WISCONSIN CHAPTER:
SOCIETY FOR SOCIAL WORK LEADERSHIP
IN HEALTH CARE


JUNE 18, 2004

MINUTES FROM JUNE 18, 2004 CHAPTER MEETING
QUALITY INN SOUTH- MADISON, WISCONSIN


1. Meeting called to order by President Amy Passow. Welcome and Introductions made.

2. Minutes from last meeting were provided to meeting participants for their perusal. They were also reminded that minutes are posted on the website. They should review them in advance of next meeting and come prepared for any changes that they feel need to be made. Minutes were approved.

3. Nira Fisher gave a Treasure Report. There is currently a checkbook balance of $5,643.20.

4. The By-Laws have passed. People were reminded that whenever possible all Society communication will occur through email and the website. It is important to send any changes of email, addresses and/or phone numbers to the Treasurer for updating. A suggestion was made to put this information on the website about how and who to notify when a change in a member’s data occurs.

5. The Program Committee discussed the March Meeting and what and if any follow-up the membership
would like to have. A discussion ensued about the possibility of having George Potaracke, who is the Chair of the Wisconsin Long Term Care Team be invited to speak at the September meeting. It would be interesting to see what is happening in Wisconsin in comparison to the Minnesota experience discussed at the March Meeting. The role of SSWLHC as a lobbying link for Long Term Care and other issues that affect Social Workers in Health Care Settings and the clients they work with was explored. CWAG was identified as a possible link for us to pursue to become more informed.

The Wisconsin Nursing Home Social Workers Association was also identified as an organization that SSWLHC could form a working relationship with. Jeff McCabe is a member of both and agreed to serve as the liaison between the two groups. Linda Rasmussen will contact Russell King from the Home Care Social Workers Organization in Wisconsin to discuss cooperating with them on issues that affect us both.

The group in addition to an interest in having a program on the status of Wisconsin Long Term Care, identified wanting a program on Alzheimer’s Disease. The focus would include research and resources.
The dates for the next two chapter meetings will depend on speaker and room availability. We are considering September 17 or 24 and November 12 or 19.

6. Amy reminded us that names needed to be submitted to the Nominating Committee by September 1 for elections. We will need to elect a President Elect, Secretary and Board Member. Nomination slips
were made available to those in attendance.

7. The group discussed having a Social Work Leader of the Year Award. Amy distributed criteria for this
award from past years as well as the National Criteria. The last time our Wisconsin Chapter gave out an award was in 1998. The group worked on developing an updated list of criteria. Amy will email the list out to the general membership and ask for input. The Wisconsin recipient would have to be a member of the national organization in order to have their name entered for consideration as the national Social Worker of the Year. It was suggested that maybe that would be the Wisconsin Chapter recipient’s award…membership to nationals so they could be nominated for consideration. More discussion will follow at the next meeting.

8. Susan reported that we have 68 members.

9. Brian gave an overview of bills and topics that were being given attention in the Health Policy
Committee. They include the closing of county nursing homes, the morning after pill, long term care and SB 401. SB 401 deals with an alternative way for Social Workers who did not take a counseling track in school to become Licensed Clinical Social Workers. We hope that Marc H. from NASW will be able to attend the next meeting to clarify this issue as well as update us on other legislative issues.

10. Mike reported on items that the WHA Council of Professional Affairs has been working on. Some of
these included:
- Title 19’s reimbursement rate for dental care is so low for children and the elderly, especially institutionalized elderly, that in some rural counties there is no Dentist to provide care
- They are looking at Gathering Date on Quality Care. There are questions about the misuse of data in advertising between competing health care facilities.
- There is an increasing demand for health care workers and a decreasing pool of eligible people to hire. Some parts of the state are really feeling the pinch of not being able to fill positions, especially physicians.

11. Amy led the breakout session on Social Work in Health Care at the State NASW Conference. She
distributed the new brochures on our Organization.

12. Amy gave a report on the National Conference in Las Vegas. She distributed minutes from the
President’s Meeting. If anyone is interested in reviewing them, contact Amy Passow, President or Linda Rasmussen, Secretary to obtain a copy.

The Business Meeting ended and there was a lunch break before the Education Program on Medicare Part B
and the Benefit Specialist Program by Helen Marks Dicks from the Elder Law Center began.


WATCH YOUR EMAIL FOR THE DATE AND TOPIC OF THE SEPTEMBER MEETING….



Submitted By Chapter Secretary,
Linda Rasmussen LCSW, QCSW