In this week's update:
- Week 3: NASW-NC meets with Legislators
- 2025 NC Social Work Advocacy Day - REGISTRATION FULL!
- NCGA Bills to Watch
- Common Cause NC Rallies
- Gov. Stein Sues NCGA
- Lawmakers, advocates launch new statewide campaign for addiction treatment
- Black History Month -Equality NC
- NASW-NC Ethics Conference
Week 3: NASW-NC meets with Legislators
NASW-NC was at the NC General Assembly for week 3 of the Legislative Session. We had in-person meetings with legislators to discuss passage of the Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact Bill and our upcoming Advocacy Day on March 5th. NASW-NC also attended Representative Reeder’s and Addiction Professionals of North Carolina’s (APNC) press conference on Wednesday, February 12 discussing the new initiative “North Carolina Treatment Connection” to address exploitation in the Substance Use Disorder treatment industry. Rep. Reeder is also a primary sponsor of the Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact.
Our #1 Legislative Priority is the passing of the Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact Bill, which we first introduced in the 2023 session. You can learn more about the Social Work Compact HERE. We have already secured bill sponsors in both the NC House & NC Senate. We are meeting with legislators to discuss restoring masters' pay for school social workers and investment in the social work workforce. Please keep reading our weekly Advocacy Alerts & follow us on social media as we will be sharing updates throughout the legislative session on our lobbying efforts around the 2025 NASW-NC Legislative Agenda.
2025 ADVOCACY DAY – REGISTRATION FULL
The 2025 North Carolina Social Work Advocacy Day registration is full & over-capacity for both morning orientation sessions on Wednesday, March 5th. Our wait-list is also completely full.
We would love to be able to accommodate all the hundreds of social work students and other social workers who still wish to register, however we have reached maximum capacity inside the auditorium. Please do not email other NASW-NC staff requesting exceptions for Advocacy Day. The emails have been overwhelming. Thank you for your support and patience.
NASW-NC's 2025 Advocacy Day is WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2025 in Downtown Raleigh! We will have a new location for morning orientation (sessions between 9AM-12PM) this year due to the NC History Museum being closed for renovation.
Read More Here: 2025 NORTH CAROLINA SOCIAL WORK ADVOCACY DAY
New Location: Church on Morgan
136 E Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Church on Morgan's meeting space is like an auditorium, not with religious symbolism of any kind. An OPTIONAL contribution is available during the online registration process. NASW-NC is proud to make the North Carolina Social Work Advocacy Day free for all. We welcome your contribution to this event. All contributions will be donated to social work students from across the state to aid in their travel to Raleigh. Please consider contributing to this effort to help connect the social work profession to those who represent us and our communities at the North Carolina General Assembly.
- Click here to access the recording of 2025 NASW-NC Legislative Agenda and Advocacy 101: Advocating for Social Work webinar
- 2025 Advocacy 101 Webinar slides
- Advocacy Toolkit Coming Soon!
NCGA Bills to Watch
HB5: An Act to Protect A Person’s Right to Carry a Concealed Handgun Without a Permit
HB66: An Act to Reduce the Early Voting Period to the Second Monday Before the Election
HB72 (=S58): An Act to Limit the Attorney General’s Participation in Litigation Advancing Any Argument That Would Result in the Invalidation of Any Executive Order Issued by the President of the United States
HB76: An Act Protecting the Right to Access Assisted Reproductive Technology
Common Cause NC Rallies
Upcoming statewide rallies to protect North Carolina voters (Feb. 15-22)
It’s the people’s turn to say: reject Griffin’s challenge! Respect our votes!
Join the growing opposition against Griffin’s challenges, raise your voice at rallies happening across the state, and build a pro-democracy movement together.
Rallies are scheduled statewide in the Triangle, Triad/Charlotte/Western NC/Eastern NC. We've added rallies in places like Jacksonville, Warrenton, Nags Head, and New Bern — making this a true statewide movement!
Show up with us at rallies across the state to protest, build community, and paint a picture of our statewide outrage. Learn more and RSVP at ccnc.me/Griffin
Governor Stein Sues NC House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate leader Phil Berger
New North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein says more recent laws enacted by state Republicans that erode some gubernatorial appointment powers are “partisan power grabs that thwart North Carolina voters’ decisions at the ballot box."
The Democratic governor sued House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate leader Phil Berger in Wake County court on Friday, aiming to strike down provisions within wide-ranging legislation that removed his power to fill court vacancies and name members of a commission that regulates companies that offer electricity, natural gas and other services. The Republican-controlled General Assembly enacted the omnibus legislation in December over then-Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto.
In a news release provided by his office Monday, Stein said that his comfortable gubernatorial election victory in November signals the public wants him to retain powers.
“I filed this lawsuit to ensure that their vote is respected, to restore balance to our state’s branches of government, and to put our Constitution ahead of power grabs,” he said.
Source: WRAL.com
Lawmakers, advocates launch initiative targeting predatory practices in addiction treatment
North Carolina is launching a statewide campaign to combat predatory practices in addiction treatment to help people struggling with substance-use disorders find evidence-based treatment facilities.
The “North Carolina Treatment Connection” initiative is a joint effort between Addiction Professionals of North Carolina, the state legislature, the Department of Human Services and 700 treatment providers to address exploitation in the industry.
“We are creating a trusted resource to connect individuals to ethical, effective treatment providers in their communities,” said Sarah Howe, CEO of APNC.
The campaign aims to address issues of misinformation and exploitation that have long plagued the addiction treatment industry. It comes on the heels of the state’s 2023 enactment of the SAFE Act, which targeted patient brokering and other deceptive practices. Patient brokering is the illegal practice of paying or receiving kickbacks for referring patients to addiction treatment facilities.
“Bad actors are taking advantage of people when they’re at their lowest, and we can’t allow that anymore,” said Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett, Lee, Sampson) a primary sponsor of the SAFE Act, during a press conference Wednesday morning.
Michael Roberts, who is in long-term recovery, described being steered to fraudulent clinics: “Patient brokering nearly cost me my life. It’s a form of human trafficking.”
Celebrating Black History Month -Equality NC
“We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes.” The phenomenal Ella Baker, a renowned human rights activist, gifted us with this important reminder. Freedom is the horizon that we continue to run toward. Through generations, we’ve learned that everyone deserves to be on this journey, no matter what came before them or where they’re headed next. Freedom is the minimum of what we deserve, not mere privileges.
Every year, we take time to ground ourselves and remind ourselves that without the contributions of the Black community globally, but especially in the South, we would not have the rights we do today. The fight against the great horrors of slavery, Jim Crow, and engrained discrimination set the stage internationally for what it means to build a movement so powerful the status quo must change irrevocably. We honor them as we continue our part in this fight, fighting for Black queer and trans people in North Carolina, and know that we must continue to carry the burden of fighting for human rights for the next 45 years to come.
Our mission is to build LGBTQ+ power through advocacy, education, and uplifting the stories of queer and trans North Carolinians in pursuit of racial and social justice. This year, our stories will be the ones that ring true and strong in the face of injustice and will create a path for people to follow for years to come. The journey for equality will continue, even in the face of pain and adversity, and we will continue to fight for what we know is right. Together, we have what it takes to transform North Carolina.
Click Here to read: Lifting the Legacy: Black Trailblazers Who Inspire Us
Source: EqualityNC
NASW-NC Ethics Conference
The 2025 Ethics Conference "Innovation and Ethics: The Future of Social Work in a Tech-Driven World" will explore the intersection of technology and social work in the modern era. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the role of technology in social work is becoming increasingly significant. This conference aims to create meaningful discussions around how innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and digital platforms can enhance the delivery of social work on all levels, while also addressing the ethical challenges they present.
Key topics of focus will include the integration of technology and AI in social work practice, clinical documentation considerations with data privacy and security, and the ethical responsibilities of social workers in navigating the digital divide. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with seasoned practitioners in these areas and learn how social workers can leverage technological advancements and maintain their commitment to ethical principles, client autonomy, and social justice.
Date: Friday, March 21, 2025
Time: 8:15am - 4:00pm EST
Location: Virtual on Zoom
6.5 Hours Ethics CE
Thank you to the members of NASW-NC for supporting the advocacy work we do. We would not be able to advocate for the social work profession or social justice issues in North Carolina without a robust and engaged NASW membership. If you are a social worker and not a member, we ask that you join NASW today. Our voice is louder with your membership.
Learn more about NASW-NC membership here.
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