From the Pen of NASW-Nevada Board President
Victor Ingram, (He/Him) LCSW
As we start the 2022-2023 school year, the Biden administration has followed through on his campaign promise for student loan forgiveness. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) thanks President Biden for announcing a plan to provide student loan relief for millions of Americans. NASW will continue to advocate for more action to help social workers struggling with student loan debt.
“We recognize that student loan debt burden significantly impacts the social work workforce, especially social workers of color and those who are first-generation college graduates," NASW CEO Angelo McClain, Ph.D., LICSW, said. “We thank President Biden and champions in Congress for their steadfast work to provide meaningful relief to student loan borrowers." -NASW, National Office
Here are some links to help navigate the relief program:
https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement/
https://studentaid.gov/pslf/
You have until October 31st, 2023 to apply!
I would like to take this time and remind you of the annual conference this year will be virtual! 2022 Social Work Virtual Mental Health Conference Reconnecting Through Social Work Oct. 13th and 14th, 2022 Hosted by NASW-Nevada and NASW-North Dakota.
We have many amazing topics and speakers at this year’s conference. We are excited to see so many of you attending and networking with Nevada social workers and even social workers from around the USA as you earn up to 9 CEUs!
The last thing I would like to touch on today is the listening session regarding the ASWB possible bias in the testing of social workers. I would like to thank everyone who came and shared their thoughts on the test and I would like to thank Karen Oppenlander, LISW from the Nevada State Board of Examiners for Social Work, for attending and sharing her perspective with us. I want to remind you this is just the being of these conversations and finding ways to address the disparity and the iniquity, in the pass-fail rate. It is imperative that we examine all aspects of social work in Nevada and be prepared to engage in open and difficult discussions regarding how we can make Nevada a more welcoming state for clinicians. It is our duty, as the leading advocate for social workers in Nevada, to build coalitions locally so that we can take actionable steps toward creating a more equitable system.
I would like to thank you all for all of the thankless work you do every day for our communities, without you all we would be lost.
Victor S. Ingram, MSGL, MSS, MSW, LCSW
"In no other profession is the cost of being unprepared as unforgiving, often resulting in mission failure and unnecessary casualties." - Army FM 6-22