A message from the National President Christine Craik

Our hearts are with our New Zealand brothers and sisters tonight - to all our friends, family and social work colleagues, know that we mourn and grieve with you and yours and stand with you against these right-wing, fear mongering terrorists.

- AASW National President Christine Craik, 15 March 2019

	#WSWD19 "Promoting the Importance of Human Relationships"

Thank you to everyone who participated in World Social Work Day festivities yesterday which were hosted by each of the AASW branches. As well as raising public awareness of the vital work of social workers, it is important for the profession to take a moment to reflect and take pride in our amazing work. 

We reached our social media campaign goal yesterday as well. At one point, the hashtag #WSWD19 was the second highest trending topic in Australia as a whole, as well as trending in most capital cities. There were many beautiful images depicting human relationships on Twitter, including from hospitals, government departments, NGOs, universities and politicians Tasmania's Senator Catryna Bilyk, Queensland's Senator Claire Moore, South Australa's Rachel Sanderson MP and Queensland's Stephen Bennett MP.

NSW Branch awarded the Social Justice Award to Lauren Foy, who was instrumental in the marriage equality campaign. Victorian Branch awarded their Social Worker of the Year Award to Kate Incerti, for her contribution to the homelessness sector. Congratulations to those winners. Northern Territory Branch launched the Mary Moylan Awards and South Australian Branch announced the nominees of their awards. Best wishes to those who are nominated.

Read National President's Christine Craik's World Social Work Day media statement.

The World Social Work Day video is on Facebook.

A roundup will be published in the Autumn edition of Social Work Focus.

	#BalanceforBetter: International Women's Day - 8 March

The 2019 theme of International Women’s Day was #BalanceforBetter, with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) calling for action on gender inequality.

AASW National President Christine Craik said gender equality is vital to health and future of our nation, and to the work of social workers.

Ms Craik said, “We need to recognise that when women are disadvantaged, we are all poorer."

Read the media statement.

	AASW Submissions and Inquiries

The AASW has recently made a submissions:

• SA Social Worker Registration Bill 2018
• Federal Pre-Budget Submission

Visit the social policy webpage to read the AASW submissions.

We are currently working on a number of submissions. If you would like to be part of the Association’s consultation process please contact us.

	Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability

Draft Terms of Reference for this recently announced Royal Commission have been released.

The draft Terms of Reference give The Royal Commission the scope to consider:

• All forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability
• In all settings, but with a particular focus on what governments, institutions and the community should do to prevent and respond.

If you would ike to be involved in our consultation for the AASW’s submission, email SocialPolicy@aasw.asn.au.

Read more about contributing to this Royal Commission.

	Productivity Commission inquiry into the economic impacts of mental ill-health

The Productivity Commission has released an Issues Paper. It outlines:

• the scope of the inquiry
• the Commission’s procedures
• matters about which the Commission is seeking comment
• how to make a submission.

Initial submissions are due by 5 April 2019.

We are seeking member input!

If you work in a mental health service, or with people experiencing mental ill-health in other settings, and are interested in being involved in our consultation process for this Inquiry, the AASW is calling on you to contribute to our submission using your professional experience working with mental ill-health.

But even if you do not work in the health or mental health sector, you can still make a contribution -  the Inquiry is asking a broad range of questions surrounding how clients living with mental illness might better be supported across the board. So whether you work in education, employment, housing, justice or private practice, we want to hear from you.

If you are interested in contributing, please send us an email at MHConsultation@aasw.asn.au to find out how you can have your say.

Read more about how you can get involved.

	Federal Election

With the Federal Election anticipated to follow close after the Federal Budget, we are planning our campaign and election platform in tandem with our Budget submission. More information on our election platforms and associated campaign will be provided shortly.

	Victorian Mental Health Royal Commission

The Victorian Government has appointed respected public policy expert Penny Armytage as the Chair of the Royal Commission into Mental Health and released its terms of reference. Ms Armytage will be joined by Associate Professor Alex Cockram, Professor Allan Fels AO and Professor Bernadette McSherry as the Commissioners who will lead the landmark inquiry.  

More than 8,000 submissions were received on the Terms of Reference for the Royal Commission, which include:

• How to most effectively prevent mental illness and suicide
• How to deliver the best mental health outcomes and help Victorians navigate the system
• How to best support the needs of family members and carers of people living with mental illness
• How to improve outcomes for those in the community at greater risk of experiencing poor mental health
• How to best support people living with mental illness and problematic alcohol and drug use.

The Commission will deliver a preliminary report by 30 November 2019 and a final report in October 2020.

Find out more about the Royal Commission.

	Medicare Benefits Schedule review update

Release of Report on Mental Health Items - The Department of Health announced on 5 February a consultation process following the release of the reports from the Primary Care Reference Groups including the Mental Health Reference Group and the Allied Health Reference Group.

We are pleased to see that many of the issues raised by the AASW are included in the Mental Health Reference Group’s recommendations

The closing date for submissions on the reports is 17 May. AASW will be seeking to present to the Taskforce on the Mental Health report, as well as making a submission to this process.

AASW MBS Review Working Group is meeting shortly to discuss these developments and the AASW approach in making a response to the recommendations and proposed changes to the Better Access program.

	AASW publishes report on AMHSWs

Accredited Mental Health Social Workers (AMHSWs) provide a vital service to those experiencing mental health disorders according to the AASW's new report Accredited Mental Health Social Workers Qualifications, skills and experience.

This report provides an overview of the skills, knowledge and services provided by AMHSWs, and is based on extensive analysis of AASW data, including 2013 and 2018 member surveys.

Read more about the AMHSW report.

	Social Work Focus - Social Work Futures edition

The latest edition of Social Work Focus is on our website. This edition's theme is Social Work Futures, featuring news and practice articles on a diverse range of future-focused subjects. These include:

• Yarning about trauma: WA Branch's Trauma-informed Care Symposium
• Take your pineapples out - social worker Gabbey Prosser's campaign to prevent suicide.
• Environmental sustainability, social workers and mums in need - St Kilda Mums CEO Jessie Macpherson
• Update on a range of practice resources.

Log in and read it today.

We are seeking contributions for the Winter edition, which is on social work research and its impacts by 10 June. Email editor@aasw.asn.au to pitch a contribution.

	Expression of Interest Australian Social Work editorial board

The highly regarded journal of the AASW, Australian Social Work, is seeking expressions of interest from for the position of Reviews Editor. The Reviews Editor is also a member of the Editorial Board.

Send your expression of interest addressing the criteria and a copy of your CV via email: Recruitment@aasw.asn.au by COB Thursday, 4 April 2019.

Find out more on our website.

	Social work registration update

The AASW presented to the Joint House Committee of the South Australian Parliament on the proposed Social Workers Registration Bill 2018 on 30 January 2019.

The Joint Committee is consulting with stakeholders in relation to the proposed regulatory framework and its implementation over the coming months. We will provide further updates as they become available.

Read more about social work registration.

	End of life law in Aged Care

Do you know whether or not to provide emergency treatment, or whether to follow a resident’s Advance Care Directive? Can you identify who is your resident’s legally recognised substitute decision-maker? What is the appropriate level of pain and symptom relief that can be given to a person approaching the end of life?

Visit the ELDAC legal toolkit for high quality, state specific information about end of life law in aged care practice, or call the ELDAC Helpline on 1800 870 155 for assistance.