THE SOCIAL WORK RANTS PODCAST

Social work is political—and voting is part of the conversation. In this episode of The Social Work Rants Podcast® , host Bas Moreno, LMSW, CFSW , calls on social workers, mental health professionals, and change agents to encourage voter participation and help communities get to the polls. With financial stress and the cost of living weighing on families, Bas discusses the connection between votin...

Making good money doesn’t always mean feeling financially secure. How do family money stories, cultural expectations, and financial stress shape the way we save, spend, and build wealth? In this episode of The Social Work Rants Podcast® , host Bas Moreno, LMSW, CFSW , welcomes Erika Dox Martinez , founder of Blissful Vida and a financial wellness coach, for an honest conversation about money minds...

Vote for Bas!! Top host competition. Winner gets $25,000; 6 podcast episdoes produced by IHeartRadio and be interviewed by Ryan Seacrest. Use the link to vote for Bas. https://tophost.org/2026/basiliso-moreno Hosting a financial webinar "What Abuelo/Abuela didn't teach you about money" on Thursday October 21st 7:30pm. $35. Each registrant will get an autographed copy of my upcoming book "The Wealt...

Could new federal student-loan policies deepen America’s mental health workforce crisis? In this episode of The Social Work Rants Podcast®, Bas Moreno, LMSW, CFSW, examines how proposed federal student-loan limits and higher-education accountability rules could affect social work, mental health counseling, early-childhood education, culinary arts, and other essential professions. Graduate social w...

What’s the difference between palliative care and hospice, and how can families make informed decisions before a crisis? In this episode of The Social Work Rants Podcast, Bas Moreno talks with Noni Ife Taylor, a social worker with experience in hospice and pediatric palliative care, about serious illness, caregiving, and end-of-life planning. Noni explains when palliative care may be available, ho...

How can social workers use advocacy, policy, and collective action to strengthen the profession? In this episode of The Social Work Rants Podcast®, host Bas Moreno, LMSW, CFSW, speaks with Amanda Rodriguez, Policy Lead for the National Association of Social Workers—New York Chapter (NASW-NY). They discuss the unification of the New York City and New York State chapters, the importance of represent...

This episode is dedicated to all the victims of the September 11th attacks 25 years ago. This episode is also dedicated to all the victims post 9/11 who lost their lives as a result of the toxic air surrounding ground zero. After 25 years, are we really safer now than back on 9/11? We are still dealing with the middle east like we were after the terror attacks. President Bush lied about weapons of...

Most students across America have started school. School social workers are you ready? Are you ready to deal with your trash administration, unregulated children? Remember to give yourselves grace. Parents are you ready? During this time of year, its important to give your kids grace, your childrens' teachers some grace and yes even the administration some grace to start. Follow the podcast in Ins...

Natalie Graves is a licensed social work from Chicago and founder of The Nat Sports Directory. Nat stands for nurturing athletes talent. It's the first directory vetting sports therapists. We discuss what is sports social work? She shares her experiences working with athletes from high school, college, pro athletes and retired athletes. She is a founding member of the Alliance of Social Workers in...

This week's episode is focused on the need for better postpartum mental health support in the United States, prompted by the recent death of actress Hayden Panettiere. I share a personal story about my ex-wife's struggle with postpartum depression and addiction, highlighting the lack of awareness and resources available to new parents. The healthcare system in the United States is failing and has...

Recently the Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr did an interview lying stating ICU beds in cities like NYC were empty during the Covid pandemic. The incompetence and gaslighting the agent orange administation has caused more harm to us, making social workers work harder (cause our jobs were already hard enough). As a result, the most vulnerable populations are being harme...

What happens when social workers, therapists and caregivers are expected to support everyone else while navigating political instability, financial pressure and burnout themselves? In this episode of The Social Work Rants Podcast®, host Bas Moreno, LMSW, CFSW, reconnects with licensed clinical social worker, therapist, speaker and nonprofit founder Marvin Toliver, LCSW. Marvin discusses his privat...

The Trump Administration is planning on cutting funding to HIV programs. Prevention and treatrment programs are facing cuts to services and staff throughout the U.S. and the world. The Professional Association of Social Workers in HIV & Aids Inc and reaching out to Congress are a great way to make your voices heard to make sure funding does not get cut. On Tuesday August 4th, I am co-hosting a...

It's summertime, and that usually means taking PTO from work. Many social workers face hurdles taking PTO or refuse to take time off. I offer advice for young social workers regarding PTO. Upcoming Financial Webinar alert: Join me on Tuesday August 4th 12pm EST New York/Delaware time. Learn to set savings goals and define an allocation strategy. Learn to plan for retirement and learn to protect wh...

This episode of The Social Work Rants Podcast, marks the season finale of Season 12 focusing entirely on important student loan updates effective July 1st. Nearly 7 million borrowers would receive 90-day notices from their loan servicers requiring them to choose a new repayment plan, with borrowers who fail to select a plan being automatically enrolled in either a standard plan or new tiered stand...

This episode of The Social Work Rans Podcast focused on men's mental health month and highlighted the mental health discussions of New York Knicks players Karl Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. I discussed how Robinson openly addressed his mental health struggles during the playoffs, while Towns shared his ongoing grief over losing multiple family members to COVID and unapologetically talks how...

ANNOUNCEMENT: If you're a caregiver based in New York State or still have family in New York, join me on Thursday June 18th for my webinar, Caregiving: A Public Health Issue. 8pm est; $15 per person. Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1991026454723?aff=oddtdtcreatorOn this episode of The Social Work Rants Podcast, I discussed the changes to reimbursement rates for providers using CPT c...

Episode 266 of The Social Work Rants podcast, focusing on Men's Mental Health Month and addressing the significant mental health challenges facing men. The episode highlighted disturbing statistics showing men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women, with suicide being the second leading cause of death for men under 45. Bas shared personal experiences, including the suicide of...

In honor of #mentalhealthawareness month, this episode of the Social Work Rants podcast focuses on workplace wellness and burnout in the social work field. Basiliso and Kelecia Smith, MSW, LMSW, discuss how current workplace well-being programs often fail to address the actual needs of workers, citing a Harvard Business Review article that noted mental health needs and burnout continue to rise des...

This week's episode The Social Work Rants Podcast features Sabella (Bella) Reyes, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in the music industry. Bella explained her role as the self-proclaimed first "music industry social worker," focusing on supporting independent music creators who generate less than 50% of their income from music by providing mental health support, business literacy t...

In this episode of the Social Work Rants podcast, Basiliso interviewed Justin Brown Woods, co-host of the Price of Avocado Toast podcast and financial counselor, to discuss the intersection of mental health and finances in 2026. They explored current money struggles facing Americans, including rising gas and grocery prices, student loan debt, and the impact of political instability on personal fin...

In this episode of the Social Work Rants Podcast, host Bas Moreno discussed the intersection of mental health and finances, highlighting how rising costs of living, including gas prices, utilities, and food, are significantly impacting both mental health and financial stability. Moreno emphasized that financial stress is a major trigger for mental health issues and stressed the importance of addre...

In this powerful and personal episode of The Social Work Rants Podcast, host Bas Moreno, LMSW, CFSW opens up during Mental Health Awareness Month about grief, seasonal depression, therapy, and the emotional weight of approaching the 6th anniversary of his mother’s passing. Bas reflects on the complicated feelings that come with grief, caregiving, family dynamics, and remembering a loved one after...

On this episode, Rosita and Da Homeless Hero Shams discuss housing and homelessness challenges in New York City. The discussion covers the city’s budget crisis, shelter system issues and the challenges of transitioning people from shelters to permanent housing. Shams shares his experience working with the Mayor Adams administration to address homelessness. We discuss the high cost of sheltering in...

In this episode, Dr. Marya Wright, DSW discusses her journey to becoming the new president-elect of the California NASW, the importance of strong professional associations, and the current political landscape affecting social workers. She shares insights on leadership, advocacy, and balancing personal and professional life during challenging times. Key Topics: Maria Wright's election as president-...