Social Work Day at the Legislature

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1 Background and Mission Social Work Day at the Legislature The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest professional association of social workers in the world with over 145,000 members and 56 chapters. The dual mission of the NASW is to promote, develop, and protect the practice of social work and social workers, and to enhance the effective functioning and well-being of individuals, families, and communities through its work and through its advocacy. The NASW Arizona Chapter mission is to unite and support social workers for the betterment of communities. NASW-Arizona Chapter advocates for social workers and social work values through: 1. NASW-Arizona Chapter Public Policy Committee (PPC) NASW-Arizona members volunteer their time to serve this committee. The goal of the PPC is to educate, inform, and engage NASW-AZ members about issues related to candidate election, public policy issues and the legislative process. If you are interested in joining, please 2. Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) The PACE committee represents social workers in state and local elections and builds grassroots networks through member political education and mobilization. The PACE committee endorses state and local candidates and collaborates with the national NASW PACE unit during federal elections. The members are nonelected, but do have to be approved by the Chapter s Board of Directors. If you are interested in joining, please pacechair@naswaz.com. The NASW-Arizona Chapter supports legislation related to social work values: Service Importance of Human Relationships Social Justice Integrity Dignity and Worth of a Person Competence

2 Social work professionals, students, faculty Welcome to "Social Work Day at the Legislature 2014! Social Work Day at the Legislature is a unique experience for social work professionals, students, and faculty to increase your knowledge of the legislative process and your role in social and political change. Attendees will learn about our 2014 legislative priorities and advocate for the issues that concern social workers in Arizona. Attendees may register for one of the two dates, Feb. 19 or Feb. 27, online at Please dress in business attire and bring a pen and paper. Parking is available (see map on next page) at the Wesley Bolin Plaza parking lot on 19th Ave/Jefferson, or you can park at ASU Downtown and take the Dash (free shuttle). The agenda for the event is as follows, and is subject to change: 8:00 AM - Early Registration for attendees wishing to view a morning Committee 8:30 AM - Early attendees view a committee hearing in the Arizona House of Representatives or Senate 10:15 AM - Discussion for early attendees in the Old Senate Chambers 10:30 AM - Registration for all others begins outside the Old Senate Chambers 11:00 AM - Program Begins with Speakers 12:25 PM - Advocacy Activities and Request to Speak System Registration 1:30 PM - Gallery Introductions in the Arizona House of Representatives and Senate 2:30 PM Dismissal

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4 10 Reasons to Join NASW! 1. National & State Chapter Membership: Join NASW today and you immediately become a member of your NASW state chapter as well at no additional cost! You will be connected to local continuing education events, relevant information through your state chapter newsletter, and a network of colleagues where you live and work. 2. Career Opportunities: Start, grow, and manage your career at the NASW Social Work Career Center. From an interactive social work job bank, career-coaching, and résumé critiquing and writing, to professional development and training opportunities, and more, the Social Work Career Center has the tools you need to excel in the profession. 3. Specialty Practice Sections: Keep up-to-date on practice-specific topics, trends, and policy issues. One of the top resources in the profession for your practice area, SPS offers members multiple opportunities throughout the year to earn free CEUs. 4. Insurance Protection: NASW Assurance Services gives members access to valuable insurance benefits, offering excellent rates on professional liability (malpractice) insurance, term life, long-term disability, and accident protection insurance for eligible members. NASW Assurance Services also offers Risk Management workshops and an online course with FREE CEUs, as well as articles and other resources. 5. Professional Credentials: NASW s Credentialing Center establishes and promotes the standards and credentials required for excellence in the practice of social work. Current holders of the QCSW credential can register FREE in the National Social Worker Finder online search tool and will receive premier placement in search results. 6. Advocacy for You & Your Clients: NASW is instrumental in assuring that the social work perspective is incorporated into pending legislation before Congress and in state legislatures. Receive free Action Alert s detailing current issues on Capitol Hill and in your state legislatures. 7. Networking Opportunities: NASW activities provide an excellent opportunity for social workers to exchange ideas and information with colleagues and build professional relationships. 8. Continuing Education: NASW fulfills its mission of advancing the professional knowledge base of social workers by delivering state-of-the-art continuing education through the NASW Lunchtime Series teleconferences and the online WebEd courses. Topics cover a variety of social work issues relevant to the profession. 9. Publications: Stay connected to best practices in social work. The award-winning NASW NEWS and premier journal Social Work are significant member benefits. NASW is committed to environmental stewardship and now delivers these publications electronically to all members. Regular active members receive 10 issues of the NASW NEWS print edition each year. Member discounts are available for print and online subscriptions to NASW s four specialty journals. 10. Discount Programs: Take advantage of NASW s many other member benefits, including affinity credit cards, financial services, rental car discounts, and much more. Join NASW today at Stay connected with NASW-Arizona Chapter at

5 Why Should You Register to Vote? Voting in local elections impacts your daily life in Arizona. Your vote is your power Legislators listen to the needs of the voting public. Your policy and political concerns won't be heard if you don't vote. Elected officials know who votes. Elected officials and candidates will pay less attention to, make fewer appearances in, and appeal less to neighborhoods that don't turnout. The people who vote have a powerful impact on public policy and government and influence laws, appointments, and budgeting. What do our state elected representatives decide? - The level of funding that Child Protective Services (CPS), and Health and Human Service Agencies receive and subsequently the availability of resources and services for Arizonans - Childcare subsidies - Funding for safety net programs that prevent poverty and help people when they fall on difficult times - Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - AHCCCS expansion and eligibility Wide Gaps in Who Votes Undermine Democracy and Our Nonprofit Missions and Goals For the past three decades voters have been disproportionately of higher income, older or more partisan in their interests. Parallel to participation gaps are widening gaps in wealth, reduced opportunity for youth and frustration with the polarization in politics. Although this has begun to change in recent elections, turnout gaps are persistent. How would our world be different if everyone participated? Our Communities Are Not Being Reached About Elections There are large gaps in who is contacted by candidate campaigns. Millions of Americans-- especially those served by nonprofits and social workers are not being reached by traditional campaign tactics like phone banking or door-to-door canvassing.

6 A Working Democracy Is Critical to Our Nonprofits Goals and Civic Missions The nonprofit sector depends on good government and fair and open elections. Nonprofits are more likely to thrive in an environment where government is held in high esteem and people are more likely to participate in the process. Register to vote at: Learn more about the benefits of voting and about factors that affect voter turnout. Go to or How should I vote? How you vote is your personal choice. You can visit for nonpartisan information on candidates. Like many things these days, you can Google the answers you seek. Google candidates, check out their websites, conduct simple internet searches, read a newspaper or free weekly magazine and discuss candidates with your neighbors and friends. These activities take only a few minutes and can help you choose the people you are going to put in to power to make important decisions for our community. What you can do: Make sure you are registered to vote! Get on the Permanent Early Voting List to have your ballot mailed to you Make sure your current address is up to date Encourage your family and friends to register and vote Important dates: Arizona Primary Election: August 26, 2014 (registration for this closes July 28 at midnight) General Election: November 4, 2014 (registration for this closes October 6 at midnight) Early Voting Begins: Primary Election: July 31, 2014 General Election: October 9, 2014

7 New Web Based RTS Access to New Web Based RTS from the Arizona State Legislature Home Page EVERYONE WITH INTERNET ACCESS CAN FOLLOW THE AGENDA FOR ANY COMMITTEE MEET- ING LIVE AS THE MEETING TAKES PLACE. EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY HAVE HAD AN ACCOUNT IN THE OLD SYS- TEM, YOU MAY NEED TO GO TO THE CAPITOL TO CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT TO USE THE NEW WEB BASED SYSTEM. ONCE YOU HAVE AN ACCOUNT, LOG IN HERE: OR GO TO THE ARIZONA STATE LEGIS- LATURE HOME PAGE AND CLICK ON THE LINK PROVIDED THERE. AFTER ENTERING YOUR ADDRESS AND PASSWORD YOU CAN LOG ON. THERE ARE SEVERAL OPTIONS AVAILA- BLE TO YOU. 1. VIEW ALL OF YOUR REQUESTS TO SPEAK AND ALL OF YOUR POSITIONS ON BILLS IN ONE SCREEN. 2. VIEW JUST YOUR REQUESTS TO SPEAK. 3. MAKE A NEW REQUEST TO SPEAK. 4. VIEW JUST YOUR POSITIONS ON BILLS. 5. CREATE A NEW POSITION ON A BILL. 6. SEARCH UPCOMING AGENDAS The Navigation Bar The Home option will show all of the Requests to Speak and the Positions you have on bills. The My Requests option will allow you to view the Requests To Speak you have made. The New Request option allows you to create a Request to Speak on a bill on a current agenda. The My Bill Positions option will allow you to view the Positions you have on bills. The New Bill Position options allows you to create a Position on a bill on a current Agenda without requesting to speak. The Upcoming Agendas option allows you to find agendas for bills in upcoming committee meetings. Track What is Happening in Committee Live The new Web Arizona State Flag Based Request to Speak program allows you to track what is happening in a committee as it happens. After finding your committee you will see the bills and presentations that are available for the public to sign up to speak. Expanding the view of any bill will show you who has signed up to speak, their positions, who they represent, and any comments they may have made. As the meeting progresses you will be able to see who has spoken on a bill as the Committee Chair or Vice-Chair marks the status updates. You will also be able to see the final action on the bill, if the order of bills changes, and if the order of speakers changes. Icons Explained Registered Lobbyist Registered Voter Has Testified Open object in larger window Bill marked as passed Bill marked as failed Bill marked as held Bill marked as discussion only Bill marked as withdrawn

8 Watch a Legislative Committee in Real Time Arizona Legislative Computer Services Arizona State Legislature Computer Services Committee meeting activity is now available to anyone with Internet access to watch in a committee as it happens. See who signed up to speak and track when they have spoken. Track what Web Based Request to Speak order bills are being heard. Track if the bill passed, failed, was held in committee, for discussion only, or withdrawn. Arizona Legislative Computer Services Capital Dome 1700 W Washington Phoenix, AZ 85007

9 Sample Letter to Your Legislator February XX, 2014 The Honorable Name of Legislator Arizona House of Representatives/Arizona Senate 1700 West Washington Phoenix, Arizona Dear Senator/Representative Doe: Paragraph 1: Give a few personal details (for example, I am a registered voter. I am a constituent and currently in my second year of college. I am studying social work with an emphasis on clinical work and hope to one day serve clients who have experienced childhood trauma. Today, I am visiting the Capitol as part of the National Association of Social Workers Arizona Chapter s annual Social Work Day at the Legislature. ) Paragraph 2: Tell why a policy issue or bill interests you (for example, Last semester I interned at Agency ABC, where I assisted my supervisor with intake forms and case management for children with mental health issues. The most striking thing I noticed during my internship was that many low to middle income families could not afford the medication necessary to manage a child s mental illness. Many of the families I worked with used to have access to health care that covered these medications, but nearly all lost that care in the past two years. ) Paragraph 3: Describe what you want the legislator to do and why (for example, In my experience, when preventative care, including medication to address a mental health issue, is available, a family can focus on other important challenges instead of constantly accessing expensive emergency care. I m writing to ask that you support funding for services that help families with mental health needs/vote Yes on House Bill XXXX, which would provide XX to families in need. ) Paragraph 4: Say thank you and wrap up! Ask the legislator to let you know how they plan to vote on the bill/issue you are asking about. Sincerely, Print and sign your name Print your home address