Social Work Month and NASW-MO! Empowering Social Workers with a big focus on Policy and Social Justice!

April 1, 2024
Cassie E. Brown, MSW, LCSW

NASW-MO celebrated social work month in a big way, with the theme Empowering Social Workers! On March 1-2, NASW-MO sponsored a themed Virtual Conference: Macro for Everyone! and held LEAD Day at the Capitol on March 5. It was busy, but exciting.

Our virtual conference brought together dozens of attendees and a dozen speakers from across the country to share on topics of Macro Social Work and how to connect with policy, ethics, leadership, and other issues of professional macro practice, no matter what a social worker’s environment or population.

There were sessions on social justice and an ethics presentation from a different perspective, focusing on When Client Becomes Colleague, looking at how social work can interact ethically with Peer Support Specialists in our professional careers.

LEAD Day energized both attendees and the social work legislators who came to speak to the crows. Over a hundred attendees gathered in Jefferson City to deepen their understanding of policy and speak out on issues of importance to the social work profession. Attendees came from a dozen different schools, including a few community colleges with students exploring the social work profession and learning about our commitment to social justice and policy work. We also welcomed professional social workers, and social work professors.

NASW-MO was excited to welcome two Missouri legislators: Rep. Aaron Crossley (Independence) and Rep. Keri Ingle (Lee’s Summit), both social workers, who spoke to the gathered crowd. They particularly encouraged social workers to consider running for office, reminding the profession that we are experts on important issues impacted by policy every day.

LEAD Day also announced and exemplified some of the work of the mental health professionals coalition of NASW-MO, MOPA (the Missouri Psychological Association), MoMHCA (Missouri Mental Health Counselors Association), and the Missouri School Psychological Association. LEAD Day partnered with MOPA, which was hosting their Advocacy Day that day, and who shared resources with us, including advocating for the same bills. Dr. Amy Beck (MOPA) and Dr. Brian Sheble (MoMHCA and MSPA) spoke to the LEAD Day audience about our coalition partnership, the bills we advocated, and the importance of behavioral health policy.

The month of March 2024 was declared Social Work Month in Missouri by Governor Mike Parson. NASW-MO was proud to continue to support social work and social workers in March (and throughout the year), through its advocacy and, importantly, through empowering social workers as policy advocates!th family and friends, and the occasional reality tv show.