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Demystifying the seats of power in Albany: Advocacy by social work students

Posted on April 7, 2020 by ubsocialworkblog Leave a comment

by Pat Shelly

Before COVID-19 captured all our attention in order to meet the challenges of the changes in our academic, professional and personal lives, the University at Buffalo School of Social Work (UBSSW) traveled to Albany on March 3, 2020 for the annual Legislative Education and Advocacy Day (LEAD).

Eleven of our MSW students, along with 300 others from across New York State, converged at the Capitol to educate legislators on Nicole’s Law https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/s6629 (enhancing suicide prevention services and education) and the Social Work Investment Initiative (student loan forgiveness and parity in reimbursements for social workers).

A group of University at Buffalo MSW students pose in front of the entrance to the New York Sate Senate Chambers in the Capitol, Albany, NY.

LEAD Student Advocates from L: Sterling James, Kat Wilson, Kristie Bailey, Brandi Pittman, Thomas Nordstrom, Kristen Hibit, Heather Johnson, Mara Brown, Sabrina Timm

This year, LEAD was organized by the NASW-NYC division of NASW-NYS.
Was it a valuable experience for the students?
Here’s what seven of the UBSSW MSW students had to say about it:

Sterling James:

The trip was completely rewarding for me because it allowed for the opportunity and experience to comprehensively approach social issues that affect everyone. Life has taught me that often times, people don’t care unless it affects them personally, however, the epidemics that society faces these days are changing the level of community concern and involvement.

Sterling James

It was rewarding to travel with my colleagues on a mission with a common goal, as straightforward as an arrow traveling towards its target. I was not able to speak directly with Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, however, I was just as excited to meet with her secretary and leave our information packet. I gained a direct link to her that I will certainly use to connect with her in the future. That was rewarding because many things are about timing, and I know that there will be another time and place that social work will cross paths with politics. It may be a social event or in another arena but it will allow for a moment to convey our messages. Just being there in Albany and connecting with someone in Peoples-Stokes office was a step towards fulfilling this future moment. There will be many many issues in our quest for social justice and I am excited to be part of the movement for change. This trip is pivotal in my journey to be a social worker.

Kat Wilson:

Going to Albany for LEAD was a great experience. The majority of social workers stay in the micro realm of the profession and the macro is not given as much attention. I loved that I got to participate and gain experience on the macro end of social work. To see in action the number of social workers that came was uplifting. I was unable to meet with my assemblyman or senator, but I talked with their staff who were very professional. I would go back again and recommend all students in the social work program attend a macro event like this!

Kat Wilson, seated on the floor, advocates for Nicole’s Law.

Kristie Bailey:

LEAD is a wonderful opportunity to put advocacy skills to the test and enjoy a moment of solidarity with social workers around the state. It’s also a great chance to bring course readings and class discussions to life in the capital. Without participating in LEAD with my colleagues at UB, I would not have realized my passion for political advocacy and macro social work.

Kristie Bailey speaking with Senator Tim Kennedy’s Chief of Staff Adam Fogel

Heather Johnson:

After taking some time to reflect on this trip, it truly was an amazing day. While I am not well-versed in politics or the political realm, we spend a lot of time in the MSW program talking about macro issues at the political level. It was really eye-opening and humbling to be part of the process for the day. While I can’t seem to find the best part of the day (so many high points), the informational session was incredibly empowering. I felt like part of a community, part of something bigger than myself and it was motivating for us to tackle the issues for the rest of the day. While we met with staff members and not with the legislators themselves, it was interesting to hear their feedback as we discussed the issues that brought us to Albany. One staff member had also worked in the behavioral health field and agreed with us on the issues – we felt heard and understood. While others took a bit more convincing, it gave us that much more motivation to be well-versed and passionate about our topics. Overall, the day was incredible. It gave me a new outlook on the social work profession and how we have the ability (and responsibility) to contribute by changing policy, laws and our profession’s history.

Seated, from L: Heather Johnson, Brandi Pittman, Kristen Hibit

Kristen Hibit:

To me, Legislative Education Advocacy Day is collective social work in action; this year saw with over 300 MSW students from all over New York State gathered in Albany. During the morning session, we had the opportunity to hear from Dr. Claire Green-Forde, Executive Director at NASW-NYC. Dr. Green emphasized the importance of understanding the intersections of macro, mezzo and micro social work practice in order to be effective change-makers and system interrupters.

Dr. Claire Good-Greene speakign at a podium, as part of the LEAD 2020 morning orientation.

Dr. Claire Good-Greene, Executive Director of the NYC Chapter of NASW-NYS.

My favorite moment of LEAD was when my colleague, Brandi Pittman, and I had the opportunity to meet with Assemblymember Karen McMahon of the 146th District. She has a daughter who is working towards her MSW and understands the importance of our profession to individual and community well-being. We had an intimate, constructive conversation with the assembly member who stated that she would work with her colleagues to support both the Social Work Investment Initiative and the passage of Nicole’s Law. We also canvassed at the offices of Assemblymember Sean Ryan and Senator Robert Ortt, where staff members agreed that social workers are essential to the provision of adequate services for their constituents. The information was well-received by each Assemblymember’s office. Overall, I appreciate having the opportunity to learn from my UBSSW colleagues in hearing their personal experiences and expertise in the area of mental health. I hope that UBSSW continues to offer this opportunity to students in the future.

Assemblywoman Karen McMahon, Center, shown with Brandi Pittman (L) and Kristen Hibit

Pam Synor:

The LEAD trip was a wonderful experience. I saw first-hand the importance of meeting face-to-face with the legislators. I learned how important it was to be well-prepared on the issues, and while in the meetings, to reach them on a human level to plead for support. I was surprised by how quickly the meetings went and saw the need for concision in asking for their support for a new bill, preferred amendments to a bill, and details regarding funding, be it $3 or $5 million increase. We needed to show the benefits to the community, and how it will be more cost-effective. I’ve always shied away from lobbying as it seemed too complicated and intimidating, yet this experience really showed me that I can do it and actually liked the feeling of advocating on a larger scale! If I were to do this again, I now know how to better prepare for such advocacy.

Assemblymember David DiPietro was very engaging and welcoming. He fully supported our causes and shared a very personal story regarding suicide within a family he knows. Senator Gallivan had a staff person meet with us. He was very different than DiPietro: very businesslike and wanted specifics of what exactly we were asking of Gallivan. I will be sending a follow-up letter to both of them, and hope to hear that the two bills we supported were passed.

Two women stand holding folders saying "LEAD Legislative Education and Advocacy Day"

Pam Synor (L), with Adrienne Ostrove, holding items from their visit to Assemblymember David DiPietro.

Sabrina Timm:

Best part of the LEAD event: I enjoyed the feeling of getting out of my comfort zone to stand up and advocate for issues that are important to me as a social worker. It was extremely empowering to see all the social workers who came out to support a larger cause. I know for certain now that macro social work is where I want to be. I plan on working in government in the future so that one day I may have the chance to inspire others like the speakers at the LEAD event.

Sabrina Timm emphasizes a point for Adam Fogel, Chief of Staff for Senator Tim Kennedy.

The time spent with Senator Tim Kennedy’s representative was worthwhile. He was very knowledgeable about the topics and initiatives we talked to him about. He listened to our concerns and I hope that Western New York social workers will continue to reach out to his office next year.

Visit NASW-NYS website for the latest on advocacy efforts: https://naswnys.org/advocacy/issues/

The UBSSW LEAD students, from Left: Thomas Nordstrom, Brandi Pittman, Kat Wilson, Pam Synor, Sabrina Timm, Heather Johnson, Kristie Bailey, Sterling James, and Kristen Hibit. Not shown: Albany area online student Adrienne Ostrove, who met us at the Capitol.

Visit NASW-NYS website for the latest on advocacy efforts: https://naswnys.org/advocacy/issues/

Sustainable Development Goals, Climate Change and Social Work Practice: 2018 Social Work Day at the United Nations

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Pat Shelly, Univ. at Buffalo School of Social Work Leave a comment

By Megan Carroll, MSW Student, University at Buffalo

World Social Work Day at the United Nations was an opportunity for students and professionals to come together to discuss emerging issues within the Social Work profession. The 2018 event, held March 25 and 26, centered around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Climate Change, and Social Work Practice.

There are 17 goals that members of the United Nations set as priorities for overall development.

A colorful chart lists 17 sustainable development goals with the UN symbol (globe with laurel branches framing it) at top, alongside the words, "Sustainable Development Goals." A circle with 17 colored segment forms the "O" in the word GOALS. The 17 goals are 1 No Povety 2 Zero Hunger 3 Good Health and Wellbeing 4 Quality education 5 Gender Equality 6 Clean Water and Sanitation 7 Affordable and clean energy 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth 9 Indusrty, Innovation and Infrastructure 10 Reduced Inequalities 11 Sustainable cities and communities 12 Responsible consumption and production 13 Climate Action 14 Life Below Water 15 Life on Land 16 Peace, Justie and Strong Institutions 17 Partnerships for the goals

Image: United Nations Development Programme

These include poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, water, energy, work, economic growth, sustainable cities, climate action, and building peace and justice – all issues social work has been tackling since the beginning of the profession. It’s only logical to have social workers actively engaged in the work being done at the macro-level.

The two-day event began with a student conference at Fordham University. Students from across the country came together to discuss issues such as the human impact of climate change, how climate has caused forced migration, natural disasters, and more. We discussed at length how social workers seek to mediate such events, from working with refugee populations, to Red Cross disaster response, including such tasks as obtaining Medically Assisted Treatment for those battling chemical dependency amidst a natural disaster. We discussed community involvement (using the phrase “nothing about us without us” to demonstrate the importance of community engagement and buy-in when it comes to program development and interventions).

nothing about us without usRicardoLevinsMorales

Image: Ricardo Levins Morales

This discussion emphasized the true generalist nature of the profession, and linked the Sustainable Development Goals together to show that despite the population one is working with, social workers are still working together for the common good.

We learned about the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development which has as its goals

· Promoting social and economic equality

· Ensuring the dignity and worth of the person

· Promoting sustainable communities and environmentally sensitive development

· Promoting well-being through sustainable human relationships.

This global agenda was drafted by members of three international organizations: International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), and the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW). It appears to align with the tenants of trauma-informed care (Safety, Trustworthiness, Choice, Collaboration, and Empowerment), which has been a major focus throughout our coursework at the University at Buffalo.

The group also discussed intervention techniques such as psychological first aid and the impacts on the care providers in working with clients of crisis, such as vicarious trauma. While discussing this, the topic of vicarious resilience surfaced – the presenter discussed this as growth and inspiration that the social worker experiences, stemming from the growth and motivation we see in clients. When the group was asked who had heard of this resilience before. I was one of the few students who was familiar with this term (way to go, UB School of Social Work, for providing us with your trauma-informed curriculum!)

The student event was also a great networking opportunity as well as a way to learn about other great programs around the country. For example, the School of Social Work at the University of Connecticut has a program to help social work students learn how to run for office!

The day at the UN was filled with hundreds of students and professionals eager to hear the progress being made in the profession in regards to environmental justice. A panel of professionals from a range of backgrounds, from academia to the New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability came together to discuss the role we as professionals play in accomplishing the UN’s development goals. The panel encouraged political engagement and leading by example as fundamental means to making lasting change.

As a student interested in Macro level work, it was refreshing to attend an event discussing “big picture” issues and programmatic efforts being made to make changes for national agencies, client groups, and the social work profession as a whole. It allowed me to see the true flexibility the MSW degree offers, as well as provided me with ideas of how different international agencies might be to work for at a Macro level at programming and policy.

Here is a link for a recording of the livestream of the event:

http://webtv.un.org/watch/35th-annual-social-work-day-at-the-united-nations/5758511015001/?term

Megan Carroll stands in front of the United Nations Building in New York City, She is a white woman, wearing glasses, a big smile and a black winter jacket. Flags from many nations are seen behind her.

Megan Carroll at UN Headquarters NYC March 26, 2018

Megan Carroll is a part-time Advanced Standing MSW student at the University of Buffalo School of Social Work. She hopes to practice macro social work. Megan works as a case manager for the nation’s first Opioid Crisis Intervention Court by day, and works at her social work field placement at Crisis Services by night.

On Social Work and Other Underappreciated Professions that Serve the Common Good

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Pat Shelly, Univ. at Buffalo School of Social Work Leave a comment

by Elizabeth Bowen, PhD, LCSW

Social Work Month 2018 logo – NASW

The murders of social worker Christine Loeber and her colleagues Jennifer Golick and Jennifer Gonzales by a former client at The Pathway Home for veterans in northern California hit me hard. This news was followed by the less widely publicized but equally tragic murder of Anthony Houston, a supervisor of a transitional living program run by the social service organization Thresholds in Chicago. I didn’t know any of these individuals personally; my grief is not that of mourning a personal loss. But I think like for many social workers and social service professionals, this news hit a nerve. I can’t help but think: Could it have been me, or one of my colleagues, my friends, my students, my mentors?

The short answer to that question is yes. This is not to exaggerate concerns about violent behavior from the people with whom social workers work. My grief in these tragedies is not only for the victims, but also for the individuals accused of committing these crimes—and for the many people who might share diagnostic labels or service needs with the alleged perpetrators and do not engage in violence, but will be unfairly stereotyped as such. Social workers work with a lot of different people in a lot of different settings, and occupational violence is a rarity for most of us. When clients do act out physically or verbally, it does not usually endanger our lives, and as social workers we also recognize that many people who perpetrate violence have experienced their own horrific trauma and abuse.

Social workers, however, are constantly in situations that are at best uncomfortable—and at worst, fatal, as The Pathway Home and Thresholds tragedies indicate. I am a professor now but in my practitioner days I did a lot of home visits with people in supportive housing. I never faced violence directly in my job but I did find myself in difficult situations, like going on a home visit to see a client we had not heard from in several days and finding him unresponsive in his bed. Not every day was like this–there were also plenty of good days, uneventful days, and even great days that left me feeling like I had the best job in the world. I also acknowledge that if some days were hard for me, they were infinitely harder for the clients themselves and their loved ones. I cared deeply about my job but it was ultimately only my job and not my life.

Social Work Month 2017: What We’ve Been Up To

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Pat Shelly, Univ. at Buffalo School of Social Work Leave a comment

by Pat Shelly

March is Social Work Month, a time for celebrating our profession and increasing awareness of social work and social workers. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has this description of the theme for 2017:

“Social workers stand up for millions of people every day. These include people who are experiencing devastating illnesses and mental health crises, our veterans, children, families and communities. Yet many people still misunderstand who social workers are and the invaluable contributions they bring to society.

NASW Logo for 2017 Social Work Month

This year we will commemorate Social Work Month with a ‘Social Workers Stand Up!’ campaign. This campaign will educate the public about the contributions of social workers and give social workers and their allies tools they can use to elevate the profession.”

During a March 13th #MacroSW Twitter Chat, the following question was asked, “For What Do You Stand Up?” The responses were wide-ranging and inspiring; we had many practitioners, advocates and students sharing ideas and actions that expressed what social workers stand up for.

Joining the chat were Greg Wright, the Public Relations Manager for NASW. Part of Greg’s job is to cover how the media portrays social workers, on the NASW site, Social Workers Speak!

As Greg told us, “NASW stands up for the social work profession and the millions of clients who social workers serve…[We are] committed to upholding the NASW Code of Ethics.”

Linda Grobman, Publisher/Editor of The New Social Worker was on the chat too. The Social Work Month 2017 Project (she offers this project annually) of the magazine,with many articles, poems and art work by contributors.

And she can be seen in a video, reading the NASW 2017 Social Work Month Proclamation.

Image: The New Social Worker

The first part of the chat addressed what people were doing to celebrate Social Work Month. There were many advocacy actions, and celebrations, and many ideas and resources offered. Social work students and other participants were from the states of Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and also from the District of Columbia. We went international, too,with someone from Canada! And toward the end of the chat, we shared movies and books that portrayed social workers in a realistic light, as fully developed characters.

poster of movie "Time Out of Mind" with Richard Gere looking tohis rights, in a watch cap/hat pulled down over forehead, with backgound of blurred people and streams of light.

image: IFC Films

Book cover, red backgorund with Pthe title USH going up vertiucally in black letters, on bottom, in white letters, is the authors name: Sapphire.

image: Penguin Random House

book cover red and ornage hot desert landscape with author name on topDInaw Mengestu and title below ALL OUR NAMES - both in white letters

image: Penguin Random House

But the question, “For what do you stand up?,” elicited a great cascade of responses. During the hour-long chat, there were 103 participants sending over 1,100 tweets. (You can read the complete archive of the tweets here.)

For this blog post, however, I offer just a couple of dozen tweets that reflect the many issues, causes and populations that social workers stand up with and for. *

I Stand For:

I stand for the mentally ill and elderly.

I’m passionate about ending the stigma against mental illness.

I stand up for and with all disadvantaged populations. Whether this be economic status, gender, race, religion, etc.

I stand up for those with developmental disabilities and their families – helping them to live their fullest lives.

I stand up for students in public schools – I stand up for children, adolescents, and education. We need access to good, supportive, and properly funded public schools!!

I stand up for children and youth with mental illness.

I stand up for social equity using an intersectional approach.

It is not enough to stand FOR others; rather, I stand with and I use my privilege to help build conditions to speak their own truth.

We stand up for the principles of Trauma-Informed Care and strive to engage all social workers in a convo. about TIC

My passion is to be a voice for male victims of DV.

Photo: Jennifer Battisti

I #standup for people experiencing homelessness.

People with criminal records and their families.

I stand against gender-based violence.

I stand up for those seeking healing amidst division and brokenness.

I stand for my clients – individuals with low vision or blind – who want to be treated as CAPABLE human being.

I stand up for positive parenting being a good and providing a positive influence on children.

I stand up for children who have been abused and neglected. Many of them don’t have a voice.

I stand up for all those who were never intended to be part of the American dream. and who live its nightmare.

I stand up for the dignity and worth of all!

I rise up for American Indian children, families, and tribes involved in child welfare, in support of tribal sovereignty & ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act).

I stand up for all immigrants and refugees.

And love, I stand for love

I stand up for people & families who are harmed by deficit-based, ineffective, & harmful interventions or policies.

My true passion is the elderly, their quality of life, and elderly abuse & neglect.

I stand for #MealsonWheels and after school programs.

My daughter is transgender, so I fight to #ProtectTransKids.

I stand up for health care for everyone. Not just the rich. And not just health insurance, but real health care!

I stand up for women. I am one. There are a lot of us. We deserve chances & we deserve equality. We deserve bodily autonomy.

I stand up for accessibility.

I #standup for social justice.

To close, here is an excerpt from the poem, “To Be of Use,” by Marge Piercy — a tribute to my colleagues in social work:

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,

who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,

who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,

who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge

in the task, who go into the fields to harvest…

[who]move in a common rhythm

when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

It’s been a good Social Work Month.

*The tweets have been edited to avoid duplication; some are combined and some punctuation has been added for readability.

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Category Archives: #SWmonth

Demystifying the seats of power in Albany: Advocacy by social work students

Sterling James:

Kat Wilson:

Kristie Bailey:

Heather Johnson:

Kristen Hibit:

Pam Synor:

Sabrina Timm:

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Inequality for All #MacroSW Live Twitter Chat 3/26/2020

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Sustainable Development Goals, Climate Change and Social Work Practice: 2018 Social Work Day at the United Nations

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On Social Work and Other Underappreciated Professions that Serve the Common Good

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Social Work Month 2017: What We’ve Been Up To

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