S O C I A L W O R K P R O F E S S I O N A L A D V I S O R Y G R O U P O F T H E C O M M I S S I O N E D

C O R P S O F T H E U S P U B L I C H E A L T H S E R V I C E

SWPAG NEWSLETTER D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 V O L U M E V , I S S U E I V

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Catch the Volunteering Spirit P. 1

From the SWPAG Chair P. 2

From the Comm. Chair P. 2

My Dad’s Four Day System

for Quitting Tobacco Use P. 3

Financing Your SW Education P. 4 - 5

Is There An Ethical Obligation

To Be A Member of Your

Professional Organization? P. 5, 9

Happy Holidays! P. 7

Mentorship Meet & Greet P. 8-9

Tip of the Month P. 8

Career Development News P. 9

Other News… P. 10

SWPAG Newsletter

created by

CDR Julie Niven, LCSW,

DCSW, MAC

2014 SWPAG Meetings

Watch for information about

upcoming meetings via email

I have never volunteered as much as I do now - - - and just wish I’d have started much earlier! I have to say, “I love to volunteer!” Volunteering epitomizes one of my favorite quotes by John F. Kennedy, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Whoever (or whatever) I help when I volunteer is increased in some positive way and I find myself lifted as well on a tide of beneficence and good will towards others. There is also a sense of surprise in each volunteer position I say yes to. Many times I picture in my mind what I think I might do during a particular “shift” only to find reality to be 180 degrees different. This can create additional opportunities for personal growth (i.e. flexibility) and creativity. I’m not sure what started my acceleration in volunteer service over the last few years. I know I’ve found it fun and exhilarat-ing. Maybe that’s it! Who doesn’t want to describe the work they do in that way? And then another part of what makes volunteering something I seek out is the chance to work with other volunteers. Volunteers, overall, seem to have a certain something about them that makes them a joy to be around. There is an energy that is contagious and a cheerfulness that is not always found in our day-to-day lives. Volunteers are at their positions because they want to be. This, I believe, is part of the difference. Another fun aspect of volunteering is the relaxation you can feel doing whatever work you are assigned. One of my volunteer jobs is a weekly shift at the Fort Lee Thrift Shop. Even when I make a mistake, the manager is never harsh and she never docks my pay! The opportunities for volunteer work (fun) are endless! I encourage everyone to get involved to the extent you are able. Some helpful sites to get you started include

http://www.volunteermatch.org/ (wide variety of volunteer opportunities), http://www.volunteer.va.gov/ (if you want to work with Veterans specifically), http://www.redcross.org/support/volunteer (if you want to volun-teer with the Red Cross), etc. (Use your favorite search en-

gine to find additional sites.)

For more on the benefits of volunteering, check out: http://www.helpguide.org/life/

volunteer_opportunities_benefits_volunteering.htm

P A G E 2 V O L U M E V , I S S U E I V

...CDR Kristin Kelly, LCSW

It is hard to believe this is one of my final communications as your Social Work Professional Advisory

Group (PAG) Chair! It has truly been an honor to serve as your Chair for 2013 and I know I am leaving you all in very capable

hands! In working with CDR Dwayne Buckingham over the past year, I truly believe he has the best interest of the PAG in mind

and will do a lot to advocate on behalf of the all USPHS social workers. I would also like to congratulate CDR Scott Eppler on his

selection as Chair-elect. I have also had the pleasure of working closely with CDR Eppler as the PAG Secretary over the past two

years and I believe he will serve the PAG well. As with many previous Chairs, I intend to remain active and assist in helping future

leadership advance the PAG.

Reflecting on the year, I believe the groundwork has been laid for advancing the PAG and putting us in line with the other advisory

groups within the Health Services Professional Advisory Committee (HS- PAC). The workgroup on updating the bylaws to reflect

a voting membership is completing final edits to submit to the HS-PAC for acceptance. The intention is to transition to a voting

membership in 2014, with full implementation in 2015. I want to personally thank CDR Tim Pappalardo and LCDR Kendall Bol-

ton for their continued hard work and dedication to this effort. I would also be remiss in not thanking their teams, as I know many

people have contributed to this effort. Further information on this effort will be communicated to the PAG upon completion.

I would also like to extend my appreciation to all those members who actively participated in the PAG this year. My special thanks

to all the subcommittee chairs who helped support my tenure, including CDRs Castillo, Fields,

Gresham, Niven, Pappalardo and LCDRs Bolton, Howard, and Nemeti. Further, I could not have

been successful without the support of CDRs Buckingham, Eppler and Lennon. Thank you all!

In closing, I would like to once again express my sincere appreciation to you for entrusting me with

the Chair and Chair-elect positions. I hope I have served the PAG well and I look forward to

continuing to remain active in advancing the PAG. On behalf of PAG leadership, I would like to

wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season!

Very Respectfully,

CDR Kristin Kelly

Continued Success to All in the Coming New Year!

After 2+ years as Editor of the SWPAG Newsletter, I want to say farewell and thank you for

the opportunity to serve in this position. It has been a pleasure! LCDR Tricia Booker is

excited to be stepping in to show off her skills as Editor in 2014. Please make her feel

welcome and send your articles to her in a timely manner. Though I will continue to be

involved with our PAG, I am off to find new challenges and opportunities as well. I have long

wanted to work with COA National and so plan to pursue an opportunity to work with the

staff there. Thank you for all your participation in supporting the SWPAG Newsletter.

Remember: there is always something to write about and what interests you undoubtedly

interests others as well. Keep up the good work and keep those articles rolling in!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to All!

Yours in Service, CDR Julie A. Niven

P A G E 3 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

My Dad’s Four Day System to Quitting Tobacco Use

Submitted by CAPT Janet Hawkins

When I described the organization's new smoking (or non-smoking) policy to my Dad, a former two pack a day man for thirty-five years, he related the following for me to pass along as I saw fit. It's surely worth pursuing, I thought, if it's useful to even one person attempting one of the most difficult habits to break. Nicotine stacks up with the other hard drugs in difficulty of breaking free. This, despite all the gimmicks, plastics, pills, patches and other paraphernalia on the market. Dad in-sists ultimately the wisest decision is to go "cold turkey"! It's always a bit more difficult, he says, with a smoking couple due to differences in will power. Dad calls it the "Four Day" system because he claims it takes four days to physically rid the body of the nicotine, before the psychological challenge sets in. During those four days of physiological craving, your body screams for that missing ingredient! For this reason, it's very helpful to retreat on leave or a long week-end to one's very favorite places, be it beach, mountains, or wherever many of life's daily stressors will be muted or missing. Prior to beginning set a date that will be memorable; for example Independence day, a birthday or some other event and don't forget to spread the word beforehand among family and friends - so you will seem really, really awkward or unworthy, at best, if you don't follow through. Perhaps the most important factor of all is the need to stop thinking of chemicals entering your body as a treat. Thinking like a smoker. If one craves a piece of chocolate cake, one will surely manage to find one. "Dying" for a smoke, will certainly help you find one as well. Much like any addict hungering for a fix, good self talk is essential. "I don't have to smoke today. Maybe tomorrow." In my Dad's case, those Four Days are thirty years past now, but you may still find a toothpick or a couple of Tic Tacs in his mouth.

P A G E 4 V O L U M E V , I S S U E I V

Choosing a career in Social Work can be extremely rewarding in a multitude of ways. Paying for your career in Social Work can feel daunting

and overwhelming, which can take away from the personal and professional rewards associated with this

profession.

The intent of this article is to provide fellow Social Workers with a list of resources that may assist them in

managing past, current and potentially future student loan debt as Officers in the United States Public Health

Service.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSFL) – The PSLF Program was established to encourage individuals to

enter and continue in full-time employment in lower-paying but vitally important public service jobs. The pro-

gram allows eligible borrowers to cancel the remaining balance of their Direct loans after serving full time at a

public service organization for at least 10 years while making 120 qualifying monthly payments after October

1, 2007.

This program is most beneficial when your payments are under Income Based Repayment (IBR) or Income

Contingent Repayment (ICR). All eligible loans must be consolidated. Parent Plus Loans are eligible under

the ICR plan as long as the parent is employed in a public service job.

Best Website(s):

http://www.myfedloan.org/manage-account/loan-forgiveness-discharge-programs/public-service-loan-

forgiveness.shtml

http://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/charts/public-service

National Health Service Corp Loan Repayment Program (NHSCLRP) - The program offers primary care

medical, dental, and mental and behavioral health providers the opportunity to have their student loans repaid

while serving in communities with limited access to care. Agencies specific to USPHS Officers include Immi-

gration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and Indian Health Service (IHS).

This program also extends opportunities for repayment for Half-Time employment in the community.

The application cycle opens around Jan/Feb 2014 with awards made after Sept 2014.

Best Website(s):

http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/

http://www.ihs.gov/careeropps/loanrepayment/

….Continued on next page

Financing Your Social Work Education Sponsored by the SWPAG Mentoring Sub-Committee

Researched and written by LCDR Aimee Williams, BCD, LCSW-C

Continued from previous page….

NIH Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) – established as a management tool to facilitate the recruit-

ment and retention of “highly qualified” candidates and employees.

There is no restriction on the type or level of degree the individual was/is pursuing for which a loan was previ-

ously generated.

Best Website(s):

http://www.lrp.nih.gov/about_the_programs/index.aspx

NIH Student Loan Repayment for Researches Outside of NIH (Extramural LRP’s) -

You do the research. NIH will repay your student loans. That is the idea behind the National Institutes of

Health Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs).

Best Website(s)

http://www.lrp.nih.gov/about_the_programs/index.aspx

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) - The Federal student loan repayment program permits agencies to

repay federally insured student loans as a recruitment or retention incentive for candidates or current employ-

ees of the agency. The program implements 5 U.S.C. 5379, which authorizes agencies to set up their own stu-

dent loan repayment programs to attract or retain highly qualified employees.

There is a 3 year service commitment to the agency.

Best Website(s):

http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/student-loan-repayment/#url=Overview

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 P A G E 5

P A G E 6 V O L U M E V , I S S U E I V

Recently, I received my commission to the US Public Health Service. I have waited (2 years), emailed (over a 100), and fought my way into the Corps. I am proud to wear the uniform and to uphold the ideals of Leadership, Service, Integrity and Excellence. During OBC I had a realization that I was now part of something bigger then just my profession as a Clinical Social Worker. I was excited to join COA and learn that social work had its own PAG. But I am also a member of NASW and several of the social workers I have met are not. It started me thinking: Do I have an ethical responsibility to belong to my professional organization?

Having taught social work ethics for many years this was not an unusual thought for me to have. Many of my friends are psychologists (both masters-level and doctorate-level) and most of them do not belong to the American Psychological Association (APA). As this thought was taking hold in my mind I had some con-versations with them about this and they looked puzzled (almost like I was a rat in a maze). Most have nev-er even considered this at any level. A review of all the major human service professionals' organization, not one mentions the need for a professional to belong to its “organization.”

So I decided to seriously think about this subject. I did what I have instructed my students and the folks who have seen me present on this topic to do. I looked to the NASW Code of Ethics as my starting point. I already knew that outside of sleeping with clients, bartering for goods, or doing drugs, the Code often does not provide a "Thou Shall Not…" prescription for professional or personal behavior.

I did feel a little hopeful when I got to Section 5: Social Worker's Ethical Responsibilities to the Social Work Profession. I thought, “Okay, there will be something I can use here to help with this article…” No. Not one thing. Maybe, 5.01(a): “Social Workers should work toward the maintenance and promotion of high social work practice.” That sounds like something NASW does on a daily basis, but do you really need to be a member?

Many social workers will state that they would join or rejoin but economy is bad and how they don’t have the money. I can't fault anyone who does not have the means to pay for something, but I know I can figure out how to pay for something if I truly value it. I have figured out a way to support my Red Bull habit. I get the argument that some social workers will make that NASW “doesn’t support (fill in the blank) type of social work". "Why should I belong? NASW is already fighting for social work rights any way, so I benefit and I don't have to pay.”

All of these arguments have valid points. I would add that social work is a value driven profession. We can all remember sitting in a social work class where the word “value” was said so many times that I stopped

….Continued on page 9

Is There An Ethical Obligation To Be A Member of Your

Professional Organization? Submitted by LT Robert E. Van Meir, MSW, LCSW, BCD

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 P A G E 7

...and a HAPPY NEW YEAR

to All!

Mentoring is one of the foundational aspects of leadership and career development yet, many offic-

ers do not have an officially designated mentor.

The Social Work Professional Advisory Group (SWPAG) Mentoring Subcommittee complements and sup-

ports the Health Services Professional Advisory Committee (HS PAC) Mentoring Program. To that end, the

SWPAG Mentoring Subcommittee, chaired by CDR Malaysia Gresham, created a SWPAG Mentoring Meet

and Greet subcommittee chaired by LT Israel Garcia and co-chaired by LCDR Kendall Bolton. The Mentor-

ship Meet and Greet subcommittee’s vision is to promote mentorship among social work officers by sponsor-

ing meet and greet opportunities that foster mentorship, fellowship, and networking opportunities among jun-

ior and senior officers across the nation.

To date, the committee credits several USPHS officers with hosting SWPAG Mentoring Meet and Greets na-

tionwide. On September 26, 2013, with the support of CDR Malaysia Gresham, CAPT Edwin Vazquez, and

CDR Todd Lennon, the SWPAG Mentoring Meet and Greet subcommittee coordinated a successful Meet and

Greet event for social work officers in the DC metro area. The event took place at La Tasca Restaurant in

downtown Rockville, MD and was attended by ten officers. While the camaraderie and the delicious “tapas”

were enjoyed, the group was honored by the presence of Rear Admiral Sarah R. Linde, Chief Public Health

Officer for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). She exuded enthusiasm about HRSA

and PHS and spoke to what she believes to be key regarding mentoring and career success. RADM Linde’s

speech included the following:

“Thank you for your kind invitation for me to join you for this event. Mentoring is one of the most important

experiences in our professional careers, so being with you is a terrific opportunity for me to “pay it forward”

as I have benefited from many mentors throughout my career. Here are a couple of pearls of wisdom that I

have learned along the way. Be broad in your thinking about who can serve as a mentor for you. There are

things to learn from superiors, peers, and subordinates and also from officers in other professional categories.

While it is great to have a general plan about your career path and trajectory, be open to opportunities that

arise that challenge your original thinking and may cause you to stray a bit from your plan. Those are often

the most tremendous growth and development opportunities. Finally, be confident and courageous enough to

ask for and receptive to hearing and acting on feedback about your areas for improvement. The ability to rec-

ognize your deficits can be one of your greatest strengths.”

The SWPAG Mentoring Subcommittee agrees with RADM Linde that we can all learn from one another and

mentoring is critical to the enhancement of leadership and professional development. You may even be

...Continued on next page

Mentorship Meet and Greet Events

Submitted by LT Israel Garcia,

LCDR Bolton Kendall and CDR Malaysia Gresham

P A G E 8 V O L U M E V , I S S U E I V

Continued from previous page…

wondering why Mentoring Meet and Greets don’t occur more frequently - and we cannot agree more. Mentor-

ing Meet and Greets provide opportunities that can be a springboard to foster networking and mentoring op-

portunities that cannot be found in the typical digital world we work in.

To that end, we invite you to coordinate or host a Mentoring Meet and Greet opportunity in your agency or

region. Regardless of where you are assigned, making time to attend or host a Mentoring Meet and Greet will

require some determination. For our fellow officers stationed in remote areas, it will also require more creativ-

ity. It can be as simple as hosting a webinar or conference call. It is possible all of these can have a tremen-

dous impact in career development, especially for our junior officers.

For more guidance and/or support to host a Mentoring Meet and Greet for Social Workers, contact: LT Israel

Garcia at igarcia@hrsa.gov or LCDR Kendall Bolton at kendall.bolton@dha.mil.

Stay tuned for our next DC Metro Mentoring Meet and Greet event!

Continued from page 6...

counting after we hit 50. These social work values guide our profession; NASW is the gold standard profession of social work. It advocates for us, it fights for us; it speaks for us as a collective whole. It writes the Code of Ethics that all social workers (regardless if you are a member of not) are expected to follow. Sometimes I agree with it and sometimes I don't. But I support it at all times. I became a board member so I could influence it, and in turn have been changed by it.

I truly value the social work idea of self-determination. It stands as my core belief that underlies every-thing I think about this profession. So I would never feel comfortable telling another social worker that you have to be a member to be a "good social worker" or an ethical one. So this was an internal conflict I had to resolve for myself. I looked at the Code again and section 5.01(b): “Social Workers should uphold and advance the val-ues, ethics, knowledge, and mission of social work. Social Workers should protect, enhance, and improve the integrity of the profession through appropriate study, research, active discussion, and responsible criticism of the profession.”

That one seems to work for me. NASW became the social work organization when it merged with other social work groups so we would have a louder voice - one that would be heard and would be a force to be reck-oned with. Hopefully you will continue to be a member and will encourage your colleagues to join (or rejoin) NASW.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 P A G E 9

V O L U M E V , I S S U E I V P A G E 1 0

The Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH) signed Commissioned Corps Instruction

(CCI) CC412.01 http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CC412.01.pdf on 21 June

2013. This CCI replaces the Uniforms and Appearance Instruction from 2010 and

includes the ban on the use of all tobacco products while in uniform.

The 2014 Benchmarks for HSOs is available at:

http://dcp.psc.gov/ccmis/PDF_docs/HSO%20Benchmarks%202014.pdf

The 2014 Promotion Eligibility is now available. Sign into your secure area via

CCMIS to check your eligibility.

Instructions on how to order the ODU can be found at:

http://dcp.psc.gov/ccmis/PDF_docs/Directions%20%20Guidance%20for%

20Ordering%20ODU%20online_31Aug12%20(3).pdf

...O

ther

New

s ... The SWPAG Career Development ( CD ) Subcommittee actively seeks and dissemi-

nates information on career opportunities for professional development, vacancies, and

special assignments. In an effort to accomplish its mission the CD Subcommittee has cre-

ated a calendar that lists various trainings/webinars, conferences and continuing educa-

tion credit opportunities that might be of interest to our members. Please email questions/

comments, suggestions for making the calendar better and information about trainings/

webinars, conferences and continuing education opportunities to LCDR Maria Fields,

Chair, SWPAG Career Development Subcommittee, at maria.v.fields.mil@mail.mil Re-

quests for more specific information about any of the events on the calendar should be

directed to the event host.

Ethics

http://www.aswb.org/education/courses/index.php

Ethics: Boundary Crossings and the Ethics of Multiple Role Relationships

http://www.continuingedcourses.net/active/courses/course066.php

Aging, Mental Health, and Long-term Care

http://www.continuingedcourses.net/active/courses/course041.php Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder http://www.dcoe.health.mil/TrainingCalendar.aspx

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network http://learn.nctsn.org/course/category.php?id=3

Center for Deployment Psychology

http://deploymentpsych.org/training/online-courses

Social Work Professional Advisory Group: CALL for Volunteers!

The Social Work Professional Advisory Group Recruitment and Retention (R & R) Sub-

committee is seeking officers for general membership and leadership positions. The R &

R Subcommittee is tasked by the SWPAG to review and recommend policy relative to the

recruitment and accession of Social Workers in the U.S. Public Health Service and to ad-

vise the SWPAG Chair. Additionally, the R & R Subcommittee is responsible for welcom-

ing and disseminating the SWPAG Welcome Packets to newly commissioned Social Work

Officers to assist with their acclimation into Public Health Services.

The SWPAG R & R Subcommittee team members had several accomplishments in 2013:

•Submitted SWPAG Welcome Packet to SWPAG CoC for approval

•Modified and refined the SWPAG Welcome Packet

•Disseminated SWPAG Welcome Packet to new SW CADs

•Plan to consult with USPHS Chief, COTA to appear on training calendar in order to

conduct brief presentations to and disseminate SWPAG Welcome Packet to new SW

CADs

•Collaborated with CDR Dwayne Buckingham with the DoD Sunset Plan MOA Survey

results compilation

•Collaborating with HSPAC Health Services Application Placement Program (HSAPP)

Lead in obtaining regular list of new SW as they receive CAD orders

The R & R Subcommittee meets via teleconference the first Monday of the month at

1030. If interested in becoming a member, please contact LCDR Sonjia Howard, R &

R Chair at sonjia.a.howard.mil@mail.mil.

P A G E 1 1 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

V O L U M E V , I S S U E I V

2014 SWPAG Meetings

Watch for information about

next year’s meetings in your

email

************************************

P A G E 1 2

SWPAG Colleagues:

The Communications Committee encourages officers to

submit any news/events information about fellow

social workers, something you’ve accomplished,

clinical issues, job/agency opportunities, recruiting

ideas or strategies, career enhancement suggestions,

educational opportunities (CEU’s), publicity events,

deployment/OFRD training experiences, COA events

etc. for publication in the SWPAG newsletter.

Please have submissions cut and paste ready.

Thank you!

Please respond to LCDR Booker at:

tricia.h.booker.mil@mail.mil with submissions

The Mission of the U.S. Public Health Service

Commissioned Corps is to

protect, promote, and advance the health and safety

of our Nation.

For more information about our PAG, visit the SWPAG website at http://usphs-hso.org/?q=pags/swpag