There is No Time like the Present

By: Danielle Smith, MSW, MA, LSW

NASW Ohio Chapter Services Coordinator

In today’s Dayton Daily News an article (click here to read it) reported the results of a national survey conducted by the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center. The study found that “almost two-thirds of registered voters support a form of punishment other than death penalty for murders (Beyerlein, 2010).” As an opponent of the death penalty, I was pleasantly surprised by the survey’s results as my assumption had been that the majority of Americans support the death penalty. The article goes on to state that “Ohio has executed eight men this year, the most in any one year since 1949, when 15 were put to death. Gov. Ted Strickland commuted three death sentences this year, including that of Sidney Cornwell on Monday…Ohio ranks second in executions in 2010 to Texas’ 17, with Alabama ranking third with five (Beyerlein, 2010)”

In the wake of the results of the survey I think that there is no time like the present to give considerable thought to placing a moratorium on the death penalty in the state of Ohio. If Ohio were to institute a moratorium on the death penalty we would join Wisconsin, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Maine, Washington, Georgia, North Dakota, Minnesota, West Virginia, Iowa, Vermont, Alaska, and Hawaii who have all instituted some level of moratorium (Amnesty International, 1998). Internationally, more than half of the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice (Amnesty International, 1998).

The death penalty is a clear violation of human rights and civil liberties due to the risk of executing innocent persons, its disproportionate sentencing on minority groups, and its unfairness to those who are developmentally unable to understand the implications of their behavior or cannot obtain proper counsel (NASW, 2008). In addition to these extraordinary human costs the death penalty is also costly. In death penalty cases there are years and years of appeals cases which carries a tremendous cost. The most comprehensive study found that the death penalty costs North Carolina $2.16 million more per execution than the cost of a non-death penalty murder case, with a sentence of imprisonment for life occurring at the trial level (Death Penalty Information Center, 2000). As our state struggles with its finances placing a moratorium on the death penalty would be a cost-savings measure.

As stated in the NASW Social Workers Speak, 2008 edition:

Social workers share the concerns of other citizens about the rise in violent crime. They are very aware of the terrible consequences to the families of victims of criminal homicide, and indeed, many social workers have personally experienced the anguish caused to their own families when a loved one is murdered. It is a premise of this policy statement, however, that punitive action by the state can never compensate for such losses and that the death penalty is neither a sufficient nor an acceptable solution to the problems caused by violent crime (p. 40).

So what are your thoughts? If you agree with me, how should NASW support a moratorium?

Take Action to End Human Trafficking- At

Take Action to End Human Trafficking- Attend the Ending Slavery in Ohio Town Hall Forum on 11/18 at MSASS in Cleveland. http://www.naswoh.org.

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

 

By: Cindy Webb, MSSA, LISW-S

NASW Ohio Chapter Executive Director

With September being National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month I encourage social workers to recognize the important role you play in battling the obesity issue.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that annual spending related to overweight and obese Americans is more than $264 billion — exceeding what we spend on tobacco-related illnesses each year. Results from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), using measured heights and weights, indicate that an estimated 17 percent of children and adolescents ages 2-19 years are obese. The impact is far more than a dollar concern. The health of children have a far reaching impact on family and community as well as a psychosocial impact when obese children become are targets of early and systematic social discrimination which may hinder academic and social functioning.

The CDC provides helpful tips to parents on how to prevent childhood overweight and obesity. It encourages balance calories consumed with physical activity and normal growth. This is certainly sage advice for many, but what about the families with significant barriers?

• What about the families living in their car or under a bridge? The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio reporting 4,813 parents and children were homeless in 2010. The homeless rates for children are drastically increasing. Here is where social workers will need to work with these families to assist them in obtaining basic needs while teaching them how to find healthy food choices.

• Another barrier is literacy. In the National Adult Literacy in Ohio Survey, Jenkins and Kirsch found 16 – 18% of Ohio Respondents are on a level 1 and 37% on a level 2. “Individuals in Levels 1 and 2 …. appeared to have considerable difficulty with tasks that required them to integrate or synthesize information from complex or lengthy texts or to perform quantitative tasks in which the individual had to set up the problem and then perform two or more.” Parents without this barrier struggle with these calculations. Social workers can work with these families to find ways to reduce the confusion and manage making good choices without having to deal with cumbersome calculations.

Encouraging healthy eating habits is critical. Here is where social workers will need to connect families to fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products and to advocate for the availability of those foods. Many of our inner city and rural impoverished communities do not have super markets that provide these options, and when they do the high cost becomes a barrier. Once availability is addressed, families may need assistance in food preparation or in obtaining resources to prepare food. Advocacy, resource acquisition, and education are essential in supporting healthy eating habits for many of our Ohio families.

Activity plays a role in health. Adding physical activity to one’s day is important especially outdoors. What about the communities that are considered war zones? Many families must protect their children from gunfire and other violent acts which invariably leads to keeping children off the streets and inside their homes. As a social worker, you can assist the family in finding safe outlets for children to be physically active and also safe.

The role of the social work profession is very clear in this battle. We, as social workers, must work with our families, communities, and institutions to bring about change for all Ohioans if we are to eliminate obesity in our children.

Social Workers Meet Up

By Cindy Webb, MSSA, LISW-S

Executive Director

I have spoken with many of you who feel isolated, frustrated with your work situation and have no outlets to talk to others who may understand your situation, or you are just seeking to meet other social workers in your community to share experiences, information, and to find mutual support.   For that reason, NASW-OH has created a way to join with other social workers in your community around interests, concerns, or just to hang-out.  In our digital age we are seeking real life connections.  If you are interested in finding or setting up a Meet Up in your community go to http://www.meetup.com/naswohio/

Whether you are looking to become part of the social work community, or you are searching for professional development to enhance your career opportunities locally or abroad, attend a NASW-OH Meet Up.

The Time for Drug Reform in Ohio is Now

By Danielle Smith, MSW, MA, LSW

NASW Ohio Chapter Services Coordinator

The following information is from the Drug Policy Alliance. 

In the 1970s, Ohio decriminalized marijuana for personal use and became the most permissive state in the country. However, since then Ohio has taken no steps toward drug reform and in fact ranks 35th in the nation in treatment spending and has terrible racial disparities in its prison system. There were more African-Americans in prison in 2005 in Ohio than in Ohio colleges and universities (23,200 to 20,074).

In November of 2002, voters defeated an initiative, Issue One, that would have provided Proposition 36-style treatment instead of incarceration for first- and second-time drug offenders. Issue One would have saved Ohioans $20 million dollars per year and would have pulled Ohio from the basement of a backwards drug policy that saw a 211% increase in corrections spending from 1985 to 2000.

Slight progress has been made in providing treatment to drug offenders with the state’s Second Chance to Change 90-day treatment program for prisoners, but Ohio is still in desperate need of drug reform to address drug abuse as a public health rather than criminal justice issue, mitigate the racial disparities in prison, and close the state’s budget gap.

With the budget gap looming at $8 billion now is the time to address our state’s failed drug policies. For more information visit www.drugpolicy.org

Healthcare for those without

By Cindy Webb, MSSA, LISW-S

NASW Ohio Chapter Executive Director

As I am struggling to find affordable health insurance for staff in our small office it leads me to ponder the thousands among us who are without basic health services.

Several years ago a man from Cleveland, Zac Ponsky, struggled with the fact that he lived in a city of world class health facilities yet there were Ohioans who had no access to health services. This led him to create MedWorks, a non-profit organization committed to improving access to healthcare for Ohio’s uninsured and underinsured.

MedWorks has provided free medical, dental, and eye care services to thousands of people. The MedWorks events have been made possible through donations and countless volunteer hours of professionals and lay members of the community. Social workers have been at the forefront of this effort, volunteering countless hours to meet the challenging needs of patients coming from Ohio and nearby states.

I especially wish to thank the social workers that came to help this past May, some working the whole event from 6:30 am on Saturday morning to 6:00 pm Sunday evening. Social workers traveled from Cincinnati, Toledo, Columbus, Strasburg, and Youngstown to work with social workers from the Cleveland area. I was proud to be part of this team that offered to provide whatever assistance was needed to help the long lines of people seeking care.

The event have raised my awareness of just how close I am to being the one in line instead of the one assisting the line. I spoke with many individuals with masters degrees, one a social worker, who lost her job and with it her insurance. Beside those who had recently lost health insurance were many who had never had insurance, one man stating it had been 30 years since he had seen a doctor.

So why do I tell you this? MedWorks is seeking donations. Zac Ponsky is opening his home to a Backyard MedWorks event. Join me at the event or send a few dollars to support MedWorks through their website www.medworksusa.org.

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Who is Fred?

Fred doesn’t have health insurance

Fred has a full time job, bu still can’t afford health insurance.

Fred has health insurance, but can’t afford his deductible.

Fred can afford his deductible, but can’t afford his copay.

We all know Fred……… let’s help him out!

HELP MEDWORKS…….. HELP FRED

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$30 entry fee / $50 per couple

Cheap food / Cheap drinks / Cheap games ** Bring Lots O’ Cash!!! **

Free Fun & Music for a great cause!

ALL PROCEEDS WILL GO TO MEDWORKS.

Host: MedWorks

Location: Ponsky Backyard – 37200 Fairmount Blvd. Hunting Valley, OH 44022

When: Saturday, August 7, 7:00PM Add to my Outlook Calendar

Please RSVP to julie@medworksusa.org

To volunteer or make a donation, please visit www.medworksusa.org

More Info/Questions: Contact Julie 216.231.5350 or julie@medworksusa.org

MedWorks is a non-profit organization committed to improving access to healthcare for Ohio’s uninsured and underinsured. MedWorks provides an innovative vehicle through which healthcare providers, corporate sponsors and other volunteers can provide free healthcare, education and other services.

Call Yourself a ‘Social Worker’ !

By Danielle Smith, MSW, MA, LSW

NASW Ohio Chapter Services Coordinator

How often have you heard someone say “Well, I used to be a social worker but I am doing policy work now” or introduce themselves only by their job title of “therapist, counselor, caseworker, etc.?” I hear it all the time and I find it frustrating. If we do not identify ourselves as social workers- how will we ever get the recognition that we deserve?

As a social worker, I am proud of the title I have earned through my education, my license, and my experience. I am a part of a profession that shaped the country and the world we live in for over one hundred years. I am proud to be in the same profession as Jane Addams, Frances Perkins, Jeanette Rankin, and Dorothy Height. To me, after earning your social work degree you are a social worker for life. If I worked at McDonald’s I would identify myself as a social worker because it is who I am not just what I do. No matter where I am employed in the future- whether it be a direct service agency, the Statehouse, or in non-profit management- I will be a social worker because I was educated to be a social worker with a system of values and ethics that govern me as a professional.

If you are a social worker I hope that you will call yourself one. We must build pride in our profession and awareness of the great work that we do everyday in the public.

Why did I become a social worker?

By Erin Michel

NASW Ohio Chapter Educational Coordinator

During my endeavor to create a documentary about social workers, I kept hearing from those I interviewed that they didn’t necessarily seek out a degree in social work. One social worker typified these responses when she said, “I got into social work almost by accident.” I also am among those who did not visualize my future career as a social worker. When I was deciding a career path, the question for me was, “who do I want to help and how can I help them?” Whether it was as a family member, friend, or stranger, I found myself in positions where I wanted to help people but felt I did not have the skills and knowledge to do so. I remember as a child confronting bullies and standing up for those who were suffering. That same passion has remained with me into adulthood, and I continue to strive to empower others.

I feel that my education in social work, which was more challenging some may think, has not only put the tools in my hands to empower others, but it has also empowered me. Prior to earning my Master’s in Social Work, I could not have imagined testifying before the Ohio Senate; I would not have been able to synergize with other social workers, who had the same passion for social justice that I do, to address complex problems; and I would not otherwise have had the means to produce an independently-funded and -organized public awareness film.

So now when I ask the question, “who can I help?” I feel I have the means to make a substantial impression and potentially far-reaching impact on the lives of those I serve and the community in which I live.

Now I will ask you a question – How has social work empowered you and those you serve?

My Experience at the NASW

By Sarah Luker

NASW Ohio Chapter Intern

Being an intern at the NASW Ohio chapter is no walk in the park. Coming from Bowling Green Ohio to the grand downtown of Columbus was quite an adjustment I had to make. Not only this but, I had to prepare myself for a nine to five work day and getting up at a time where, in college, I would usually be going to bed.

Although it was a bit hard for me to adjust at first, being at the NASW has been rewarding in many ways. I have been able to understand the social work profession better than I ever thought that I would. I also never knew about all the coalitions and committees that the NASW is apart of, and how hard the staff works in order to make a difference in the profession and in the community.

Being an intern at the NASW has also changed my mind about CEU’s. Before becoming an intern I disliked the idea of them and the fact I had to do more work once I graduated college. I now truly think that CEU’s are needed in our profession because they are an essential way we keep up to date on new interventions/ strategies and being better able to serve others.

I think though that the most important thing that I am going to walk away with is a sense of pride for social work that I never had before. I have always loved this profession and what it does to change communities and help people, but never like this before. When people asked what my major was and what I wanted to do I would shyly answer their questions, because I knew what people thought of social workers and I didn’t want others to judge me based on my line of work. I know that the general public does not understand what we as social workers do or why we do it, but I’m not afraid to stand up for myself and the profession anymore. I have now put myself in a position where I try to change peoples mind about social workers, where I can be a teacher to those who do not understand. I personally carry this philosophy with me every where I go because you never know who you are going to run into.

Mid Year Tax Check Up

By: Marie Milo

NASW Ohio Chapter Office Manager

July or August are good months to meet with your tax preparer/tax advisor. You should bring your most current pay stub which shows how much federal, state and local taxes have been withheld year to date. If you owed taxes last year you might want to have more taxes withheld from your paycheck this year. If you are self employed social worker with a private practice it is especially important to let your tax advisor know what your quarterly tax payments have been. The IRS imposes penalties on non-submission of quarterly payments. They also impose penalties on under payments of quarterlys. If you are planning on purchasing a house you should consult with your advisor to make sure you can take full advantage of tax credits for first time home owners. I know of someone who missed out on a nine thousand dollar credit because she purchased her home one month prior to the effective date of the credit The middle of the year is a good time to review your tax savings strategy so that there aren’t any unpleasant financial surprises when April 15th roles around.