BLOG: SOCIAL WORK SPEAKS!
https://www.clinicalsocialworkassociation.org/compact-information
Follow-Up on 7 Cups
April 8, 2025
By Laura Groshong, LICSW, CSWA Director of Policy and Practice
Thanks to all of you who have contacted me to let me know you have sent messages to 7 Cups that you would like to be taken off their list. Please continue to check if your name is on the 7 Cups list. CSWA is working with the Psychotherapy Advocacy Network (PsiAN) to expand the number of clinicians who respond to 7 Cups. This effort is more complex than our work with CareDash was because 1) it has been in place and gathering clinicians’ information for much longer, and 2) it mixes peer counseling and licensed professionals together without acknowledging the differences in scopes of practice, training, and regulation.
CSWA will be writing a letter to the 7 Cups Legal Department to demand that the ways our professional information is being used without our permission, as well as confused with unlicensed people, be stopped. We will be sending more information on how to fight this attempt to make clinicians join the 7 Cups network or risk losing potential patients. Here is a summary of what we know so far.
The following letter has been sent to many clinicians when they ask to be removed from the 7 Cups list:
Thank you for contacting 7 Cups. 7 Cups is the world’s largest mental health community. We have over 570,000 trained volunteer listeners across 189 countries that provide support in 140 languages. We have reached over 73 million people. Often, we need to make referrals to licensed clinicians, shelters, and food pantries. That is why we built our provider directory and local support service. We are now starting to make referrals to local clinicians.
The goal of the local support systems (7cups.com/local) is to connect people online to services offline so they can get better help. We believe therapists are an important part of local support systems.
I understand that you may have reasons for wanting to be removed, but I wanted to share some additional context that you might find helpful. 7 Cups sends out thousands of free referrals to therapists every month. If someone were to complete the contact form on your profile, we would forward their information to you for follow-up. This would essentially be a free referral for you. We operate similarly with food pantries and shelters, as our goal is to connect people with local resources in their community.
We are providing therapists the option of a free premium month of being listed on 7 Cups to gain additional referrals. We are also providing this premium service to therapists free of charge if they cannot afford it as we think it is important for therapists to get referrals and build their practice. We want to feature as many therapists we can as part of the local support system.
If you do not wish to have your profile listed and decide not to become part of our local support network then please let us know and we will delete your profile within 48 business hours.
When members have checked to see whether their names were in fact removed, often they were not within the 48 hours as 7 Cups said they would. One malpractice insurer has recommended the use of our information without our permission be considered internet fraud and that a complaint be filed with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (https://www.ic3.gov/). This can be added to the list of actions to be taken to oppose 7 Cups from our previous post.
CSWA will continue to provide information about this unfair and possibly illegal activity as we have it.
Clinical Social Work AssociationThe National Voice for Clinical Social Work
https://gwscsw.org/event-6128565
Sunday, April 27, 2025
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Online ZOOM
73
$25 per credit hour
$40 per credit hour
$15 per credit hour
Presenter Ed Geraty, LCSW-C (MD), LICSW (WV), LCSW (VA), LICSW (DC)
CEUs: Category 1 | 3.0 (this training meets the Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice content requirement and will be noted on the CEU certificate)
The purpose of this Implicit Bias Training, also referred to as Unconscious Bias Training, is to raise awareness about individuals' implicit biases and provide them with tools and strategies for impartial decision-making, thereby reducing the influence of these biases. Implicit bias affects the way we make choices, engage with others, and conduct ourselves. Research has consistently shown that implicit bias is linked to several adverse consequences, including lower-quality healthcare provision (e.g., treatment recommendations and empathy), unequal disciplinary actions in schools (e.g., suspensions and expulsions), discriminatory workplace practices (e.g., hiring, promotions, and retention), and racial disparities in criminal justice responses (e.g., arrests, law enforcement-involved shootings, and legal sentencing). Hence, it is essential to recognize and actively work towards mitigating implicit bias to ensure that our decisions, interactions, and conduct are equitable and devoid of discrimination. Furthermore, this training supports clinicians in their professional practice by enabling them to implement culturally informed approaches that mitigate the impact of implicit bias.
Workshop Objectives:
Upon finishing this training, participants will be able to:
Agenda:
As an organization dedicated to the needs of our patients, licensed clinical social workers and the practice of clinical social work, the Clinical Social Work Association (CSWA) strongly opposes the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to eradicate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These actions contradict the foundational values of social work, threaten the well-being of marginalized individuals and communities, and hinder clinical social workers’ efforts to ensure equitable access to society’s benefits.
Our profession is built on a commitment to both mental health and social justice, ensuring that all individuals—regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or socioeconomic status—have access to equitable opportunities and care. The dismantling of DEI initiatives undermines these efforts, reinforcing systemic disparities and eroding progress toward a more just society.
The dignity and worth of the person-in-environment is central to clinical social work. We recognize that acknowledging and addressing systemic inequities is essential to affirming the humanity of all individuals. The importance of human relationships further compels us to foster inclusive spaces that support diverse voices and lived experiences.
As social workers, we are bound by the principles of integrity and competence, requiring us to base our practice on evidence and ethical responsibility. Decades of research affirm that culturally competent and inclusive approaches improve client outcomes, making DEI efforts a professional necessity, not a political choice.
CSWA stands firmly against policies that seek to erase or delegitimize DEI initiatives. The attack on DEI principles is a misguided and harmful attack on our profession and the people we serve. We call upon policymakers, educators, and practitioners to uphold the field of clinical social work’s mission by advocating for policies that promote inclusivity, equity, and the well-being of all communities.
Stephanie Payne, LCSW, President
Laura W. Groshong, LICSW, Director of Policy and Practice
March 27, 2025
Clinician Online Information May Have Been Stolen
Link to the Clinical Social Work Association website Announcement.
An incident has come up in which our professional information may have been – or may be – taken and used without your permission. Here are the details and ways to protect your practices.
https://clinicalsocialworkassociation.org/alerts/13479956
Below are links to State social work regulatory board websites that provide online confirmation of licensure status
https://www.aswb.org/licenses/protecting-the-public/look-up-license/
Learn everything you need to know about taking an ASWB social work licensing exam.
https://www.aswb.org/exam/
Senior Seminars began in 2006 to meet the needs of later career members of our society and those who are pre and post retirement. Presently there are four active groups that meet monthly and there is interest in another group in the N.W. D.C. area.
From Susan Miller, Seminar leader in Northern Virginia:
We continue to enjoy our group discussions. The group has created a very warm and supportive environment to process the emotional as well the practical aspects of moving into or toward retirement. Thank you for creating the opportunity for us to get together.
From Beverly Magida in Rebecca Harrison’s McLean Seminar:
For me, the group provides a supportive setting where I can safely share my ambivalent feelings regarding ending my practice after thirty years at the end of this year. This includes discussing my excitement and apprehensions about pursuing my "next life" when so much of my identity has been connected to being a therapist. I also talk with these colleagues about my difficulty referring clients on to other therapists, doubting if they will be able to meet my clients' needs, knowing fully well it is really my expectations that is the issue; a projection on my part about being the " good enough" therapist.
From Martha Horne in Estelle Berley’s Seminar:
I have thoroughly enjoyed the varied and interesting books – from novels, to books about aging, to professional books – that all relate to our various practices in social work. The lively discussions of our lives, experiences as social workers and the excellent leadership of the group make the books come alive. I am grateful to the CSSS for its monthly support and reflections on my life as my world has changed over the past eleven years ( can it be?) that I have been in the group.
If interested in participating in one of the seminars, contact the Senior Seminar Chair at seniorseminar@gwscsw.org
Listserv Guidelines (Revised February 17, 2025)
1. Purpose of Listserv: The Greater Washington Society of Clinical Social Work’s (GWSCSW) listserv was created to provide GWSCSW members a platform to share professional resources (e.g. training and CE opportunities, office space for rent, publications and awards). The listserv is also a place to discuss local and national matters that pertain to the profession and/or practice of Social Work (e.g., policies, licensure, insurance, and practice trends). It is not a substitute for formal or informal supervision or consultation, though requests for names and contact information for Clinical Supervisors is permitted. The listserv is not intended as a forum to discuss matters not related to the profession and/or practice of Social Work.
Become a Society member and join the Listserv https://www.gwscsw.org/join-us
Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work is run by committees of volunteers who offer their time and professional expertise. In return they receive opportunities to develop professional connections and visibility and to have interesting and fun interactions with colleagues. We all receive the many benefits that the society provides through their generosity. Please consider volunteering - life is more fun when you get involved!
https://www.gwscsw.org/Committee_Volunteers
www.gwscsw.org PO Box 711 | Garrisonville, VA 22463 | 202-478-7638 | admin@gwscsw.org
