The 2006 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES developed as of 1/1/2006:
 
CHILD WELFARE
 
NASW will support efforts of the state Department of Human Services to hire licensed social workers and train licensed social workers and human services workers employed in the child welfare system. Are you aware that this past Maryland General Assembly Session $425,000 was appropriated from the state Board of Social Work Examiners through an initiative of Republican Governor Ehrlich's administration to (with about $800,000 matching funds from the federal government) fund a Social Workers Training Academy within the Maryland Department of Human Services? Did you know that the majority of these funds might be spent for non-social workers (human service workers) to become more skilled at their jobs? Does it concern you that at this time NONE of that appropriation has been spent/earmarked for specifically designed training? Are you aware that if the funds are not spent by February, 2006, that the $425,000 will be transferred to the state General Fund from which it could be spent on ANYTHING?
 
NASW will monitor child welfare accountability legislation which can improve the quality of group home care to children and youth in the state’s custody. Special emphasis will be placed upon how
that legislation can be implemented so as not to overburden workers in the system with paperwork, detracting from direct service work with children and families.

 
AGING
 
NASW will support and closely monitor initiatives to ease the transition of Medicare enrollees into the new Part D prescription assistance program; we are concerned as to whether or not there are any increased financial burdens.
 
NASW will carefully review legislative activities effecting the Community Choice program as well as assisted living facilities.

 
PROFESSIONAL ISSUES
 
Would you like to see social workers be recognized as able to determine whether or not an individual requires a guardian/is not competent to make decisions him/herself? NASW will lead efforts supporting the legislation that allows licensed certified social workers-clinical (LCSW-C)
to make such assessments as do psychologists.
 
NASW will also lead efforts to pass legislation allowing LCSW-C’s to make permanent impairment decisions as part of their scope of practice in workers’ compensation cases.
 
NASW supports efforts to increase compliance with Maryland's mandatory reporting (of child abuse-neglect) law.
 
 
HEALTH/MENTAL HEALTH
 
NASW is supporting Health Care for All’s initiative to increase the number within the state population eligible for health insurance and health care programs; support is for a $1 tobacco tax increase.

 
MARRIAGE EQUALITY
 
NASW supports Equality MD’s efforts to defeat a projected constitutional amendment that would prohibit same-sex couples from marrying in Maryland.

If you would like to be actively involved in Metro Washington NASW's work with Maryland NASW on these and related legislative initiatives and you reside in Maryland, please contact me, Nancy M. Pond, LICSW, at nmp10655@aol.com. We expect to be posting a related article on the Metro Chapter's website (“Advocacy MD” section) during January/February, which will contain in-depth facts about pending legislative issues and the planned activation of our Metro DC-Maryland NASW Legislative website; it will provide succinct instructions for many lobbying efforts.