Dear Colleague, Over the years, NASW has asked you to speak out on behalf of many causes and issues. You have always risen to the occasion. Significant strides have been made in areas such as children’s health care, employment nondiscrimination, and fair pay legislation. Your advocacy has resulted in the enhanced mental health, social and psychosocial functioning of clients across the country. I am calling... 

Leaders of the House Education and Labor Committee announced that they expect the House to vote on the College Opportunity and Affordability Act (H.R. 4137) on Thursday, Feb. 7. The legislation reauthorizes the Higher Education Act (HEA), which sets financial aid policy for students for the next five years. The bill provides loan forgiveness for national need occupations, clarifies appropriate financial aid professional/lender... 

The burden of student loan debt has been growing more unmanageable for social workers and students over the last several years. A recent survey by the Council on Social Work Education found that the average loan debt of social work students graduating in 2004 with a master’s degree in social work was $26,777. Those with bachelor’s degrees in social work faced repayment of $18,609 in loans and those with doctoral...