Social Work Month in March!
Social Work Month in March is a time to celebrate the great profession of social work. The theme for this year’s Social Work Month is The Time is Right for Social Work.
The need for social workers is great. There are nearly 720,000 social workers in our nation. That number is expected to grow by 12 percent by the end of the decade, making social work one of the fastest growing professions in the nation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Other government sources report there are more clinically trained social workers providing mental health and behavioral health services than any other professional discipline in the nation.
Social workers have been an integral part of our nation for decades. Social workers played key roles in the Civil Rights and Women’s Rights movements and pushed for social programs we now take for granted, including the minimum wage, a 40-hour work week, Social Security and Medicare.
The time is always right for social work. However more people are entering the field because the life-affirming services that social workers provide are needed more than ever.
This is especially true as our nation continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, systemic racism, economic inequality, global warming, and other crises. That is why the theme for Social Work Month 2022 is The Time is Right for Social Work.
In fact, social workers are everywhere people need help navigating tough life challenges. They contribute to interdisciplinary care teams in schools, hospitals, mental health centers, nonprofits, corporations, the military—and in local, state, and federal government. Many social work professionals also own private consultation practices.
Throughout U.S. history, social workers have:
- Fought for civil and voting rights for people of color
- Protested American intervention in wars
- Achieved the minimum wage and safer workplaces for poor people
- Expanded reproductive and employment rights for American women
- Supported marriage and employment protections for LGBT people
- Advocated for immigrants seeking asylum
- Pushed for sensible gun laws and anti-violence initiatives
- Raised awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment
- Fought for client privacy and mental health services
The social work profession has existed for more than a century. It attracts people who have a strong desire to help individuals, families, communities, and our nation overcome issues that prevent them from reaching their full potential.
For more information on the 2022 Social Work Month “The Time is Right for Social Work” Campaign contact NASW Communications Director Greg Wright at gwright.nasw@socialworkers.org
Source: National Association of Social Workers