Housing Crisis Among Issues Pandemic Has Exacerbated
By Laetitia Clayton, Editor
COVID-19 is still here. We’re still seeing hospitalizations and deaths from the virus, and are being urged to get vaccinated, practice social distancing and keep our masks on in many public places. These are measures that aim to protect the overall public health and stem COVID’s spread.
But the fallout from the coronavirus also is affecting our welfare in other ways: mental health issues are on the rise, as are homelessness, food insecurity, substance use, social isolation and suicides, to name a few. COVID-19 has affected nearly every aspect of our lives in some way, and has brought racial, economic and other inequalities to the forefront.
In this issue’s cover story, we look at the current housing crisis. Social workers have long been involved in helping those who are homeless, but efforts have been ramped up since the pandemic began last year. Learn from experts about some of the programs designed to help those who are homeless and what you can do to help.
In our second feature article, we examine the concept of self-care. Social workers weigh in on the importance not only of taking care of yourself so that you’re better able to help others, but also how work environments, caseloads and pay need to change in many instances. In other words, social workers should support themselves, but leaders at many agencies and nonprofits also need to do more to support their social workers and other employees.
Self-care also was a topic at NASW’s national virtual conference earlier this year, along with social work reinvention, overcoming systemic racism and more. You can read about the conference in the Association News section of this issue. Also in Association News, learn about programs our California and New York City chapters offer.
The Viewpoints column tackles yet another COVID-related topic: the return to in-person work. The authors maintain that developing a trauma-informed workplace can help reduce the stigma around mental health issues—and they offer ideas to accomplish this.
You can read these articles and more in the October-November issue of Social Work Advocates, and we encourage you to write to us with feedback about the magazine at: swadvocates@socialworkers.org
The October–November issue of Social Work Advocates also includes:
- From the President: NASW and Social Workers Marched to Protect Voting Rights, But More Action is Needed
- From the CEO: The Shadow Pandemic: Domestic Violence Intensifies During COVID-19
- Backstory: Kick It! Social Worker Andy Linder is Footbag World Record Holder
- In the Public Eye
- NASW Events Calendar: October & November 2021
