Social Work Month in March highlights the important role of social workers in our society
The theme for 2022 is “The Time is Right for Social Work”

Manassas, VA – Manassas Health & Rehab Center is helping celebrate this year’s Social Work Month in March with the theme “The Time is Right for Social Work” to highlight how social workers have enriched our society for more than a century how their services continue to be needed today.

The annual Social Work Month campaign is a time to inform the public, policymakers, and legislators about the services social workers provide in an array of sectors, including hospitals, mental health centers, schools, social service agencies, community centers, and in politics. People become social workers because they have a strong desire to help others and make our society a
better place to live for all. Social work is one of the fastest-growing professions in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). There are almost 720,000 professional social workers in our nation, but that number is expected to rise to more than 800,000 by 2030, BLS said.

Social workers have helped drive significant, positive changes in our nation. Social workers such as social reformer Jane Addams, former Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, and civil rights leaders Dorothy Height, Whitney Young, and Ida B. Wells have pushed for voting rights, equal rights, Social Security, unemployment insurance, and other programs.

Social workers touch millions of lives each day and it is likely a social worker at some time will assist you, a family member, or a friend. For example, are you a student who needs athletic shoes to participate in sports, but your parents can’t afford to buy them? Talk to your school social worker. They can help you find the resources you need. Do you want a better relationship with your spouse, partner, children, or parents? A social worker can help you forge stronger connections. Are you living with depression, anxiety, or a substance use disorder? A social worker can help you overcome them and thrive.

Social workers continue to work on the frontlines throughout the pandemic, helping clients get the health care they need and helping loved ones overcome grief and loss. Social workers will continue to play a key role in helping people as this nation grapples with issues such as racism, economic uncertainty, deep political and cultural differences, and natural disasters fueled by global warming.

However, social workers need your support, too. There is a shortage of social workers in schools and other sectors where they are vitally needed. And although social workers play critical roles in health care and mental health care, they could be better paid for the life-affirming work they do, according to a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. NASW is working diligently to change that.

So, during Social Work Month, NASW will provide these tools to help promote the profession:

• A Social Work Month online toolkit at www.socialworkmonth.org
• An online quiz to test your knowledge about the history of social work and the services that social workers provide
• An official proclamation that you can get local, state, or federal politicians to endorse.
• Social Work Month merchandise from official vendor Jim Coleman Ltd.
• Cameo celebrity endorsements of social workers
• A monthly “Ask A Social Worker” column that offers readers advice
• A draft letter that can be shared with news media.