2024 NASW-NC Legislative Session Update: 1 day until 2024 NC Primary Election!

2024 North Carolina Primary is Tuesday, March 5th 

The 2024 primary election, including the presidential preference primary, is Tuesday, March 5, 2024.  During this election, voters choose which candidates should be the party nominees to appear on the general election ballot. The 2024 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.     

Important Tips for Voters

• Need to register or update your registration? See How to Register or Updating Registration.
• Check your registration: Voters can check to make sure their registration information is accurate and up to date using the Voter Search tool. There, you can also find your polling place, absentee ballot information, and more.
• Find your sample ballot: All eligible, registered voters will find their sample ballot(s) in the “Your Sample Ballot” section of their Voter Search profile when they become available. For even-year elections, sample ballots are typically available 50 days before Election Day.

1. Vote in Person on Election Day
 

• Don’t forget your photo ID: North Carolina voters will be asked to show photo ID when they check in to vote. Learn more: Voter ID.
 Source: https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/upcoming-election

Check out our NASW-NC's Election Page HERE.

March 2024 is Social Work Month 

Empowering Social Workers! That's the theme for Social Work Month this March and we're hoping social workers will take this theme to heart as we bring awareness to the life-affirming work that social workers do by sharing your stories across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  Our hashtags this year: #SWMonth2024 #EmpoweringSocialWorkers

Governor Cooper Proclaims March 2024 as National Social Work Month
Governor Cooper has proclaimed March 2024 as National Social Work Month in North Carolina. This month, we honor and celebrate the many ways in which the contributions of Social Workers to our state.

You can read Governor Cooper's Social Work Proclamation Here. 

"Governor Cooper's recognition of Social Work Month this year and the theme Empowering Social Workers embodies the need for society to support social workers so they can continue to do the life-affirming work they do and help address societal needs," says Valerie Arendt, Executive Director of NASW North Carolina. "Social Workers are in high demand and the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting social work will be one of the fastest growing professions during this decade and our profession should be compensated for our unique skills and education. We thank Governor Cooper for his recognition of our essential profession as we work to promote and enhance the power of social work in North Carolina.”

Please find Social Work Month information and activities in North Carolina here.

Register Now: 2024 NASW-NC Ethics Conference 

Doing Good, Doing Well, and Doing Right: Ethical Responses to Trending Workplace Dilemmas

Friday, March 22, 2024 :Virtual on Zoom
8:15am - 4:00pm EST : 6.5 Hours Ethics CE

Registration Fees:
NASW Member - $75
Not yet a member - $150
Student Member of NASW - FREE
(no CE certificate included, student membership verified)
Student not yet a member - $60

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

NASW members from other states can contact education.naswnc@socialworkers.org for assistance in registering. 
 
Upcoming Live Webinars:     

LAST DAY TO REGISTER MONDAY, MARCH 4th!!!

Join the NASW-NC Legislative Committee for a virtual Social Work Month Kickoff Event on Wednesday, March 6th from 12:00PM-1:00PM. This presentation will feature members of the NASW-NC Legislative Committee presenting on how social workers can be advocates at the local, state, and federal levels. Advocacy and policy are in our NASW Code of Ethics! The event is free for all to attend! Details and the zoom link will be sent to registrants before the event.

Join NASW-NC, Equality NC and NCSSWA to discuss the impacts of Senate Bill 49 "Parents' Bill of Rights" and how the new law is impacting school social workers' ability to support North Carolina students.

This session will include an update from Equality NC and will open the space for school social workers to talk about how SB49 has impacted their ability support students including LGBTQ+ students and the ability to conduct suicide and threat assessments.

Please know that your individual registration answers will not be shared outside of NASW-NC. This event will not be recorded to ensure a space for school social workers to share information.

Date: Monday, March 18, 2024 6:30PM: Register here: https://www.naswnc.org/event/2024SchoolSocialWork

Read More about Senate Bill 49 here: NC School board takes stand against Parents' Bill of Rights to protect LGBTQ stud

Please join NASW-NC on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 from 12PM-1:30PM for an engaging virtual lunch and learn webinar. Explore the ethical responsibility outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics, emphasizing the importance of practicing within one’s areas of competence and continuously enhancing professional expertise.

Click HERE to register. 

This webinar aims to support providers in developing a foundational understanding of Islam and its practices. Gain insights into fostering cultural sensitivity and humility when serving Muslim clients, with a focus on accommodating faith-based needs. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn directly from Muslim Social Workers and enhance your cultural competence in the social work profession.

Zoom link will be emailed out to registrants the day before the meeting.

If you don't think you have received the Zoom link, please check your Spam folder. If not in your Spam, please email Lauren Zingraff at advocacy.naswnc@socialworkers.org for assistance BEFORE the webinar begins.

Ideas presented by speakers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and policies of NASW-NC

The 2024 Short Session begins on April 24, 2024. NASW-NC’s main legislative priority will be to get Senate Bill 718 -Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact passed during the 2024 short session. The Social Work Compact creation was initiated by the Department of Defense to promote licensure portability for military spouses. Many Republican lawmakers, who have the supermajority in both the NC House and Senate, support military populations. The bill’s primary sponsor is Senator Joyce Krawiec, who has announced her plans to retire at the end of the 2024 session.  The compact does have bi-partisan support in the NC Senate and was referred to the committee on Rules and Operations on April 10, 2023.  It was not subjected to crossover as it was not tied to appropriations.  The Social Work Compact will go into effect when at least seven different states pass it.   You can see more about the states that have introduced the compact here. NASW-NC has already been speaking with lawmakers about supporting and passing SB 718 when the short session begins.  Be sure to watch for updates in upcoming Advocacy Alerts. 

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. 

Learn more about NASW-NC membership here.