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WHAT'S NEW... The 2010 NASW-VA Annual Conference Call For Papers Now Available! Perseverance and Possibility 2010 Annual Conference March 5 & 6, 2010 Williamsburg Lodge The Call for Papers for NASW-Virginia's 2010 Annual Continuing Education Conference is now open. This call, by NASW-VA’s Annual Conference Committee, is to solicit proposals for presentations at our statewide continuing education conference which will be held March 5 and 6, 2010 in Williamsburg, VA. All topics are welcome.  In addition to clinical workshop proposals, NASW-VA is interested in proposals for private practice, non-clinical, or administration-focused workshops.  How to Submit: To download the 2010 Call for Papers, click here. For the online submission form, click here. Please note, the deadline for submission of papers is September 18, 2009. The selection process is a peer review process.  You will be notified by October 5, 2009 regarding your acceptance.  Letters of regret will be mailed by October 19, 2009. YOUR CHAPTER AT WORK: NASW-VA REACTS TO TRAGEDY, ADVOCATES PROFESSIONAL AND CONSUMER PROTECTIONS In response to the recent stories detailing the tragic death of Alexis “Lexie” Agyepong–Glover in Prince William County, Virginia, NASW-VA has released the following Letters to the Editor: Dear Editor: In an article published on June 18, 2009, the tragic death of Alexis “Lexie” Agyepong –Glover in Prince William County and the subsequent firing of the social worker who handled her case was reported by your newspaper. As the Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Virginia Chapter, I express my sincerest condolences for the loss of Alexis, as she is truly an innocent victim of our imperfect system. Alexis’ case represents a concern that NASW has been working for three years to address in the state of Virginia— title protection for social workers. NASW considers a professional social worker to be someone with a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate in social work.  Only with the proper education do we believe that social workers will have the knowledge, training and expertise necessary to prevent tragedies such as in the case of Alexis. Currently, the Virginia Department of Social Services is not required to hire degreed social workers for case worker positions, which can be harmful to vulnerable children and families.  While we do not know whether or not the social workers who handled Alexis’ case had a social work degree, we strongly believe that if title protection and licensure requirements were in place, there would be more accountability on behalf of the social workers to ensure that proper protocol is followed in sensitive cases such as this. A recent report by the Virginia Board of Social Work found that there is potential harm for citizens, especially those most vulnerable,  such as children, who receive services from those who present themselves as social workers but are not licensed and accountable to a regulatory board. NASW has tried repeatedly to share this concern with state legislators to no avail. The social work profession has and always will continue to work on behalf of children who have been abused and neglected.  We hope that this tragedy will bring to light the importance of proper training and education for social workers in Virginia, for the sake of the people who have the most to lose without it. Debra Riggs Executive Director National Association of Social Workers, Virginia Chapter Follow NASW-VA on Facebook! NASW-Virginia is proud to announce that we have a new look on Facebook! Please click here to become a fan of NASW-VA and keep up to date on all of the exciting comings and goings in the Chapter! While you're there, check out our upcoming events, browse through photos from the 2009 Annual Conference, or start a discussion on our discussion board! Become a fan of NASW-VA on Facebook before Monday, June 8th and a get a sneak peek of the 2010 Conference a week before anyone else! NASW Position and Response to the Economic Crisis Many questions are coming in daily about NASW's policies and position on the Economic Crisis. For more details related to Social Work Speaks and the Economic Crisis, please click here for the full informational sheet.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS NASW-Sponsored*^ Workshops Clinical Supervision Certification Program September 17-18, 2009 Charlottesville, VA October 16-17, 2009 Richmond, VA November 6-7, 2009 Hampton, VA November 13-14, 2009 Fairfax, VA Click here to see what Social Workers are saying about  NASW-VA's Clinical Supervision Certification Program Supplemental Clinical Supervision Training Module (NOTE: This module is specifically for those who have taken the NASW-VA Certified Supervision 12-hour training) October 15, 2009 Richmond, VA November 5, 2009 Hampton, VA November 12, 2009 Fairfax, VA LCSW Exam Prep Course September 25, 2009 Richmond,  VA September 25, 2009 Roanoke, VA October 23, 2009 Fairfax, VA December 11, 2009 Hampton, VA "Special Needs Children and Their Families" October 9, 2009 Charlottesville, VA Other Workshops**Accredited by NASWVA VIEW ALL EVENTS *  Free CE Certificates offered with NASW-Sponsored workshops. ^ In case of cancellation of an NASW-VA CE event, you will be notified by e-mail, and every effort will be made to place an announcement on the Chapter phone and Web site. ** CE Certificates are $5 for members and $10 for non-members for workshops sponsored by other organizations and accredited by NASW-VA.