Title
To Celebrate March as National Social Work Month and Recognize the Critical Contributions of Social Workers in the Fight to Achieve Equity
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WHEREAS, social work is a profession dedicated to helping people and communities to reach their full potential and thrive; and
WHEREAS, the primary mission of Social Work is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic and complex needs of all people; and
WHEREAS, social workers put a particular focus on helping people who are vulnerable, oppressed or living in poverty; and
WHEREAS, social workers follow a Code of Ethics that calls on them to fight social injustice, and respect the dignity and worth of all people; and
WHEREAS, the social work profession for more than a century has worked to improve this society, with Social Workers playing a role in establishing a minimum wage, Social Security, and Medicare and working to ensure equal rights for women, African Americans and people who are LGBTQ+; and
WHEREAS, social workers work in all facets of our society, including schools, hospitals, community organizations, the military, mental health centers, social service agencies, corporations, and local, state and federal government; and
WHEREAS, social workers are on the frontlines in helping this nation solve pressing social problems, including an increased demand for mental health services; an opioid addiction crisis; and economic inequality; and
WHEREAS, social workers are in high demand, with some states reporting shortages in Social Work staffing and the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting Social Work will be one of the fastest growing professions in our nation during this decade; and
WHEREAS, a public opinion survey from Ipsos said Social Work has a public approval rating of more than 80 percent and more than half of Americans say Social Workers deserve higher pay; and
WHEREAS, the 2024 Social Work Month theme, “Empowering Social Workers” embodies the need for society to support Social Workers so they can continue to do the life-affirming work they do and help address societal needs so everyone can achieve their full potential; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council does hereby recognize the numerous contributions made by America’s and Central Ohio’s Social Workers; and celebrates the month of March 2024 as National Social Work Month.