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PASWHA
Board of Directors
President
Alan Rice, LCSW
New York, NY
Vice President
Joseph Wigon, LICSW
Jamaica Plain, MA
Treasurer
Carmen Julious, LISW-CP
Columbia, SC
Secretary
Susan Tusher, LMSW
Wichita, KS
RESEARCH & POLICY/ADVOCACY COMMITTEE
PASWHA Mission: The Professional Association of Social Workers in HIV and AIDS
(PASWHA) energizes and supports social workers and other professionals providing
social work services to impact the infection through education, research,
policy/advocacy, networking, and professional development.
PASWHA Research and Policy Committee Mission: To document through research
and policy analysis the value of social work practice in all of its forms throughout the
prevention, care and treatment of HIV disease.
Board at Large
Russell Bennett, LGSW, PhD
Birmingham, AL
Rosemary Cabrera, LMSW
New York, NY
Anita Case, LMSW
Rock Hill, SC
Lucy Cordts, LMSW
New Orleans, LA
William Lyne, LICSW
Alexandria, Virginia
Mary McLees-Lane, MSW
Wilson, NC
Randall H. Russell, LASW
Seattle, WA
Mieko Smith, PhD, LISW
Akron, OH
Administering Agent
Collaborative Solutions, Inc.
Contact: Tony Cox
[email protected]
205-939-0411, ext. 201
205-939-4048 – fax
www.paswha.org
A Brief PASWHA History:
 Since the beginning of the U.S. HIV epidemic, social workers have been on
the front lines of prevention, access to care and treatment, research,
policy/advocacy, and aiding in the empowerment of people living with HIV.
 After several decades of efforts to connect social workers in the HIV field, a
group of social workers assembled a web-based survey to inquire as to whether or
not an established organization of professional social workers involved in HIV was
seen as beneficial. Over 1,100 unique responses later, more than 700 individuals
indicated they would join an association today if one existed.
 Further, survey responses indicated that policy/advocacy, professional
development, research, and HIV education are the major areas of focus among
those interested in a professional association to unite social workers and allied
professionals in the HIV field of practice.
Review of Research and Policy/Advocacy Committee Activities:
 Research and Policy/Advocacy Committee members conducted routine
telephone meetings/discussions.
 The Research and Policy/Advocacy Committee collaborated with the
PASWHA Professional Development and Education Committee in creating a “training
needs survey” so as to offer educational opportunities consistent with members’
educational needs as indicated on the survey. 328 individuals responded to the
survey and the findings presented during HIV/AIDS 2012: The Social Work Response
poster session: Training Needs among Social Workers Providing Services for Persons
Living with HIV and AIDS.
 The Research and Policy/Advocacy Committee is conducting a literature
review of research related to HIV/AIDS and social work to develop a PASWHA
research agenda.
 The Research and Policy/Advocacy Committee soliciting writers interested in
providing commentary to current HIV/AIDS policy issues and their relationship to
social work practice, research, and policy.
 The committee is connecting researchers and policy makers by highlighting
the work of PASWHA members.
The Professional Association of Social Workers in HIV and AIDS (PASWHA) energizes and supports social workers and other
professionals providing social work services to impact the disease through education, research, policy/advocacy, networking,
and professional development.
The Research and Policy/Advocacy Committee Moving Forward:
The committee will continue to make efforts to provide opportunities for increasing awareness among
PASWHA membership of the current policies and research related to the prevention, care and
treatment of persons living with HIV/AIDS.
Current Research and Policy/Advocacy Committee Members
Chris Aldridge, MSW [email protected]
Russell Bennett PhD, LGSW [email protected] (Chair)
Anita Case, LMSW [email protected]
Lucy Cordts, LMSW [email protected]
Carmen Julious LISW-CP [email protected]
Mary McLees-Lane, MSW ACSW [email protected]
Johnnie O'Neal, MSW [email protected] or [email protected]
Mieko Smith PhD , LISW [email protected] (co-Chair)
Interested in being a part of this committee?
Contact Rusty Bennett via email at [email protected] or phone (205) 939-0411 x202
The Professional Association of Social Workers in HIV and AIDS (PASWHA) energizes and supports social workers and other
professionals providing social work services to impact the disease through education, research, policy/advocacy, networking,
and professional development.