This will most likely be my last Update message to the membership of BPD. My term of office comes to a close on December 31, 2007. It’s fitting that New Year’s Eve is the time that we change leadership each year. It’s a nice connection with the New Year and the resolutions we all are so apt to make. It’s exciting to think of the new opportunities available for BPD. We have our 25^th Annual Conference coming in the New Year – March 5-9 in Destin, Florida – and what a celebration it will be! We have a new President, Freddie Avant, who has already begun to take important leadership roles within the profession and in our linkage with our sister organizations. We have new opportunities for BPD and the profession as we evaluate EPAS and unification.

Speaking of linkage, which has been my theme during my term of office, we are in an exciting time right now because of the Wingspread Conference in June. As you may recall, I sent a message to the listserv regarding this historic event and I want to repeat the key points now. We have discussed on many occasions at conferences and on the listserv our need for more inter-organizational communication. Many of our colleagues worry, both individually and as program directors, about increased expenditures for memberships and conferences as well as the increased workload because of competing demands from varied organizations. We have developed formal efforts such as the Leadership Roundtable, ANSWER, and IASWR, as well as informal communication at conferences and other meetings, to increase our efforts to unify in some ways. The Wingspread Conference held June 18-20 was the culmination of these beginning steps. The BPD Executive Committee (Freddie Avant, Darla Coffey, Linda Moore, Anne Summers and Vicki Gardine Williams) participated in the conference with over 30 of our colleagues from other organizations. The following statement is the collaborative result of this historic event:

“Leaders of ten professional social work organizations convened at Wingspread to address the future of the profession. Participants signed a resolution: We resolve to create a unified profession with one social work organization by 2012. This historic agreement sets the stage for an organizational structure inclusive of all sectors of social work. It reflects the diversity of our profession and addresses the concerns of the United States and the global society.

The social work profession requires a strong unified voice to enhance its ability to serve, to educate, to develop research and to influence social service, social policy and social change. The challenges of the 21^st Century, identified by the Social Work Congress of 2005, compel a vibrant, proactive, nimble, flexible organizational structure that reflects collective vision and ensures impact. A Transition Team will address implementation issues and will be guided by the Leadership Roundtable with ongoing input from constituents over the next five years.”

I am very excited about this statement. I believe efforts for unification are important for social work and for BPD. As a unified profession, we can have a stronger voice, a better image with the public, and a communication system that reflects our unified focus. Social work is one profession no matter what we do within the profession. Those of us who teach do so to prepare the practitioners who will serve our clients. Those of us who practice do so because we have been prepared to work with people to enhance their social functioning. Those of us who do research do so to improve practice and the society. All of the roles we play focus on making our society and our world better places. Together we can work toward social justice, political responsiveness to the needs of people, and a reputation for our profession that provides the power to be heard.

A Transition Team that will evaluate the first steps of this process over the next year to determine our next steps includes Jeane Anastas, Katherine Briar-Lawson, Betsy Clark, Anne Fortune, Kay Hoffman, Mit Joyner, Linda Moore, Jean Quam, and Julia Watkins.

The BPD Board will discuss and vote on the statement at our October meeting. I am hopeful that we will join our sister organizations in supporting this statement and that we will be a strong voice for the unification process. Baccalaureate education is the foundation for social work practice and for graduate education. Our voice is an important one but it is one of many that together can be a shout of power and wisdom and advocacy for the clients we serve and the society in which we live and work.

I love BPD and I have loved serving you. I will always be a part of this wonderful organization and the terrific people who are a part of it. Thanks to my outstanding Board colleagues and to all of you for your support and friendship. It has been great. Again, to paraphrase one of my students, BPD Rocks!

Linda