Social workers deserve a boost

Published August 23, 2008 - From the The Baltimore Sun (Response to Aug 19 Op-Ed)

I remember the response many years ago when I told an aunt I was entering social work school: “Why do you want to spend your life giving out ‘home relief’ checks” (”It’s time for the givers to receive,” Commentary, Aug. 19)?

Social work has come a long way from the days when social workers were almost solely identified with “welfare” and the distribution of “checks.”

These days, professionally trained (and licensed) social workers are common in social services as diverse as foster care, adoption, geriatric care, substance abuse and community mental health facilities.

And anyone who has ever dealt with the myriad complications associated with establishing support services for an elderly family member about to be released from an institution (hospital, nursing home, etc.), or a home-bound relative needing assistance, to name only a few scenarios, realizes the valuable role played by social work professionals.

Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski’s Social Work Reinvestment Act, which seeks to keep the social work profession strong and vibrant, will benefit not only the profession but the millions of recipients of our services.
It deserves to be funded. Howard Altstein

Baltimore

The writer is a professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work.

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Posted in NASW, Social Work, Social Work in the News, Social Workers, advocacy, career, media |

One Response to “Social workers deserve a boost”

  1. Laura R Says:
    September 7th, 2008 at 9:14 pm

    Having read through a number of the responses it’s evident that Gov. Palin’s comments “struck” a nerve with many social workers. Some social workers were more “offended” than others and it appears that some social workers think that others are making more of this than need be.

    After hearing Gov. Palin’s speech, I too had a reaction to her comments about “community organizers” and felt she appeared a bit sarcastic.

    In any event, I just hope that social workers, community organizers, and those concerned about social justice and change, will do just that vote for CHANGE. And continue to advocate on behalf of those who can’t speak up for their own selves. Working with children and youth I plan on continuing to advocate for reform and justice in both the juvenile justice and childrren and youth system.

    I hope our next president cares about these 2 systems that are far from perfect and are in need of “CHANGE”.

    Laura LSW from PA

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