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Michigan Chapter Newsletter, Summer 2009 - President's Message from Dave Neal The Board unanimously voted at its June Board meeting to begin actions necessary to affiliate with the National Society. We are the first state chapter to take official action to affiliate. In many ways the Chapter will continue to function as well always have. EXCEPT, the Board is trying to take steps to be more active and to meet your needs. For the first eighteen months, January 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011 you will receive all of the benefits of National Membership at NO ADDITIONAL COSTS. Clearly beginning July 1, 2011 your dues will increase significantly depending on the type of membership you will be eligible for. This period of time will allow all of us to evaluate the benefits of affiliation and determine whether the Chapter should renew its affiliation with the National Society. With this opportunity for an eighteen month affiliation at no cost to the membership and with our By-Laws saying that we are an affiliate with the National Society, the only rational decision was to move forward with a formal affiliation. National is changing their fiscal year to July 1-June 30. All Chapters are required to do the same. The Board voted to extend everyone's membership through June 30, 2010. You will be asked to renew you membership in the spring of 2010 for 10-11 at the chapter rate of $35. For the FY 10-11 National will require a $10 service fee for all state members. The Board voted to pay this and not ask members for it. Sometime in the fall all members who are not national members, will be required to join the National Society. There will be no charge attached. At this point it is not clear what will be required of those members who are currently National Members. These members have been paying a national and state membership fee. National can not waive their national membership fee and remain solvent. It is not certain how the transition will affect their dues. The Chapter will retain our funds. We can raise money and continue to do business as we have. National will now be responsible to our non-profit status and make appropriate reports to the IRS. This is what the Michigan Hospital Association has been doing for us. This will require changing our By-Laws to be consistent with National. It is my understanding that Stephanie Peters has agreed to chair the By-Laws committee. We will need to adopt a new set of By-Laws at the fall conference. This reorganization is really challenging the Society to stop up to the plate and become the organization which represents social workers in Health Care. This is a big task and we will evaluate in two years to see how well it has been accomplished. Remember that we are a Membership Organization. All members share the responsibility for success or failure. This is not all that the Board has been focused on. The Health Care Policy Paper lead by Karen Newman; regional meetings are planned; a revised Newsletter format is developed, and there has been other advocacy work. See other articles in the Newsletter for information about these activities. Congratulations to Jennifer Plarske who has had a new baby. Because of this, she has had to resign as Nominations Chair. Doug Dault, chair elect, has taken over and Nina Abney has replaced Doug as the Nominations Chair Elect. Many thanks to Jennifer for the work she did as Chair. We wish her well with her new child. Sincerely, Dave Neal President, SSWLHC - Michigan |