text:
An Electronic Newsletter for the NASW Washington State Chapter
January 2012 Volume 2, Issue 1
Index Save The Date:
2012 Conference ..................................1 2012 Conference Partnerships ….….2-3
NASW-WA 2012 Annual Conference
Therapy in the Age of Social Media...3-5 Lobby Day………………….……….....5-6 Member Honored………………………..6 Upcoming CE Courses……….………6-7 Free Membership…………………….....7 Nominations for FY 2012……….…..7-12 Online CE Institute.........................12-13 Awards Nominations………………13-14 Release of Records……..…………14-18 Social Workers and Skype, Part I .18-24
We Wish You a Happy and Healthy 2012!!!
NASW WA Chapter Office 522 N 85th St. #B-100 Seattle, WA 98103
May 18-19, 2011 The NASW WA Chapter is planning an annual conference for May 18-19, 2012. Please plan to attend this exciting event. More information on topics and presenters will be forthcoming over the next months. If you would like to assist the Professional Development committee in planning and implementing the 2012 Annual conference, please email the NASW-WA Chapter to be added to the Conference Planning Committee. The Conference Planning Committee will be working on securing presenters, exhibitors, and sponsors for the 2012 Conference. We look forward to seeing everyone at the 2012 Conference.
Website: www.nasw-wa.org Email: email@example.com
Phone: (206) 706 – 7084 Fax: (206) 706 - 7085
We Need Conference Sponsors! If you know any company who would like publicity and to sponsor the NASWWA 2012 Conference please send the company name, contact name, and all contact information to NASW-WA at email@example.com. The more companies that sponsor the conference the less it will cost each of you to attend. More information can be found by clicking here.
Non-exclusive Company name recognized in conference program One (1) complimentary conference registration Bronze Partner: $500
Non-exclusive Company name recognized in conference program Exhibit marketing area space One (1) complimentary conference registration Silver Partner: $750 Non-exclusive Company name recognized conference program (1/8 page black and white ad)
Non-exclusive Company logo in program (1/2 page ad)
Exhibit marking area space Company logo on website for three (3) months Invitation for one (1) person to attend special events or receptions (TBD) One (1) complimentary conference registration Corporate Partnership: $3,000 (Exclusive) Exclusivity to Industry Company logo in program (1/2 page ad)
Third prime exhibit marketing area Company logo on website for three (3) months Door prize questionnaire Recognition after Title and Host Partners Invitation for 2 people to attend special events or receptions (TBD) Host Partnership: $5,000 (Exclusive)
Exclusivity to Industry Second largest company logo on promotional media (Program Workbook and Website)
Exhibit marketing area space Company logo on website for one (1) month One (1) complimentary conference registration Gold Partner: $1,000
Non-exclusive Company name recognized conference program (1/4 page ad)
Exhibit marking area space Company logo on website for two (2) months Invitation for one (1) person to attend special events or receptions (TBD)
One (1) complimentary conference registration Platinum Partner: $1,500
Supporter Partner: $250
Second prime exhibit marketing area Company logo on website for six (6) months Company logo in conference program (1st full page ad after program agenda in conference workbook)
Door prize questionnaire Second recognition thanking partners Invitation for 3 people to attend special events or receptions (TBD) Title Partnership: $10,000 (Exclusive)
Exclusivity to Industry First and largest company logo on promotional media (Program Workbook and Website)
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
Prime exhibit marketing area Company logo on website for nine (9) months Company logo in conference program (First full page ad inside right) Door prize questionnaire Invitation for 4 people to attend special events or receptions (TBD) Exclusive awards reception corporate partner
Corporate Partnership Agreement Please fill out the Partner Sponsorship Agreement and Return to NASW-WA by January 31, 2012 The agreement can be found by clicking here.
Therapy in the age of social media: Exploring the issues by Katie Ramsburgh Social media is impacting the world in ways that were unexpected or unimagined. As therapists we hear how it is impacting our clients. We also have our own experiences. And, we have had or hear about discussions regarding the ethics of social media for therapists. As the social media landscape constantly changes, I believe that the discussion does not lie in whether or not we should use social media, but rather in how we should use it. The analogy I keep coming back to is safe sex. It is safer and in the best interest of everyone to teach therapists the responsible way to use social media rather than telling them to abstain. I use social media every day for my private practice and as the marketing and social media manager for the Gottman Institute. I am connected to LMFTs
throughout the U.S. and in other countries. I have had conversations with some of these clinicians, as well as with my local peers. In addition, I have read or attended talks regarding using social media legally and ethically. I recently attended a talk on telehealth by Marnee W. Milner, JD, PhD, at a WAMFT networking lunch. I keep coming to the same conclusion. There is a lot of information about how to use social media an very little information about how to do it safely. I have a few ideas. But first, I think it's important to explore how marriage and family therapists can use social media. Milner defines telehealth as "all interactions that are not in-person between health care professionals and their patients. This includes landline phones, cell phones, video teleconferencing, instant messaging, email, facsimile, chat, blog, video blog, webinars, social or professional networking, or web pages." Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines social media as "forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content." Both Milner's and Merriam-Webster's definitions are expansive. Narrowing it down a bit, I think there are a handful of useful social media outlets for clinicians to use. Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace appear to be the most popular social networking sites. YouTube is frequently used to promote video for free to the general public. PESI produces webinars, podcasts, videocasts, and telecasts for clinicians. And many clinicians are producing blogs. As therapists, how do we responsibly take advantage of these social media opportunities? First, there is the use of social media for the purpose of marketing your practice, whether you are in private practice or working for an agency. All can benefit from using social
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
media as a cheap and easy way to market themselves. Let me give you a few examples. Shirley Cress Dudley, MA, LPC, NCC, founded a resource center in Charlotte, North Carolina, for blended families and provides family therapy. Her Twitter page has 38,076 followers as of March 26, 2011. Shirley tweets daily. She shares special offers and uses her site to distribute information. Every time she does that, she reaches at least 38,076 people. Some of those people then share the information she tweets with their followers, further spreading her name and information. This scope of word-ofmouth marketing is something that clinicians have not had access to before the advent of social networking. Similarly, if you create a Facebook or MySpace fan page, you can share information with your fans. Every time you share with them or they share a link to your page, you are getting free wordof-mouth advertising. Marketing via social media is an article in itself. The ideas and examples are endless. Another beneficial use of social media is psychoeducation. Organizations, as well as individual clinicians, frequently use social media to share educational materials. Daily tweets or posts to social networking pages are used to share ideas to provoke thought. Many organizations and clinicians use YouTube to provide free videos of psychoeducational materials with the public. A YouTube search for Alfred Adler produces 169 results. Virginia Satir produces 104 videos. Clinicians can record any talk they have given or plan to give and share it. Another venue for this type of sharing of information is blogs. Many clinicians maintain a blog and use it to share information with the purpose of educating those who read it. A good example of this is Cary Terra, an LMFT in Seattle, who writes a blog entitled Aspie Strategy to share information with people living with
Asperger's. In addition to sharing knowledge and information with the public, social media provides opportunities for clinicians to learn. As I already mentioned, you can learn more about Alfred Adler or Virginia Satir for free on YouTube. If you need CEs, you can earn them at websites such as PESI.com and Cascadia Training. The benefits of social media are extensive, but what are the pitfalls of using social media? According to Milner, 22 states have general laws about the use of telehealth and only three states (California, Kentucky, and Vermont) have specific laws. Milner says that Ohio has standardized guidelines for the use of telehealth, which Washington State is currently reviewing as the DOH forms guidelines for our state. The use of social media by clinicians is currently unregulated. As I created my Web site and social networking pages, I considered my disclosure statement. In addition to addressing the use of email and texting with my clients, I included social networking. For me, choosing to not be "friends" with a client on Facebook was a no brainer because I view it as a dual relationship. I do not want to see their Facebook pages, and I do not want them to see mine. I am able to set my privacy settings so they won't find me, and if by some chance they do, I can deny the "friend request." I felt it was fair to explain this to my clients in my disclosure. I also have a Facebook fan page for my private practice, and this is available to anyone, as is my Twitter account. I use these exclusively for professional purposes. I share information, clinical insights, articles, and psychoeducational materials. I also address this in my disclosure. My private practice is small and very few people actually follow me, but what about liability for more public figures? As the chief administrator for the Gottman Institute's Facebook page, I have some experience with this. We started this
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
page with the goal of using it to provide information about events and to share psychoeducational material. Eventually people started to ask personal questions on our wall. I didn't feel it was an appropriate forum in which to answer those questions, but I felt a duty to give a good referral. After consulting with other Gottman staff, we decided to ask people with questions to email us for referrals and we created a disclaimer for our page, which lets people know that the page is intended to be educational and not to be used as therapy. I think this is a good idea for anyone using social media for their business, and we need to continue the conversation about how to responsibly inform people about the use of therapy pages. There is more that needs to be explored and defined in terms of responsibly using social media and telehealth. This is just the tip of the iceberg. But I think it is time for us to move on from conversations about whether or not we should use social media and start hammering out the details of how and why to use social media. Katie Ramsburgh, MA, LMFTA, graduated from Antioch University Seattle with an MA in psychology in 2009. She maintains a private practice, Healing Home Counseling, in Snoqualmie, where she sees teens and adults, individuals, couples, and families. In addition to her practice, she is the marketing and social media manager for the Gottman Institute. You can reach her at 425-988-4408 or firstname.lastname@example.com or visit http://www.healinghomecounseling.com The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of NASW Washington State Chapter. This article is reprinted with the permission of the author.
Social Work Lobby Day 2012 Make your voice heard to your elected officials. Stand up and speak out on important issues facing the social work profession in today's legislative arena. February 20, 2012 The United Churches 110 11th Ave SE Olympia, WA 98501 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM Join all your social work colleagues for NASW-WA Chapter Lobby Day February 20, 2012. Lobby Day is an opportunity for the social workers across the state to speak one on one with their state legislators and voice support for legislation that impacts children, families, health care, the profession of social work, and many other social justice issues. The last several years, approximately 200 social workers participated in the WA Chapter Lobby Day. Lobby Day will be held at The United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Street SE, Olympia, WA 98501. The events will begin at 8:30AM and run until early afternoon with your visits to your state legislators. Come together on February 20, 2012, and support the profession of social work and the clients we serve. 2012 LOBBY DAY CONTEST FOR SCHOOLS OF SOCIAL WORK The college or university with the greatest participation in Lobby Day will receive a plaque honoring their efforts. Two prizes will be given - one for the largest number of participants,
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
and one for the greatest percentage of students attending. Contact NASW-WA at 1-206-7067084 for more information and contest rules!
Honoring a Member
Upcoming Workshops NASW-WA Conference May 18-May 19, 2012 March 2, 2012 – Bellevue Downtown Courtyard Marriott, Bellevue, WA Unlocking the Mystery of Medication and Major Mental Illness Fred Raleigh, Pharm.D. March 17, 2012 - North Seattle Community College, Seattle, WA Licensure Exam Preparation Workshop Jonathan Beard, LICSW, CPRP
Dr. James Williams new President of the Pierce County Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Dr. James Williams, Criminal Justice lecturer, has been elected President of the Pierce County Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill is a national organization that advocates for the mentally ill and their families. It has a number of support programs for families of mentally ill persons as well as for empowering mentally ill persons in their recovery. Dr. Williams has been recognized as a pioneer in the Social Work field for his work with mental health individuals in the criminal justice system. If you know a fellow NASW WA Chapter Member that has been honored please forward the information to: "Currents" at NASW WA Chapter, 522 N 85th St. Suite #B-100 Seattle, WA 98103
March 23, 2012 - North Seattle Community College, Seattle, WA Good Ethics – Good Practice Joan Golston, DCSW, LICSW May 18 - May 19, 2012 – DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Seattle Airport, Seattle, WA NASW-WA Conference May 19, 2012 - DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Seattle Airport, Seattle, WA Licensure Exam Preparation Workshop Jonathan Beard, LICSW, CPRP September 7, 2012 – Location TBD, Seattle Area, WA – Pending The Art of Writing Mental Health Records to Protect the Clinician Frederico Grosso, September 15, 2012 - Location TBD, Seattle Area, WA – Pending Licensure Exam Preparation Workshop Jonathan Beard, LICSW, CPRP October 26, 2012 – Location TBD, Seattle Area, WA – Pending Compassion, Fatigue, & Vicarious Trauma Mary Jo Barrett, M.S.W.
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
December 1, 2012 - Location TBD, Seattle Area, WA – Pending Licensure Exam Preparation Workshop Jonathan Beard, LICSW, CPRP Click here to Register!
Listen to a NASW-WA Radio Advertisement Call for Nominations for FY 2012 NASW-WA Leadership Positions
Free Membership - New Member Recruitment Drive Do you want to earn a free NASW WA Chapter membership? It is easy. Between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012, recruit three (3) new FULL members that have not been a NASW member in the last five years, and your membership dues will be paid. A Full member is one that pays the full current membership dues of $190.
Become Part of the NASW-WA State Leadership Team All you have to do is recruit three Social Workers that have not been FULL NASW members prior to July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007. If you have paid your FULL membership dues in July or August 2011, you are still eligible for the free membership. Just send in the three new members and after the membership is verified that they have not been a member in the last five years, your dues will be refunded. A Full member is one that pays the full current membership dues of $190. Please carefully read the membership recruitment drive instructions and complete the new member application form with your three new Social worker members. All new members will be verified that they have not been a member prior to July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007. Click on the following link for more details: Membership Drive.
Call for Nomination for the 2012 Chapter Leadership Election! Our Chapter is filled with social workers from across the state, who work in a variety of capacities and bring with them different talents, interests, values and cultural backgrounds. What unites us is being a member of the social work profession. As the professional association for such a diverse profession, our leadership must be a robust and diverse as our membership to represent the issues and engage in the activities that are important to each of you. Annually the chapter has a variety of elected leadership roles that become available. The available opportunities for the 2012 election are identified below. The Chapter's Nominations &
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
Leadership Identification Committee (NLIC) asks you to review these opportunities and consider running for one that fits your skills and interests as a way of giving back to your profession and enhancing your own leadership skills.
MT Rainer Region Representative
Upon election, the Chapter will provide orientation to your new role, information about current chapter initiatives, as well as opportunities for leadership development. Holding a leadership position offers you an influential role at the state and/or local level to guide our programmatic and policy priorities for the organization.
MSW Representative - 1 year term
You may nominate yourself, a friend, or colleague who is also a member of NASW-WA. The members of our NLIC Committee as well as our NLIC Chairperson, Taylene Watson and staff liaison are all available to discuss the various opportunities with you and help you decide which role best suits you. Experienced leaders are welcome and new candidates are also encouraged to nominate. Fiscal Year 2012 and 2013 Leadership Vacancies (Term Begins July 1, 2012June 30, 2014) Board of Directors Officers (all offices are 2 year terms unless otherwise noted) President Elect – 1 year term Secretary VP Communications Marketing VP Diversity Columbia River Region Representative
South Puget Sound Region Representative Suburban King County Region Representative Blue MT Region Representative
BSW Representative – 1 year term Non BOD Position Delegate Assembly (2 positions) NLIC Positions Mount Rainer Region Representative Inland Empire Region Representative South Puget Sound Region Representative Columbia River Region Representative Blue Mountain Region Representative Job Descriptions:
Job Title: President – Elect The President Elect serves as an identified NASW elected Board member and is elected one year in advance of assuming the duties of the office. This person is a voting member of the Board and participates in the decision making process. The President Elect works with other Chapter officers, Board members, Chapter members and Chapter staff to fulfill the mission of the Chapter. RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Serves as an apprentice to the office of President. 2. Fulfills all of the duties of the President in the event of absence or disability of the President. 3. Attends all meetings of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. 4. Serves on Chapter committees as assigned by the President. 5. Represents the Chapter in attendance at national, regional and statewide meetings as assigned by the President.
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
Assists the President with adjudicated cases of the Chapter Professional Review Committee, helps in assuring compliance with NASW procedures, helps in planning and implementing recommendations in final report, and monitors cases as assigned by the President.
QUALIFICATIONS Membership in NASW. Knowledge of and commitment to NASW and the Chapter. Evidence of active involvement and leadership in Chapter activities. Availability to fulfill the duties of the office.
Job Title: Secretary The Secretary serves as an identified NASW elected Board member and fills a two year term in office, attends all meetings of the Board of Directors and participates in the decision making process. The Secretary works with other Chapter officers, Board members, Chapter members and Chapter staff to fulfill the mission of the Chapter. All Chapter elected terms run from July 1 through June 30. RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Records minutes at all Board and Executive Committee meetings and other meetings as assigned. 2. Maintains order of all non-fiscal records of the Chapter. 3. Serves as the primary liaison between the Board of Directors and Regional Representatives to insure that Regional programs are developed and implemented in a fashion consistent with the Chapter's strategic plan, policies and procedures of the Association. 4. Represents the Chapter in attendance at national, regional and statewide meetings as assigned by the President. 5. Reviews adjudicated cases of the Chapter Professional Review Committee, helps assure compliance with NASW procedures, helps in planning and implementing recommendations in final report, and monitors cases as assigned by the President. QUALIFICATIONS Membership in NASW. Knowledge of and commitment NASW and the Chapter.
Evidence of active involvement and leadership in Chapter activities. Availability to fulfill the duties of the office.
Job Title: Vice President of Communication and Marketing The Vice President of Communication and Marketing serves is an NASW Board member, is elected to a two-year term on the Board of Directors, attends all meetings of the Board of Directors and participates in the decision making process. The Vice President works with other Chapter officers, Board members, Chapter members and Chapter staff to fulfill the mission of the Chapter. This person serves as program coordinator to fulfill the goal of the Membership and Communication Services Committee: to enhance the effective functioning of the Chapter and to improve the way we serve its members. All Chapter elected terms run from July 1 through June 30. RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Liaisons with the Membership Committee, Communication and Media Committee, and other Committees as assigned. 2. Provides consultation to the chairpersons of the above groups as appropriate. 3. Provides an effective communications link between the Board of Directors and the Membership Committee and Communication and Media Committee with a quarterly report of their activities. 4. Assures that programs and activities of the above groups are coordinated with each other and with related activities of groups in other program areas. 5. Assures development and implementation of plans and activities that are consistent with the Chapter's strategic plan, policies and procedures. 6. Assures the timely completion of projects and programs. 7. Identifies problems areas and undertakes corrective actions in a timely manner. 8. Recommends candidates for Committee appointments. 9. Represents the Chapter in attendance at national, regional and statewide meetings as assigned by the President. 10. Fosters membership in the Schools of Social Work and coordinates with the Student Board Representatives.
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
QUALIFICATIONS Membership in NASW. Knowledge of and commitment to NASW and the Chapter. Evidence of active involvement and leadership in Chapter activities. Availability to fulfill the duties of the office
Job Title: Vice President of Diversity The Vice President of Diversity serves as an identified NASW elected Board members, is elected to a two-year term on the Board of Directors, attends all meetings of the Board of Directors and participates in the decision making process. The Vice President works with other Chapter officers, Board members, Chapter members and Chapter staff to fulfill the mission of the Chapter. This person serves as program coordinator by identifying members to volunteer on assigned committees and projects and overseeing their work. All Chapter terms run from July 1 through June 30. Responsibilities The Committee is responsible for the development of programs, activities, policy and leadership identification that pertain to the mission and goals of this committee. QUALIFICATIONS Membership in NASW. Knowledge of and commitment to NASW and the Chapter. Evidence of active involvement and leadership in Chapter activities. Availability to fulfill the duties of the office.
Job Title: Region Representative The Region Representative serves as an identified NASW elected Board member and fills a two year term in office, attends all meetings of the Board of Directors and participates in the decision making process. The Representative works with other Chapter officers, Board members, Chapter members and Chapter staff to fulfill the mission of the Chapter. All Chapter elected terms run from July 1 through June 30. RESPONSIBILITIES Responsible for the functioning of Regions and in the development of District leadership and activities.
Activities 1. Provide leadership to the development of Districts within the Regions. 2. Hold quarterly Region leadership and program development meetings with District Chairs. 3. Recommend candidates to the NLIC Committee for Chapter elections. 4. Recommend candidates to the President for Committee appointments. 5. Prepare and deliver a written quarterly report of plans/activities to the Board of Directors. 6. Establish and maintain contact with the faculty and Student District Chair at the schools of social work within the Region (if such are present.) 7. Select and present annual Region awards (e.g., Social Worker and Public Citizen of the Year) and nominate the winners for the State awards. Submit name(s) to the Chapter for statewide awards. 8. Submit a calendar of meeting dates and summary of events to the Chapter office for publication in each issue of Currents. 9. Invite NASW members and non members to attend the District meetings and become involved in the District activities. 10. Hold at least one workshop or training per year. Charge admission with the goal of attaining excess revenue. QUALIFICATIONS Membership in NASW. Commitment to NASW, the Washington State Chapter of NASW and to the profession of social work. Interest in developing leadership skills and becoming involved in Chapter, Region and District activities. Willingness and availability to fulfill the duties of the office.
Job Title: MSW Student Representative The MSW Student Representative serves a oneyear term on the Board of Directors, attends all meetings of the Board of Directors and participates in the decision making process. The Representative serves as an identified NASW leader and works with the Chapter officers, Board members and Chapter members to fulfill the mission of the Chapter. All Chapter elected terms run from July 1 through June 30.
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Serves as the representative for all MSW students in the state assuring adequate flow of information from the Chapter and Board to identified Student District Chairs. 2. Assists with the recruitment of a Student District Chair from each of the MSW programs in the state in the spring to begin transition of activities. 3. Meets with the incoming Student Board Representative, after the Spring election, to create a smooth transition for future activities. 4. Meets in the fall with the Student District Chairs and a representative from the Chapter to: a) identify student activities and b) plan for student membership recruitment and retention. 5. Is encouraged to attend the local District meetings and encourages students to participate in these meetings and activities. 6. Convenes NASW meetings for students on his/her own campus 1-2 times a year and encourages the Student District Chairs to hold similar student meetings. 7. Communicates with the Board Representative in the Region in which the student goes to school. 8. Provides quarterly reports to the Board. 9. Writes articles on MSW student activities for the Currents. 10. Identifies student members with leadership interest or potential for the Chapter Nominations and Leadership Identification Committee (NLIC). 11. Communicates with the identified faculty liaisons in the school at which the student attends. QUALIFICATIONS Membership in NASW. Must have at least one year remaining in his/her program of study when taking office. Knowledge of and commitment to NASW and the Chapter. Interest in becoming involved in a leadership training position and in Chapter activities. Availability to fulfill the duties of the office.
Job Title: BSW Student Representative The BSW Student Representative serves a oneyear term on the Board of Directors, attends all meetings of the Board of Directors and participates in the decision making process. The Representative serves as an identified NASW leader and works with the Chapter officers, Board members and Chapter members to fulfill the mission of the Chapter. All Chapter elected terms run from July 1 through June 30. RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Serves as the representative for all BSW students in the state assuring adequate information flow from the Chapter and Board to identified Student District Chairs. 2. Assists with the recruitment of a Student District Chair from each of the BSW programs in the state in the spring to begin transition of activities. 3. Meets with the incoming Student Board Representative, after the Spring election, to create a smooth transition for future activities. 4. Meets in the fall with the Student District Chairs and a representative from the Chapter to: a) identify student activities and b) plan for student membership recruitment and retention. 5. Convenes NASW meetings for students on his/her own campus 1-2 times a year and encourages the Student District Chair in other schools to hold similar student meetings. 6. Communicates with the Board Representative in the Region in which the student goes to school. 7. Is encouraged to attend the local District meetings and encourages students to participate in these meetings and activities. 8. Provides quarterly written reports to the Board. 9. Writes articles on BSW student activities for the Currents. 10. Identifies student members with leadership interest or potential for the Chapter Nominations and Leadership Identification Committee (NLIC). 11. Communicates with the BSW and faculty liaisons in the school at which the student attends.
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
QUALIFICATIONS Membership in NASW. Must have at least one year remaining in his/her program of study when taking office. Knowledge of and commitment to NASW and the Chapter. Interest in becoming involved in a leadership training position and in Chapter activities. Availability to fulfill the duties of the office.
Job Title: Delegate to National Delegate assembly RESPONSIBILITIES The Delegate Assembly is the representative, decision – making body – comprised of 277 elected delegates – through which NASW members set broad organizational policy, establish program priorities, and develop a collective stance on public addresses Delegate Assembly. The Delegate Assembly meets once every three years. Click here for Details.
Job Title: Nominations and Leadership Identification Committee (NLIC) Authorization and Accountability The Nominations and Leadership Identification Committee (NLIC) is mandated by the Chapter Bylaws Article IX and is accountable to the Board of Directors. Duties The duties of the NLIC shall be: To select at least two candidates for each position in the regular election of Chapter officers, Board members and NLIC members and Delegates. The candidates shall be selected so as to guarantee that candidates reflect the population concentrations, geographic distribution, ethnic minority distribution, gender distribution, students and special interests of the membership.
The Nomination Process Complete the Nomination form for Elective Office and submit to the Chapter Office. Nominees will be asked to complete a biographical fact sheet to
provide the NLIC with additional information about the prospective candidate. For additional information regarding leadership opportunities, please contact the NASW-WA Chapter Office at 206-706-7084 or via email.
Easy Access to Online Learning
Professional social workers are more pressed for time than ever, but the fact that there are too few hours in a day doesn't let us off the hook when it comes to continuing education requirements. This is a good thing. We all want practitioners in our profession to be on top of their game and that means staying current on the latest research, techniques, and best practices. Sometimes, however, we need to find creative solutions to help us keep up with CE requirements. Technology is just such a creative solution, as it can provide the means to access continuing education at any time of the day from anywhere Internet access is available. This opens up a whole new world for those of us trying to squeeze CE into an already full schedule. At NASW Washington State Chapter, we recognize that online CE is both an important tool and a necessity for busy social workers. That is why we have developed a brand new online CE program. We call the program, the Online CE Institute. The Institute is a part of the NASW-Washington Chapter website where members can browse and select courses from an extensive
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
CE catalog. Institute courses include self-study programs, live online seminars, taped video presentations, and audio workshops. And the Institute is designed to make it easy for members to find, register, and participate in courses. Since Washington State social workers are allowed to earn twenty six of the required 36 continuing education credits online, the Institute provides the perfect opportunity to participate in highquality courses and programs at your convenience and through a trusted source. By the time this article goes to print, the NASW Washington State catalog will have grown to hundreds of online options. Course content includes subject areas from addiction, adolescent behavior, and anxiety to depression, geriatrics, PTSD and much more. Tips for Getting Started Using the online catalog is simple. Just go to the NASW Washington State website and click on the Online CE Institute banner in the right sidebar. Or look for "continuing education" in the top pull down menu and click on "online continuing education". Once you are on the Online CE Institute page, use the tabs to navigate to the courses you are interested in. Purchasing a course is also easy, just click "buy now," complete your registration, and pay for the program. That's all there is to it. One of the advantages of an online course is that you can complete it in multiple sittings (unless it is a live seminar). If you want to take a break for a minute or a week, just return at your convenience and go to the "MyAccount" tab. Your course will be waiting for you, right where you left off. When you complete a course, take the test, and fill out the course evaluation. Once completed, you will be prompted to print your certificate. It's straight forward and
convenient. But if you do happen to run into technical difficulties while registering or taking a course, NASWWashington State has that covered. We have included a "HELP" tab that is accessible on any Online CE Institute website page. There, you will find answers to commonly asked questions as well as contact information for live technical support--email, chat, and phone. So you are covered, no matter when you happen to be taking the course. CE Where and When You Need It Social work is a challenging and rewarding career. It also requires a commitment to ongoing learning. At NASW-Washington State Chapter, it is our goal to support your commitment to continuing education by making it easier for you to find and participate in high quality courses and workshops. The Online CE Institute was created to do just that. We hope you will visit the Institute next time you are online and we welcome your thoughts about the Institute and continuing education in general. Happy learning! NASW-Washington State Chapter
2011 Awards Nominations NASW WA State Chapter would like to honor people from the following categories. If you know of someone or an agency that you think deserves to be recognized please download the nomination form and send it back to the NASW-WA State office. The categories are listed below (click on the position to read what the criteria for that nomination are). Social Worker of the Year Social Work Educator of the Year
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
Outstanding Recent Graduate Outstanding Student Outstanding Agency of the Year Public Citizen of the Year
2011 Awards Nominations Form Release of Records and Client Privacy By Sherri Morgan, Associate Counsel, LDF and Office of Ethics and Professional Review and Carolyn I. Polowy, NASW General Counsel ©2011 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved.
Introduction Social workers who receive a request for client records from a third party or a subpoena will have a number of questions. These may reflect concerns regarding the client's privacy, the social worker's obligations and/or rights, potential liability, the social worker's role in responding to clients' legal matters and questions concerning the scope of the request, such as: Am I allowed or required to release the client's information? How much information must I disclose? What type of client information should be released? This Legal Issue of the Month article will address questions related to making well-reasoned decisions when responding to requests for confidential client information. This review does not address situations where the social worker is the target of a lawsuit or complaint.
Basic Client Privacy Considerations Client's privacy rights are embedded in professional healthcare provider standards, the U.S. and state constitutions and other state and federal laws addressing patient records (Morgan, Polowy, Carvino & Kraft, 2007). Clients' rights to exercise selfdetermination (NASW, Standard1.02, 2008) are at the core of decisions regarding the release or disclosure of client information However, these rights may be impacted by the requirements of certain legal proceedings or court orders or may be affected by the requirements of insurers, employers, or other requesting entities (Polowy, Morgan, Bailey & Gorenberg, 2008). It is the social worker's obligation to maintain the client's confidences, as guided by the client, to the extent permitted by law (NASW, Standard 1.07, 2008). It is generally helpful whenever confidential information has been requested by a third party to communicate directly with the client or former client about the request, if possible, so that the client's consent to release information (or withholding of consent) is fully informed (NASW, Standard 1.07(b),(d) and (e), 2008). Social workers who receive a request for records from an attorney or law firm may also find it necessary to seek more information before responding, including: What is the type of legal action involved and who are the parties? Is the client suing or being sued? Is the client a criminal defendant? Is the client applying for public benefits?
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
Does the social worker have any concerns about the details of the client's information that are contained in the records? Is the information contained in the record likely to portray the client in a negative light or negatively affect the outcome of their legal case?
obligated to release the records to the client's legal counsel upon receipt of a written authorization signed by the client. If a social worker has concerns about sending a copy of the client's records to the client's designated attorney, two options may be considered:
Informed Consent In any situation where a client's record is to be released, it is the social worker's obligation to ensure that the client's consent is fully informed. In order to accomplish this, the client needs to be fully aware of the content of the record that is to be disclosed. It is not unusual for clients to have little awareness of the information that has been documented in the course of therapeutic sessions. After a discussion or review of the contents of the clinical record with the social worker, the client will be in a better position to determine whether to agree to a potential release of information or to revoke an authorization that they may have already signed (Reamer, p. 54 – 56, 2006).
1. Offer to provide the records directly to the client. Client's have a legal right to access their own information and the client will then have the sole decision making role as to further disclosing the information to the attorney. 2. Request that the attorney put the request in the form of a subpoena. Most subpoenas are issued by attorneys, so this is a routine procedure within a law firm. A written release from the client will still be needed to document the client's consent. With a subpoena, the social worker may have additional justification to support the release of information in the event it is later challenged as improper.
Requests from Clients' Legal Counsel Because the client's attorney has an obligation to vigorously represent the client's legal interests, it is often valuable to the client for their attorney to have access to complete information about the client's mental health. Client consent is a primary consideration whenever confidential information is released. There is no legal barrier to releasing the client's records if the client has signed a valid authorization to release them to the attorney. In some states, health care providers are
Subpoenas A subpoena is a special type of request for client information, usually issued by an attorney representing a party in a legal matter. Similar issues concerning the client's informed consent apply to subpoenas. This is addressed in an earlier Legal Issues of the Month article, Responding to a Subpoena (Morgan & Polowy, 2009). When a social worker has received a subpoena, it is important to note which party is requiring the disclosure of information: Is it the client (through their attorney) or the opposing party? Additional caution and review are required when responding to
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
subpoenas from opposition counsel, as an improper or unauthorized release of information could have a lasting and damaging impact on the client's legal matter and be a potential basis for a malpractice complaint against the social worker. How Much Information Should a Social Worker Disclose? With few exceptions, social workers are generally advised to release confidential client information only with a written release signed by the client or their authorized representative (such as the parent of a minor, guardian, etc.). The release form typically describes the scope of the information requested, which may vary considerably. Reviewing the description of the information contained in the signed release form is informative; however, if additional questions remain about what is requested the social worker may consult with the client as to their intentions and/or with the individual who sent the request. The range of responses may include: A treatment summary Invoices showing dates of treatment and amounts charged Completion of a pre-prepared checklist of specific questions concerning the client's mental health and/or history A complete copy of the entire client file A copy of the entire clinical file, as well as copies of appointment calendar dates, all health plan claims and correspondence and all reimbursements received A copy of the complete clinical file, financial records and separate psychotherapy notes.
Factors for determining how much and which information to release may include the following: Is the requesting person or the client willing to accept a treatment summary in lieu of the entire client chart? Sometimes an attorney wants the clinician to make specific statements to support a legal strategy, but that may create the appearance of bias. An objective and complete summary will present an accurate overview of the client's treatment. Is the confidentiality of other individuals compromised by releasing the client's record? For any therapy sessions where multiple clients were present, each individual's privacy rights also need to be protected. Each individual may need to consent to release of information before joint sessions records are released, although parents can generally consent on behalf of their minor children. Notes of joint therapy sessions often present complexities and may raise potential conflicts of interest, requiring legal and ethical consultation by the social workers. Is it feasible to redact information in the client's record that identifies other individuals? One approach is to make a copy of the client chart, then blank out the other individual's information (e.g. with a heavy marker or "White-Out") and then make a copy of the redacted version of the chart. Whenever a portion of a record is withheld it is appropriate to indicate in a cover letter the nature of the information redacted and the basis, such as,
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
"This copy contains the records of Client X; however, it excludes references to other individuals based on ethical requirements," or, "This copy contains confidential information about the services provided to Client X as an individual. Information from sessions where other individuals may have been present is not included due to lack of written consent." It is never appropriate to re-write a redacted or revised record and present it as a complete copy of the original. Were the social worker's personal notes maintained in a separate file, so they are protected by HIPAA as "psychotherapy notes"? Detailed session notes that are maintained separately from the primary client chart may meet the definition as "psychotherapy notes" under HIPAA and would not be subject to release unless the client has signed a separate consent form specific to those notes. This topic is further discussed in Social Workers and Psychotherapy Notes (Morgan & Polowy, 2006). Psychotherapy notes do not have ironclad protection from disclosure under all circumstances (and a court may order their release in some situations); however, they do require a separate review and analysis before disclosure. NASW strongly recommends the use of separate psychotherapy notes to increase the privacy protections available to clients' information. Does the client's record contain specific information that would be harmful to their case if it were released? If the record contains clearly negative information about the client (e.g.
evidence of malingering, deception, violence, etc.) it is particularly important to discuss with the client the possible implications of releasing the record and obtain a clear statement of the client's intention, including a written revocation of consent if they decide not to pursue the matter that prompted the request. Clients who revoke a prior consent may suffer negative consequences, so they should be encouraged to consult their legal counsel about the legal effect of withholding or revoking consent to the release of information. Analysis and Conclusions Social workers who receive a request for confidential client information and have also received a written consent from the client to release the information are in a good position to handle the request by communicating clearly with the client and/or the requestor to clarify uncertainties. Situations where client contact is not possible, where multiple clients (or former clients) may be involved, or other concerns are present may require consultation with legal counsel, respected peers and/or ethics professionals. If a client objects to a subpoena, a social worker may need additional assistance such as consultation with an attorney in order to file a motion to quash (or block) the subpoena. Resources available to NASW members include a risk management hotline (available through NASW Assurance Services, Inc. at 800897-0033), ethics consultations with the Office of Ethics & Professional Review (available Tuesdays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and Thursdays, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., Eastern
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
Time, at 800-638-8799, Ext. 282) and legal consultations available from the Office of General Counsel/Legal Defense Fund (800-638-8799, Ext. 290). In addition, NASW members who have the NASW ASI professional liability insurance may have coverage for legal consultation related to the receipt of a subpoena for client records. Confirmation of coverage can be obtained by calling the ASI 800 number above. References Morgan, S., Carvino L., Polowy, C.I. & Kraft, E.G. (2007). The Social Worker and Protection of Privacy. NASW Legal Defense Fund Law Note Series. Wash., DC: NASW Legal Defense Fund. Morgan, S. & Polowy, C.I. (2009). Responding to a subpoena. NASW Legal Defense Fund, Legal Issue of the Month. Wash., DC: NASW Legal Defense Fund. Retrieved from http://www.socialworkers.org/ldf/legal_issue/2009/200904. asp. Morgan, S. & Polowy, C.I. (2006). Social workers and psychotherapy notes. NASW Legal Defense Fund, Legal Issue of the Month. Wash., DC: NASW Legal Defense Fund. Retrieved from http://www.socialworkers.org/ldf/legal_issue/2006/20060 6.asp. National Association of Social Workers (2008). NASW Code of Ethics. Washington, DC: NASW Press. Retrieved from http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code. Polowy, C.I., Morgan, S., Bailey, W.D. & Gorenberg, C. (2008). Confidentiality and privileged communication. In T. Mizrahi & L.E. Davis (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Social Work, (Vol. 1, pp. 408-414). Wash., DC: NASW Press & New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Reamer, F.G. (2006). Ethical Standards in Social Work, (2nd ed.). Wash., DC: NASW Press. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of NASW Washington State Chapter. This article is reprinted with the permission of the author.
Social Workers and Skype, Part I By Sherri Morgan, Associate Counsel, LDF and Office of Ethics and Professional Review and Carolyn I. Polowy, NASW General Counsel ©2011 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved.
Introduction Social workers are increasingly using electronic communications technologies to expand and refine their practices, including psychotherapy performed via videoconferencing, and this has raised many questions about professional social work standards. Use of videoconferencing technology in mental health service delivery is variously referred to as "telepsychiatry," "telemedicine," "telemental health," "etherapy," "distance counseling" and other terminology. One of the most widely available videoconferencing technologies is an online service and software program known as Skype. Its wide acceptance as a consumer technology has made telemental health services readily available for clients in their own homes and for solo and private practice clinicians without a burdensome investment in new technology. This first of two articles will review some of the emerging legal and professional issues involved in the use or potential use of Skype or similar technology as a communications modality for clinical social work assessment and treatment of clients. Part II will review legal cases and statutes, including state social work licensure.
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
Background Six-hundred and sixty-three (663) million registered users of Skype services were reported by the company in corporate filings covering 2010 (Skype, 2011). An uncounted segment of these were mental health professionals and their clients, engaged in interactive psychotherapy sessions. Information about the conduct of distance counseling via Skype is widely reported (Strong, P., 2010; Hoffman, J., 2011) and the use of this modality appears to be increasing rapidly, although precise statistics about the phenomena are not readily available. The Social Work Encyclopedia (Finn, J., 2008) acknowledges that online therapy is used in a wide variety of clinical interventions with a range of mental health professionals and describes online therapy as a "promising, but yet unproven intervention," suggesting the need for further research about clinical effectiveness and national standards and national licensure for online practice. Since the date of that publication, research regarding the efficacy of distance-based interventions, as well as technological advances, has expanded considerably (American Telemedicine Association, 2009). One of the key issues for professional practice is how the security of Internetbased videoconferencing, such as Skype, compares to established telemedicine videoconferencing centers and "plain old telephone services" (POTS). This is further addressed in the discussion on HIPAA, below.
Does HIPAA Sessions?
A key to answering any HIPAA question is first determining whether or not the practitioner is subject to HIPAA. Is the clinical social work practice billing any clients' health insurance electronically (or using a billing service that submits claims electronically)? If so, then HIPAA applies to all of the social workers' confidential client information, even for those clients who self-pay. The HIPAA privacy and security standards apply to healthcare providers who conduct electronic claims transactions with third-party payers (45 CFR § 160.103). Thus, clinical social workers or other health care providers who bill clients' health insurance electronically are considered "covered entities" subject to the full panoply of HIPAA requirements. Covered entities are responsible to ensure compliance with HIPAA when they create, store, maintain or transmit clients' individually identifiable health information (also known as "protected health information" or PHI). If covered entities conduct electronic claims transactions for any clients then those entities are subject to the HIPAA requirements, which would likely include Skype transmissions conducted by those practitioners. Skype psychotherapy sessions (and sessions conducted via other forms of videoconferencing) contain confidential client health/mental health information and when such sessions are conducted by providers who are subject to HIPAA, then HIPAA standards would apply.
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
Does Skype Technology Meet HIPAA Standards? This is an unresolved topic of discussion among mental health and technology experts who utilize or study telemedicine. The HIPAA security standards cover four basic areas of responsibility for electronic health information. Entities subject to HIPAA are required to: Ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all electronic protected health information the covered entity creates, receives, maintains, or transmits. Protect against any reasonably anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such information. Protect against any reasonably anticipated uses or disclosures of such information that are not permitted or required under the privacy regulations. Ensure compliance by its employees (and business associates) (45 CFR § 164.306; Morgan, S. and Polowy, C.I., 2003). Complying with these standards requires that clinical social workers who seek to use Skype or other videoconferencing technology be familiar enough with the security and privacy policies and practices of the host company to understand what threats might be anticipated and how to protect against them. Here are a few of the potential concerns that should be addressed: What type of encryption technology is used by Skype?
Are other sensitive documents maintained on the same computer as that which is used for Skype sessions? Are these encrypted so that if the system is compromised a hacker would not be able to gain access to clients' records? Has the social worker considered using a dedicated computer for Skype communications? What are Skype's privacy policies in the event the content of a psychotherapy session was subpoenaed? Is this congruent with the practitioner's policies? Professional reviews of Skype's security features provide mixed feedback. At least one medical study on the use of telemedicine reported using Skype as a HIPAA-compliant means of performing plastic surgery and summarized several studies that have relied on Internetbased telemedicine (Dobke, M. and Whitehead, E., 2009). Another study that compared the strengths and weaknesses of various forms of telerehabiliation indicated that Skype may be less secure and private than established telehealth networks, but affords greater access in the client's natural environment (Cason, J., 2011). Garfinkel, S.L. (2005) analyzed the security of Skype and Voice over Internet Protocol communications (VoIP), finding that some of Skype's advantages are its ease of use, cost (free), availability on multiple operating systems, higher fidelity voice quality, and 128-bit or better encryption; however, he also noted that online technology such as Skype changes frequently, so it is difficult to remain aware of current compliance with security and privacy standards.
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
Knowledgeable users can adjust their computer settings to reduce a number of Skype security risks, such as allowing only those in the social worker's Skype contact list to call them via Skype, disabling the Skype API (this prevents use by third-party applications which can introduce viruses) and disabling file transfer except when the social worker specifically needs to transfer a file (this reduces the risk of unauthorized access to data on your computer) (Hayes, B., 2008). Other settings can also be configured to reduce the use of computer bandwidth. Social workers who are unable to utilize these computer system controls will want to consider an evaluation of their computer software and hardware by an information security consultant. Watzlaf, ab Moeini and Firouzan (2010) have developed a check-list for health providers who want to use VoIP technology. Professional Standards In 2005, NASW and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) issued standards for the use of technology in social work practice; however, the fast pace of technological developments requires that social workers are able to analyze how the professional standards, which are rather broad and general, apply to the details of the technology they would like to use in daily practice. Some of the relevant requirements for use of technology by social workers identified in the NASW and ASWB standards are listed here: Accurate documentation of services provided electronically, including client authorization for disclosure and informed consent Development of guidelines for electronic communication with clients (timing and length of sessions, emails, etc.)
Use of security measures such as encryption, firewalls and pass codes Establishing fair and equitable fees Adequate technical and policy supports, including privacy and security procedures, protocols and technologies Compliance with applicable federal and state laws, such as HIPAA. (NASW, 2005, p. 10 -11). Santhiveeran (2009) reviewed the compliance of social workers' online therapy Websites according to the NASW Code of Ethics standards and found that: Less than half of the sites studied (44%) provided information to clients about how to safeguard their privacy while engaging in the online mental health services; Barely half (49%) provided statements about the duty to maintain confidentiality; Only one-third (32%) included specific emergency protocols (beyond a bare reference to 911), for local emergency back-ups such as hospital, physician or close friend information that was taken at the time of intake. In 2009, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) developed detailed standards relating to "telemental health." However, these were not designed to specifically apply to Internet counseling or Webbased therapy. Use of Skype and other online technologies has proceeded rapidly since then. The ATA standards identify some of the technical specifications for videoconferencing in the mental health context. According to the ATA, in addition to the capacity to
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
support interactive, synchronous video and audio signals, telemental health technologies should have the ability to: Display pictures, diagrams or objects View and share a computer desktop or applications Play videos or CDs for viewing at other locations Recording meetings (when clinically indicated and with consent) Share information on a common whiteboard (or on-screen shared notebook) or via computer files Other highly recommended technical specifications are: The ability for the clinician to control the remote camera to pan, tilt and zoom the camera on the patient end The ability for each user to see the picture sent as well as the picture received ("picture-inpicture") Audio at 7 kHz full duplex with echo cancellation, mute and volume adjustment On-screen messages to notify the user of loss of video, dropped connections, mute/unmuted lines Ability to operate at a bandwidth of 384 Kbps or higher (American Telemedicine Association, 2009b, p. 13). A number of features are considered essential to telemental health services, especially the quality of the audio (which is affected by microphone type and placement in the room), 128-bit encryption (consistent with HIPAA), resolution of the display monitor that closely matches that of the acquired
image being displayed, and compliance with any other federal or state regulations (ATA, 2009b, p. 14-15). Some features regarding the room setup may be useful for additional consideration. Although clients may like the freedom of having Skype sessions "on the go," setting the boundaries of the online session may be valuable to assure that professional standards are maintained and these are the responsibility of the licensed professional to articulate and maintain. Here are some of the ATA's expectations for the physical layout used in videoconferencing: Both the therapist's and the client's site should be designated as private (posting a sign or locking the door) All persons in the room at both sites should be identified at the beginning of the session and the client's permission obtained for any visitors or clinicians Room should be well lit with sources approximating "daylight" as nearly as possible and for the provider and client to see each other without shadows Plain colored background is recommended; blue is optimal Gaze angle between the participant's camera and eyes should be minimal, not more than 5 – 7 degrees (sharper angles can create unintended effects of appearing to "look down" or "look up" at the other individual) (American Telemedicine Association, 2009b, p. 15-16). The ATA also clearly states that clinicians are expected to meet the professional standard of care and ethical requirements for their respective
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
professions when using videoconferencing technology. The telemedicine standards are not to be considered a substitute for standards of care and existing standards and guidelines from professional associations are to be utilized and applied to telemental health services (ATA, 2009a, p. 6). Analysis and Conclusions Use of Skype and similar technologies by mental health clinicians has expanded faster than the development of applicable legal and professional standards. Effectiveness research suggests many positive uses for telemental health services provided that the appropriate professional boundaries and protocols are established and maintained. Further research on telemental services in a private mental health practice with clients in their own homes is needed. Clinical social workers who utilize new technologies bear the responsibility for understanding them sufficiently to protect from authorized access of client information and for providing an appropriate level of clinical care for distant clients. Assuring that clients' confidential communications via Skype will be adequately protected is a difficult and uncertain task. Skype's services are not limited to or focused on health care delivery. The company's security policies and practices may change periodically and all the data necessary to conduct a full analysis of the security features is not readily available to the public. Following the recommendations and protocols suggested by professional and security experts is valuable to
reduce the risks of inadvertent disclosure of confidential mental health information when using Skype to provide confidential mental health services; however, use of Skype or similar VoIP communications systems still presents some privacy risks. Expanding access to mental health services in rural or underserved areas is an important value fostered by the availability of Skype services, but professional social work standards for security and privacy of data at this time are better supported by the use of electronic services and communications programs that are dedicated to the delivery of secure telemental health services and that offer detailed HIPAA compliance information and/or HIPAA Business Associate agreements. This Legal Issue of the Month article is not a substitute for further technical analysis of any technology employed in social work practice and is meant as a preliminary overview of a complex and fast-changing topic. References American Telemedicine Association (2009a). Evidencebased practice of telemental health. Available at http://www.americantelemed.org/files/public/standards/ EvidenceBasedTelementalHealth_WithCover.pdf. American Telemedicine Association (2009b). Practice guidelines for videoconferencing-based telemental health. Available at http://virtualservices.kansasworks.com/About/Docume nts/Telemental%20Health2.pdf. Cason, J. (2011). Telerehabilitation: An adjunct service delivery model for early intervention services. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, (3)1. Available at http://telerehab.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/Telerehab/article /view/6071/6301. Dobke, M. and Whitehead, E. (2009). Telemedicine as an aid to clinical practice, research and education in plastic surgery In Advances in telemedicine: applications in various Medical disciplines and geographical regions, Ch. 10, 210 (citing Gosman AA, Fischer CA, Agha Z, Sigler A, Chao J, & Dobke MK (2009). Telemedicine and surgical education across borders: A case report. Journal of Surgical Education,
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!
66(2), 102-105). Available at http://www.intechopen.com/articles/show/title/telemedi cine-as-an-aid-to-clinical-practice-research-andeducation-in-plastic-surgery. Finn, J. (2008). Technology in micro practice In T. Mizrahi & L.E. Davis (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Social Work, Vol. 4, 215-216). Wash., DC: NASW Press & New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Garfinkel, S.L. (2005). VoIP and Skype security. Available at http://skypetips.internetvisitation.org/files/VoIP%20and %20Skype.pdf.
Hope you had a Wonderful Holiday Season and that 2012 will be Another Great Year! Hope to See You at a Workshop Very Soon!
Hayes, B. (2008). Skype: A practical security analysis. Available at http://www.sans.org/reading_room/whitepapers/voip/sk ype-practical-security-analysis_32918. Hoffman, J. (2011). When your therapist is only a click away. New York Times. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/fashion/therapistsare-seeing-patientsonline.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print. Morgan, S. and Polowy, C.I. (2003). A first look at the HIPAA security standards. National Association of Social Workers, Legal Defense Fund, Legal Issue of the Month. Available at https://www.socialworkers.org/ldf/legal_issue/2003/200 304.asp (password access required). National Association of Social Workers & Association of Social Work Boards (2005). Standards for technology and social work practice. Available at http://www.socialworkers.org/practice/standards/NAS WTechnologyStandards.pdf. Santhiveeran, J. (2009). Compliance of social work Etherapy websites to the NASW Code of Ethics. Social Work in Health Care, 48, 1-13. Skype S.Ă r.l. (2011). United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. 20549. Amendment No. 2 to Form S-1 registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 [Online]. Available at http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1498209/0001 19312511056174/ds1a.htm#rom83085_3a. Strong, P. (2010). Online therapy, online psychotherapy & online counseling via Skype In The Mindfulness Approach. Psychology Today. Available at http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/themindfulness-approach/201007/online-therapy-onlinepsychotherapy-online-counseling-skype. Watzlaf, V.J., ab Moeini, S., and Firouzan, P. (201). VOIP for Telerehabilitation: A risk analysis for privacy, security, and HIPAA compliance. International Journal of Telerehabilitation 2(2). Available at http://telerehab.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/Telerehab/article /view/6056/6298.
Now Don't Delay Register for the NASW-WA Conference by clicking here!
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of NASW Washington State Chapter. This article is reprinted with the permission of the author, National Association of Social Workers National Chapter.
Visit our Website for more information at www.nasw-wa.org. Enjoy!


text:
Purina is looking for help helping judging contestants in the "Purina Pet Comedy Challenge," a competition featuring comedians telling pet-themed, family-friendly jokes.
The challenge started with a four-city tour that kicked off in Philadelphia and visited Orlando, Fla.; Omaha, Neb; and Tempe, Ariz.
At each tour stop, 15 local comedians performed a five-minute stand-up routine that included their funniest family-friendly pet jokes. A panel of judges determined who they thought was the cat's meow based on originality, relevancy of pet-inspired humor and crowd response.
In each of the four cities, judges selected two winners who will travel to the Challenge finals in St. Louis on March 17, where the "Top Dog" will take home $10,000.
The third and fourth place winners from each city are now featured on petcentric.com, where people can view videos of them telling jokes about their furry four-legged friends, and then vote for their favorite.
Based on online voting, the two comedians who receive the most votes will then join the eight regional finalists in St. Louis. There, the 10 selected comedians will participate in an animal joke-off for the first prize of $10,000.
For more information and to submit your vote, visit www.petcentric.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Are you interested in getting your GED in Yoder WY? The General Education Development (GED) examination is for adults who have not completed their high school diploma. The certification that you receive upon completion of the Wyoming GED examination is accepted as an equivalent credential to a high school diploma by employers and colleges throughout the United States.
The General Education Development exam covers basic skills that students are taught in high school. Topics covered in GED classes include writing, reading, social studies, math, and science. Those are the subject areas that make up the General Education Development examination in Wyoming.
Typically GED programs in Yoder WY are offered at:
- Yoder Public Libraries
- Yoder Education Centers
- Yoder Universities
- Yoder Community Colleges


text:
The Alexa Crawl...
In an earlier post ...Internet Advertising I indicated that I submitted to the Alexa Crawl program. I have never submitted to this program for any of my sites but I have noticed the iachiever bot in my log files. I recently found out this bot is from Alexa.
I do not like bots crawling my sites because it inaccurately boosts the number of hits. Be very careful when using this submit function. Because I have dynamic features [forums and this blog] on my domain, bots have to crawl to ensure proper indexing for search engines. My main domain and the other sub-domains are not dynamic so I do not allow bots to crawl more than once every four weeks.
I found this out back in June 2004 when I couldn't figure out why hits were no longer being recorded from people while bot hits were being recorded. In my case there was a direct correlation with the affiliate hits, which is what raised the red flag.
I requested that at least one company remove a particularly busy bot and then put features in to stop others from returning as often. This may have been why Alexa, shortly thereafter -- dropped my rank from 1.6 million to over 5 million [summer 2004 time frame]. This would suggest that you may want to have as many bots crawling as possible. I repeat this is not a good idea. It may mask other things.


text:
Paris Jackson was photographed outside her mother, Debbie Rowe's home in Palmdale, CA on Saturday (May 25). The daughter of the late Michael Jackson looked country rock chic in a Jack Daniel's tank and ripped black pants. She accessorized her look with a leather cowboy hat and … [Read more...]
Paris Jackson & Debbie Rowe Bond Over Lunch
Paris Jackson and her biological mother Debbie Rowe were spotted out for lunch at Fire Island Grill in Palmdale, CA on Sunday (April 28). The daughter of the late Michael Jackson rocked a grunge look while making sure to leave the restaurant at a different time than her mom. … [Read more...]


text:
Box In A Box
At Bayshore Fine Art Storage, we give our clients two of everything for the price of one. Your fine art collection has never been more secure.
Private Vault Storage
At Bayshore we believe that privacy ranks at the top of your concerns.
Shared Space Also Available
We realize that some clients do not require a private vault. We can make this happen.
The Best Light Is No Light At All
When we turn on the lights in our warehouse, your private art storage vault is still pitch black.
When looking for a place to store your artwork, you want a facility that offers the best in security, safety and service.
Bayshore Fine Art Storage delivers all of that — and more — with our "Box in a Box" vault construction, redundant operating systems, the services of a personal art storage coordinator, and easy access to the owners of a family-owned business that has four generations of experience in the storage industry. We are confident that Bayshore's state-of-the-art facilities are the right choice for the storage of your fine art collection.
Interested in Secure Art Storage?
Contact us today!
AXA & CHUBB Approved
About Bayshore Fine Art Storage
We are confident that Bayshore's state-of-the-art facilities are the right choice for the storage of your fine art collection.
901 Dawson Dr, Newark, DE 19713
(800) 523-3319


text:
Lady Gaga have already filmed her performance for the 2016 Annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on Wednesday night in Paris, France. She performed new songs from her new 'Joanne' album 'A-Yo', 'John Wayne', and her latest single 'Million Reasons'. Below are some low quality video clips from the performance:
Watch Lady Gaga's leaked performance of 'Million Reasons' at the event below:
HQ Photos of Gaga's performance:
The much-awaited annual fashion event will air this Monday, December 5th on CBS at 10PM EST. We'll provide a LIVE STREAM for you!
Lady Gaga also made a dramatic entrance on the red carpet of the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Watch the video below:
Ahead of her performance, Lady Gaga also brought elegance to the event's red carpet by wearing a jaw-dropping black lace gown made by fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa.


text:
If you have specific questions not included above, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
Before committing to a competitive soccer team, you should evaluate several things about your child and your lifestyle:
• Am I, the parent, willing to make the financial commitment of the club fees for a seasonal year?
• Am I, the parent, willing to make the commitment of getting my child to two practices per week 5-10 minutes prior to practice during the season? BSC competitive teams typically practice mid-July through May. Winter season will typically be only one practice per week with off-weeks depending on which winter league a team participates.
• Am I, the parent, willing to make the commitment of getting my child to games 20-30 minutes before scheduled games on the weekend?
• Does my child have time in their schedule? Can he/she balance school, homework, school sports and/or other extracurricular activities to commit to a competitive team?
• Does my child want to play soccer competitively?
• Is my child ready for the higher speed and physical play of competitive soccer?
If you answered Yes to the above, then Brookside Soccer Club competitive is right for you!
BSC competitive teams welcome any recreational or competitive soccer player in the Kansas City metropolitan area who wants to play at some of the highest levels in youth soccer. BSC wants players with the dedication and desire to train and develop their skills.
The annual cost for each player for 2017-2018 is $1,400 or approximately $150/month and covers the player from July 2017 through May 2018.
Payment plans are available for full payment, monthly or quarterly. Credit cards and checks are accepted for payment.
BSC is a non-profit organization and fees are to cover team and player costs. The BSC fees are inclusive versus an initial club fee and incremental for each activity of team.
Player annual costs include all of the following:
•Missouri Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) player registration.
• Player insurance through MYSA.
• Professional coaching.
• Skills academy in fall and spring. Six to seven weeks of SAQ (speed, agility and quickness) training included in fees for BSC competitive players. Sessions will be held during the week on alternate days to provide player options on attendance.
• Goalie-specific training with professional coach.
• Practice field for fall and spring at the state of the art turf fields at Swope Soccer Village. Practice is held twice per week in fall and spring. Winter indoor practice is one hour per week at TeamWork Sports.
• Fall league with Heartland Soccer Association, one of the largest leagues in the USA. Teams are divisionally divided to offer competitive play and opportunity for development.
• Spring league with Heartland Soccer Association, one of the largest leagues in the USA. Teams are divisionally divided to offer competitive play and opportunity for development.
• Winter league of either indoor soccer, futsal or outdoor soccer.
• Two in-town tournaments for team. Most teams schedule one in the fall and one in the spring. U8 level players will have one tournament scheduled in the spring.
A team does have the option to vote to attend additional tournaments (either in town or our of town) if desired by coach/players. If a team chooses an additional tournament, these incremental costs would be divided among the team players. Out-of-town tournament costs would include tournament fee and coach travel costs. Family and player travel expenses would be handled individually.
A uniform kit is required for BSC competitive players. The uniform kit is renewed in odd numbered years and good for two seasons, therefore this season (2017-2018) will be a new kit.
The uniform kit is $215 for 2017-2018 and includes the following:
• Home game jersey
• Away game jersey
• One pair of game shorts
• One pair of game socks
• One practice jerseys
• One practice shorts
• One pair of practice socks
The club also offers optional items such as:
• Club warm up jacket and pants
• Club bag
• Club spirit wear
A team may also choose to purchase an optional monochromatic black long-sleeved game jersey. Some teams have expressed an interest in this additional option and is available for purchase if a team votes to include. You may see items for sale HERE.
The club continues to explore sponsorship and fundraising opportunities to offset player costs and grow scholarship funds.
Brookside Soccer Club implemented a tiered-team model beginning in the 2015-2016 season. The Club's objective is to place players in the best situation to be successful, as well as challenging them along the way. We want players to build a strong foundation and cohesiveness as they progress through age groups.
While we intend to form winning teams, BSC's greater commitment is in the development and training of our players. BSC's stance is for players to be assigned to teams based on their actual age group. Physiological changes do occur rapidly in certain age groups and we want our players to develop properly, both physically and mentally.
BSC works with the Heartland Soccer Association to position our teams in a challenging division. The goal is not "winning", per se, but the development of our players. A team who dominates every team in their division is not properly challenged in game situations and skills.
Team Process
• Coaches are tiered assigned by age/gender, i.e. Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, etc.
• The Tier 1 coach receives the first pick of players during tryouts to fill out the best team possible for their age group and assigned division. Players are selected on their skill level, their potential and with the team's synergy in mind. The Tier 2 coaches will then complete their teams, and so on. All coaches within each age group are involved in this process.
• Coaches may provide some opportunities throughout the season for players to guest play on higher-tiered teams as these players show faster development.
Fall and spring season games played under the umbrella of the Heartland Soccer Association at fields they rent in KCMO, Overland Park, Olathe and Lee's Summit.
Games are scheduled at Swope Soccer Village, Scheels Overland Park Soccer Complex, Heritage Soccer Park and Legacy Park.
Winter game locations will depend on the league selected by coach, with most being in the Overland Park area.
Fall and spring practice is at Swope Soccer Village. The coaches arrange for practice times with the BSC scheduler. Competitive teams practice two days per week in addition to their weekly games.
Winter practice moves indoors to TeamWork Sports in Waldo. Most competitive teams practice only one hour on one day per week in the winter, with off-weeks for holidays. Game schedules will depend on the league and session the team chooses for indoor or outdoor soccer or futsal.
Registration for BSC competitive tryouts is done via BSC's Blue Sombrero registration system. A family account must be set up and then any participant that wants to tryout must be added to the account. The registration contains basic information such as family contacts and player details.
The same family account can be used for all BSC programs — competitive, recreational and camps/clinics. If you don't currently have a family account, go to Log In/Register at the top right of our website.
See "How Do I Access BSC Family Account" in FAQs for more information.
The Register Now button should be used to select BSC programs for registration.
For competitive team tryouts, select the program 2017-2018 BSC Competitive Tryouts.
The age divisions are based on calendar year versus school year.
A player cannot be older than the last day of the birth year for the listed age division. For example, a U10 player must be born on or after January 1, 2008.
The other mandates from US Soccer include small-sided games and concussion initiatives to eliminate heading in lower age divisions.
If you would like more information on age division and concussion initiative being implemented by youth soccer in the US, there is an interview with World Class Coaching's Tom Mura who interviews Heartland Soccer's Shane Hackett, Brookside Soccer's Nick Garcia, Kansas Youth Soccer's Chris Duke and Sporting KC Academy's Jon Parry.
Team roster sizes are determined by the age division of the team. BSC competitive teams participate in the Heartland Soccer Association (HSA) league in the fall and spring and follow mandated roster limits for the number of players who may dress for games.
BSC roster is the optimum for a team to provide for development of our players.
A team manager is a volunteer role of a player's parent. They assist the coach with communication to the team's parents; registration and tournament check-in; game-day processes, such as completing roster cards; and making winter league and practice arrangements. The manager also handles the team's bank account, paying any fees on behalf of the team and making deposits of any checks.
BSC offers a player discount of $200 to the children of team managers. The manager discount is applied directly to the family's account (half in July 2017 and half in April 2018).
BSC offers needs-based scholarships. The Club strives to expand scholarship opportunities through sponsorships and fundraisers. The application process is confidential and is evaluated and awarded by BSC's Executive Director based on available scholarship funds and applicants.
Parents should apply for scholarships on the BSC website at Competitive/Scholarship Application prior to competitive tryouts.
We realize players who make competitive teams still have friends who play recreational and would like to continue to play with them. Players will be allowed to play on both a competitive and recreational team. In the event of any game or practice conflicts, the competitive team should take precedence.
A family account is for registration for any of the programs offered by the Brookside Soccer Club (BSC). This includes recreational league, competitive tryouts, high school and adult leagues and many clinics and camps for soccer development.
The contact information on the account is where email notices will be sent for club information, BSC league and practice weather information and player evaluation (competitive). It can be updated at any time.
To access BSC family account – go to brooksidesoccer.org and select Log In/Register
Player portal will display:
Sign In
• Enter user ID and password
• Select Sign In
There are options if have forgotten user name and password to reset for account.
If new to BSC, see instructions below to add a new family account.
Family Account
A screen similar to below will display with participants for a family. This screen is a summary of family participants, account balance and is where can update contact information.
Check contact information (red oval) – the account email and phone number will be used for BSC notices and provided to coach or team manager for communication. Select the Edit Account Info (gear symbol) in top right to review and update account primary and secondary parent name, address, email, phone.
For competitive teams – the contact information will be as contact for coach to call and email offer. It will also be used for player Zoom Report evaluations on player strengths and development.
Primary Account contact
Secondary Account contact
There is an option to provide two separate usernames and passwords for parents to same participants if needed. Contact firstname.lastname@example.com to activate.
Register Now! is for registration to all the program available by participant with Brookside Soccer.
If new to Brookside Soccer Club – Add new family account
• Select Register Now to set up new family account
• Complete account information such as user id and password
• Complete parent information including name, address, cell, email and gender. Should include both parents if want for team contacts. Note – if desired player account can be set up with two user id/passwords for joint ownership.
• Add participant information (children and/or parents) including name and birthday. Address if different from parents. The participants are those going to register for any BSC program such as recreational league, competitive tryouts, high school or adult league or any camp or clinic.