AOCSA is pleased to welcome Becki Sander to our Board as a new West Regional Representative. Here is information about Becki in her own words.

I received my MSW from Boston University in 1987, the same year ACOSA was officially birthed. It has been my professional association and reality check throughout my years of macro practice experience. I have drawn energy and inspiration from many of its members and the work represented in the Journal of Community Practice. However, I have been a passive bystander all these years; appreciating the work of all those "other" leaders.

It is time for me to give back and put some energy into where my heart lies! In 2008, I received my PhD in Social Work from University of Maryland.  My doctoral voyage reaffirmed my commitment to macro practice; it also alerted me to not take for granted its place in the academe. I am seeking a position on the Board to actively support the understandings outlined in ACOSA's focus to "Reaffirm, Revisit, and Reimagine" the social work profession in the next decade (2011-2020).

I recently moved to the Los Angeles area and am continuing in my role part-time as Research Director for the Social Work Community Outreach Service (SWCOS) at the University of Maryland School of Social Work through this academic year. My work with SWCOS has centered on building the evaluation and research capacity of this innovative field education unit. We are constructing theories of change for our community practice placements and developing tools to capture our community-building outcomes. My practice experience has included positions as an advocate, manager, community organizer, program planner, social group worker, trainer, and volunteer coordinator. The main contexts for my practice have been leadership development, Head Start parent involvement and community partnerships, workforce development and poverty policies, racism and oppression, and community building and development.

Welcome Becki!

The University of New Hampshire Center for Professional Excellence in Child Welfare (UNH CPE) is in the midst of planning and organizing the 7^th Annual DCYF/DJJS Teen Conference which is focused on providing current and former youth in care with a fun, educational forum in which to learn skills for successful transitions to adulthood.

The unique approach UNH CPE has taken highlights the benefits of the collaboration between the state Division for Children, Youth, & Families, Division for Juvenile Justice Services and the University of New Hampshire’s Social Work Department. UNH CPE has partnered with DCYF/DJJS-involved youth from the NH Youth Advisory Board for every aspect of the conference planning and coordination.   Teens are a vital part of the preparation and execution of the conference including the theme, agenda, activities, workshops and even the food.  Workshop topics at this year’s Teen Conference include financial literacy, finding a roommate, renter’s rights, cyber-security, applying/paying for college, and many more.

As in many states, New Hampshire has recently undergone a significant reduction to its budget, often at great cost to its social services system. During the legislative process, a group of social work students at the University of New Hampshire’s Master of Social Work program took a proactive approach to political advocacy.

Jenn Comeau, Ben Martin, Noel Jodoin, and Kirsten Jefferies formed an organization called the Fair Budget Coalition of New Hampshire. The coalition organized fellow students to attend the largest rally on the state house lawn in years.  Members of the coalition also partnered with New Hampshire Cares, the statewide advocacy organization that hosted the rally. On its own and in cooperation with New Hampshire Cares the coalition hosted additional visibility events designed to raise awareness across the state of the need for quality social services systems. The coalition engaged the media and created a web presence to help like-minded citizens take action. Although the legislature ultimately passed a budget that was far short of the coalition’s goals, the coalition’s founders hope that the organization might be useful in future situations and that their efforts might inspire others to look for ways to be more involved in advocacy.

Social workers in Maine also fought against severe cuts to health and human services.  Ultimately, the most threatening budget proposals were not passed. For example, attempts to place further restrictions on general assistance, to prohibit enforcement of the new federal patient protection laws,  and to restrict legal aliens driving licenses were defeated.  Furthermore, unemployment was extended to the maximum allowable federal limit and a law enhancing mandated reporting regarding elder abuse was passed.

Massachusetts social workers are currently organizing around and advocating for legislation focusing on loan forgiveness for social workers working in child protection and in underserved geographic areas as well as legislation related to protection of transgender people, and bills that would extend Medicare coverage to more residents.

Dear Northeast Members of ACOSA:

My name is Jerry Marx and I am one of the ACOSA representatives from the Northeast. As you know, our region includes the great states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York.  I live in Maine and work in New Hampshire, so I am most familiar with community organizing and administrative issues involving New England, although I try to keep up with issues, events, and activities in the other states as well.

Although I am now an Associate Professor at the University of New Hampshire Department of Social Work, I have many years of experience in community organizing and social administration. What is more, I have found ways to continue both as part of my work in academia. My most recent project was establishing, along with state administrators, a Center for Professional Excellence in Child Welfare at UNH. This center provides training to state child welfare and juvenile justice workers based on the latest research in those fields.

In any case, if you have organizing efforts, legislative advocacy, or administrative issues you would like to see communicated through ACOSA, don’t hesitate to contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . I will make sure that your voice is heard at the national level through ACOSA meetings, newsletters, and website!