In Florida, social workers are among the most active frontline workers in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, schools, jails and prisons, child welfare settings, public health facilities, food banks, homeless facilities and many other places. Social workers are leaders in the public and private sectors, working with children, adults, families and communities to respond to the real-world troubles that people are facing.
As the nation responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty and social unrest, America’s social workers are proving crucial for delivering effective and just solutions. That's one reason we celebrate March as Social Work Month.
As social workers, we play a vital role in community organizations and at local, state and federal government levels, helping to create programs and policies that live up to the challenges of equity, freedom and justice that are important goals of our constitutional democracy.
Social work is a helping profession that promotes the dignity and well-being of persons and communities, especially the most vulnerable and oppressed. The social work profession holds values that prioritize social justice, social change and the empowerment of individuals, families and communities. Social workers provide direct clinical services, develop and lead innovative programs in private and public sector organizations, serve in Congress, state legislatures, and other government positions, and also play key roles in research and development initiatives that address complex social problems.
Fortunately, many people are responding to the call of service and the promise of an exciting career. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics points to social work as one of the fastest growing professions in the United States. The number of social workers is expected to increase over the next decade to include more than 800,000 professionals.
At Florida State University, we are proud to prepare students who participate in our undergraduate and graduate programs. U.S. News & World Report has recognized us as a Top 20 Public University Program. Social work research is significantly advancing our understanding and capacities to effectively address social problems in order to improve the quality of life of people from every conceivable background.
Social work is a public service profession that strives to make life better for all Americans.
It is a challenging vocation that can benefit from public support. The proposed federal “Improving Access to Mental Health Act” would raise Medicare reimbursement rates for social worker providers who comprise most mental health professionals in the nation. Another bill, the “Social Work Reinvestment Act,” tackles high caseloads, low salaries, student loan debt and other challenges that professionals face.
Social workers are grateful for the support and encouragement they receive at the personal and policy levels from public officials, philanthropists, and our colleagues in medicine, healthcare, law, education and many other professions.
This month, remember that social workers are essential to our community’s well-being, and thank them for their incredible service. If you are interested in lending your support or learning more about the social work programs that FSU offers, visit csw.fsu.edu.
James Clark, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical social worker, dean and professor at the Florida State University College of Social Work.
This opinion piece was originally published in the Tallahassee Democrat on March 2, 2021.