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Written by Louis Weisberg, Staff writer
Sep 22, 2011
Dale Decker, an out social worker from Madison, was named the state’s “distinguished social worker” of 2011 by the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.
Decker picked up the award on Sept. 14 at an awards luncheon held at Madison’s Sheraton Hotel.
“Dale Decker is a model of what social work can be,” said Sherry Brown, one of Decker’s peers, in a statement announcing the award. “During the past year, he has demonstrated several acts of distinction, which have crystallized his dedication to social and economic justice for the clients we serve and fellow social workers.”
Decker, 41, said that he was both “extremely surprised” and “flattered” by the honor.
“I thought, ‘That’s very kind of you.’ But I thought, ‘There’s someone with a lot more under their belt than me,’” he said. “I don’t think of myself as someone who’s paid enough of my dues. (But) I guess it’s true that I’m a little louder and more political than my colleagues.”
In 2009, Decker was a leader in lobbying state lawmakers to pass the so-called “Vendorship Bill.” The law allows licensed social workers to provide counseling independently of clinics, as they do in other states. It also changed state Medicaid rules to allow social workers to receive direct reimbursement for their services.
Decker said that credit for the law really belongs to out state Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison.
“At the time, Mark was co-chair of the finance committee and he was a very powerful man,” Decker said. “He was instrumental, along with other people on that committee, in getting the bill passed.”
Pocan is running for Congress in 2012.
As a partner with Moontree Psychotherapy Center, Decker counsels a number of transgendered clients, many of whom he sees on a pro bono, or free, basis. He has increased awareness of transgenderism among his mental health colleagues as well, according to a statement from the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.
The organization also credits Decker with being a key advocate “for the importance of the LGBT community, not only through his work, but in his personal life.”
Decker, who’s been with his partner for 22 years, is a longtime volunteer at Stage Q, a community theater group that develops and performs LGBT-themed plays. He said he’s done everything at Stage Q from sweep the floors to serve as president of the board of directors.
Decker said the most surprising thing about counseling LGBT clients today is that so many younger ones are unaware of the negative impact that anti-gay messages have on their lives. “Some of them don’t even know the word ‘homophobia’ or what it is,’” he said.
Some clients try to avoid talking about their sexual orientation during sessions, he said,
“A lot of young people are like, ‘I’m gay, but let’s talk about someone else,’” he said. “Not that it should be the center of your life, but if you push it to the edge, you’re sort of denying yourself. It’s eye-opening to them to learn that society is always pointing out to them in subtle ways that they’re not OK. That can lead to isolating or drinking too much or having too much sex.”
