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From left: Former Director and Professor of the WVU School of Social Work Deana F. Morrow, Sam Hickman, NASW West Virginia Executive Director Molly Arbogast, and NASW West Virginia Board President Danielle Woods-Huffman at the 2025 NASW West Virginia Spring Social Work Conference. CHARLESTON, West Virginia – Samuel A. Hickman, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, long-time member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) West Virginia Chapter, has been named to the National Association of Social Workers Foundation (NASWF) 2025 class of NASW Social Work Pioneers.. The NASW Social Work Pioneers program honors members of the social work profe...

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following is a joint statement from the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the National Association of Social Workers in reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization:   “We are profoundly disappointed that the nation’s highest court has ruled that there is no longer a constitutional right for individuals to access abortion services, rejecting nearly 50 years of Supreme Court precedent. This is a very personal decision and will lead to adverse mental health consequences for ...

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In response to the recent Supreme Court ruling, below is a list of current restrictions on abortion in West Virginia. The NASW condemns the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. RESTRICTIONS ON ABORTION In West Virginia, the following restrictions on abortion were in effect as of June 28, 2022: A patient must receive state-directed counseling that includes information designed to discourage the patient from having an abortion, and then wait 24 hours before the procedure is provided. The use of telemedicine to administer medication abortion is prohibited. The parent of a minor must be notified before an ab...

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Gov. Jim Justice announced that a 15% salary increase is a reality for 970 direct services employees of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ (DHHR) Bureau for Social Services, effective June 18, 2022. Additionally, Gov. Justice announced a new child welfare dashboard will be published on June 1, 2022.   Eleven classifications will receive the salary increase: Adult Protective Service Worker Trainee; Adult Protective Service Worker; Adult Protective Service Supervisor; Child Protective Service Case Coordinator; Child Protective Service Worker Trainee; Child Protective Service Worker; Child Protective Ser...

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Ms. Wells is the Executive Director of the WV Healthy Kids and Families Coalition. Among other distinctions, she also serves as President of the Board for the WV Center on Budget and Policy. She earned her MSW from WVU after relocating to WV from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

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