S. Ryan Estes is a member of NASW-NC:
[Video] More than 65,000 people in North Carolina contact 988 lifeline in its first year
WECT
In the first year of the new 988 suicide and crisis lifetime, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says more than 65,000 people in the state have reached out looking for help.

Mit Joyner was immediate past president of NASW:
Mildred “Mit” Joyner, WCU educator and social work advocate, remembered as a pioneer
Daily Local News
Mildred Carter Joyner, the Chester County native who attained national prominence as a pioneer in social work and as a fierce advocate for social justice, diversity, and equality in her work as a West Chester University professor and leader of the National Association of Social Workers, has died. She was 73. Her death on July 9 was announced by her daughters.

Marc Herstand is executive director of NASW-WI:
Wisconsin’s licensing agency is getting a budget boost, but much less than the governor asked for
Wisconsin Public Radio
Marc Herstand, who leads Wisconsin’s chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, said he’s disappointed in lawmakers for not fully funding the agency’s staffing request. He says more robust staffing would be possible if the legislature allowed the department to spend its licensing fee revenue on hiring more employees. 

Scott M. Granet is a member of NASW-CA:
What is a thirst trap? How to not hate your friends’ vacation photos
USA Today
Scott M. Granet, licensed clinical social worker at The OCD-BDD Clinic of Northern California wonders, too: “How many times did somebody take a picture to get the right picture? To get the lighting just right? To get themselves looking in a way that they know is going to create that thirst trap experience for somebody?” Of course, not everyone feels this way about thirst traps. Some might see a photo of a friend looking great and feel inspired to take better care of themselves.

Cara Hernandez is a member of NASW-WA:
Young Professional 2023: Cara Hernandez
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels is a 501(c)(3) that provides meals at no cost to those who are 60 and over. Eligibility is based solely on age and residing within our service area. We do not verify income or citizenship status. We serve meals at eight dining sites throughout Benton and Franklin counties, as well as provide home delivery to those unable to leave home.

Charlene MacPherson is a member of NASW-MD:
Grumpy dwarves and 20-sided dice: Therapist uses Dungeons & Dragons to model self-acceptance
The Frederick News-Post
MacPherson’s love of the geeky adventure game has only grown over the years. But now, she appreciates it for more than the goofiness it can inspire. As a licensed clinical social worker, she’s been using the tabletop game since 2019 to provide group and individual therapy to autistic people, as well as people with depression, anxiety and other mental health diagnoses. Through her work as a certified therapeutic game master based in Linthicum, Maryland, MacPherson has watched her clients learn how to set firm boundaries, make healthy friendships, voice their opinions and celebrate what makes them different — all in an accepting fantasy world where mistakes don’t have scary consequences.

Shara Ruffin is a member of NASW-PA:
Shara Ruffin: The Guiding Light for Aspiring Social Workers
USA Today
Shara Ruffin shines brightly as a beacon of hope and resilience in a world teeming with challenges. This licensed clinical social worker has deftly navigated her personal and professional life, turning trials into triumphs. Today, she is an inspirational figure for aspiring social workers across the globe. 

Tara Wallace is a member of NASW-KS:
Kansas students shouldn’t have to fix teachers’ mistakes. Grade problems only scratch the surface.
Kansas Reflector
Full disclosure: I am a community-based clinical social worker and trauma therapist in Topeka. When a parent pleads with school administrators to hold their student back because a .20 gpa is evidence of lack of progress and is told the next school “has a program to help the student improve,” they have essentially removed the parent’s hope for focused academic support and resigned that student to a limited future after high school. Students are not different “now.” They are what we have as a society created and continue to create when we fail to do our due diligence as educators and professionals.

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