Melissa Box, LCSW, LSOE, LSOTP East Central District Chair
Thank you!
Thank you for your support in electing me to be your East Central District Chair for another two-year term. I recognize it is a responsibility to serve this district and ensure we are providing high-quality CEU and networking opportunities to social workers across the region, and I do not take that responsibility lightly! I look forward to another two-year term serving on the board, and hope to see you all at our next in-person event (To be announced soon! Stay tuned!).
A breath of fresh air…
I think we can all agree that the beautiful spring weather we have been enjoying has been a breath of fresh air for all of us! I don’t know about you, but I have been thrilled to be getting outside, digging in the dirt, going on walks with my kids, and escaping the gray winter doldrums. I hope you have also had a chance to enjoy the outdoors and connect to nature in ways that serve you. It is life-giving, enriching, and an excellent self-care practice – it’s evidence-based, too! Even a few minutes a day outside in the sunshine can do wonders for your blood pressure, cortisol levels, vitamin D, energy, and mental acuity. So don’t be afraid to take a pause after you read this email, open a window or step outside, and bask in the sunshine! Your body and mind will thank you (unless you have allergies, in which case, maybe just your mind! Haha!)
CHAPTER NEWS
March 2023: NASW-Illinois Chapter Advocacy Update
As we approach the final weeks of the spring Illinois legislative session, you can check out some of the legislation that the NASW-Illinois Chapter has been either working on to address issues with or supporting. Read the full article here: https://www.naswil.org/post/march-2023-nasw-illinois-chapter-advocacy-update
Ask NASW-IL: Can a CEU course fulfill 2 CEU specialties at once?
Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) renewal requirements for the current 2021–2023 licensure cycle increased with the addition of new training requirements (implicit bias awareness, mandated reporter with a section on implicit bias, and Alzheimer's disease and other dementias) in addition to the previous requirements (ethics and cultural competency). Due to the potential overlap in training topics, it's possible that a CEU course may appear to cover topics applicable to two specialty CEU requirements. Members have been asking the chapter: Can you use one course to fulfill more than one specialty CEU requirement? Read more here: https://www.naswil.org/post/ask-nasw-il-can-a-ceu-course-fulfill-2-ceu-specialties-at-once
Other Chapter News
NASW opposes anti-LGBTQIA2S+ legislation: https://www.naswil.org/post/nasw-opposes-anti-lgbtqia2s-legislation
Gender-Affirming Health Care Saves Lives: https://www.naswil.org/post/gender-affirming-health-care-saves-lives
Social Work Profession One Step Closer to Interstate Licensure Compact: https://www.naswil.org/post/social-work-profession-one-step-closer-to-interstate-licensure-compact
Ask NASW-IL: Will this course count for CEUs in Illinois? - https://www.naswil.org/post/ask-nasw-il-will-this-course-count-for-ceus-in-illinois
February 14, 2023 Update on the Social Work Interstate Compact: https://www.naswil.org/post/february-14-2023-update-on-the-social-work-interstate-compact
For more news, go to the NASW-Illinois Chapter News page: https://www.naswil.org/blog
All the best,
Melissa Box, LCSW, LSOE, LSOTP
East Central District Chair