Clinical Network Committee Charge

Clinical Social Workers Network of NASW/CT

Network Charge

 

Authorization and Accountability

 

The Clinical Social Work Network of NASW/CT is a Board of Directors approved Network of the Connecticut Chapter of NASW. The Network reports to the Board of Directors at least once a year on the activities of the Network.

 

Purpose

 

To provide a professional network for clinical social workers to meet for: sharing of mutual interests, providing continuing education, addressing issues of concern to clinical social workers, and advocating for clinical social work.

 

Time Frame

 

The Network is an ongoing unit of the Connecticut Chapter.

 

Members, Terms, and Criteria

 

The Network is open to all NASW members. Clinical social workers that are non-members of NASW may participate in the Network activities however membership in NASW is encouraged. Only NASW members in good standing may serve on the Steering Committee.

 

The Network will have a Steering Committee consisting of NASW members appointed by the CT chapter. The chairperson or co-chairpersons of the Network shall be appointed by the chapter President with the advice of the Network’s steering committee, for a term not to exceed of two years and may be reappointed for additional terms. The initial co-chairs will have one person appointed who from the Connecticut Society for Clinical Social Work and one person from the National Association of Social Workers, CT Chapter.

 

Specific Responsibilities

 

  • To plan and provide for continuing education opportunities for clinical social workers. Such programs will include, but not limited to, advanced clinical education opportunities in small group settings that are cost effective.
  • To advocate for clinical social work within NASW/CT and the greater social work community.
  • To develop information and resources on clinical social work that will be made available on the chapter’s website under a Clinical Social Workers Network page(s).
  • To inform the members of NASW/CT on clinical social work issues and knowledge through use of the chapter’s communication vehicles, such as the newsletter, website and e-updates.
  • To keep members of the Network informed on issues, activities and matters of interest through direct communication with Network members.
  • Serving as a resource to individual members on clinical practice.
  • To be a resource to NASW/CT on initiatives that is directly beneficial to clinical social workers.
  • To provide oversight of funds designated for the purposes of operating the Clinical Network.

 

History

 

The Clinical Network of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW/CT) was formed in the fall of 2008 by the merger of the Connecticut Society for Clinical Social Work (CSCSW) and the Connecticut Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. The CSCSW and NASW/CT have a long history of collaboratively working together toward the advancement of professional social work practice. These collaborative efforts primarily were in the legislative and policy arena on issues such as licensure, confidentiality, third party payment, mental health parity and protection of the right of clinical social workers to be covered under health insurance plans. Representatives of the two organizations also participated in conferences and annual meetings of the other organization.

 

The uniting of these two organizations had been under discussion for over a year prior to the merger and is in recognition of the need to have a unified voice for clinical social work with adequate resources to undertake the responsibilities outlined in this Charge. Both organizations independently came to the conclusion that a united Network would best serve the interests and needs of clinical social workers in Connecticut. The boards of directors of the CSCSW and NASW/CT approved the merger plan thus forming the Clinical Social Work Network of NASW/CT.