Alma Supports NASW Ohio’s Advocacy Day

Making work easier for mental health clinicians is what we’re all about at Alma, so of course we’re avid fans of the National Association of Social Workers. As the largest organization of social workers in the world, the NASW is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to advocating for policies that empower social workers to get clients the care they need.

This year, on the very last day of National Social Worker’s Month, we were able to join a local chapter of the NASW in action at NASW Ohio’s annual Advocacy Day. Over 600 social workers and social work students gathered at the Vern Riffe Center in downtown Columbus for advocacy training sessions, planning meetings, and the highlight of the day: a chance to meet with 68 Ohio state legislators and make a case for policy change.

“The energy throughout the day was incredible,” said NASW-OH Executive Director Danielle Smith, MSW, MA, LSW. “This year’s meetings were especially powerful because social workers and students were able to clearly demonstrate how investment in our profession strengthens Ohio’s schools, health systems, and workforce.”

Photo credit: Robb McCormick, courtesy of NASW-OH

Meeting with social workers at our green table

If you were there, you may have stopped by our trademark green table to chat about your careers and future goals. Several social workers we spoke to expressed unwavering hope and enthusiasm, while also sharing real worries about the impact of AI on mental health and the extent to which their field can suffer as a result of political agendas.

Clinician concerns about AI are driving NASW-OH’s advocacy for regulations around “AI therapy” and AI usage in behavioral health. AI regulation was one of the three major focus areas at this year’s event — and many attendees picked up Alma’s guide to using AI ethically and practically in private practice.

Two other headlining issues included the passage of a new paid intern program and opposition to HB 88, a bill that, if passed, would make it more difficult to access evidence-based addiction treatment.

The full scope of NASW-OH’s advocacy is much broader and efforts include lobbying for higher Medicaid reimbursement rates, responding to threats to ethical social work practice, and fighting for reproductive justice. A landmark legal case led by NASW-OH (NASW v. City Lebanon) made history as the first challenge to an abortion ban filed after the Dobbs v. Jackson decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.

Helping providers navigate a challenging system

As an NASW-OH Advocacy Day sponsor, Alma was proud to support this work and to personally introduce our platform to current and future social workers of Ohio. “What becomes incredibly obvious on days like this, is just how interconnected our systems of care truly are,” said Alma’s Amy McNerney as she addressed the event crowd. “We want to help you meet this moment by creating a bridge to a thriving private practice.”

Social workers continue to face major challenges at every stage of their careers, from multi-state credentialing and low insurance reimbursement rates to political forces that seek to criminalize ethical care. Our goal at Alma is to support clinicians by streamlining credentialing and negotiating better rates, by making it easier to show compliance, by helping build and maintain caseloads, and by offering access to peer support and continuing education.

Beyond the day-to-day, we help providers navigate a complex and unbalanced system that we’re all striving to improve. Thank you to the NASW-OH for the work you do!