[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 24, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H3769-H3770]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK WEEK

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 182) expressing support for designation of the 
week of March 1 through March 8, 2009, as ``School Social Work Week''.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 182

       Whereas the importance of school social work through the 
     inclusion of school social work programs has been recognized 
     in the current authorizations of the Elementary and Secondary 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) and the 
     Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 
     et seq.);
       Whereas school social workers serve as vital members of a 
     school's educational team, playing a central role in creating 
     partnerships between the home, school, and community to 
     ensure student academic success;
       Whereas school social workers are especially skilled in 
     providing services to students who face serious challenges to 
     school success, including poverty, disability, 
     discrimination, abuse, addiction, bullying, divorce of 
     parents, loss of a loved one, and other barriers to learning;
       Whereas there is a growing need for local educational 
     agencies to offer the mental health services that school 
     social workers provide when working with families, teachers, 
     principals, community agencies, and other entities to address 
     students' emotional, physical, and environmental needs so 
     that students may achieve behavioral and academic success;
       Whereas to achieve the goal of the No Child Left Behind Act 
     of 2001 (Public Law 107-110) of helping all children reach 
     their optimal levels of potential and achievement, including 
     children with serious emotional disturbances, schools must 
     work to remove the emotional, behavioral, and academic 
     barriers that interfere with student success in school;
       Whereas fewer than 1 in 5 of the 17,500,000 children in 
     need of mental health services actually receive these 
     services, and research indicates that school mental health 
     programs improve educational outcomes by decreasing absences, 
     decreasing discipline referrals, and improving academic 
     achievement;
       Whereas school mental health programs are critical to early 
     identification of mental health problems and in the provision 
     of appropriate services when needed;
       Whereas the national average ratio of students to school 
     social workers recommended by the School Social Work 
     Association of America is 400 to 1; and
       Whereas the celebration and of ``School Social Work Week'' 
     during the week of March 1 through March 8, 2009, highlights 
     the vital role school social workers play in the lives of 
     students in the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the designation of ``School Social Work 
     Week'';
       (2) honors and recognizes the contributions of school 
     social workers to the successes of students in schools across 
     the Nation; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     ``School Social Work Week'' with appropriate ceremonies and 
     activities that promote awareness of the vital role of school 
     social workers, in schools and in the community as a whole, 
     in helping students prepare for their futures as productive 
     citizens.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Woolsey) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous 
material on H. Res. 182 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 182, a resolution to 
recognize the week of March 1 through March 8, 2009, as National School 
Social Work Week.
  School social workers, Mr. Speaker, have long played a critical role 
in schools and the community as a whole. They are professionals who 
work with children to address their emotional, mental, social and 
developmental needs.
  School social workers help students build their confidence as 
learners, which is particularly important for elementary students who 
are just starting out on their academic careers.
  During middle school, students face what is often a difficult 
transition from childhood to adolescence. For these students, school 
social workers help engage teachers, administrators, parents and 
students in the delivery of programs and services to help those 
students navigate these challenges and achieve success.
  In high school, students begin exploring and defining their 
independence. These students face additional challenges along the way, 
including pressure to participate in risky behavior. School social 
workers help them with navigating these difficult decisions.
  On top of this, school social workers must be responsive to the range 
of challenges that young people face every day, such as poverty, 
disability, discrimination, abuse, addiction, bullying, divorce of 
parents, loss of a loved one and other barriers to learning. School 
social workers are also on the front lines when disaster strikes, such 
as the Southern California wildfires, such as Hurricane Katrina or 9/
11.
  There is a growing need for school districts to expand their support 
services in schools. Less than one in five of the 17.5 million children 
in need of mental health services actually receive them. Many students 
go underserved, primarily because the national average ratio of 
students to school social workers is far beneath the 400 to 1 ratio 
recommended by the School Social Work Association of America.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution serves to recognize the importance of 
the school social worker and acknowledge the priceless role that they 
play in guiding our students' success in the ever changing world of the 
21st century.
  I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this bill and 
yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 182, 
expressing support for the designation of the week of March 1 as School 
Social Work Week to promote awareness of the vital role that school 
social workers play in schools and in the community as a whole and in 
helping students to prepare for their future as productive citizens.
  From time to time, students face certain challenges in achieving 
academic success. Emotional, social and behavioral problems can be 
serious impediments to learning and can have a harmful effect not just 
on the individual student but others in the school setting. Schools, 
families and communities must work collaboratively to assist students 
with achieving positive academic and behavioral outcomes. School social 
work services provide a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of 
students through early identification, through prevention, 
intervention, counseling, as well as support.
  School social workers are trained, qualified professionals who meet 
State requirements to practice social work specifically in a school 
setting. They provide direct services to students who experience 
academic and social difficulties while developing relationships that 
will help to bolster self-esteem and reward positive behavior. School 
social workers support teachers by offering options for addressing 
students' needs and by participating on the student support team. They 
also work with students and their families and communities to 
coordinate services.
  According to statistics by the National Mental Health Association, 
17.5 million children are in need of some kind of mental health 
services, and these workers address those needs. School social workers 
help students who otherwise might not receive services due to 
inaccessibility or lack of availability of services. I commend these 
dedicated professionals for the

[[Page H3770]]

service they provide in our school setting, and I ask my colleagues to 
support this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1315

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize for 5 minutes the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy).
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentlewoman 
from California (Ms. Woolsey), and I rise today in support of House 
Resolution 182, supporting the School Social Work Week.
  I introduced this resolution in order to recognize and support the 
critical, unsung work performed by school social workers in and across 
this country. School social workers bring unique knowledge and skills 
to schools and to the student services team all across this country. 
They work together to achieve the goals as a Nation that every child 
needs in order to succeed in school.
  Each day across this country, school social workers can be found 
assisting educators to understand family, cultural and community 
factors affecting students as well as meet the demands of providing 
quality education for students of diverse backgrounds.
  Each day, they can be found working with administrators to design and 
implement effective prevention programs and policies that address 
school attendance, teen pregnancy, school violence, and school safety 
issues, as well as child abuse and neglect, special education and more.
  Each day, school social workers can be found working with parents so 
that they may effectively participate in their child's education as 
well as improve parenting skills, understand special education services 
as well as access school and community services related to their 
child's needs.
  In health care, we must treat the whole person, and in education, we 
must do the same, so that is where school social workers recognize the 
need to connect the school and home in order to relate to the needs of 
the children. It is a shame that fewer than 1 in 5 of the 17 million 
children in need of mental health services actually receives them. 
Improved and expanded school mental health programs would help provide 
these services, the kinds of services that so many students desperately 
need and that are precisely the kind of services that school social 
workers can provide.
  As our economy continues to struggle and families all over the 
country are losing their homes and jobs, the need for school social 
workers only becomes magnified. When you think about the fact that we 
are fighting a war overseas and an economic war here at home, you think 
about the fact that our schools are our bases. We would not think twice 
about making sure that our military is provided with the latest of 
armaments and with the best of training. Then why would we not think of 
providing the same for our teachers and our school social workers? They 
are the ones who are making sure that our students are not left behind 
in the field of battle.
  Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, too many of our children are left behind 
in the field of battle--in the field of battle of illiteracy, in the 
field of battle of mental health, in the field of battle of addiction, 
and in the field of battle of violence. These are the kids in our inner 
cities who are being held hostage to a different enemy, not the global 
war on terror, but to the enemy that is causing 35-40 percent of the 
students in our inner cities to not graduate from high school. That is 
an abomination, Mr. Speaker.
  If we do not have more school social workers to make sure that they 
graduate, then our schools in this country are not going to be worth 
the teachers that we have in them, because they are not going to have 
the school social workers to do the job to help those teachers make 
sure that their students graduate. That is why we need school social 
workers: to make sure that those students graduate. It is an important 
complement to our education system. We need emotional and social 
development just as much as we need literacy and numeracy development. 
That is why we need social workers in our schools.
  Now more than ever, while the economic pressure is on those families 
and social pressures are on those families and the burden is on those 
families, we need to reach out where we can, and that is through the 
schools. The school is where we reach those children and reach those 
families in dire need. That is where we need our social workers, and 
that is why we need to pass House Resolution 182. I ask for its 
consideration.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. For some inexplicable reason, I have no one else 
here who is requesting time.
  May I inquire of the gentlewoman if she is ready to close.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. I am ready to close, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. In that case, I urge support of this resolution, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support Congressman 
Kennedy's absolutely important legislation, H. Res. 182, that 
recognizes the week of March 1 through 8 as National School Social Work 
Week.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 182.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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