VCU School of Social Work sponsors national policy conference in Washington, D.C.

By Mike Porter

Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Social Work, together with Influencing State Policy, a policy advocacy and educational group, are sponsoring a national conference in June.

“Shifting the Tide: Challenges for Policy Practice” will be held June 16-19 at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave., NW, in Washington.

The conference is open to expert policy analysts, government officials, nonprofit agency staffers, students and social work educators.

Participants will examine the role of government, social workers, volunteers and faith-based organizations in setting policy. They will discuss declining federal funds for human service agencies and the role of social workers and health and human service agencies in countering those cuts.

The conference will provide opportunities for participants to share research and evaluation findings and to discuss the implications for policy development and advocacy. Participants also will examine contemporary social welfare policies and meet with policy experts.

Speakers include Roger A. Wilkins, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and civil rights advocate; Rosemary Sarri, a national expert on youth welfare from the University of Michigan; Marty Ford, director of legal advocacy for the Arc and United Cerebral Palsy Disability Policy Collaborative; and The Hon. Melony Griffith, delegate, Maryland State Legislature.

“A person who attends this conference will get exposed to a wide range of social policy issues being debated right now in the halls of Congress,” said Robert L. Schneider, a VCU School of Social Work master’s program professor and conference organizer.

“Having it at the national capital will draw attention to the social policies being discussed,” he said.

Participants come from across the United States and other countries.

“This conference demonstrates the School of Social Work’s commitment to social justice and policy analysis and change,” said Terry Anderson, director of external relations for the School of Social Work. “Sponsoring this conference brings national awareness to the School of Social Work’s strengths in social work administration, planning and policy practice.”

Conference registration is accepted through May 16, but on-site registrations are also available. To find out more about the conference or to register online visit http://www.vcu.edu/slwweb.