[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 21 (Wednesday, March 1, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK MONTH

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                         HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 1, 2000

  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, it is a little known fact 
that March is Professional Social Work Month. Why is it that at a time 
when healthcare and child welfare are of utmost importance, we tend to 
overlook the middlemen? Is it that we forget about their role in 
today's society, or is it that we never learned about it in the first 
place?
  I tend to think it is the latter reason. Social workers are the 
people who translate their education and training into commitment to 
making a difference in all aspects of people's lives. They are 
everywhere: in the courts, healthcare settings, schools, public and 
private agencies, congressional offices and industry, just to name a 
few. Often the public decries social problems that they would like 
solved; these are the people who work on a daily basis with individuals 
affected by them.
  As a nurse, I am deeply concerned with the social problems plaguing 
the nation, and I worry about what is to come for future generations. 
As a legislator, I work to improve current problems by addressing these 
issues in Congress. In doing so, I recognize the vital importance of 
social work as a professional field of practice. It is one thing for us 
to acknowledge something as being a problem, it is another to be the 
person trying to fix it on a personal, case-by-case basis. I admire 
those who take on the responsibility of helping others help themselves.
  It is easy to see why we overlook the importance of social workers. 
They work in the background, not in front of the television camera. 
They are not national figures, but ordinary people who make a living 
out of helping others. At the end of the day, one cannot measure in 
grand terms the effect they have had. But if we asked one of their 
clients, I am sure the difference they make would be obvious. They 
alter real lives.
  I encourage you to take time to acknowledge the importance of social 
workers in everyday life. In a country that celebrates its diversity, 
culture, and history, it is appropriate to proclaim March to be 
Professional Social Work Month, and recognize the difference that these 
people have made and continue to make.

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