Newsletters

The National Association of Social Workers Iowa Chapter (NASW IA) is proud to announce the five recipients of the Spring 2024 Community Leaders Project. The goal of this project is to amplify the voices of underrepresented and marginalized individuals in our community. We hope to help develop the next generation of public service leadership and create a more just, equitable and inclusive community. These five individuals, carefully selected by a committee of highly respected social workers in the community, are doing the work and advocating for change in the community. This award will support the students as they learn and grow throughou...

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Here are links to platform planks that you can print out and submit at your precinct caucus on Mon., 1-15-24. For information on the precinct caucuses see our newsletter dated 1-11-24 below this entry. Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention Workforce Development for Mental Health Professionals Responsible Gun Ownership Healthcare Robust Medicaid Program

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We hope you are planning to attend your precinct caucus on Monday, January 15.  It is important for your voice to be heard by our political leaders. One of the activities at both the Republican and the Democratic caucuses is building the party policy platform.  Submitting platform planks at your precinct caucus will give you an opportunity to help shape the party’s policy platform and influence your neighbors and party leaders. Democrats may wonder why they should attend their precinct caucuses on January 15, as they will not be selecting their preferred presidential candidate.  One of the primary activities for their...

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Below is a version of what Abe Goetz, LMSW, CADC, our chapter board president-elect, said at the public hearing last week. He also emailed it to the public comments email address. He was also quoted in the Iowa Capital Dispatch NASW-IA statement on proposal to Eliminate and Consolidate Boards and Commissions The Iowa Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW-IA) works to advance our members' professional development and to promote the social work profession. NASW-IA is opposed to the consolidation/merging of the Board of Social Work. The Board of Social Work oversees the largest amount of licensees available...

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Iowans will have the chance to weigh in at a public hearing Sept. 6, 2023, where they can share their thoughts about whether certain boards should be kept the same, modified or eliminated, including the Iowa Board of Social Work. The Iowa Boards and Commissions Review Committee has released the recommendation to “Consolidate/Merge” the Iowa Board of Social Work. Please consider sharing your thoughts with the committee.    The public meeting will be held  Tues. 9-6-23  12 pm to 2pm  Iowa State Capitol  Room 103  Speakers will be given 2 minutes each. ·   Iowans int...

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Director Liz Matney Continuous Coverage Unwind There has been quite a bit of national coverage on this  IME is still awaiting guidance from CMS.  There may be some adjustments made to the unwind.  IME did anticipate higher rate of disenrollments in the first few months, as that is when the folks who were flagged as potentially ineligible were disenrolled.  Please encourage clients to re-enroll during the 90 day grace period so they have no coverage gap.  This is preferable than going through an appeals process.  IME is aware of the back up in services that we are facing for behavioral health an...

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The NASW Task Force for Clinical Social Work Practice Standards is asking for your feedback on the draft NASW Standards for Clinical Social Workers in Social Work Practice. The draft offers guidance to clinical social workers in all clinical settings and serves as a benchmark for the services they provide. The public comment period ends September 15, 2023. Please use this form to provide your feedback along with your professional background. The Revised Clinical Standards are attached to the form. Questions? Please email cswstandards@socialworkers.org.

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Individual provider mental health reimbursement rate increases Can you give mental health providers any idea on a timeline that the increased rates will be release? Or any ideas on the procedure codes that will be effected? Informational letter should be going out next week (week of 7-31-23).  There was some sort of an “unintended consequence” with the community mental health centers that needs to be resolved first. Receiving the increased mental health provider reimbursement rate retroactively In order to automatically receive the increased reimbursement rates, you do need to bill for an amount that is higher tha...

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ICYMI: The videos featuring Sharine Conner LISW, IADC (now Webster), NASW Iowa 2021 Social Worker of Excellence & Debra Carr, LMSW, NASW Iowa Catherine G. Williams 2021 Diversity Lifetime Achievement Awardee were bestowed a 2023 Award of Achievement for Corporate Internal Communications by the Iowa Motion Picture Association. Special thanks to Eric Benson & Kevin Thorn with Bus-Stop Productions for producing these videos!   View the videos here: https://naswia.socialworkers.org/News/Iowa-Award-Winners or on the NASW Iowa YouTube Channel

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The NASW Iowa Chapter CEU event "Demystifying the Eating Disorder:  Understanding Signs, Symptoms & Treatment" originally scheduled for Fri. 7-21-23 has been postponed due to a medical emergency in the presenter’s family.  More details to follow on how we will refund and/or re-register those of you who purchased a CEU certificate.  We will attempt to reschedule this event far enough out so you can fit it into your schedule. We apologize for this inconvience and thank you for using NASW Iowa Chapter for your CEU needs. 

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A Quick recap of the IME Townhall meeting for providers on 6-22-23 Medicaid reimbursement rates for individual mental health providers increases Approximately 30 individual mental health provider (clinical social workers, psychologists and behavioral health providers) billing codes will be increased by 56.57%. Iowa Medicaid Enterprise (IME) is working on a letter that will include all of the specific billing codes that they will send out to providers. The rate increase will be effective starting 7-1-23 – with 2 caveats: IME does have to file an amendment to the State Medicaid Plan, which has to be approved by the Cente...

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Iowa Medicaid Enterprise Providers Town Hall Meeting Thurs. 6-22-23 4 pm to 5 pm Agenda includes new Provider Rates! PCA presentation Mental Health therapy rates Substance Use Disorder rates; Update on discretionary $3M for Mental Health Also on the agenda:  Molina Go-Live o HSAG readiness findings and mitigations Molina will have in place for more information go to: https://hhs.iowa.gov/ime/about/advisory-groups/townhall  

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NASW Iowa Chapter members eligible to vote in Chapter elections will receive an email to the email address they have on file with NASW with the link to the electronic ballot. The first email is scheduled to go out around 4 pm CT, 6-7-23. Voting will end at 7:30 am, Central Time, on Tuesday, 6-27-23. To see a list of candidates and their platform statements go to https://naswia.socialworkers.org/About/Board-of-Directors If you would prefer to vote on a paper ballot, please contact the NASW Iowa Chapter 515-277-1117

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During today's Iowa Medicaid town hall for providers, to IME Director Liz Matney stated that the Medicaid rate increases will be effective 7-1-23. They hope to have those rates ready for public announcement mid-June.  New rates might not be loaded into the system by 7-1-23, but they will be retroactive.  The $7 million appropriated by the legislature for Medicaid reimbursement rate increases will be specifically for mental health therapists.  Their goal is to get Iowa Medicaid rates to at least 85% of the benchmark they were using.  The additional $3 M that we didn’t expect will also be for mental health, b...

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Medicaid Town Hall Meeting for Providers Agenda items include: *** Rate Review Next Steps with Appropriation** Thurs. 5-25-23 4 pm to 5 pm Other Agenda Items: Medicaid Updates Continuous Coverage Update Molina Go-Live Open Discussion To learn more and to register go to https://hhs.iowa.gov/ime/about/advisory-groups/townhall

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