NASW Alaska News

On October 6, NASW-Alaska Chapter leadership wrote Senator Lisa Murkowsi, urging her to co-lead and support efforts to protect social work and other behavioral health professional by signing on to a Manager Amendment from Senator Patty Murray.

The Amendment would put clinical social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, and licensed professional counselors back in the “professional” degree category and keep federal loan limits at the higher level for these groups. The Department of Education’s Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) rule put social workers and other mental health professionals in the “graduate” degree category, effectively limiting federal loans for these professions.

Please see the letter sent below, as well as a direct way Alaksa social workers can advocate. 

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Contact Your Senator Today to Support Enhanced Loan Limits for Social Workers

NASW is working to find a co-lead with Senator Patty Murray (WA-D) for a Manger's Amendment which would include social work programs as professional programs for the purposes of federal student loan limits. A Senator in your state is a potential co-lead.

Please contact your Senator today using our online advocacy tool to urge their support.

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Letter sent on October 6, 2026

Senator Murkowski,

On behalf of the National Association of Social Workers–Alaska Chapter, we respectfully urge you to co-lead and support Senator Patty Murray’s Manager’s Amendment to the Department of Education’s RISE Rule. This amendment would restore social work and other advanced behavioral health programs to the “professional degree” category for federal student aid.

Reclassifying MSW programs as “graduate” degrees reduces federal loan limits and threatens Alaska’s already fragile behavioral health workforce. Our system was severely weakened by recession‑era budget cuts in 2008 and has never fully recovered. Today, we continue to face chronic shortages, limited capacity, and rising demand for services we cannot meet.

As you’re aware, Alaska has some of the highest rates of domestic violence and sexual assault in the nation, making our state one of the most dangerous places for women and children (NAMI Alaska, 2024). Our suicide rate is more than twice the national average, with especially high impact in rural and Alaska Native communities, and the rate has increased by 29% since the recession-era budget cuts and infrastructure collapse (CDC, 2024). These realities require a strong, well‑trained, culturally grounded workforce — one that depends on affordable MSW education.

The Alaska Department of Commerce shows 223 new social workers entered the profession in FY2024, bringing the total number of licensed social workers in Alaska to 1,429, illustrating how narrow our pipeline already is (FY24 Professional Licensing Statistics). This limited inflow of new clinicians is compounded by educational capacity: Alaska has only one masters-level social work program, at the University of Alaska Achorage. Even with the growth of online program, Alaska significantly struggles to meet statewide demand for MSW‑prepared clinicians. 

Because 40% of Alaskan communities are reachable only by air or water, our state relies on innovative “grow‑your‑own” pathways to train local social workers. Lower federal loan limits for these pioneers will disproportionately harm rural, remote, and Alaska Native students while further reducing the number of clinicians able to serve their home communities.

Senator Murray’s Manager’s Amendment offers a clear remedy by ensuring advanced behavioral health programs are recognized as professional degrees and retain appropriate federal loan levels. This protection is essential for repairing and maintaining Alaska’s behavioral health workforce to meet the urgent needs of our communities.

We respectfully ask you to co-lead this amendment and communicate your support to Senator Murray’s staff, Jules Sproul. Your leadership would make a meaningful difference for Alaska’s safety, health, and long‑term well-being. Thank you for your consideration and strength on this vital issue affecting our daily lives.

Sincerely,
 

Duane Breijak, LMSW

Executive Director

National Association of Social Workers - Alaska Chapter

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The Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault is doing important work to support Alaskans, lead change, empower communities and end violence.  They are leading the movement to end Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in Alaska.  Find out more about them Here.

We stand with survivors, Always.  

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Dear NASW-Alaska Members, As we approach the November 3 General Election, the NASW-Alaska Board of Directors has voted to recommend that members VOTE NO on Ballot Measures 2 and 3. Ballot Measure 2 would repeal Alaska’s current top-four primary and ranked-choice voting system and return the state to partisan primaries and single-choice general elections. It would also repeal campaign finance transparency provisions adopted as part of the 2020 election reforms. Ballot Measure 3 would amend state law to state that “only” U.S. citizens may vote in Alaska elections. Alaska law and the Alaska Constitution already limit voting to U.S. citizens, meaning the measure would reaffirm an existing requirement rather than create a new voting qualification. NASW-Alaska encourages members to learn more about both measures, review the official election information, and participate in the November 3 election. The NASW-Alaska Board of Directors recommends a NO vote on Ballot Measures 2 and 3. For official election information, including sample ballots and voting resources, visit the Alaska Division of Elections.

#26general the official election pamphlets are now posted on the Alaska Division of Elections website. The pamphlets will be mailed out to households by October 12. View your pamphlet: www.elections.alaska.gov/publications/

Graphics from the State of Alaska Division of Elections

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September is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Month. This annual observance is a reminder of the pivotal role social workers play in both preventing FASDs and supporting individuals and families living with FASDs. As the largest providers of mental and behavioral health services, practicing in the widest variety of settings compared to other health professionals, social workers are especially well positioned to implement alcohol screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT), an effective tool in FASD prevention.

FASDs are a group of diagnosable medical conditions that can occur in a person who was exposed to alcohol before birth. FASDs are lifelong and can include mental health conditions, learning disabilities, and physical manifestations such as heart defects and visual impairments. It is estimated that as many as 1 in 20 U.S. schoolchildren may have FASDs. In addition, more than one in seven pregnant women report drinking alcohol, and nearly one in 20 report binge drinking in the past 30 days.

In honor of FASD Awareness Month, learn about implementing SBIRT for all adults and how to discuss alcohol and pregnancy with them. Alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) is recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and endorsed by leading medical professional organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians and American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Learn more in our latest Social Work Blog post: https://tinyurl.com/yjxs2bn3 

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What if the most powerful suicide prevention tool isn't technology, but human connection?That's the message #NASW CEO Dr. Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C, shared in a recent Forbes Health feature on suicide prevention. Suicide’s impact reaches far beyond the individual, says Anthony Estreet, Ph.D., a licensed therapist and CEO at the National Association of Social Workers, the largest membership organization of professional social workers. “Families are left with profound grief, guilt and often silence,” he says. While AI can help connect people with information and crisis resources, it can never replace the empathy, compassion, and clinical judgment of trained mental health professionals. Read the full article here: https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/suicide-prevention-strategies/  

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Hello to my fellow Alaska NASW members. I hope that your late summer is being a productive one, with lots of berries and fish!

There is an important deadline that is coming up on August 31st that I wanted to make sure that our members know about. Member comments on three proposed changes to the way that NASW's national organization relates to state chapter boards are due by the 31st. You can review the proposed changes here in full.

For context, significant changes and restructuring have been happening at NASW National, impacting all state chapters and members. Many state boards, including Alaska's, have submitted comments to NASW National in response to these changes. One change that I want to bring to your attention is  "XII.D.04 Chapters", which would eliminate elections for state board chairs and instead have chairs appointed by the National Board. I strongly believe that state boards should be elected by state members, so that those member's voices are guiding our decisions. 

These proposed changes are currently open for comment by NASW members. I encourage you to share your thoughts and comments on the proposed changes . You can do so by clicking the hyperlinks on this webpage.

Also up for public comment now until August 31st are NASW's Program Priority Goals. 

Thank you for making your voice heard! And please feel free to reach out anytime.

Christine Schultz, LCSW
NASW-Alaska Chapter President

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Help Elevate SW Education in Alaska!

NASW-Alaska is looking for social workers interested in presenting at future events, webinars, and educational programs. If you have a topic you’re passionate about, we’d love to hear from you! Share your expertise with colleagues and help strengthen Alaska’s social work community.

Sign up to be considered for future presentation opportunities!

Click here to fill out our presenter application

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When disaster strikes, social workers are often the first to respond, and right now, social workers in Guam need us to respond to them.Following Typhoon Bavi, social workers on the island are without clean water, electricity, and essential supplies. The NASW Foundation has committed emergency funds to help and launched an urgent, time-limited campaign to raise more.This is a moment for our professional community to show up for our own. Please consider a gift and share this within your networks.Donate: https://tinyurl.com/s4p87ahh  

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Mark your calendars for Friday, November 6th and plan to join us virtually for a full day of Cultural Competency and Alaska Native CE opportunities! Are you interested in presenting? If so, please complete the Presenter Application ASAP!**Presenter honorariums will be provided**Presenter Application Keep an eye out in your email and on the website for more details and registration coming soon!  

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Urge Your Representative to Cosponsor the Integrating Social Workers Across Health Care Settings Act (H.R. 4185)

Introduced by Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Danny Davis (D-IL), and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) 

Clinical social workers (CSWs) do far more than treat and diagnosis mental illness - they coordinate care in complex systems, leverage clinical skills to support behavior change and engagement in care, and address the social factors that drive poor health outcomes. Yet under current Medicare law, CSWs are not reimbursed for most of this essential work.

H.R. 4185 fixes that. This bipartisan bill makes two targeted, commonsense updates to Medicare Part B, and we need your voice to help pass it. 

Medicare law currently limits reimbursement for CSWs to the "diagnosis and treatment of mental illness", language written decades ago that is not fully representative of the care provided by CSWs or how care is actually delivered. H.R. 4185 removes this restriction and aligns Medicare payment with the full scope of clinical social work practice as recognized in their state of practice. 

WHAT THE BILL DOES 

• Removes the outdated mental-health-only restriction on reimbursable clinical social worker services 
• Expands covered services by allowing Medicare to cover not only services a CSW personally provides, but also the related services and supports that are part of their care plan, aligning Medicare with team-based care. 

WHY IT MATTERS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY 

• Improves care coordination for older adults and people with chronic or serious illness 
• Better supports caregivers navigating complex medical and social systems 
• Expands access in rural and underserved communities where CSWs fill critical workforce gaps 
• Reduces avoidable hospitalizations and emergency visits, saving Medicare dollars 

H.R. 4185 does not expand scope of practice, create new benefits or bypass CMS authority. It simply ensures CSWs are not restricted from Medicare reimbursement for work they are already doing every day.

Contact your Representative TODAY and urge them to co-sponsor the Integrating Social Workers Across Health Care Settings Act. Help them understand the mental health needs of Medicare beneficiaries in your community and why this change is needed to help Medicare beneficiaries get full access to CSW services. Personalized communication goes a long way with a member of Congress.

Click here to take action!

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