Clinical Social Work Journal Vol. 15, No. 4, Winter 1987

NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF P R A C T I C E

Florence Lieberman

The National Academies of Practice (NAP), a relatively new organi- zation founded in 1981, is destined to play an increasingly important role in the improvement of the delivery of health services. The Academies, es- tablished independently of their respective professional societies, consist of the nine recognized health professions: Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Optometry, Osteopathic Medicine, Podiatry, Psychology, Social Work, and Veterinary Medicine.

Pat terned after the National Academy of Sciences, membership de- pends upon election as a Distinguished Practitioner in one of the nine academies. The first criteria is that the Distinguished Practitioners be in- dividuals who have spent an important part of their lives, a min imum of 15-20 years, in the practice of their profession and in direct contact with patients or clients. In addition they meet many other criteria such as na- tional or international recognition for contributions to professional prac- tice, achievement of senior academic rank, editorship of scholarly jour- nals with national circulations, an elected office of a national professional or scientific organization, an honorary degree from a recognized academic institution, significant publications which have had an impact on the practice and th inking of colleagues, introduction of legislative initiatives, policy developments or educational innovations which have enhanced the nature of services, increased public access to services and/or positively al- tered the form of services. Of course all adhere to the ethical standards of their professions.

Some few individuals who have contributed to the development of practice, but who have not been engaged in direct practice, are recognized as Distinguished Associates if they also meet many of the above require- ments. All members of the Academies are considered to have transcended the specific interests of their respective professions and are prepared to address the issue of National Health. The NAP differs from the National

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Academy of Sciences; its members are practitioners, nationally recog- nized primarily for contributions to practice, rather than achievements in science, though there are many who are also renowned scientists. The NAP is also different in being the only inter-disciplinary group of practi- tioners dedicated to addressing the problems of practice in the interest of citizens of our nations. The objective of the NAP is to constitute itself as the nation's interdisciplinary health forum.

The first Academy was established in Psychology and the second, in Social Work. The 11 founders of the NAP in Social Work were: Shirley Cooper, Ruth Fizdale, Florence Hollis, Florence Lieberman, Joseph Palombo, Helen Harris Perlman, Jean Sanville, Maida Solomon, Herbert Strean, and Betty Jean Synar. Mary L. Gottesfeld, the first editor of Clin- ical Social Work Journal, now deceased, was also a founder.

At present the NAP in Social Work consists of 83 Distinguished Practitioners, ten Distinguished Academic Associates, and one Distin- guished Academic Affiliate (non-U.S. citizen). The present officers of the NAP in Social Work are: Chair, Florence Lieberman; Co-Chair, Betty Jean Synar; Secretary, Edna F. Roth; and members at large, Mildred Reynolds and Jean Sanville.

Social Work has played an active part in all NAP activities. To date, there have been two Interdisciplinary National Health Forums. The first, held in September, 1985 considered the following issues: Heajth Care Practitioners; the Effect upon Health Care of Policies for Rationing Scarce and/or Expensive Health Care Technology; Improving the Cost- Effectiveness of Caring for the Elderly and the Effects of Organizational and Financing Changes Upon Health Care Practices. The Second Na- tional Health Forum in September, 1987, considered two themes: Cost- Effective Health Care of the Elderly Revisited with four subtopics and chaired by Florence Lieberman (NAP Social Work) and Health Care in the period 2000 to 2010 with three subtopics, chaired by Stanley Lesse (NAP Medicine).

Both Forums and all other activities of the NAP have been supported by the activities and contributions of its members. The Senate of the United States has voted unanimously to grant a charter to the NAP, and it is hoped that by early 1988 the House of Representatives will do like- wise and that the President of the United States will approve. With this accomplished Congress may address and fund important questions, such as quality of care, the interface of the nine major health professions, health costs, needs, and delivery.

The NAP in Social Work is prepared to be active contributors to this work. All Practitioners have been polled to ascertain special areas of in- terest and competence so that we may bring the best knowledge of the profession to future deliberations. In addition, our emphasis will carry forth the mandate of our profession which is concern for the situation of

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our clients, their needs and their rights to high quality service regardless of class, race, ethnicity or sex. We are expectant that work within the NAP will enable us to further the historical commitments of Social Work which include attention to the advice of Mary Richmond (1922) that we should bear faithful witness to the need of social reforms wherever our daily work reveals such need, to utilize social research to enhance the de- livery of health services by all professions and to have active and forceful voices in furthering these goals.

REFERENCE

Richmond, M. (1922). What is social case work? New York: Russell Sage Foundation.