-level legislation related to affordable housing. Sue has also served as the director of development at Connections and has worked in poverty-related nonprofit organizations for over 20 years.
Please reach out to me with comments, questions and/or suggestions about the information NASW shares with you. I also want to hear from you regarding topics or speakers that interest you. I encourage you to continue to check the website for other events and trainings you may be interested in: https://www.naswil.org/events
CHAPTER NEWS
2024 NASW-Illinois Chapter Statewide Awards
This year’s NASW-Illinois Chapter Statewide award winners have been announced! We are honored to be awarding the following individuals as this year’s statewide award winners:
· LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Ann Fisher Raney, LCSW
· SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR: Hannah Jacobs, LCSW
· EMERGING SOCIAL WORK LEADER: Jordan Steiger, MA, MPH, LSW
· PUBLIC CITIZEN OF THE YEAR: Sue Loellbach
Read more about this year’s awardees at: https://www.naswil.org/post/2024-nasw-illinois-chapter-statewide-awards
NEW! 2024 Social Work Rule Changes Approved for Social Work Professionals
As reported earlier in April, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) met on May 14, 2024, and approved changes made by the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to the Administrative Code sections that apply to social work (Social Work “Rules”). These changes will have significant implications for new and existing social workers. While we are still working on updating our website pages and content to reflect these new changes, you can read about the major changes that have taken affect here: https://www.naswil.org/post/new-2024-social-work-rule-changes-approved-for-social-work-professionals
2024 NASW-Illinois Chapter Election
This year’s election results have been posted! Read more about the individuals who will be representing YOU and YOUR interests as they begin their terms on the NASW-Illinois Chapter Board of Directors beginning on July 1, 2024: https://www.naswil.org/post/2024-nasw-illinois-chapter-election-results
“Ask NASW-IL” Series
We’ve posted several “Ask NASW-IL” questions in the past month relating to questions we’ve been receiving at the chapter. Click through the links below to learn more!
· How can I utilize the alternative to the ASWB exam to get my LCSW?
For a complete list of archived “Ask NASW-IL” articles, go to: https://www.naswil.org/blog/categories/ask-nasw-il
Final 2024 Spring Session Legislative Updates
As we close out a busy spring legislative season, we’ve been posting the latest advocacy updates to the Chapter News page. You can read the latest there, and click on the “Advocacy” sub-tab for the latest. Don’t forget about the NASW-Illinois Chapter Bill Tracker! This new key feature shows all of the bills we’ve been tracking this session and gives (relative) real-time updates of where the status of bills are. Check out the NASW-IL Bill Tracker here.
Senate Bill 3779 passes in IL House, giving social workers essential authorization to aid victims of opioid crisis: https://www.naswil.org/post/senate-bill-3779-passes-in-il-house-giving-social-workers-essential-authorization-to-aid-victims-of
Senate Bill 3138 Passes in Both IL Houses, Securing Educational Scholarships for Former Foster Children: https://www.naswil.org/post/senate-bill-3138-passes-in-both-il-houses-securing-educational-scholarships-for-former-foster-child
HB 5457 passes out of IL Senate, providing reasonable accommodations during licensing exams for those whose primary language is not English: https://www.naswil.org/post/hb-5457-passes-out-of-il-senate-providing-reasonable-accommodations-during-licensing-exams-for-thos
Save the Date! 2024 NASW Chapters Conference
This year’s 2024 NASW Chapters Conference has been announced! This two-day virtual conference will be hosted with our sister chapters, NASW-Nevada and North Dakota, and will take place on Thursday, November 7 & Friday, November 8, 2024. Stay tuned as more information is available! Read more at: https://www.naswil.org/post/save-the-date-2024-nasw-chapters-conference
Other Chapter News:
· Shining a Light on COVID-19: Social Work Interventions for Older African Americans: https://www.naswil.org/post/shining-a-light-on-covid-19-social-work-interventions-for-older-african-americans
· NASW-IL Chapter Board of Directors Statement: https://www.naswil.org/post/nasw-il-board-of-directors-statement
· NASW-IL Policy Position Statement on Compensated Practicum Education: https://www.naswil.org/post/nasw-il-policy-position-statement-on-compensated-practicum-education
· Optum United Behavioral Health Responds to NASW Letter: https://www.naswil.org/post/optum-united-behavioral-health-responds-to-nasw-letter
· Partial Loan Repayment Assistance Available to IL Social Work Graduates Working in IL Schools and Municipalities: https://www.naswil.org/post/partial-loan-repayment-assistance-available-to-il-social-work-graduates-working-in-il-schools-and-mu
· Illinois Breaks Barriers in Mental Health Workforce, Achieving Remarkable Growth in Licensed Social Workers (LSWs): https://www.naswil.org/post/illinois-breaks-barriers-in-mental-health-workforce-achieving-remarkable-growth-in-licensed-social
· IDFPR Licensure Renewal Requirements for 2023–2025: https://www.naswil.org/post/idfpr-licensure-renewal-requirements-for-2023-2025
· Partial Loan Repayment Assistance Available to Those Working in Community Mental Health Centers: https://www.naswil.org/post/partial-loan-repayment-assistance-available-to-those-working-in-community-mental-health-centers
For more news, go to the NASW-Illinois Chapter News page: https://www.naswil.org/blog
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