Spring 2022 Membership Committee Report

Dear Members,
It seems like a good time to not only list membership services but to share some of the history of this committee. Services refers to those opportunities for growth and connection that are offered with your membership. They have evolved over the years as the Society has responded to the needs of the community. The committee used to be the Membership Services and Development Committee but as online services mastered the development function we evolved to the Membership Services Committee

Past services included mentorship groups, which provided a discussion format for both new and experienced social workers. These groups grew into study groups on various topics pertinent to social work practice including: trauma, neuroscience, personality disorders and more. We currently have one group studying psychodynamic therapy.The groups offer unlimited CEs. Contact Bev Caruso if you choose to organize one with a few friends or colleagues

When the requirement to earn ethics CEs, the ethics seminars were set up on a quarterly basis. These groups can be used to acquire general CE hours, ethics hours and sometimes supervision hours.

Again, when the society recognized the need for reduced cost LGSW supervision the Supervision groups were established. At times we have had three operating groups. The need declined for the groups as more employers offered supervision. Currently though we have added a second group to our already established group, which has been led by Carol Scheier and Mike Chovanec. Please see the details about the second supervision group.

MSCSW Group Supervision
Lead by Cerenity Hauger, MSW, LICSW and Roxanne Sanderson, MSW, LICSW
Beginning in May 2022 on 1st and 3rd Thursdays
5:00-7:00 PM

Virtual Meeting over Zoom (could be moved to in person if required by BOSW in the Eagan/Apple Valley area)

Many years ago the Society offered a four part workshop series on “Establishing a Private Practice”. From this Mark LaChapelle developed the Private Practice group, now led by Beth Matthews and offered quarterly.

In a separate article in this newsletter, you can read about the newest development created by Sandra Laski, that is, consultation groups. These have taken off and she is looking for new leaders for these groups. j

The newsletter has been a focus of Membership Services. It is now changing with the times also. Lastly I would like to welcome Katie Mark as co-chair of Membership Services and the new coordinator of the online newsletter. And, of course a thank-you should be shouted out to the many co-leaders of the ethics seminars, Carol Scheier, Harriet Kohen, Mitch Leppicello, Jennifer Andrews and Katie Mark.

Submitted by Bev Caruso