2021 Conference ONLINE — Securing the Good in the Second City: Perinatal Social Work for All

“As the COVID crisis continues we have made the decision to hold a virtual conference for our 2021 NAPSW National Conference. This will ensure we all remain safe but can enjoy time together networking and learning.” - Conference Co-Chair Kelly Weber

The 45th Annual National Association of Perinatal Social Workers (NAPSW) Conference will be held virtually. Please save the dates of April 29 & 30, and more details will be forthcoming. Click here to learn more about the benefits of NAPSW membership and to get discounted member rates for the conference. 

NAPSW Forum, Autumn, 2020  What's Inside:

Understanding Mothers Living With Borderline Personality Disorder

Virtual Meetings

NAPSW 2021 Conference

Nominations

NAPSW Forum, Summer, 2020  What's Inside:

Attachment and Perinatal Loss

Election Results

NAPSW Chicago Conference

Case Review: Neonatal Transfer

Suggested Reading

The National Association of Perinatal Social Workers condemns white supremacy, systemic and institutional racism.  We acknowledge the existence of racial injustice in our society and we stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.  

NAPSW is an organization whose mission is to maximize health outcomes for babies and their families.  As perinatal social workers we have first-hand experience of the rampant health disparities seen in the perinatal period for Black mothers and babies and we grieve the way this harm continues to damage the families we serve.  We humbly commit to moving forward by listening to the voices of Black families and the Black Lives Matter movement, and to work harder to help achieve better outcomes for all families who have been marginalized and harmed by systemic and institutional racism.

NAPSW Forum, Spring, 2020  What's Inside:

Perinatal Social Work in the Midst of a Pandemic: Caring for Clients and Yourself

Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and It's Impact on Families

Staff Support in a High Acuity Setting

Book Review — From Love to Loss: A NICU Odyssey

Private Nursing Duty Scarcity

Perspectives from the NAPSW Listserve

2021 Conference information  

Members can click here to access.  Not a member? Click here to learn more about NAPSW membership benefits and to join today!

If it were not for COVID-19, I would be home after another outstanding NAPSW conference and I would be exhausted and exhilarated after seeing good friends, having challenging discussions, and learning new skills!  Instead, I am reminiscing about past conferences and missing my good NAPSW friends and colleagues. But the work of the organization goes on, and we will continue to work together and support each other through these trying times.

The officers and BOD of the organization met this past week, as they always do at the conference, but utilizing Zoom instead of conference tables.  It was waves instead of hugs, and it was BYO coffee/tea and snacks!

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE NAPSW ANNUAL CONFERENCE -  April 2, 2020

NAPSW Forum, Winter, 2020  What's Inside:

Health Disparities

The Partner Model: A Solution to the Stigma of the Perinatal Opioid Epidemic

Book Review — White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism

Annual Conference Overview

NAPSW Board Meeting History

Innovative Program and Research Grant

Award for Excellence Nominations

Members can click here to access.  Not a member? Click here to learn more about NAPSW membership benefits and to join today!

What's Inside:

Best Practices for Emotional Care of Perinatal Loss

Understanding and Managing Personality Disordered Patients

Conference Overview

Book Review — Gather at the Table

44 Years of NAPSW Conferences

Innovative Program and Research Grant

Chicago Conference Events  

Members can click here to access.  Not a member? Click here to learn more about NAPSW membership benefits and to join today!

Joan Hebert receives the 2019 NAPSW Award for Excellence

Joan Hebert, LCSW, of Orlando, Florida, has been awarded the National Association of Perinatal Social Workers’ Award for Excellence for 2019. Joan is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Florida. The 2019 Award was presented at the 43rd annual conference during the opening banquet on May 1 in Savannah, Georgia. Members Rasa Ragas and Joni Hardcastle nominated Joan and expressed their appreciation and admiration. Rasa said: Joan has devoted a good part of her professional career working as a perinatal social worker despite several changes and reorganization at her medical center. Plus, she enjoys ‘having fun’ as I observed her to be a great dancer! I remember dancing with her at the 2012 conference in Little Rock in the Peabody Lounge along with other conference participants. She has a great sense of humor! Joan has been an active member of NAPSW, serving as Secretary, two terms on the Board, and serving on other committees, too! 

What's Inside:

• Screening and Comprehensive Support Services for Perinatal Mood Disorders
• Listening to the Heart: Music Therapy's Role in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Chicago 2020 Conference
• Book Review — Birth of a New Brain
• NAPSW From the Beginning
• Stepping for Preemies
• Call for Papers

Members can click here to access.  Not a member? Click here to learn more about NAPSW membership benefits and to join today!

Call For Papers For the 2020 NAPSW Conference —
Securing the Good in the Second City: 
Perinatal Social Work for All
April 29 - May 2, 2020

NAPSW is seeking workshop presentations for the 2020 annual conference in Chicago, Illinois, to be held April 29th through May 2nd. Specific areas of interest are: perinatal and social work ethics, enhancing social work clinical skills, difficult conversations with perinatal families, surrogacy, adoption, antenatal support, fetal diagnosis and support, NAS, end-of-life and bereavement, staff support, professional boundaries, cultural competency, perinatal social work research and NICU.

Please submit a one page, double-spaced description/abstract of the material to be presented, with three learning objectives. Include a cover sheet that contains the title, author’s name(s), professional credentials, phone number and email address.  Click here for a downloadable flier and please share!

NAPSW Annual Conference 2020 — Securing the Good in the Second City: Perinatal Social Work for All

The 44th Annual National Association of Perinatal Social Workers (NAPSW) Conference will be held in Chicago, Illinois, April 29th - May 2nd, 2020 at the St. Jane Hotel, Chicago.  Conference registration and hotel reservation information will be announced soon.  Click here to learn more about membership benefits and to join NAPSW to be notified when registration opens and receive the membership discount rate!   

The Winter 2019 Forum is Here!

What's Inside:

From the President
Surrogacy
Cultural Diversity and Perinatal Loss
Savannah Conference
Book Review — Juniper The Girl Who Was Born Too Soon
Looking Back: Joni Hardcastle

Only One Week Left for the New Member Special — Join Today and Save!  

NAPSW is launching a recruitment campaign to celebrate social work month. Starting today through the end of March, new members will be able to join for half price and members who recruit new members will get $50 off their conference fees! We love our social workers and we love NAPSW!  

Registration Now Open for the 43rd Annual NAPSW Conference: Walking Your Way Through Perinatal Social Work

The 43rd Annual National Association of Perinatal Social Workers (NAPSW) Conference will be held in Savannah, GA, May 1-4, 2019.  Registration is now open. Click here to download the conference brochure. Click here to learn more about the conference and register. Click here to learn more about the benefits of NAPSW membership and to get a discounted conference rate. We look forward to seeing you this year in Savannah!   

Conference Scholarships

NAPSW is pleased to offer several scholarships for it's 43rd Annual Conference, Walking Your Way Through Perinatal Social Work, which will be held in Savannah, Georgia from May 1 - 4, 2019. The scholarships will cover the registration fee and the funding is from the Stepping for Preemies Campaign.

 NAPSW Forum, Autumn, 2018.  What's Inside:

From the President
Imprisoning Pregnant and Parenting Women
Acculturation and Family Bonding
New Board Members
Martha Ransohoff Adler Shares Fond Memories
Book Review — Babies with Down Syndrome: A New Parents' Guide
New Members
Innovative Program / Research Grant
Invitation to Savannah
Regional Reports    

Members can click here to access.  Not a member? Click here to learn more about NAPSW membership benefits and to join today!

Consider making a donation to NAPSW as part of your end of the year giving.

NAPSW is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization whose mission is to promote, expand, and enhance the role of social work in perinatal health care and to strive for excellence in practice for the benefit of families around the time of birth. NAPSW relies on membership dues and donations to provide affordable yet up-to-date and relevant information about best practices. NAPSW welcomes your donation, which is tax-deductible as allowed by law, to support its mission. Donations go towards supporting social work education and can be made online by clicking here. 

NAPSW Advocacy Priorities

During the 2018 conference the advocacy committee received approval from the board to focus on the following areas of advocacy for 2018: prenatal substance use, perinatal mental health and parity, ACA repeal and replace efforts (focus on essential health benefits & Medicaid expansion). While the vote does not exclude the organization from supporting requests on other topics, it is the hope of the committee to promote conversations related to these topics at a state, regional, national or international level.

Is your area of practice addressing one of this year’s advocacy priorities? If so, we’d love to hear about it! Send an email to advocacy chair Mandy Wannarka at [email protected] and it could be featured in greater detail in a future forum issue!