Health/Health Equity
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Protecting Reproductive Health Rights
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SB6 – Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act
sponsored by Sen. Jason Rapert (
NASW AR opposes
)
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This bill seeks to classify abortions performed for any reason other than to save the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency as a felony with fines up to $100,000 and/or imprisonment up to 10 years.
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Protecting Affordable Care Act
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Expanding services for pregnant and postpartum/maternal child health
Economic Security/Housing
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Covid-19 relief
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Student Loan reduction/relief
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Wage and Labor protections
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Paid Family Leave
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Food Disparity
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Eviction Protections/Preventions –
Arkansas is the only state in the country
without
tenant protections
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Tenant Protections
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Transitional housing for men and women leaving institutions
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Service of Homeless population
Criminal Justice
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SB3 – Sentence Enhancements and Annual Reporting for Hate Crimes
sponsored by Sen. Jim Hendren (
NASW AR supports
)
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This bill creates sentence enhancements for certain offenses committed against a person due to the person’s attributes and requires an annual report concerning the commission of hate crimes in Arkansas.
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Funding Social Workers in lieu of police/SROs in schools
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Abolishing school-to-prison pipeline
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Increase school funding
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Eliminating bail/Ending cash bail
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Social Work and Policing
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Integrating Social Workers into emergency response issue, triage 911 calls
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Decrease reliance on the police for mental health crises situations, utilize social workers
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CAHOOTS (Eugene, Oregon),
NPR-CAHOOTS Interview
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Increase public education on services available for mental health crises situations/decrease 911 response
Professional Practice
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Protecting the Ethics of the Social Work Profession
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Senate Bill 289 “Medical Ethics and Diversity Act”
sponsored by Kim Hammer
(NASW AR opposes)
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This bill would remove fundamental protections against discrimination on a broad basis, by allowing therapists, counselors, and other included public service providers to deny services based on the providers’ personal bias/beliefs.
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Diversifying the social work profession
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CEU requirements for anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion
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Alternatives for licensing exam to make more equitable for English as a Second Language (“ESL”) & BIPOC applicants
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Licensing Reciprocity
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Multi-state partnerships / Interstate Licensure Compacts
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National Standard/Licensure Portability
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Telehealth reimbursements/Telehealth in rural communities
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Audio only in telehealth to be covered by Medicaid
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Ensuring access to the equipment needed by those in rural areas or who are socioeconomically disadvantaged (e.g., broadband connections, computers, etc.)
Voting Rights
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Voter Suppression/Voting Protections
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Voter Participation
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Addressing engagement barriers (lack of voting sites, inadequate equipment)
Environmental Justice
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Increasing reliance on renewable energy and decreasing carbon emissions and fracking
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Addressing the links between environmental quality and social justice
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Racial, ethnic, and geographical disparities in exposure to pollution and toxic chemicals
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Equality in widespread protections from pollution and toxic chemicals