NASW Montana Membership Increases
Tim Dallacqua, NASW MT Membership Committee Chair announced today that our membership increased by 10 more members this last month to 487. Our biggest increase has come from Social Work Students. A year ago NASW Montana had 24 student members, and now we have 64, a near three-fold increase! Tim credits this increase to the Membership Committee’s tremendous success with its initiative undertaken in the fall of 2009 to have Chapter members sponsor the initial membership of social work students attending one of the several university and college campuses in Montana. Through this program, the Chapter has gained 33 new student members. This result has come from the generous donation of the membership fee amount from many individual members within our Chapter. We were also able to sponsor several students’ membership through the raffle conducted during the Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk Conference held last November.
To see the listings of our new student members gained via this program and also the names of the persons who have participated in sponsorship for these new student members, click on the following link: View Listings.

If you are interested in sponsoring a Montana Social Work Student’s NASW membership, click on the following link: Sponsor a Social Work Student’s NASW Membership, and let the Chapter know your wishes. Your Montana Chapter will “match” you with a Social Work student, and send your check into NASW.

“The Anxious Brain” Conference & LCSW Test Preparation Course, May 21-22, Missoula, at the Hilton Garden Inn
A two-day seminar by Margaret Wehrenberg, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist, co-founder of the Reflex Delay Syndrome (RDS) Research and Training Institutes. Dr. Wehrenberg is a recognized expert on the treatment of anxiety and depression; she also has extensive training and expertise in the neurobiology of psychological disorders. In addition to her recent book, The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques, she has published articles for The Psychotherapy Networker magazine, has authored Stress Solutions: Ten Effective Strategies to Eliminate Your Stress, and has produced Relaxation for Tension and Worry, a CD for breathing, muscle relaxation and imagery, to use with anxious clients.

On Saturday, May 22nd (at the same conference site) NASW Montana is also offering an Updated Test Preparation Course for Licensed Clinical Social Work Exam Saturday, May 22 presented by Betsy Webb LCSW (mtwebbs@msn.com). This will be the 4th time Betsy has presented this course, which will include recently updated test preparation materials.

This six-hour workshop will provide attendees with test taking strategies for correctly answering examination questions. A framework for critical analysis of examination questions will be presented and the instructor will use sample questions to illustrate important concepts. In addition, a review of material in each of the content areas on the examination will assist attendees with recall of information and focusing on subsequent studying. Content areas to be covered include: (1) theories of human development; (2) diversity; (3) assessment and diagnosis; (4) psychotherapy and clinical practice; (5) communication; (6) the therapeutic relationship; (7) professional ethics; (8) clinical supervision, consultation, and staff development; (9) research methods; (10) service delivery; and (11) clinical practice and management. Practice questions will be used to familiarize attendees with items in each content area.

NASW Montana Board Elections Candidates Step Forward & Sought
Marianne Moon, NASW MT Nominations and Leadership Committee Chair announced that the following NASW Montana Board positions will be elected this Spring during our 2010 Board election. Marianne said that although most of the Board positions have candidates, she is encouraging any and all members to apply as candidates for Board positions and have their names placed on the ballot.

President-Elect: Michael Hagenlock (Belgrade)
Vice President: Paula Wallace (Billings)
Treasurer: Bill Evans (Helena)
Northwest Regional Representative: Shirley Howell (Kalispell)
South West Regional Representative: Annie Kaylor Bernauer (Missoula)
South Central Regional Representative: Colleen Crane (Bozeman)
Eastern Regional Representative: Candidate Being Sought
Walla Walla School of Social Work: Candidate Being Sought
University of Montana School of Social Work: Candidate Being Sought
Salish Kootenai Social Work Program: Candidate Being Sought

Members interested in running for any of the Board positions listed above are encouraged to review and fill out and submit. Applications can be accepted until May 15,2010.

NASW Montana is “Testing” Our “Confidential Members Only” On-Line Social Work Issues Forum
Over a year ago, the NASW MT “Membership Committee” recommended that we develop a “Confidential Member’s Only” on-line Social Work Issues Forum. The purpose of the forum is to provide our members with the opportunity to confidentially pose practice and ethics issues to one another, and to have a “virtual conversation” with Montana Social Workers.

As a “member’s only” feature, NASW MT members will be able to “log-in” to the Forum by using their NASW (national) user name and password, rather than having to come up with yet another one. As of now our “testers” include our Board of Directors and Committee members. We have asked them to: 1) see how it works, 2) make comments on where and how it doesn’t work the way you would like, 3) ask questions about the forum’s features as there are some “terms” and words to which you may not have been exposed, and 4) get some timely issues/topics under discussion. Once we have the Forum setup pretty much the way you like it, we will make it available to all members as an additional website feature for the Montana Chapter.
If you are interested in helping us "test" our NASW MT Confidential Members Only Social Work Issues forum, click on the following link: http://www.naswmt.org/members/testing and open the "users guide," and provide us with your feedback and questions. Thank you.

NASW Montana President Announces Formation of “Supervision” Task Force: Members Sought
Margaret Watson, President NASW Montana Board of Directors announced the formation of a Task Force on Standards and Training for Clinical Supervision and Consultation to include NASW Montana members. Her proposal was approved by the NASW MT Board of Directors at its March 13th meeting. Margaret said the reasons for forming this task force are due to:

Recent proposed and/or adopted changes in requirements for pre-licensing supervision (See Clinical Supervision Rules Article Above),
recent requests that NASW provide referrals for pre-licensing supervision, and
NASW Montana’s duty to address continuing education needs of our members, which may include continuing education to provide quality clinical supervision

For more information on the NASW Montana Clinical Supervision Task Force, please contact either John Wilkinson (john@naswmt.org) or Margaret Watson (mwatson@bresnan.net)

Montana NASW PACE
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you NASW members who have donated to NASW’s PACE. Thanks to your donations, our Montana PACE will be able to contribute financially to five political races in the primary election on June 8, and contribute to five candidates after the primary election. At this point our NASW MT PACE account balance is: $1,694.50. We are limited to a $160 donation per candidate in the primary and general elections.

We really do need your help with this part. Please contact any member on the PACE committee to advise us of issues you think we need to address/monitor/promote/oppose, any political races we should be paying special attention to, candidates that support the matters important to NASW members, and any really close races that could benefit from our support. A decision of who to support in the primary will need to be made in the near future, so your input is vital. Our next meeting will be April 14. Additionally, two of our members will be terming out and will need to be replaced. If you are interested in joining this committee, please advise our Executive Director, John Wilkinson: john@naswmt.org, or anyone on the committee. We look forward to hearing from you.
PACE Committee members include:
-Colleen Crane, Co-Chair (Bozeman), colleencrane@gmail.com
-Vonnie Brown, Co-Chair & Secretary Treasurer (Great Falls) vonniemsw@qwestoffice.net
-Dave Segerstrom, Member (Missoula) segerstrom@missoulaanesthesiology.com
-Mary Jane Fox, Member (Kalispell) mjfox005@gmail.com .

Submitted by: Vonnie Brown, LCSW
MT NASW PACE Sec/Treas.
vonniemsw@qwestoffice.net

NASW Montana assigned VISTA Volunteer to Promote Continuity of Social Policy Agenda
Andrew Gardner, a VISTA from Boise, Idaho was assigned to the NASW Montana office to promote the continuity of our collaboratively developed Social Policy Agenda. As Andrew explains, “The motif of my position is based on the aspect of the NASW mission statement to develop the social work profession and advance sound public policy that meets human needs and improves quality of life in Montana. The mission statement is promoted through three general arenas. I will help monitor and aid community based services that divert people in mental health crises from jail and MSH, keep children with SED in families and communities by promoting a true wraparound program, and develop workforce by provide support and incentives for social workers and professional counselors in Montana.

Montana State Hospital has been overwhelmed as the number of commitments exceeds its optimum patient population. The 2009 Montana Legislature passed House Bills that act to create community based services in order to reduce the number of commitments. I will help in the monitoring of the implementation of these House Bills as well as act as a liaison between agencies. In addition, I am helping promote community based services by developing a reference manual of available services for each of the 56 counties in Montana. Also, I am currently helping assemble a committee to develop a Psychiatric Advance Directive (PAD) proposal. A PAD will help voice the preferences of a person when they become incapacitated due to a mental health crisis.

Permanency is an issue in the current children’s mental health system. Children are placed in out of home treatment facilities and often experience multiple placements. All children need a permanent family, and this idea is the driving force behind wraparound system for children with SED. In wraparound, the child remains in a “family” and receives community based services. This family does not necessarily need to be biological, but the family needs to be a lifetime commitment. Wraparound has been shown to be cost and outcome effective. As a VISTA, my role is to help promote a true wraparound system in Montana by gathering information and generating interest.

Workforce development is the second aspect of my position in regards to the mission statement. Out of state license endorsement is often a tedious process and I am helping find a user friendly manner to endorse licenses of social workers that come to Montana. In addition, I will be working on a continuing education conference for social workers and professional counselors. The conference, Professional Life on the Cutting Edge, will cover practice issues dealing with a range of issues from ethics to supervision policies.

Developing community based diversions from the correctional system and moving toward wraparound services promotes values that social workers also share. There is a paradigm shift from institutional to community based system. Social workers are among those on the front line that enact the change. By helping with these projects, NASW further embodies the nature of social work and collaboration towards a healthier community. And through the development of the workforce, NASW can help provide support and incentives for social workers practicing in Montana.

Submitted by: Andrew Gardner, VISTA
Andrew@naswmt.org

Montana Board of Social Work Examiners and Professional Counselors Updates

Clinical Supervision Rules Amended/Strengthened by Board of Social Work Examiners
Your NASW Montana office has received a considerable number of calls about the "New" Administrative Rules regarding "Supervision." A copy of the rules adopted by the Board of Social Work Examiners and Professional Counselors the end of December are in the following pdf.

The following are the sections of the amended rules regarding Supervision, and, as you will see the following pdf highlights the in the amended rule's Definitions, Applications Procedures, and Licensure Requirements Supervision Abstracts pdf. The words Supervisor and Supervision are highlighted.

Licensed Supervising Social Workers need to keep in mind that whereas the applicant for a social work license submits their own application to the Board, their supervisor must attest to the "dates," "content summary," "recommendation to approve for licensure or not," and "the number of hours of supervision satisfactorily completed."

LMFT Administrative Rules Being Drafted: Dual Licensure Procedure Requirements Developed
The Montana Board of Social Work Examiners and Professional Counselors staff released the procedures for LCSW’s interested in being “dually licensed” as Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists at the end of 2009, and was based on the passage of SB 271, which created the LMFT Licensure category. If you have any questions regarding the dual licensure process please contact Cyndi Breen (cbreen@mt.gov or call her at 406 841-2392).

The Board is also in the process of developing the Administrative Rules for the LMFT licensing category, and will be published for public comment when they become available. Again, if you have any questions regarding the proposed LMFT rules, please contact Cyndi.

Social Worker Psychological Testing Guidelines Adopted by Board
The Montana Board of Social Work Examiners and Professional Counselors adopted the “Ohio Rule” as guidelines The Board voted to adopt the “Ohio Rules Use of Psychological Tests by Social Workers” for implementing SB 235, which allows LCSW’s and LCPC’s to publically state they administer “Psychological Testing.” The Ohio Rules are attached. Governor Schweitzer amended the bill by stating, “My amendment would require the Board of Social Work Examiners and Professional Counselors to promulgate rules that articulate the minimum standards of education and training required for their licensees to be authorized to conduct psychological testing. I believe that such standards are necessary and appropriate, and would ensure that consumers of mental health services receive the safe care they deserve and expect from a professional.”

From NASW

Update on Medicare “Physician Fee” Payments
(More Info)
March proved yet another tumultuous month for congressional consideration of legislation establishing Medicare payment rates. Physicians, clinical social workers and other health professionals that bill Medicare Part B independently face a scheduled rate cut of 21 percent on April 1. Fortunately, this week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) delayed the scheduled formula payment cuts until after Congress reconvenes on April 12. CMS is working with Congress, health care practitioners, and the beneficiary community to avoid disruption in the payment of claims submitted under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), which is based on a flawed formula known as the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR). For a recent history on the SGR formula problems for clinical social workers, see NASW's website here.

A temporary extension of current practitioner payment levels was enacted on March 2, 2010. This short term remedy held payments at 2009 levels until March 31, 2010, but Congress recessed for two weeks without extending the provision past the March deadline. CMS announced this week that Congress is working to avoid the payment cuts that will take effect April 1, 2010 and instructed its contractors to hold claims for services paid under the MPFS for the first 10 business days of April. Holding the MPFS claims will only affect those with dates of service April 1, 2010 and later.

CMS expects the hold on claims will have a minimum impact on practitioners' cash flow because clean electronic claims are paid no sooner than 14 calendar days (29 for paper claims) after the date of receipt. The Senate has scheduled a vote on the extension legislation for April 12 when they are scheduled to return from recess. Congress has resisted a permanent correction of the SGR formula because any remedy will create budgetary problems. Congress is particularly reluctant to address the formula this year because the economic downturn has depressed Medicare revenues below actuaries' projections. NASW has joined with physicians and other practitioners in calling for a permanent correction in the SGR payment formula.

The new health reform law, "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (P.L. 111-148) includes one key provision that directly benefits the social work profession, a delay in the five-percent cut and extension until the end of the year for psychotherapy rates under the MPFS. The provision will allow Medicare psychotherapy rates to be paid at last year's level. Clinical social workers' and psychologists' rates will remain at 2009 levels until the end of 2010, when the provision again expires and needs to be reauthorized.

In addition to these Medicare formula problems that require legislative remedies, a number of Medicare administrative changes are also affecting payments to clinical social workers in 2010. NASW has released a "Clinical Social Work Practice Update" on these administrative developments affecting Medicare participating practitioners. See NASW's website for a copy of our Practice Update here. NASW members that wish to receive regular updates on legislation affecting Medicare payments should sign up for our listserv messages here.

Time Sensitive Member Announcement – Draft DSM-V Comment Period until April 20
For your information and distribution, NASW has prepared the following time sensitive member announcement, "Draft DSM-V is Available for Public Comments." It is available at the following link http://www.socialworkers.org/practice/clinical/2010/021810.asp and may be reprinted as written in your print and online media products. Please contact Mirean Coleman at mcoleman@naswdc.org if you have any questions.

NASW Social Work Policy Institute (SWPI)
NASW’s new Social Work Policy Institute (SWPI) has developed the attached Research to Practice (R2P) Brief on Caseload. Please feel free to use it and disseminate it. It will be posted soon to the SWPI Website (www.socialworkpolicy.org). Contact Joan Zlotnik with questions at jzlotnik@naswdc.org . Also attached is an overview of SWPI’s mission. A blurb on the R2P Brief is below:

SWPI Policy Research

High Caseloads: How do they Impact Delivery of Health and Human Services?
The NASW Social Work Policy Institute reviewed research related to caseloads, especially in child welfare agencies, and found that high caseloads can negatively impact both worker retention and service delivery outcomes. In addition worker turnover is costly to agencies in terms of training and recruitment costs as well as the added stress on workers who remain.

High Caseloads Impact Delivery

New Practice Update – Medicare Changes
Here is a link to a new practice update, 2010 Medicare Changes for Clinical Social Workers, Please feel free to make it available as written to members in your print and online media products. Execs can contact Mirean Coleman with questions at mcoleman@naswdc.org .

For your information, a new practice update is available for members, Enrolling in Medicare as a Clinical Social Work Provider. It is located at the following link: http://www.socialworkers.org/assets/secured/documents/practice/clinical/WKF-MISC-38710.ClinicalSW.pdf.

Because Medicare has made changes in its enrollment process, this practice update is a replacement for the practice update, Becoming a Medicare Provider, which is outdated and should be deleted from your files.

You may use the practice update in your print and online media products. Please inform me if your have any questions about it.

Mirean Coleman, MSW, LICSW, CT
Senior Practice Associate

HIPPA Updates from NASW
There are several online NASW resources of particular note for members’ use:

An updated Sample Business Associate Contract: Guidance for using this form is available in the March 2010 LDF Legal Issue of the Month article, Disclosing Confidential Information to Social Workers’ Business Associates (March 2010).
New sample forms and sample notification letters for breaches of confidential client information, for assisting members who have questions regarding how they should respond if they have experienced a privacy or security breach.
A revised Sample HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, with updated instructions for use.
A new online HIPAA training course: Understanding HIPAA.