Diona Shelton, LCSW, CATP, CCT
Southern District Chair
Hello my fellow social workers, and welcome to the month of February!
February is Black History Month, and I encourage everyone to take time to honor the contributions of famous African American social workers who have served as pioneers in the field and have been essential in shaping the social work profession. Some names that come to mind are Mary Church Terrell (1863–1954) who was the first African American woman to earn a college degree and served as a pioneer for civil rights throughout her lifetime; Dorothy Height (1912–2010), also known as “the godmother of the Civil Rights Movement” (a name given to her by former President Barack Obama), played an instrumental role in organizing the 1963 March on Washington; and Mildred Joyner who continues to serve as community activist, educator, and researcher in the social work profession. Let us also not forget other famous African American social workers such as George Edmund Haynes (1880–1960) who served as a social worker, educator, co-founder, and first Executive Director of the National Urban League, and Lester Blackwell Granger (1896–1976) who served as a social worker and civil rights and labor rights activist who was best known for leading the National Urban League from 1941 to 1961. Social workers are the trailblazers in many facets of society. We celebrate and honor the diverse contributions of African Americans not just during the month of February, but all throughout the year.
Best,
Diona Shelton, LCSW, CCATP, CCTP
NASW-IL Southern District Chair
CHAPTER NEWS
2019–2021 LSW/LCSW Licensure News and Updates
February 28th marks the deadline for renewing your LSW or LCSW license for the 2019–2021 licensure cycle. While renewals through the IDFPR website continues to be tricky, we have been monitoring and responding to many member questions about renewal in the NASW Illinois community in MyNASW. For updates as they are announced, please make sure you are enrolled in the NASW Illinois community in MyNASW.
Other License-Related Links:
LSW and LCSW Renewal Now Active on IDFPR Renewal Portal Website: https://www.naswil.org/post/lsw-and-lcsw-renewal-now-active-on-idfpr-renewal-portal-website
2019–2021 IDFPR Licensure Renewal Changes: https://www.naswil.org/post/2019-2021-idfpr-licensure-renewal-changes
Frequently Asked Questions About 2021 Licensure Renewal: https://www.naswil.org/post/frequently-asked-questions-about-2021-licensure-renewal
In-Person CEU Requirements Waived by IDFPR: https://www.naswil.org/post/breaking-news-nasw-il-efforts-successful-in-getting-in-person-ceu-requirements-waived-by-idfpr
Group Participants Needed for NASW-IL Workforce Diversity Focus Group
In our continued efforts regarding strengthening the social work workforce in Illinois, the NASW-Illinois Chapter received additional funding to develop, Strategies to Strengthen the Social Work Workforce Diversity Pipeline in Illinois, from the Telligen Community Initiative (TCI). Part of this wide ranging grant will be examining barriers to entry to the social work profession by establishing five focus groups across the state of Illinois with under-represented communities (Black Latinx, Asian, Native American) social workers. Find out more here: https://www.naswil.org/post/group-participants-needed-for-nasw-il-workforce-diversity-focus-group
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