Task Force Guidelines (as of April 2015)

For those who propose to continue or start a task force, please send a completed copy of this form to naddssw@cswe.org to be reviewed by the Board at the next Board of Directors Meeting.

Task Force Form

Committees & Task Forces

NADD sponsors several committees and task forces. Please view the latest September 2022 list here: Task Forces & Nominating Committee member list (PDF)

 Committees

Committee to Market the Profession (not active)

Former Co-Chairs:
Anna Scheyett, University of Georgia
Nancy Smyth, University of Buffalo

The charge of this committee is to develop a marketing strategy and materials to communicate the value of the social work profession, deepening the pool of individuals interested in the MSW. Specific tasks include to:

• Clearly articulate the target audience
• Identify and connect with relevant partners
• Develop pertinent messages
• Identify appropriate media formats
• Create a dissemination plan
• Create and implement evaluative metrics

Future Leaders Committee

Sally Bachman, Co-Chair, University of Pennsylvania
Sandra Crewe, Co-Chair, Howard University
Luis R. Torres-Hostos, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Grand Challenges Committee

Co-Chairs:
TBD
TBD

This committee will develop leadership options, promote national interest, and advance outcomes of the Grand Challenges for Social Work. Committee members will review activity under way in regions across the country, consider or propose successful models for school and department education and research initiatives, identify and honor significant examples of impact by deans/directors/chairs, participate in development proposals where opportunities arise, present periodic reports to the NADD membership regarding accomplishments and obstacles, and assist in engaging interdisciplinary and practice partnerships. Through its membership, the committee will maintain an on-going relationship with the Grand Challenges Executive Committee (which includes Deans, Fellows, and National Partners) in order ensure alignment of NADD with other stakeholders in bringing the Grand Challenges to success.

Dr. Larry Davis Social Justice Fund Review Committee

Sandra Crewe, Howard University
Sara S. Bachman, University of Pennsylvania
Betsy Farmer, University of Pittsburgh
Jenny Jones, Clark Atlanta University
Sharon D. Johnson, University of Missouri-St. Louis

Task Forces

NADD Licensing Reform Task Force

Integrated and Behavioral Health Task Force

Co-Chair – TBD
Co-Chair – TBD

Discontinued Task Forces:

NADD Rankings Discussion and Improvement Task Force

Behavioral Health Task Force

The task force has focused on sharing information related to workforce development, curriculum, and competencies. The long term goal is for NADD to take a leadership role in formulating a national agenda for social work in behavioral health through input into policy, e.g. Social Work Reinvestment Act and related state initiatives; SAMHSA priorities. Possible future agenda items include addressing the research regarding low use by social workers of evidence based practices by social workers and the subsequent criticism of us by the NIMH director.

Child Welfare Task Force

The Child Welfare Task Force focuses on the interface of child welfare and social work education, particularly workforce issues. Past initiatives include coordinating major presentations at APM on child welfare workforce issues involving representatives of IASWR, NASW, APHSA, as well as NADD; coordinating the efforts to track IV-E legislation proposed changes along with CSWE, ANSWER, NASW, and IASWR, and crafting possible responses from social work degree programs.

Gerontological Social Work Task Force

The NADD Gerontological Social Work Task Force has worked to advance leadership among graduate schools of social work in aging related school missions, curricula, field training, research, fundraising, and legislative advocacy. With much assistance from the John A. Hartford Foundation and the New York Academy of Medicine, the task force has undertaken a number of initiatives including the development of two resource guides. Other work underway includes efforts to maximize Medicaid for geriatric social work education. Special attention is currently being given to elder abuse and the need to promote social work leadership in adult protection services. In addition, plans are underway to foster new development and fundraising initiatives. Strategic materials on fundraising are being developed.

Structure in Education Task Force

The NADD Task Force on Structure in Education provides a forum for members from differing program structures with varying sets of governance demands and expectations. This includes discussions on similarities and differences of programs and the impacts of those differences on administrative roles. It has also involved surveys to establish a baseline understanding of the current profile of institutional program structures. The task force specifically:

• Provides opportunities for members to update and track programmatic changes in institutional structure.
• Provides one-on-one support, for deans/directors, based on lessons learned.
• Through mutual support, provides consultation to programs that confront administrative changes either within their program or for themselves.
• Informs NADD of issues related to program structure and quality education.
• Seeks advocacy through NADD to support programs and their ability to provide quality graduate social work education.

Trauma & Disasters Task Force

The NADD Trauma & Disasters Task Force has been active since Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf coast in 2005. We have focused on (1) gathering web resources related to trauma and disasters and social work and (2) on exploring salient issues for deans and directors on these issues, including those involved in how our own programs prepare for disasters that affect us and our communities. The task force is now expanding the conversation on these important issues to include social work faculty. We maintain an online community in Google Groups where faculty can share ideas and resources (e.g., syllabi) via a listserv, shared documents, and web resources. Those who are interested in joining will need to set up a Google Groups account (free) and then submit a request to join the NADD Trauma & Disaster Forum.

DSW Degree Task Force

Report of Task Force on the Practice Doctorate
(Prepared by Richard Edwards, Dean and Professor, School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Chair of the Leadership Forum Task Force on DSW)