Diona Shelton (she/her), DSW, LCSW, CATP, CCTP
Southern District Chair
Welcome to the month of October! October marks the awareness for several causes, including World Mental Health Day and National Depression Screening Day. Another notable cause that I wish to highlight is Disability Employment Awareness Month. Each October, we observe the many contributions of American workers with disabilities and increase awareness of the need for supportive and inclusive policies and practices that are accessible to all people. The theme of the National Disability and Employment Awareness Month is “Advancing Access and Equity.” Let us remember to educate the general public about issues surrounding disability and employment and continue to advocate for inclusive policies for all people.
As we move forward in the month of October, I am pleased to announce that the Calumet and Southern Districts have joined forces and will be hosting a joint event that will be held virtually! This event is eligible for 2.0 Ethics CEUs and 2.0 Cultural Competency CEUs. Registration is now open, so don’t delay! Reserve your spot today! This is an event that you do not want to miss!
All the best,
Dr. Diona Shelton, DSW, LCSW, CATP, CCTP
NASW-IL Southern District Chair
Calumet and Southern District Event
From Racially Colorblind to Colorbrave Date: Friday, November 17 from 12:00pm to 4:30pm CST (10am - 2:30pm PST) Speaker: Crystal C. Rozelle-Bennett, LMSW (she/her) Description: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." - Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr (8/28/1963) More than 50 years after Dr. King's speech, individuals continue to use his words to justify their claim of being racially colorblind. Racial colorblindness is modern day racism and denies the racial disparities that continue to exist in various systems, including healthcare, education and the criminal justice system. In the helping profession, not only is it unrealistic to be racially colorblind, it is dangerous and does more harm than good. If you don't see my color, you can't see me. And if you can't see me how can you empathize with my racial experiences, accept my whole being and validate my perspectives? In this workshop, professionals will explore the experience of microaggressions in our client's personal lives as well as ways microaggressions might manifest in the therapeutic relationship. Professionals will reflect on their personal biases and explore strategies of cultural humility in practice. CEUs: 4.0 CEUs (including 2 hours of content in Ethics and 2 hours in Cultural Competency) Virtual Platform: Zoom
Registration: https://naswil.wufoo.com/forms/z1528e8y1gesupb/
CHAPTER NEWS
Registration Open! 2023 NASW Chapters Conference: A Meeting of the Profession
Join us for two days of live virtual education with social workers across our sister chapters in NASW-Nevada and NASW-North Dakota! This year's annual conference will take place on Thursday, November 2, and Friday, November 3, 2023, via Pheedloop. Up to 11.0 live virtual CEUs will be offered, including CEUs fulfilling requirements for ethics, cultural competency, and suicide prevention. For more information and to register, go to: naswmeets.org.
2023 NASW-Illinois Chapter Statewide Awards
This year, the National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter (NASW-IL) is honoring the work of some exceptional Illinois social workers and individuals whose work promotes social justice and social change with and on behalf of the people and clients they serve. This year’s 2023 NASW-Illinois Chapter Statewide Award winners include: Lifetime Achievement Awardee Thomas A. Kmetko, LCSW; Social Worker of the Year Chelsea Laliberte Barnes, LSW; Emerging Social Work Leader Leyda M. Garcia-Greenawalt, LSW, MSW; and Public Citizen of the Year Raquel Rosendo. Read more about this year’s winners at: https://www.naswil.org/post/2023-nasw-illinois-chapter-statewide-awards
Other Chapter News:
· September 2023 - Student Network SIG Update: https://www.naswil.org/post/september-2023-student-network-sig-update
· 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
· NASW-IL Advocacy At Work: Gov. Signs HB 2365 Providing Alternative to ASWB Exam: https://www.naswil.org/post/nasw-il-advocacy-at-work-gov-signs-hb-2365-providing-alternative-to-aswb-exam
· Get Ready to Update Records and Billing with New Nonbinary Gender Option in IL: https://www.naswil.org/post/get-ready-to-update-records-and-billing-with-new-nonbinary-gender-option-in-il
· Student Loan Payments to Resume: What You Need to Know - https://www.naswil.org/post/student-loan-payments-to-resume-what-you-need-to-know
· 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