By Heather Rose Artushin, LISW-CP
Since 1955, NASW has led the way in uniting social workers under a shared set of values and ethical responsibilities, advocating for the social work profession and the communities it serves, and standing up for social justice.
This year, NASW celebrates 70 years at a crossroads. Looking back on all that social workers have overcome throughout the organization’s history offers strength to stand firm on its values in the face of the unprecedented challenges social workers face today. NASW’s accomplished history provides inspiration for those looking forward to the future with hope and determination to build on the foundations laid by social work pioneers.
NASW started in 1955 when seven different organizations came together to create one unified body of social workers. “The idea around it was to create this space where social workers can gather and speak with a unified voice to address social challenges,” said NASW CEO Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C. “Still today NASW is a place where we can gather to use our collective voice to solve the challenges of this time, to organize, advocate and create a sense of community around things that social workers care about—mental health, substance use, child welfare, and more. If you’re part of NASW you’re going to find your people. There’s a lot of intersectionality in the work we do.”
This year also marks the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act, which was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Aug. 14, 1935. Equally important are Medicare and Medicaid, programs that were established 60 years ago as part of the Social Security Amendments of 1965. This seemingly monumental year serves as an important reminder of how social workers are at the heart of the creation, strengthening, and preservation of these agencies and programs that are now facing new uncertainties under the Trump administration.
Policy Challenges to Social Work Values
Throughout its rich history, NASW has been at the forefront of iconic social movements that have contributed to the progress of America. From the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s to the fight for marriage equality and LGBTQ+ rights in the 2000s, NASW has been a leader for social progress. In the 1970s, NASW launched the National Committee on Women’s Issues (NCOWI) to combat gender inequities, and in the 1990s the organization advocated for legal recognition of the social work profession in all 50 states, and for social work to be recognized for third-party reimbursement in federal, state and private insurance programs.
Today, NASW is advocating for important advances in the social work profession, like the interstate licensure compact, which allows social workers to practice across state lines with a single license. Compact legislation has been passed in 30 states so far. The association also has supported revising the Association of Social Work Boards licensing exams to eliminate bias and open alternative pathways to licensure, and has worked in coalition to reduce the burden of student loan debt.
Read the full article in the NASW Social Work Advocates Magazine
