September 10, 2021 Our nation lost nearly 3,000 lives 20 years ago on Sept. 11, 2001.  As we remember the families, colleagues and communities most devastated by that deadly act of international terrorism on American soil, we also reflect on the series of tragedies that have shaped our world in the last two decades. The horrific events of 9/11 forever ... Read More »

To be young and transgender in North American society today is—in and of itself—an indicator of strength. Trans and nonbinary youths (TNBY)—that is, young people who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth—require a reservoir of fortitude to navigate the transphobic environments in which they are embedded. Although we know much about the challenges TNBY face, ... Read More »

Social Work is Front and Center as Schools Fully Reopen By Laetitia Clayton, Editor I remember the excitement I felt as a kid when summer was coming to an end and school was about to start back. I loved the summers off, too, but there was a certain anticipation about returning to school to see all of my classmates and ... Read More »

[Note: Below is an excerpt from an article in the most recent issue of the journal Health & Social Work, co-published by NASW and Oxford University Press. The article was written by Ethan J. Evans, PhD, MSW, assistant professor; Nassrine Noureddine, EdD, MSN, associate professor; Susanna R. Curry, PhD, MSW, assistant professor; and Kisun Nam, PhD, MSSW, associate professor, Division ... Read More »

In response to the threat of school shootings, lockdown drills have become commonplace in K–12 schools throughout the United States. Educators, parents, and others continue to debate the potential disruptive and traumatizing impact drills have on children. A small number of quantitative studies have examined the effects of lockdown drills on students’ perceptions of safety, preparedness for crises, and fear ... Read More »

Children of color (COC) continue to have a range of disparate educational experiences that implicate structural and institutional racism as powerful, detrimental forces in P–12 schools. As members of a profession dedicated to empowerment and the dismantling of oppression, social workers are called to respond. Social workers work in and with schools in diverse roles (for example, as practitioners, community ... Read More »

July 30, 2021 About Social Work Responds The Association of Social Work Boards, the Council on Social Work Education, and the National Association of Social Workers are committed to collaborating on the range of issues affecting the social work profession and the people and communities we serve. In 2021, Social Work Responds will be issued quarterly. Announcements The National Association ... Read More »

Studies indicate that, for some, the appeal of the helping professions—including medicine, psychology, and social work—is their own history of trauma. Often labeled “wounded healers,” these people are believed to be motivated to help others, in part, by their own wounds. Social work educators have an obligation to remain informed about this phenomenon. Rates of depression and suicide, as well ... Read More »

[Note: Below is an excerpt from an article in the most recent issue of the journal Health & Social Work, co-published by NASW and Oxford University Press. The article was written by Ethan J. Evans, PhD, MSW, assistant professor, Division of Social Work, California State University, Sacramento. This article is free to be read on the Oxford University Press website.] ... Read More »

Back to ‘Normal’ By Laetitia Clayton, Editor As mask mandates ease and more people are vaccinated against COVID-19, we’re starting to see a return to life as we knew it before the pandemic hit and drastically changed everything. About half of adults in the U.S. are now fully vaccinated against COVID—but that means half are not. NASW President Mit Joyner ... Read More »