New Board Members Elected
Election results are in for the 2010 NASW-CO Board elections. This year there are eight new Board Members. The new Board Members will begin serving July 1, 2010.
Carol Friedrich- Vice President (photo shown)
Lauren Martin - At Large Representative
Ann Norris - Boulder Region Representative
Barb Haines - Denver Region Representative
Elyse Montgomery - Denver Region Representative
Jacque Penfold - Northern Region Representative
Jason DeaBueno - Pikes Peak Region Representative
Bill Wimsatt - Western Region Representative
Loan Forgiveness
The Colorado Health Service Corps (formerly the State Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program) has awarded $1.60 million in educational loan debt forgiveness to primary health care professionals serving Colorado’s medically underserved. The Colorado Health Service Corps is administered by the Primary Care Office at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The program is a public-private partnership that receives funding from the state of Colorado, The Colorado Health Foundation and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The Colorado Health Service Corps will again accept applications for providers in July and November 2010. For more information about the Colorado Health Service Corp or to apply to the program, visit www.coloradohealthservicecorps.org or call 303-692-2466.
The Primary Care Office addresses Colorado’s primary care work force needs through assessment of health professional shortages and incentives for providers who are interested in serving medically underserved Colorado communities. LCSWs are accepted in the program!
Licensure Rule 17 Updated
The DORA licensure rules were updated recently with changes made to the process for Licensure by Examination. The discussion and debate surrounding the Rule Making process is discussed in more detail on the Chapter website at www.naswco.org, click the menu item on the right side of the home page . Highlights of the rule changes include:
- Clarification that "practice in social work" means all services in the definition of social work, including but not primarily focused on psychotherapy
- Replacing the word "psychotherapy" with the words "social work" where appropriate
- Requiring that clinical supervisors keep records for 5 years from date of last supervision
- Redefining LCSW experience hours required so that a minimum of half the hours are in direct clinical practice, while the remaining hours may be in other types of social work practice (see the Chapter website for the specific DORA definition of clinical practice).
- Requiring an LSW (or listing in the unlicensed database) while earning experience and supervision hours toward LCSW
Be Part of the Solution
Could you agree to receive one Pro Bono referral at a time to your private practice for short-term therapy? Are you interested in providing mental health services at a Program Host site serving underserved children, families and seniors who are low-income or experiencing homelessness? Or supervise a candidate pursuing licensure who is volunteering for the program? The Pro Bono Outreach Program is looking for additional volunteers to assist in the effort to increase access to mental health services.
Please consider joining Mental Health America of Colorado’s Pro Bono Outreach Program volunteer network. Please visit our website at www.mhacolorado.org for more information and upcoming orientation dates, or contact Lauren Martin MSW, Pro Bono Outreach Coordinator, at 720-208-2231 or lmartin@mhacolorado.org.
Free Social Work Peer Groups
The Chapter would like to help promote free Peer Supervision Groups and free Peer Licensure Study Groups through the Chapter website. If you are part of such a group, or would like to start one, please email the Chapter Office at admin@naswco.org. Our website has a page dedicated to posting information on these free groups at www.naswco.org, scroll down the home page.
EAP Pilot Begins
NASW Assurance Services (ASI) is committed to NASW members, and is always looking for ways to enhance NASW member benefits. ASI provides the professional liability insurance, and other products, offered through NASW.
ASI is introducing a new initiative on a pilot test basis, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Network comprised entirely of NASW members who have met rigorous eligibility requirements and standards for participation.
Their immediate goal is to assist NASW Members in qualifying for participation in Employee Assistance Programs by establishing a network of professional social workers and relationships with EAP affiliated providers interested in utilizing their services – as a new benefit of NASW Membership.
ASI is embarking on a pilot program in five states - Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska -beginning in September, 2010. Updates on the rollout of the pilot program will be posted here and on the Chapter website as available.
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