Moving the Ohio Chapter ForwardRestoring Ohio as a Mega Chapter

We have the potential…Membership Status of All Licensed Social Workers

in Ohio

Non-MembersMembers

What’s the problem?

6/30/2005 6/30/2006 6/30/2007 6/30/2008 6/30/2009 6/3o/2010 * 6/30/2011235,000.00

240,000.00

245,000.00

250,000.00

255,000.00

260,000.00

265,000.00

Seven Year Comparison of Membership Dues

Problems with Membership• Transitional Members- We

have a hard time retaining members after their first year

• Regular Members- We have a hard time recruiting full paying members

NASW Ohio needs YOU

NASW members have to recruit other social workers to join or we will not reach our goal

BECOME A NASW AMBASSADOR

You should join NASW! This is why I’m a member…

Reach out to…• Your colleagues• Individual social workers• Your interns• Groups• Employers/Agencies• Individual professors• Classes• Universities• Associates

NASWHero

? ?Potential Members want to know…What’s in it for me?

? ?

Key Message- NASW is here for you!

• There are many issues affecting the profession. NASW is actively working to protect the profession of social work. NASW is here for you.• Workplace Safety• Educational Debt• Low salaries• High caseload ratios

• Professional social workers are members of their professional association

• NASW has a complete inventory of resources to help make your work easier so you can better serve your clients, advance professionally, and stay protected from liability in your daily practice … NASW has the tools to help you succeed.

NASW has SolutionsChallenges Solutions

Record Economic Crisis Legislative Advocacy to support responsible actions by officials.

Loss of jobs all across the profession National Employment Network

Decreases in funding and programs for higher education

Social Work Reinvestment Act

Loss of record amount of services threatening our safety net

Partner in coalitions to fight for services

Increased Demand for services Continuing Education

Risk associated with practicing social work

Liability Insurance

NASW has SolutionsChallenges Solutions

Limited understanding of the profession

Community outreach and public education campaign

Lack of title protection Continue to fight for title protection through reinvestment

Continued need for up to date education and training

Provide comprehensive trainings in needed areas

Lack of perceived power Education and training for productive advocacy

Licensure Worked to ensure there was state licensure to protect profession

Support and Protection• Ethics Consultation Line• Licensure• We helped to create licensure and we are here to protect it

• Insurance• Discounted malpractice, disability, and other types

NASW is the advocate for social workers. NASW is the only

advocate for the profession as a whole.

Advocacy• NASW is the voice for social workers and those that we serve

at the state and federal levels• The Ohio Chapter is a member of 18 coalitions to address

client needs• The top priorities of the Ohio Chapter are social worker safety,

educational debt, and salaries.

With 4,000 members NASW Ohio Chapter is a strong advocate. Imagine our voice at 5,000+

CEUs- Free and Discounted• WebEd• Lunchtime Series• NASW Ohio Chapter Online CEUs• Regular calendar of workshops• Regional offerings

Members can get most of their 30 CEUs for free or at a steep

discount.

Specialty Sections• These professional communities focus on a single practice

area, keeping you up-to-date on research, professional development, and other practice-specific news and information that you can apply to your work or studies.

You can get information and CEUs that are specific to your

area of practice when you join a specialty section.

Communications• National• NASW News• Website• Research journals• Leadership Ladders• Practice Perspectives

• State• Ohio Update, printed newsletter• Monthly e-Newsletter• Weekly updates• Website

Communications at both the State and Federal level have improved in

the past two years. NASW membership

keeps you updated and

informed.

Social Media

• National• Socialworkersspeak.org• Beasocialworker.org

• State• Facebook• Twitter• LinkedIn

The Ohio Chapter has a “Job of the

Day” on Facebook

and Twitter

Career Services• National• Social Work Career Center- Ability to post your resume and have

employers find you• State• CareerConnection- Has networking opportunities, licensure

information, continuing education opportunities and more!

As a member of NASW you get access to job listings at a state

and federal level. The Ohio Chapter’s CareerConnection

usually has anywhere from 40-80 jobs listed!

Other• Recognition by regional, state, and national awards

• Scholarships for students

• Discounts• NASW Wireless Center• Pennywise Office Supplies• Hotel Discounts• Car Rental Discounts

The Details• Members can join for the FIRST time online at

www.socialworkers.org, by calling 1-800-742-4089, or by filling our a paper application

• If a member has been expired for more than 3 months they can only call the phone number or submit a paper application

• Credit cards can be taken by collecting the information on the paper application

Cost of Membership• Regular Full Member• MSW & DSW & PhD Full Membership Dues Annually: $190• BSW Full Membership Dues Annually: $125

• Student Member (Must be from a CSWE school)• BSW & MSW Student Membership Dues Annually: $48• Doctoral Student (in a Social Work/Social Welfare Program) Membership

Dues Annually: $143• TRANSITIONAL RATES

• Associate Member• Associate Membership Dues Annually: $190• Open to any person who has a professional interest in, or is supportive

of, the issues addressed by, or the client populations served by, the social work profession. Associate members may not hold national or chapter elective office. After five years of continuous membership, associate members are granted the right to vote in national or chapter elections.

COMMUNICATING THESE BENEFITS TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN MEMBERS

Creating “Seven Exposures” to NASW

1. Regular presentations to schools and agencies on membership

2. Asking supervisors or faculty/staff to talk to their supervisees or students about the importance of membership (Mentor to mentee asks)

3. Peer to peer dialogue and asks4. Regular media coverage of NASW5. Strong social media presence6. Newsletter campaigns to potential/lapsed members- use the

newsletter as our top marketing item7. Posters in schools and agencies

Identify Yourself• Identify yourself as a social

worker, NASW member and leader

• Add it to your signature line

• We can make business cards for you

• Add it to your resume

PROUDSOCIAL

WORKER & NASW MEMBER

The best thing you can do is just tell those around you

about the benefits

Peer to Peer Recruitment

Ways to Encourage others to Join• Send an application to a colleague• Encourage others to join online- add

the link to join to your e-mail signature

• Share your positive experiences• Mention NASW services• Send them a copy of the newsletter• Write an article for your

organization’s/ university’s newsletter about joining NASW

• Don’t forget to follow-up

Doing Presentations• Contact employers, professors, or

schools to setup presentations• Use PowerPoints on disc• Provide handouts• Talk about your own experience

and why membership is important to you

Asking Others to Ask Others• Expand the network of ambassadors- ask your colleagues to

ask other social workers or associates to join

• Provide them with a toolkit

Making the ASK• Ask if the person is a member of NASW• Tell them why you are a member• Respond to their excuses• Provide a mechanism to join (referral to website, paper

application)• Follow up

Join NASW today!

Common Excuses

It Costs too much!• Focus on the cost per month (no more than $15.83)• It all comes down to priorities. What is their priority for their money?

Protecting their career or a lunch at a restaurant?

• NASW is the same or cheaper than other professional associations. You also get 2 memberships for one- national and state membership • American Counseling Association (No State office)- $175• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy- $250• Association of Behavioral Health Management (No state office)-

$200• American Case Management Association (No state office)- $135• American Nurses Association- $548

Common Excuses

I’m Retired why should I join/reinstate?

Response- Retired social workers are critical to forming a strong, collective voice for social workers.

Common Excuses

I’m unemployed why should I join/reinstate?

Response- NASW membership demonstrates your commitment to the profession and many employers are looking for membership on your resume. NASW also provides you with many career resources like job listings.

Common Excuses

I’m a student why should I join/reinstate?

Response- NASW membership for students is only $48 per year. Part of being a professional social worker is being a part of your professional association. You should join now to take advantage of the reduced rate and start building your career as a social worker!

Common Excuses

NASW isn’t doing anything for me in my area of practice

Response: NASW is engaged in advocacy and provides resources for nearly all areas of practice within social work.

Let’s Practice• Ask someone to join

• 30 second “elevator” speech on NASW

Topic Triggers

Licensure• We were instrumental in passing mandatory licensure

legislation in Ohio in 1986.• We monitor rule changes to ensure that our ability to practice

across our scope is not diminished.• We are advocating elimination of the civil service exemptions

which allows non-social workers to have the title social worker.

Topic Triggers

Schools / Education• We have lobbied educational reform in Ohio to include

licensed social workers. • We advocated against educational funding cuts in the state

budget• We are lobbying for educational debt relief for social workers

in Ohio in the form of loan forgiveness, grants, or scholarships.• Nationally, we introduced “Dorothy I Height, Whitney M Young

Jr. Reinvestment Act” – seeks to provide loan forgiveness for graduates who practice in high need areas.

Topic Triggers

Professional Continuing Education• We offer CE series both locally and through teleconferences

on a national level.• We provide specialty practice sections to further education for

specific social work fields.• We successfully advocated for the reduction of CEU’s required

to help offset the 2008 increase in licensure fees for social workers.

• We keep social workers educated and up to date on HIPAA Guidelines through website resources.

Topic Triggers

Children / Safety• We participate in coalitions that seek to protect children and

families • We conduct political advocacy for legislation that would

increase services and safety for children.• Nationally, we have a new online tool kit for suicide

prevention in teenage girls called NASW SHIFT Project: Suicide Prevention for Adolescent Girls; Shifting Behavior Shifting Outcomes.

Topic Triggers

Health Care• We support Health Care for Americans Now (HCAN).• We support President Obama’s effort to enact health care

reform which includes protecting families’ financial health, making health care coverage affordable, working towards universality, providing portability of coverage, guaranteeing choices, investing in health and wellness, improving quality of care and maintaining sustainability.

• We are a strong supporter of mental health parity.

Topic Triggers

Economy / Poverty / Unemployment• 27.8% of young children in Ohio lived below or near poverty

(2005) therefore we actively oppose budget cuts that contribute to the increase in poverty, homelessness and loss of services for all of OH’s citizens.

• We provide job listings for social workers on a national and state level.

• NASW/Assurance Services refunded 15% of some insurance premiums to assist in times of economic hardships.

Topic TriggersStrengthening the Profession• At the state level, we are addressing issues of workplace safety, educational debt, and

low salaries.• “Dorothy I Height, Whitney M Young Reinvestment Act” – federal legislation to

elevate the profession of social work through investment in education, safety and research.

• Social Work Month Activities including recognition for outstanding peers and educating the public about the importance and breadth of the field of social work.

• “The Foundation” run by national is committed to enriching the social work profession and encouraging social workers to be leaders in social policy and practice through education, research and local projects.

• National Social Work Public Education Campaign informs the public on a variety of ways that social workers help families, communities and individuals and it is totally funded by donations, not by member dues.

• The NASW Pioneers Program that honors distinguished social workers who have made a difference and it informs the public on the contributions they have made.

• Helpstartshere.org serves as a consumer website that helps the community learn about how a social worker can help them and how to access a social worker.

Topic Triggers

Community Advocacy• We offer training to teach social workers and the general

public how to easily and effectively conduct advocacy surrounding public policy.

• We assist social workers in advocacy activities by providing programs and list serves to identify topics that need support and allowing them to easily conduct those advocacy activities through letters and phone calls.

Topic Triggers

Elections / Officials• National and State level PACE committee’s investigate and

research persons running for office to determine if they support social work values

• NASW PACE provides endorsements and community support for those who represent our values.

Topic Triggers

Legal Support• Legal Defense Fund provides financial legal assistance and

support for legal cases and issues of concern to NASW members and the social work profession.

• LDF also supports educational projects and programs to improve the legal status and knowledge of the social work profession.

• We file Amicus Briefs expressing the social work perspective of social justice in multiple cases. Some recent examples were in support of gay parent’s rights to maintain relationships with the children they had raised and maintaining employment after initiating a sexual harassment investigation.

• We keep social workers educated and up to date on HIPAA Guidelines through website resources.

Topic Triggers

Equality• The Ohio Chapter is a member of the Equality Ohio coalition

that is currently seeking the passage of a bill that would prohibit housing and employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation

• We were a major supporter for the Fair Pay Act that was signed by President Obama continuing the fight for women’s equal rights.

Topic Triggers

Insurance (Provided through Assurance Services)• Offers professional liability / malpractice insurance, student

liability and agency liability.• Offers group life, disability and accident insurance.• Refunded 15% of life and disability premiums to help in hard

economic times.• Provides guidance on understanding and avoiding malpractice.• Launched a new “Health Choices Program” which can help

members locate affordable health insurance if they qualify.