A Message from the NASW-NJ Executive Director Walter KalmanI thought you might be interested in this July 18th NASW press release.
"...The National Review posted an article entitled “Would You Let a Social Worker Handle Your Investment Portfolio?” attacking Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI), and specifically the Battery Innovation Act that Senator Stabenow recently introduced. The Battery Innovation Act encourages businesses, local government and universities to collaborate on advanced science and engineering efforts related to battery production. It is specifically designed to boost jobs and productivity throughout Michigan...
This attack implies that Senator Stabenow’s social work training has somehow rendered her incompetent to serve on the Senate’s finance committee...If anything, social workers have a uniquely helpful perspective on the importance of finances, since many of our members work with economically vulnerable members of society.
The National Review could have balanced their piece by including Senator Stabenow’s strong record of cutting taxes on property, small business and manufacturing, dating back to her time in the Michigan state legislature. Such achievements are directly in line with The National Review’s own philosophy, and yet TNR chose to ignore them.
NASW supports Senator Debbie Stabenow in her wide range of legislative achievements, and wishes The National Review could have been more fair and reasonable in assessing her significant and impressive policy record."
I'm not going to weigh in on the pros and cons of Senator Stabenow's legislation, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on the "Would You Let A Social Worker Handle Your Investment Portfolio." Is this another instance of labeling social workers? What's your take on the National Review article?
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3 comments:
As an MBA/MSW who worked in Social Services for over 25 years, I never meet a Social Worker who understood why an MSW would want an MBA.I was always referred to as the "money guy".However, I always had a clinical practice and ,managed clients who had over a million dollar estate as their guardian. I most social worker attitudes with prejudice toward me because I understood double entry accounting and they did not. I usually was never trusted because of this bias.
Walter, First, Congrats on your 10 years with NASW-NJ. I have a great deal of respect for your leadership and compassion.
Regarding money issues - I wish I knew more about tax brackets and personal investing. Knowing more would enable me to debate more successfully when challenging the inequities of our tax system, especially when I hear middle class individuals defending tax rates for the rich.
Though my wife and I have a very competent financial consultant, I sure would like to know more about how to evaluate stocks, bonds, and investment strategies. Maybe NASW can pay someone to do an online presentation or offer workshops on Investment 101 for Social Workers and How Our Tax System Favors the Rich. This info would empower me and is info that may be useful for some clients.
Again, Congrats! Chris
Chris, thanks for your congratulations - its been a long ten years and we have made great progress, much of which goes unacknowledged as we field complaints about all the things we haven't yet accomplished. So your thoughts are greatly appreciated.
On the issue of financial skills - we have thought of this but as we couldn't offer CEU's for such a program, we assumed there would be limited response. We do have an advisor who has offered to write some educational pieces and we do have at least one member who does workshops on such topics so we will look into that.
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