April Ferguson LCSW-C, Senior Practice Associate: Children and Adolescents
In October 2024, NASW Senior Practice Associate, April Ferguson, participated in the Center for American Progress 10th National Gun Violence Prevention Summit as a panelist in a morning breakout session; Safe Learning Environments: Investing in School-Based Behavioral Health Personnel and Community Partnerships.
The panelists discussed contributing factors to school gun violence, the school social workers role in creating a safe learning environment, and preventative practices to reduce violence in schools. NASW highlighted the importance of multi-disciplinary collaboration, threat assessments, Multi-Tiered System of Support interventions and the importance of safe storage and responsible gun ownership.
Given the concerns around school gun violence, school social workers are an integral part to ensuring safety in the education system. School social workers are tasked with completing assessments, addressing mental health challenges, providing interventions, completing referrals, and engaging families. They also use evidenced based practices to remove barriers to academic success and support students and families to improve their wellbeing. All these responsibilities can be challenging when school social workers are supporting multiple schools or when a single school social worker is responsible for an entire school.
Gun-violence prevention is absolutely a social work issue and NASW supports advocacy and legislation that puts more school social workers in the education system. NASW invited the testimony of school social work members for a July 2024 Congressional briefing titled Rooted in Change Cultivating Youth Behavioral Wellness at Home& in Communities. NASW also supports School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act (SWISS) which aims to hire and retain school social workers.
NASW also offers professional development resources to assist school social workers in learning more about gun violence prevention. The theme for the October 2024 Virtual Fall Forum was Mental Health Matters: Working with Children, Youth, and Families. The forum addressed a wide range of topics including gun violence prevention
NASW recognizes the important role of school social workers and how their contributions support safe learning environments. School gun violence is preventable and social workers must do our part to ensure that students feel safe, connected and supported at school. Children and youth deserve an inclusive and accepting environment that is free from all forms of violence and caregivers should feel secure sending their kids to school to further their education. With preventative interventions and advocacy, school social workers can support safer school environments.
