[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 278 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 278

 Expressing the sense of Congress that Congress should raise awareness 
     about the importance of social worker and case worker safety.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 26, 2005

 Mr. Moore of Kansas (for himself, Mr. Baird, Ms. Millender-McDonald, 
  Mr. Berman, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Baca, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Schiff, Mr. 
   Honda, Mr. Filner, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Payne, Mr. Davis of 
  Tennessee, Ms. Lee, Mr. Radanovich, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Costa, and Mrs. 
  Davis of California) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
   which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress that Congress should raise awareness 
     about the importance of social worker and case worker safety.

Whereas, on August 17, 2004, Teri Zenner, a social worker and case manager with 
        Johnson County Mental Health Center, was stabbed and killed during a 
        routine, in-home visit with a client;
Whereas, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 
        some 2 million American workers are victims of job-related violence each 
        year;
Whereas some workers are at an increased risk of being victimized by job-related 
        violence, especially those who work alone or in small groups, during 
        late night or early morning hours, and in high-crime areas, such as 
        social workers and case workers;
Whereas, based on OSHA's most recently published ``Guidelines for Preventing 
        Workplace Violence for Health Care & Social Service Workers'', 48 
        percent of all non-fatal injuries from occupational assaults and violent 
        acts occurred in the fields of health care and social services;
Whereas, based on 2000 Bureau of Labor Statistics findings, social service 
        workers in the public sector, including social workers and case workers, 
        are approximately 7 times more likely to be the victims of violent 
        assaults while at work than are workers in the private sector;
Whereas States such as California, New Jersey, and Washington, and the National 
        Association of Social Workers, have all developed various safety 
        programs with safety guidelines for social workers and case workers to 
        follow while in the course of their employment;
Whereas job-related violence against social workers and case workers affects 
        these hard-working and dedicated individuals, their families, their 
        clients, and their communities throughout the United States;
Whereas although not every incident of job-related violence can be prevented, 
        many can, and the severity of injuries sustained by social workers and 
        case workers can be reduced;
Whereas social workers and case workers elevate service to others above self-
        interest, and draw on their knowledge, values and skills to help people 
        in need and to address social problems;
Whereas social workers and case workers seek to strengthen relationships among 
        people in a purposeful effort to promote, restore, maintain, and enhance 
        the well-being of individuals, families, social groups, organizations 
        and communities;
Whereas there is a need to increase public awareness and understanding of job-
        related violence in the field of social services and to meet the needs 
        of social workers and case workers in preventing such violence; and
Whereas the dedication and success of those working to educate the public about, 
        and prevent the occurrence of, job-related violence as it relates to 
        social workers and case workers should be recognized: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That--
            (1) it is the sense of Congress that Congress should raise 
        awareness about the importance of workplace safety as it 
        relates to social workers and case workers in the Nation by 
        supporting the goals and ideals of preventing job-related 
        violence against social workers and case workers; and
            (2) Congress encourages States and local agencies to adopt 
        measures that would improve the safety of social service 
        workers.
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