Member Committees

The objective of the social justice Committee is to apply a social justice lens to the issue of mental health in Nova Scotia. More specifically to:

• Identify the core challenges with current mental health systems;
• Examine mental health and its interconnectedness with social justice;
• To build an advocacy paper to articulate the core values and principles that should frame and drive policy decisions to foster greater wellbeing and mental wellness;
• Design an advocacy strategy with campaign goals to organize members, stakeholders, and allies around the core principles and values;
• Implement an advocacy strategy;
• Monitor and evaluate progress on advocacy goals.

The College’s Professional Development committee identifies and reviews existing PD programs and activities as well as potential PD opportunities at the provincial, regional and community level. They also:

• Organize meetings/workshops to explore the understanding of professional and skill development among social workers as well as associated barriers and attendant issues.
• Help to re-define professional development programs and activities for Nova Scotia social workers.
• Develop guidelines to help social workers formulate their professional development portfolio and goals.

The College’s Private Practice Committee identifies the existing criteria and process for the purpose of PHO/ MSW private practice social work in the province of Nova Scotia. They also:

• Identify the strengths and gaps of the existing process and criteria;
• Construct recommendations on changes to process and criteria as needed
  and provide education to Board of Examiners on proposed recommendations;
• Identify current supports, resources, and supervision to private practitioners;
• Identify insurance companies that do not cover social work services;
• Report on the valuable role of private practitioners in Nova Scotia;
• Create an insurance coverage advocacy plan with College staff and an awareness package on the promotion of private practice social work services in the province of Nova Scotia.

The College’s Policy & Advocacy Committee’s defines the narrative the College uses to capture its policy stances. They also:

• Identify the policy areas that the College should develop a clear concise alternative policy for;
• Work with researchers to develop a policy framework;
• Formulate an advocacy strategy with clear tactics;
• Monitor and evaluate impact of advocacy.

The College produces a quarterly magazine, Connection, to share social work stories, research, new developments and more. The Editorial Committee reviews all submissions prior to publication to ensure they fit within the editorial guidelines. The committee also:

• Identifies the theme for each issue by assessing current social work and social justice topics, issues and feedback from members;
• Provides feedback and suggestions for change based on previous issues;
• Reaches out to potential contributors for the magazine.
• Provides additional views and clarity on articles in case of conflict or confusion;
• Encourages their colleagues to read and contribute to Connection magazine to readers and subscribers and encourage writers to submit work with high-quality standards.

The clinical committee works to strengthen clinical social work practice in Nova Scotia by exploring the regulatory tools best positioned to:

• serve and protect the public interest;
• preserve the integrity of the clinical practice within the social work profession; and
• maintain public confidence in the ability of the social work profession to regulate itself.

The clinical committee will:

• establish a clear clinical scope of practice,
• assess risks to the public associated with that practice and develop recommendation, and
• draft policy to assure that only those fully qualified are entitled to practice clinical social work in Nova Scotia are doing so.

Click here for members, minutes, and more about the clinical committee.

The College’s Candidacy Committee worked together to define the scope of the Candidacy Mentorship Program and its role within self-regulation. This committee was also asked to:

• Identify the needs of various stakeholders as they relate to the candidacy program;
• Examine the areas of the program that need revamping and revitalizing;
• Design a program structure and content;
• Formulate key messages for stakeholders of the candidacy program;
• Monitor and evaluate the candidacy program to ensure a high standard.

The College’s Private Practice Committee identifies the existing criteria and process for the purpose of PHO/ MSW private practice social work in the province of Nova Scotia. They also:

• Identify the strengths and gaps of the existing process and criteria;
• Construct recommendations on changes to process and criteria as needed
  and provide education to Board of Examiners on proposed recommendations;
• Identify current supports, resources, and supervision to private practitioners;
• Identify insurance companies that do not cover social work services;
• Report on the valuable role of private practitioners in Nova Scotia;
• Create an insurance coverage advocacy plan with College staff and an awareness package on the promotion of private practice social work services in the province of Nova Scotia.

The College’s Governance Review Committee works together to:

• Identify the College’s strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats;
• Analyze the strengths and gaps of current Governance model;
• Examine alternative governance models and practices that can be adapted to our realities and align with the new amendments;
• Selects the College’s policy governance model and revise policies and practices;
• Designs a new policy governance manual, strategic plan and update bylaws and regulations accordingly.