Working with Vets 2

Clinical SW Survey 2

Did You Know? 3

LBSW Exam Help 3

From Where I Sit 4

President’s Letter 5

A Student’s Perspective on Voting 6

Links, etc 7

B U S I N E S S N A M E

Chapter Update Newsletter Date

Chapter Update November-December-January 2013

WHAT’S INSIDE:

SC NASW 2013 Symposium

Fired up and ready to go! Now that election season

is behind us there is another reason to get fired up:

the SC NASW 2013 Symposium is coming up

soon! The three day Symposium will be held Mon-

day, March 18-Wednesday, March 20, 2013. Due

to popular demand we are returning to last year’s

conference site, the DoubleTree Hotel in Colum-

bia, SC.

Since last May the Symposium Planning Commit-

tee has been working hard to put together a pro-

gram that will excite, refresh and inspire partici-

pants with diverse opportunities for learning. We

have an impressive group of plenary speakers and

our break out workshop abstracts are some of the

best we’ve ever seen. Just like last year we are

committed to keeping costs down and will be of-

fering early bird special pricing. As always, the

most affordable rates go to NASW members.

Please spread the word among your social work

colleagues and encourage them to join to get this

great benefit of being a member of NASW.

The Symposium Planning Committee is made up

of the following NASW members: Carla Damron

(Chapter ED); Ann Dwyer (Chair), Shirley Fur-

tick, Marjorie Hammock, Angela Howe, George

Mavroftas, Sharon Williams and Leslie Yar-

borough. We are excited about the 2013 symposi-

um and we are even more excited to see you there!

It is a great time to earn CEUs, reconnect with old

friends and make new networking connections for

Of Resilience and Advocacy

March 18-20, 2013 DoubleTree Hotel, Columbia SC

To register, visit www.scnasw.org

your career going forward. Please mark your cal-

endar for our annual SC NASW Symposium:

March 18-20, 2013. We are fired up and ready to

see you there! — Ann Dwyer, Chair

Symposium Planning Committee

Chapter Update Editorial Committee

Sandra Grimble, Chair

Carla Damron, staff

Juliana Palyok, staff

Reporters/writers wanted!

Page 2

Chapter Update

By Sandra Grimble, LISW-CP

Chair, Editorial Committee

Working as a PACT Social Worker for the VA Green-

ville Outpatient Clinic has opened my eyes to the great

sacrifices made by our veterans. It's truly a privilege to

work with men and women who gave so much for our

country. Just how much they gave for our freedom is

something difficult to comprehend.

Our work is daunting; hundreds of veterans (or so it

seems) pass through our clinic every day, and each one

deserves the best we can provide. I think of the WW II

veteran who told about watching Pearl Harbor being

bombed and how that felt for him. And the veteran who

served under General Patton who told about the long

hard trek they made in the dead of winter. These warri-

ors didn't sleep on the hot desert sand; rather, they slept

under their tanks on the hard cold ground with a blanket

of snow. Many of our warriors who served in Korea

endured severe frostbite while being pinned to the

ground by gunfire. The warriors who served in the hot

jungle were glad to feel the coolness of Agent Orange

sprayed over their heads while being unaware of the fu-

ture cost and dangers. We've had so many men and

women courageously serve in the different battles zones

across the globe. Many come home with new challenges,

and I hope my social work skills are useful to them.

On Memorial Day, our clinic had a small program to

honor our clients. For the first time, I saw the flag for

those Missing in Action and the Prisoners of War. It was

an emotional moment to see this.

Nowadays, we don't think much about our warriors be-

coming prisoners of war, but there is a decal in my of-

fice that portrays a handsome young man in uniform.

This warrior has been a POW in Afghanistan for almost

three years. He expects to spend his third Christmas

there. Bowe is now 26 years old and is our last POW in

that country. I wonder when he will be safely returned to

his family?

Warriors who left loved ones and served tours of duty in

Desert Storm, the Panama Canal, Iraq, Kuwait, Germa-

ny, France, and all the other places I cannot even begin

to name deserve our deepest respect and assistance. The

old, the young, the whole, the injured, no matter their

circumstances, deserve the best we can offer them. As

a social worker, it is an honor to work with these veter-

ans; I hope we give them half us much as they have giv-

en us.

Honoring Their Sacrifice: Working with Vets

Clinical Social Work Practice Survey

Research is actively shaping the clinical practice envi-

ronment. It is imperative that the voices of clinical so-

cial workers be included in this research, in order to

learn how the changing clinical environment is impact-

ing practice for social workers and their clients. I am

studying how the recent focus on Evidence-Based

Practice is affecting clinical social workers in practice.

This survey only takes 15-20 minutes and your partici-

pation will be kept confidential. As a thank you for

your time, I will hold a drawing by January 15, 2013

and give 5 participants $50 gift certificates to Ama-

zon.com.

*Please copy and paste the following the link to par-

ticipate in the survey: https://

www.surveymonkey.com/s/258PTGD

If you have any questions about my research or the

nature of participation, please feel free to contact me

by email at bsimmons@smith.edu. I am very interest-

Page 3

November-December-January 2013

DID YOU

KNOW?

NASW-SC

Member

Brenda Hyleman was cited in the latest

issue of the AARP Bulletin. Hyleman

has been working a volunteer with the

Vulnerable Adult Guardian Ad Litem

program. As part of the 15 county pilot

project, Hyleman helped place a 50

year old man with a terminal neurologi-

cal condition into a facility that gave

him support while allowing some inde-

pendence. Guardians advocate for their

clients and make recommendations to

the courts about what care is best for

them.

The future for the Vulnerable Adult

Guardian Ad Litem program is uncer-

tain. It began in August, 2011, and will

end in June, 2013, if legislation isn’t

passed to reauthorize it. AARP SC

would like to see it continued and ex-

panded statewide. Hyleman sees the

importance of this program: "It could be

people in your own neighborhood that

you don't even realize are having these

issues," Hyleman said. "These are mid-

dle-class, upper-middle-class families

that reach circumstances where they

can't carry on … sometimes family

members get enmeshed and don't see

how bad it is." (AARP Bulletin, Decem-

ber, 2012)

Interested social workers are encour-

aged to contact their legislators and let

them know how important it is that the

Vulnerable Adult Guardian Ad Litem

program continue. Also, the program

needs volunteers! Contact Maria Patton

at 803-777-0179.

Test Help for LBSW Exam

Inspired Consulting Group,

in partnership with the National As-

sociation of Social Workers – South

Carolina Chapter, will host a Bache-

lors Level Social Work Examination

Preparation Class.

Date: Thursday, Jan 24, 2013

from 9:00am – 5:30pm

Location: Benedict College Business Development Center

(2601 Read St, Columbia, SC)

This class focuses on preparation for the Licensed Bachelors Social

Worker Exam (LBSW, LSW, LSWA, etc). A thorough overview of

the test content will be provided as well as an analysis of test taking

strategies and tips useful for success on the exam. Topics that we

will cover include but are not limited to:

Exam Taking Strategies

Social Work Assessment & Clinical Diagnosis

Social Work Intervention Strategies

Human Growth, Behavior and Developmental Theories

Social Work Values and Ethics

Addiction, Domestic Violence and Family Dynamics

Child Welfare and Gerontology

Self Regulation and Relaxation Skills Necessary for Success

To register visit our website at www.scnasw.org

Nominations Sought!

We’ll be accepting nominations for

social work awards 2012. This is the

time to honor your colleagues, co-

workers, students, and leaders.

Awards to be presented during the

Spring Symposium.

Stay tuned for details next month!

From Where I Sit … Carla Damron, Executive Director

Page 4

Chapter Update

Have you heard about Accept ME South Carolina? It’s

a grassroots coalition launched by community partners

to raise awareness about the need for SC to accept

Medicaid Expansion, something our Governor and oth-

ers have vowed to reject. I attended a presentation by

Accept ME South Carolina; here’s what I learned.

If SC decided to accept the Medicaid Expansion,

329,000 people who currently live without health insur-

ance would become insured. These are folks whose in-

come is at 138% of the poverty level. Who would this

include?

Full-time Workers: Many hard-working South Car-

olinians make minimum wage. Even if they work

full-time, they fall within the guidelines to receive

Medicaid insurance.

Part-time Workers: Some employers hire mostly

part-time help, and avoid paying for benefits like

health insurance. Wal-Mart is a good example.

Childless adults who make under $11,000 per year

would be covered.

Parents in low income families of four making be-

tween $11,500 and $23,000 a year would be in-

sured.

For adults, Medicaid has functioned as a disability in-

surance; those with serious medical conditions (and

qualify for disability) have access to Medicaid. The

Affordable Care Act redefines Medicaid as health in-

surance that includes preventive and regular care—

medical coverage you and I may take for granted. Re-

searchers note that through screenings and treatment,

diseases such as diabetes and hypertension may be

prevented. Early diagnosis of illnesses like cancer or

cardiovascular disorders can greatly improve out-

comes. Access to early care reduces the spread of dis-

ease. For example, continuous and comprehensive

treatment of HIV/AIDS reduces the likelihood of

spreading the illness by 96% (The State Healthcare

Access Research Project, November 2012) .

But what about the cost? The federal government

picks up the tab for the expansion during the first 2

years—or rather, when we pay federal taxes, we’re

paying for the Medicaid expansion. In 2016, the state

must cover 5% of the cost, and by 2018, 10%. This is

what has triggered some opposition: can the state af-

ford the 10%? Researchers argue that this cost is off-

set by savings realized in reduced spending on uncom-

pensated care. It is estimated that in the first five years

of expanding Medicaid, SC could realize a possible net

savings of 678 million dollars.

And that’s not all.

A study by the University of South Carolina's Moore

School of Business finds that expansion would create

about 44,000 jobs by 2020. The new jobs would add

an estimated $1.5 billion in labor income and $3.3 bil-

lion in economic activity by 2020 (Greenville News,

12/7/12).

But the bottom line is this—who benefits from the

Medicaid expansion? The 329,000 South Carolinians

who would receive insurance coverage would. The

businesses that employ minimum wage full-time

workers and part-time workers, but don’t offer insur-

ance would—they’d have a healthier work force. Hos-

pitals would—as the expansion will cover some of the

1.2 billion dollars they spend on uncompensated care.

You and I benefit, too. Access to healthcare reduces

the spread of disease. We would see a decline in dis-

parities (low income people have higher rates of heart

disease and diabetes) and a healthier, more productive

population.

One last note: we pay federal taxes. So if SC doesn’t

accept the expansion, our dollars are funding other

states that DO accept it. I’m all for California having

great health outcomes, but I’d rather my tax dollars be

spent where I live.

So yes, South Carolina, we need to accept Medicaid

Expansion; the health of our fellow South Carolinians

is a smart investment.

The President’s Letter by Mike Ottone, MSW, ACSW, LISW-CP, CPM

Page 5 November-December-January 2013

Mike Ottone

Hello SC Social Workers & Friends,

Wow. Shocking. Scary, hurtful, upsetting.

I finally found the time to write in this busy time of

year; I had nearly decided some topics to discuss…but

this is the day of the shooting in Connecticut: innocent

young children, victims, and so many hurting families.

We all express our outrage and our sympathy; ask our

questions about who, why, and how, reach for the com-

fort and security of our own families.

My heart goes out to them all, knowing there is little I

can directly do for them. WLTX, the local TV news

station just posted this on their FB page:

“Tonight, when you're putting your

kids to bed, give them an extra, com-

forting hug....comforting for

them....and also, comforting for you.

Look directly into their eyes and tell

them how much you love them and

how important they are to you.

Then....give them another hug.”

I don’t think there is any more direct nor concise way to

say it. Love your family and friends. Everyday.

At this time of year, the holidays are here, the elections

are over, messages of hope, love, and forgiveness

abound. Let us not be divided anymore. Don’t be too

busy for your children, your parents, your friends.

Spend time together. Smile, laugh, and live.

Happy Holidays to everyone! Bring in the

New Year with hope, optimism and love!

America's present need is not

heroics but healing; not nos-

trums but normalcy; not revo-

lution but restoration.

——-Warren G. Harding

Social Work resource to help others

(and ourselves) deal with the trag-

edy in Newtown:

http://sswaa.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&s

ubarticlenbr=500

Copy and paste link in your brows-

er.

Page 6

Chapter Update

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Confusion and chaos

are the words that best

describe the scene I

walked into at a vot-

ing poll in Richland

County this past elec-

tion as part of the

Election Protection

Coalition, a non-

partisan group work-

ing to ensure that all

voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the

political process.

I was shocked when I arrived at the polling location at

9:15 AM to find that the line was already out of the

door and down the sidewalk. As I squeezed my way

through the bottleneck of people jumbled around the

entrance, I realized that the line continued down the

hallway and wrapped around the inside of the center.

By10:00 AM one of the five machines had broken

down and was causing significant delays. Each pre-

cinct is required to have four machines per 1,000 vot-

ers; this particular precinct should have had at least

twelve machines but was operating with only four

working machines. Mrs. Fox, another election protec-

tion volunteer and USC Law Professor, made a trip to

the Election Commission Office to pick up paper bal-

lots in order to help move people through the line

quicker.

While I waited for her to return, I called the Election

Protection Headquarters to ask if there was anyone I

could call to come and fix the broken machine. I was

astounded to find out that most precincts had at least

one broken machine and many had more than one ma-

chine down. A few locations had no working voting

machines at all at various points in the day. If there

was a precinct where a machine was not broken, they

were in the minority. For the voters at my precinct,

there was nothing to do except wait for the needed re-

pairs or for the paper ballots. (This problem was even

more outrageous when I heard about the 200+ unused

voting machines sitting at the Election Commissions

office; information I would only find out later.)

A Student’s Perspective, Kiesha Webb

Page 7

November-December-January 2013

Line at Benedict College Precinct on Elec-

tion Day

Mrs. Fox returned a few hours later empty handed; the

election commission had refused to give her paper bal-

lots stating that they only give paper ballots in situa-

tions where there is an emergency. Because voters at

most precincts were waiting in lines for long hours to

vote, this did not count as an emergency.

The poll workers were exasperated because voters

were receiving misinformation. The line was a never-

ending stream of people, some of whom took their frus-

trations out on the poll workers and volunteers.

This is a scene that played out at many polling loca-

tions in Richland County and for some locations it was

much worse. Thousands of people ranging from college

students to the elderly waited in the cold for hours to

cast their ballots; some didn’t get to vote until 2 AM

the following morning. As a result, many voters walked

away from the polls without voting this year.

However, the problems did not stop when the final

vote was cast. WISTV and WLTX reported that when

the initial numbers came in from the State Elections

Commission on Election Night, it was announced that

Democrat Joe McCulloch had won the House seat

against Republican Kirkman Finlay. The announce-

ment had to later be retracted, because after the tally of

the absentee ballots was completed the results showed

that Finlay had actually won.

The Democratic Party filed a lawsuit to

have all county ballots seized by state

law enforcement for a recount. A local

judge granted a temporary order, and

SLED seized the ballots, turning them

over to the State Election Commission

for a recount. Eventually, after peti-

tions and protests from both sides, the

state supreme court would halt the re-

count (THE STATE NEWSPAPER,

11/10/12).

Adding another layer to this election

chaos: news reports surfaced that, as

the results were in the process of being

certified nearly a month after the elec-

tion, officials found two bags with 150

uncounted ballots in the closet at the election office; the

ballots had to once again be recounted.

The final recount took place on November 19, 2012

and was officially certified. However, although the re-

count is over, the investigation into how this fiasco oc-

curred is still on-going. One thing is certain: voting is a

right, a privilege, and a responsibility of the citizens of

our state—but it needn’t be the ordeal voters suffered

on November 6, 2012 in Richland County.

BECOME A CHAPTER LEADER! Join the leadership team and contribute your time and

valuable skills to the NASW SC chapter. This is an op-

portunity for professional growth and to demonstrate

your commitment to the social work community. Va-

cancies for NASW SC chapter elected positions as of

June 2013, include:

Board of Directors positions:

President –elect (2013-2014 and a two- year term as

president)

Vice President (2013-2015)

Member- at large (2013-2015)

Student and Unit Representatives (Central, Pee

Dee, Southern and Western)

In addition, the Chapter Committee for Nominations

and Leadership Identification needs unit representation

from all areas. If interested in any of these vacancies,

contact Nancy Born at nborn@sc.rr.com or Carla at

cdamron@scnasw.org. Nominations due 2/15/13.

We love your stories!

Primary Business Address

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NASW’s New Online CEU Pro-

vider

CEUSchool’s goal is to provide you with quality on-line course content in a format that is conven-ient to use, affordable, and relevant for today's social worker. Their site offers fully accredited

NASW classes that meet all of your CEU needs. You will receive the same academic benefits that you would enjoy at an onsite facility, along with the flexibility and self-paced learning that comes

with an online education.

Register with CEUSchool through NASW South Carolina and you will automatically receive 3

FREE credits !!

The PACE online fundraising tool has been officially

launched! It can be found at :

http://socialworkers.org/pace/default.asp

There’s also a link to it from www. socialworkers. org.

Please remember that all online contributions will be shared

with the chapters, just like contributions we receive

through membership renewals. So it’s in our interest to

promote the new online fundraising capability.

NASW SC encourages everyone to contribute noteworthy information for Chapter Update. All material should be typed

and emailed to the Chapter Office. Chapter Update is published by the National Association of Social Workers South

Carolina Chapter.

Advertisement space and fees: 1/4 page, 1/2 page, full page: $125. Members seeking employment may advertise at no

cost. Rental of membership labels is available for a one-time user fee of $95 plus S&H. Position vacancies may be adver-

tised at a flat rate of $25 (not to exceed 15 lines). Members may run camera ready business card ads for $20. SC NASW

reserves the right to accept, reject or edit advertisements and notices of events based on publication schedule, space limi-

tations and appropriateness. The views expressed in Chapter Update do not necessarily represent positions of NASW.

Because of the commitment of NASW to nondiscriminatory personnel practices, advertisers in NASW publications, by

action of the NASW Board of Directors, must affirm that they are equal opportunity employers. For violations of profes-

sional ethics or personnel practices, a person may file a complaint with the NASW SC Chapter Committee on Inquiry.

For information, write the Chapter Office at 2537 Gervais Street, Columbia SC 29204 or call 803-256-8406. For infor-

mation regarding: Social work licensure, call or write the Board of Social Work Examiners, PO Box 11329, Columbia,

SC 29211-1329, 803-896-4665, www.llr.state.sc.us