Call to Order – 9:06 am
Present – Patti West-Okiri, Melissa Moyer, Karen Canaday, Anna Nelson, Ellen Costilla, Mary Nienow, Jamii Corley, Eric Moore, Trinidad Arguello, Jennifer Ahlpern, Estilla Lightfoot, Maria Gurrola, Monica Montoya, Reba Serafin, Aber Vilas, Stacie Ortiz, Jerry Harrison, Emma Gamelsky, Alvin Sallee, Valerie Valles-Pedroza, Yolanda Cordova, Jen Panhorst, Ali Silas, Alycia Nabours, Carolyn Tollett, Kim Knox
Approval of Agenda
1st – Anna Nelson
2nd – Karen Canaday
Approval of Minutes
1st – Mary Nienow
2nd – Alvin Sallee
Legislative Interests and Support
- NMHU received 12 m congressional spending grant, part of them used to fund CYFD curriculum. The Center completed 5 8-week cycles; training 55 CYFD staff (of 100+ that signed up).
- Anna Nelson attended part of the LFC. CYFD entered into an agreement with a 3rd party to recruit out of state social workers through IV-E funds. We are one of few states nationally that does not have a IV-E prevention plan (correct term?). CYFD did submit a plan, but it was rejected due to the need to remove ADEI language per Title IV-E request and policies of the federal government. The Family First plan was also rejected due to failure to utilize EBP models – this is the history of the agency’s attempted past submissions. The Secretary refers to this work as standards-based, rather than evidence-based. Please see attached doc: ALFC 062425 Item 10 Child Welfare. The LFC is exploring a misuse of funds and the AG has received a complaint to investigate.
- Concerns from the Consortium as to the relationship with the social work schools in the state. This is an issue for a subcommittee to explore.
- There is a good article in the New Mexican today – the turnover rate is 55%. CYFD mentioned close to 500 vacancies in the LFC hearing today.
- Anecdotally, students are reporting a pressure to skip class to meet the workforce needs and do not see CYFD supporting their long term career goals.
- Can universities provide 3 months of mentorship for stipend recipients post-graduation.
- Do we want to compile student concerns and shares we have received that are counterproductive to create a one-pager to send on behalf of the consortium? Who would we send this to?
Committees
- Capacity building – we did not meet in June due to scheduling but created a workforce development plan as well as a report as to university efforts to prepare students. These will be finalized in the July meeting.
This committee focuses on creating a connection from interest to completion of social work education and what professional supports (supervision) there are to retain them in the workforce. The group meets Tuesdays @ 11 am (kimknox@nmsu.edu )
- Social Isolation and Advocacy – we did not meet in June due to schedules. The group is in somewhat of a holding pattern, waiting on the website to move forward. (Carolyn.tollett@enmu.edu )
The focus is on advocacy in the political sector, providing write ups. The current focus is on isolation and a connection for practitioners in the rural setting.
- Licensing – we have not met since the May Consortium meeting but have sent out information. The SOWK Board is going through a rules revision and we are in the public comment timeframe.
This committee reviews legislative/Board of SOWK issues as they relate to licensure. Last session a fact sheet was provided to legislators. Listening sessions in partnership with the Center on the interstate compact and alternative pathways to licensure. The focus has been to provide information on these topics. (mnienow@nmsu.edu )
Schools (alphabetically)
ENMU – HRSA grant is a go, new cohort ready for start, readying for 2nd accreditation site visit
NMHU – HUD grant to serve young people experiencing housing insecurity, licensure exam prep course has been a hit; 240 participants are enrolled (please see attached flyer)! The Center Plaza (overview document attached) will be launched to provide a professional development hub for practitioners across the state can engage in training opportunities. The target launch is June 30. These efforts are based on the report the Center released last year to address gaps in professional development.
Enrollment for July and August Professional Development Opportunities is open. These are FREE for NM Social Work Students! For student promo code, contact ceswnm@nmhu.edu. Link: https://learn.nmcesw.org/
Want to also note that Future Focused Education and the Raíces project at the FVSSW will be hosting a youth behavioral health summer bridge program in July. This is an effort to build interest in the field with young people and to grow the SW workforce in NM.
The town hall meetings are 7/1 for family interested individuals; 7/15 for people with lived experiences; 7/29 for BH providers; and 8/12 for a cumulative stakeholders meeting- all held from 3-5 pm. I can send the flyer of info to Melissa and Patti for the consortium. Here’s the flyer for the town halls that Ellen mentioned from Coalition for Safer ABQ and BH waiver groups (attached above).
NMSU – Dr. Diaz has retired, certificate in school social work, waiting on HRSA grant, recent legislation permits social workers to prescribe Psilocybin (https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?Chamber=S&LegType=B&LegNo=219&year=25). UNM will be creating a training for this roll out to support professionals in the field. Here is an article that may shed some light on social work inclusion:
That former student mentioned by Dean Nelson will lead this Professional Development Workshop in August, including information about policy ‘Foundations in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for Social Workers’. https://fvssw.org/event/foundations-in-psychedelic-assisted-therapy/
UNM – in accreditation process now and working to ready for their first cohort.
WNMU – we have disbursed a bunch of scholarship funds. Discussions around improving support of students in IV-E process, recovering from cyber-attack. Interviewing for faculty positions and hopeful to be filling them soon. She will be the new Associate Dean.
Consortium Bylaws –
revision drafts shared for review. We will vote on this in the July meeting
Practice Community Items
From Yolanda – Want to lift up a project funded by DOH to UNM Pediatrics and Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation entitled “Empower Transitions: A toolkit to support transitions of children and adolescents from behavioral health facilities to schools in NM” It will be released soon. Well done, with great step by step assistance to lead transition. I’ll share document when it finalized at the end of this month.
Should we invite State Workforce Secretary Sarita Nair as to efforts to build out social work workforce?
From Ali – We just met with Deputy Director Patricia Trujillo who expressed great interest in supporting Social Work Workforce development and is interested in learning from Colorado’s model of developing behavioral health pathways driven by workforce and alignment across HED institutions.
From Jennifer – Thank you, Patti. I’m a health care SW, on the board of Society for Social Work Leadership in Healthcare, and I appreciate your suggestion. I will prepare for next meeting. From a work force perspective, though, health care SW nationally is being “demoted”.
From Karen – If you would like to meet with someone who had a lot to do with the Colorado plan, Bryce Pittenger, a former head of CYFD Behavioral Health division, and former CEO of the Behavioral Health Collaborative in New Mexico. She is an LPCC
NM is being identified as a sanctuary state for LGBTQ+ and do we have providers equipped to meet this service delivery need?
From Jerry – Thank you for Amber helping NMHR with continuing education credits, for those who spoke at the meeting – this was a great help! There were 124 rural social workers who qualified for the tax credit. He was hoping to see 200+ but he understands this is the first year. Thank you to Melissa to attend the HED committee to inform student loan forgiveness. Director of Fin Aid at Higher Education shared there will be a release of $5mil for funding supervision – this announcement is pending. The behavioral health funds are also associated with this for supervision.
Other Items
NASW NM Director – can we connect with her? Dr. Lauren Gomez – CEO of High Desert Healing. Anna will reach out to her and invite to the Consortium. Read more about her here: https://naswnm.socialworkers.org/
Executive Committee Meeting Retreat report out:
Website development and staff hire (Pamela Blackwell) as well as draft of bylaws
Adjourn – Melissa and Karen – 10:30