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Aloha and best wishes for a prosperous 2006 from your CSWSH Board of Directors. Traditionally, this annual letter is a review of CSWSH accomplishments during the previous fiscal year. However, before providing a summary of events, we’d like to provide a somewhat historical review.
CSWSH formed in November 1999 for many reasons: to promote and maintain high standards of professional practice; to promote public understanding and acceptance of Clinical Social Work as a specialized professional discipline for mental health treatment; to attain legal recognition for Clinical Social Workers as independent mental health practitioners having parity with other mental health professionals; to promote and recognize scholarship, achievement and professional distinction in Clinical Social Work; to maintain ethical standards; and to promote high standards of clinical education. All of these are wonderful and perhaps lofty goals, and most CSWSH’s work during the past six years has been in two areas: education and legislation. Last year was not much different. But our biggest struggle has been to be a viable organization.
To be a part of the Clinical Social Work Federation, we are required to have at least 25 members; and the first two years of our affiliation we fell short. So the Federation gave us a two-year variance and we focused on recruitment efforts. Our numbers grew sufficiently and we were bona fide members of the federation – at least until last summer. Then our membership numbers again dropped to 22 members – not enough for CSWSH to be a voting member of the Federation – which is why we did not participate in the Federation Board meeting in Virginia last October. True, your board has maintained regular communication with the Federation’s officers; but without the required number of members for affiliation, we were not eligible to vote on issues. However, we did not give up hope. We continued recruitment efforts and reached the required number of members in December 2005. While this is good news, it is not the end of the story: The reality is that our membership year begins on 01 March and ends on the last day of February of the following year. This means that effective 01 March we again face the challenge of qualifying for membership in the Federation.
It is relevant to mention that our local efforts to be a viable organization have been similar to the Federation, and that the 2005 calendar year was a particularly difficult one for the Federation as they struggled to maintain cohesion and structure despite a steady decline in membership numbers nationally. In fact, they are now in the process of shifting from a Federation to an Association (see enclosure). So where does this leave CSWSH? In fact, we are not sure. Suffice it to say we have not yet given up!
Our annual, General Membership Meeting is scheduled for March 12, 2006 and will be held at the Kaiser-Permanente Pensacola Street location, 12:30 - ?, ALL CSWSH members are encouraged to attend and participate in this very important meeting. For one thing, it is time to elect new officers. The other issue is that membership fees are due on 01 March. My term as President ends this month, as does Ronaele Whittington’s term as Treasurer. As a board, we are unaware if there is any CSWSH member who is able and willing to “run” for either of these offices. A few individuals were directly asked if they would consider being candidates; but all declined (albeit for good reasons, but they still declined). Personally, I am unable (and perhaps unwillingly) to be President for another term. While I am proud that I have been a CSWSH Board member since November 1999, it is time for me to step aside. Ronaele is no longer willing to be Treasurer (although when directly asked about service in another capacity she did concede she would serve as President if there was absolutely no one else who could step up to the plate). In reality, we think there is | ||