Author: Janet Doss, KSCSW Board Member 
I was a part of a collaborative group of social workers that attended a meeting with the Commissioner for the Cabinet for Families and Children services on Thursday, May 24th. Our main reason and goal for the meeting was to ask questions about the recent news release by Governor Bevin about the High School Apprentice Program for students to work in the social work field.  The meeting was an hour long. Commissioner Johnson and her staff were in attendance; they talked about the program for approximately 50 minutes leaving very little time for questions. There was a tremendous about of information given during the 50 minutes and the information given was very confusing and disjointed leaving the collaborative group with more questions than before the meeting.

There was a great representation of social workers in the collaborative group; there were social workers from many geographic areas of KY, representation from several different organizations and social workers affiliated with several different colleges and universities as well as the KY NASW lobbyist.  After the meeting, the collaborative group discussed many concerns and possible ways to object effectively to the implementation of this program but also agreed that as a group of professions, we need to concentrate on how we can protect and advocate for our profession.  The group all agreed, we need to revisit the idea of lobbying to change licensure laws in KY to require all social workers to be licensed. This would mean changing the exemption section of the licensure requirement for social workers.

​Since this meeting Commissioner Johnson resigned from her appointed position so there has not bee any additional updates on the program proposal.

Author: Jennifer Connor-Godbey, President, KSCSW Board of Directors
Social work is a highly skilled profession that requires rigorous training, extensive practice, thorough supervision, demanding certification and ongoing education. In light of this fact, the KSCSW Board of Directors has significant concerns about the family and social services apprenticeship program Gov. Matt Bevin announced last week.  While we agree that the deficit in social worker resources facing the state demands addressing, we are not convinced that the governor’s proposed solution is the answer.   

The KSCSW Membership Committee sends out a heart-felt "Thank you!" to all the KSCSW members who participated in the 2018 edition of March Membership Madness. This year's annual membership drive was our most successful one yet, with 21 new members joining and 35 current members renewing their memberships for another full year. All of these folks were winners because they saved $25 on their annual membership fees. However, several members won additional prizes in a special drawing for which all renewing and new members were eligible. Here are the winners for the March Membership Madness Prize Drawings:

• 2019 Psychology Networker Symposium: Lisa Berman
• $100 Gift Card: Emma Lovely
• $50 Amazon Gift Card: Verne Webb, Cynthia K. Hess and Jessica Sucik

In addition, several other members received $25 Amazon gift cards as rewards for referring their colleagues to join KSCSW during the membership drive. Thanks again to everyone who participated in March Membership Madness 2018. We look forward to even more fun, prizes  and special member benefits next year!

Author:  Janet Doss, KSCSW Board Member
The clinical social workers of Kentucky lost a pioneer in our community when Pat Wellons passed away on Saturday, April 7. Pat was one of a handful of social workers who worked diligently in the early 1980s to have legislation passed that established licensure criteria for clinical social work and other professional disciplines. During her 45 years in Kentucky, she was active in KCSSW, the Kentucky chapter of NASW, and other national clinical social work organizations.

​Pat practiced social work in California and Arizona before moving to Lexington in 1973. She received her LCSW in 1975 and entered private practice in 1977. Over the years she supervised many social workers as they worked to develop their clinical skills. Pat was a lifelong progressive and tireless advocate for the rights of minorities, women and children, and those suffering from mental illness. In her free time, Pat loved to travel, spend time with friends, and relax at her condo in Gulf Shores, Alabama. She also loved to spend time with her family, especially her son, Bradley, and her grandson, Jackson.

Pat made an impact on countless Kentucky clinical social workers, both professionally and personally, and she will be missed by many. Those whose lives Pat touched are invited to a memorial service for her on Saturday, April 14. The service, which will begin at 10 a.m., will take place at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in Lexington. Visitation is scheduled for Friday, April 13, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the downtown Lexington location of Milward Funeral Directors, 159 North Broadway.

To learn more about this inspiring clinician and her varied contributions to our profession and the citizens of Kentucky, please read her obituary.

Author: Jeff Yocom, KSCSW Board Member
The Kentucky Society for Clinical Social Work has partnered with the Wayne Institute for Advanced Psychotherapy at Bellarmine University to provide $1,000 scholarships for the Institute to all KSCSW members who join the society or renew their memberships during March Membership Madness.  (These scholarships are applicable for the next academic year and contingent upon the registrant meeting Institute admission requirements.) To help KSCSW members understand the full value of these scholarships, I want to share my personal experience as a student in the Wayne Institute during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Author: Jeff Yocom, KSCSW Board Member
March Membership Madness is a month-long opportunity for KSCSW members to save money and win prizes while renewing their current memberships and encouraging colleagues to join.

• During the month of March, any current member who renews their membership will receive a $25 discount on the annual renewal fee. That means extending your membership for 12 months costs only $75 rather than the usual $100.
• Every current member who renews in March will also be entered into a drawing for fabulous prizes, including three $50 Amazon gift cards, a $100 Amazon Gift Card, and a free registration at the 2019 Psychotherapy Networker Symposium, to meet in Washington DC in March 2019. (A $450 value!)
• Every member who renews in March will also receive a $1,000 scholarship applicable towards registration in the Wayne Institute for Advanced Psychotherapy at Bellarmine University during the 2018-19 academic year. (Members must meet program admission requirements to redeem this scholarship.) 

This chance to save money and win prizes is not limited to current members! Any individual eligible for KSCSW membership who joins as a new member during March will receive a $25 discount on their initial membership fee, will be entered in the prize drawings, and will receive the $1,000 scholarship for the Wayne Institute of Advanced Psychotherapy. (Program admission requirements must be met.)

And during March Membership Madness, new and long-time members alike can earn a $20 Amazon gift card for every colleague they recruit to join KSCSW. The new member simply has to enter the existing member's email address as the referral source when registering, and the existing member will receive a $20 Amazon gift card. (The new member must provide the email address under which the the referring member is registered, and only new memberships, meaning those who have never joined KSCSW, will qualify for a Refer a Colleague reward.)

Renew your KSCSW membership today, and you will:

• Save $25 on the annual renewal fee
• Receive a $1,000 scholarship
• Get registered to win great prizes!

If you are not currently a KSCSW member, join KSCSW now, and you too will enjoy all these limited-time benefits!

Author: Jennifer Connor Godbey, President, KSCSW Board
Earlier this year the effort for restructuring our Boards was delayed, recently there is a substantial “rumor” that Governor Bevin will be signing an Executive Order to restructure our independent KY Board of Social Work, along with 39 other boards that the Public Protection Cabinet is determined to restructure into “unit” boards before the end of the year. KSCSW and NASW-KY along with other professional boards have collaborated to maintain the position that our independent KY Board of Social Work must remain independent and not be restructured as part of an eight board unit. We must stress that restructuring does not save tax payer money because it is our licensure dues that support our independent KY Board of Social Work. In fact, our licensure dues may go into the General Fund and we are deeply concerned about how our dues will be used to maintain and support the current excellence, and future growth, of our KY Board of Social Work if this Executive Order is signed.