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Get Your Event Approved for Social Work CEs through the NASW-AK CE Provider Approval Program

Jul 30, 2026

Does your organization offer educational events/trainings that align with social work practice? Are you looking to attract more social workers to your events and/or provide workplace benefits to your organization's social workers for the educational trainings you already offer them? Then apply now to get your events approved for social work Continuing Education (CE) credits through the NASW-Alaska Chapter's CE Provider Approval Program!

The State of Alaska recognizes the NASW-Alaska Chapter as an approving body for social work CE credits. By having your courses approved through the NASW-AK CE Provider Approval Program, you can be confident that your courses meet all of Alaska's professional standards and legal requirements for social work continuing education while expanding the visibility and impact of your educational offerings.

Why Apply for CE Approval?

Get your events formally approved for social work CEs in Alaska

Enhance the credibility of your educational course/event offerings

Reach a larger audience of licensed social workers across the state

Ensure your content meets Alaskan social work CE standards and requirements

Helpful links/resources:

NASW-AK CE Provider Approval Program main landing page

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Timelines, Options, and Fees

CE Provider Standards and Requirements

CE Event/Training Requirements

We hope you’ll join us in advancing high-quality CE opportunities for Alaskan social workers! Have questions? Contact us at ceapproval.naswak@socialworkers.org.

Learn more about the NASW-AK CE Provider Approval Program

Affected by the New Student Loan Law? Tell Your Story

Jul 23, 2026

Have your monthly student loan payments increased? NASW wants to hear from you. As part of the One Big Bill campaign, NASW and a coalition of advocacy organizations are collecting stories from social workers and other borrowers affected by recent changes to the federal student loan system under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Stories collected through this campaign will help show policymakers the real-life impact of rising student loan costs and support advocacy for fair student loan policies.

Share your story at onebigbill.org to help document the impact of rising student loan costs.

Do You Know a Social Work Trailblazer? Nominate a Pioneer by November 14

Jul 22, 2026

Dear NASW Members and Colleagues,

Throughout our profession, social workers make lasting contributions that transform practice, education, research, advocacy, and public policy. The NASW Foundation invites you to recognize these extraordinary leaders by nominating them for the NASW Social Work Pioneers® Class of 2027.

The NASW Social Work Pioneers® program honors social workers whose trailblazing and innovative contributions have advanced the profession. Since its founding, the program has recognized more than 700 practitioners, educators, researchers, and advocates who have helped shape social work across diverse settings and communities.

This past June, the NASW Foundation celebrated both the 2025 and 2026 classes of NASW Social Work Pioneers® during a special recognition ceremony held in conjunction with the NASW National Conference in Washington, D.C., honoring leaders whose work continues to inspire and strengthen the profession.

Social work has trailblazers. Do you know one?

Nominate a Social Work Pioneer® by November 14, 2026.

Anyone with personal knowledge of a nominee's career, including colleagues, students, former supervisees, and community partners, may submit a nomination.

Learn more about the nomination process:

https://www.naswfoundation.org/Our-Work/NASW-Social-Work-Pioneers/Nominate-A-Pioneer

Submit a nomination:

https://www.naswfoundation.org/Our-Work/NASW-Social-Workers-Pioneers/Nominate-A-Pioneer/Pioneer-Nominate-Form

Thank you for helping ensure that the social workers whose vision, innovation, and leadership have shaped our profession receive the recognition they deserve.

NASW Foundation

NASW Helps Protect Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Jul 09, 2026

NASW and our advocacy partners secured an important legal victory protecting the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program for social workers and other public service professionals. On June 30, 2026, a federal court struck down a Department of Education rule in National Council of Nonprofits et al. v. McMahon et al. that would have restricted access to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program based on the nature of an employer's work. The ruling preserved existing PSLF eligibility for social workers employed by qualifying nonprofit and public sector organizations. NASW joined the lawsuit as a plaintiff, working with chapters and members to demonstrate how the proposed changes threatened loan forgiveness for social workers and would have harmed social workers and the communities they serve. The court ruled that the Department exceeded its authority by imposing restrictions not authorized by Congress, preserving existing access to PSLF for eligible borrowers.

Click here to read more.

July 2026 Social Work Policy Updates

Jul 07, 2026

Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact Becomes Law!

Good news for Alaska social workers and other licensed health professionals! After passing both the House and Senate earlier this year, HB 110 (Rep. Gray) became law on June 23, 2026, without Governor Dunleavy's signature. Under Alaska law, the governor may sign, veto, or allow legislation to become law without a signature within 20 working days.

The new law authorizes Alaska to join the Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact, allowing licensed social workers to practice in other compact member states. The compact is expected to improve access to behavioral health services, increase workforce mobility, and support continuity of care for clients who relocate or travel. Although originally introduced to establish the Social Work Compact, the bill was amended to also authorize participation in interstate licensure compacts for qualified physicians, EMS personnel, physician assistants, and psychologists.

Click here to listen to a Compact update message from NASW-AK Executive Director, Duane Breijak.

End of the Term Legislative Recap

New Protections for Foster Youth in Psychiatric Facilities

In response to reports of foster youth remaining in psychiatric facilities for extended periods without timely judicial review, HB 36 (Rep. Gray) became law on June 22, 2026, without the governor's signature.

The legislation requires a court hearing within seven days of a youth's admission to a psychiatric facility, replacing the previous requirement for judicial review within 30 days. The change is intended to strengthen oversight and ensure timely review of placements involving foster youth.

More information about HB 36 is available here.

"Baby Box" Legislation Falls Short
Despite receiving bipartisan support and passing both legislative chambers, SB 9 (Sen. Myers) failed to reach the governor's desk because of a manifest error—a procedural issue, often clerical in nature, that prevented final transmission of the bill.

Alaska's Safe Haven law, enacted in 2008, allows parents to safely surrender infants to designated professionals without fear of prosecution. SB 9 would have expanded the law to permit infant surrender through secure safety devices, commonly known as "baby boxes," located at hospitals, police departments, health clinics, and other approved locations. Supporters argued the legislation would provide additional anonymity for parents while increasing opportunities for infant safety and prompt medical care.

Mental Health Curriculum Bill Veto Sustained
SB 41 (Sen. Gray-Jackson) would have required the Alaska Department of Education, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to develop a K-12 mental health curriculum for use in school districts statewide, similar to existing physical health education requirements.

The proposal was introduced as Alaska continues to face significant youth mental health challenges and sought to equip students with the knowledge and resources to recognize mental health concerns and seek appropriate support.

Governor Dunleavy vetoed the bill on June 19. Although the Legislature attempted to override the veto, the effort failed on a 38-22 vote, falling short of the 40 votes required for an override.

Budget Update

This budget update comes from our partners at The Mohr Company

Governor Dunleavy signed the FY2027 operating and capital budgets at the end of June and returned them with approximately $90 million in line-item vetoes. He preserved the statutory Base Student Allocation and core K-12 formula funding while trimming discretionary additions approved by the Legislature. The vetoes came after the Legislature transmitted the bills on June 15.

The final operating budget spends roughly $1.4 billion less in Unrestricted General Funds than the Governor’s original proposal. Much of the reduction can be attributed to a steeply reduced PFD. The Governor’s proposed PFD came in at $3,650 per eligible Alaskan, at a cost north of $2.3 billion. Given that the PFD delta alone is in the $1.5–$1.67 billion range, the reduced dividend (plus the $200 energy relief instead of a full statutory payment) accounts for essentially all — or very nearly all — of the $1.4 billion reduction in UGF spending. The final budget funds a $1,000 Permanent Fund Dividend plus $200 per-person energy relief (combined cost ~$800 million), maintains the statutory BSA of $6,660 per adjusted average daily membership, and includes targeted restorations in health, corrections, and community assistance.

Detailed Veto Analysis and Program-Level Impacts

The Governor’s vetoes total nearly $90 million and primarily target discretionary expansions and rate increases. Key items include:

$20 million for Community Assistance Payments — Reduces direct distributions to municipalities. Smaller communities may face tighter budgets for local services and operations.
$6.4 million for early education workforce recruitment and retention — Impacts efforts to address shortages in child care and early learning programs, potentially slowing expansion and increasing turnover.
$6.25 million to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for in-home caregivers — Maintains existing rates for personal care attendants serving seniors and people with disabilities, which could affect provider participation and access to home-based care.
$5 million to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for direct support professionals — Affects rates for providers assisting individuals with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities, potentially constraining workforce stability and service capacity.
$4.2 million for behavioral health grants — Reduces support for community mental health and substance use treatment providers, which may lead to scaled-back services or longer wait times in some areas.
$3.7 million for Head Start grants (with $16.8 million remaining) — Partial reduction may require some programs to adjust enrollment or staffing while preserving the majority of funding.

Clinical CE Series to Run This Summer! 6 CEs Possible

Jul 03, 2026

Clinical CE Series to Run This Summer!

6 Total CEs Available

Every Wednesday from July 22 - August 26. 12-1pm AK

NASW-Alaska is excited to announce the launch of a 2026 summer clinical continuing education series!

The Unconscious in Everyday Life: An Introduction to Psychodynamic Therapy is a six-session virtual lecture series that introduces foundational psychodynamic concepts and their relevance to clinical practice and everyday emotional experience. Drawing from Hannah Curtis’ "Everyday Life and the Unconscious Mind", the courses explore many foundational psychoanalytic concepts such as: unconscious processes, defense mechanisms, internal object relations, transference, resistance, countertransference, projective identification, and more. Participants will examine how these dynamics influence personality development, emotional functioning, interpersonal relationships, and the therapeutic process.

This course addresses a significant gap in current clinical training. Many therapists encounter recurring relationship patterns, strong emotional reactions in sessions, challenges with client engagement, and behaviors that cannot be fully explained by symptoms or diagnoses alone. Yet opportunities for training in psychodynamic and relational approaches are often limited. This series offers an opportunity for understanding what may be happening beneath the surface and how those dynamics show up in clinical work.

Whether you are new to psychodynamic concepts or looking to deepen your clinical understanding, this series will strengthen your ability to reflect on client experiences, navigate challenging clinical moments, and build more meaningful therapeutic connections.

This training series is a collaboration between Alaska Advanced Behavioral Health, the National Association of Social Workers - Alaska Chapter, and The International Psychotherapy Institute.

This training is beneficial for social workers, psychologists, LMFTs, LPCs, psychiatrists, and other helping professionals.

Each session is $15 for NASW members ($10 for students or retired members) or $25 for future members.

See below for registration information for all sessions:

Session 1: Background of the Conscious and Unconscious Aspects of the Mind (1 CE)

Wednesday, July 22, 2026