[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 9, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H1206-H1207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK WEEK

  Mr. PIERLUISI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1091) expressing support for designation of the 
week of February 28 through March 7, 2010, as ``School Social Work 
Week'', as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1091

       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 in 1999, with the most current data available, the 
     Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health showed that 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 February 28 through March 6, 2010, 
     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 gentleman from 
Puerto Rico (Mr. Pierluisi) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. 
Petri) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Puerto Rico.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PIERLUISI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
insert extraneous material on H. Res. 1091 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Puerto Rico?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PIERLUISI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1091, a resolution to 
recognize the week of February 28 through March 6, 2010, as National 
School Social Worker Week.
  School social workers have long played a critical role in schools and 
in the community as a whole. They are professionals with training in 
social support and mental health intervention who work with youth to 
address their emotional, social, and developmental needs. For example, 
students in elementary school are just beginning to develop their 
academic skills and their feelings of competence. School social workers 
help students build their confidence as learners.
  In middle school, many new challenges arise. During this passage from 
childhood to adolescence, students are characterized by a need to 
explore a variety of interests, connecting their learning in the 
classroom to its practical application in life. In middle schools, 
school social workers provide leadership to engage all stakeholders in 
the delivery of programs and services to help students navigate the 
challenges of early adolescence to achieve academic, social, and 
behavioral success.
  And in high school, students begin separating from parents to explore 
their independence and define their individuality. They face increased 
pressures to engage in risky behaviors involving sex, alcohol, and 
drugs, and many students seek support in choosing acceptable behavior 
and establishing mature, meaningful relationships. School social 
workers help them

[[Page H1207]]

make thoughtful and appropriate 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 suicide plane attack in Austin, Texas, that killed 
a number of people last month, Hurricane Katrina, as well as our 
traumatic events such as 9/11 or school violence incidents like 
Columbine.
  There is documentation of the growing need for school districts to 
expand mental health and student support services in schools. The 
numbers indicate that less than 1 in 5 of the 17.5 million children in 
need of mental health services actually receive any support from 
qualified professionals. Many students go underserved primarily because 
the national average ratio of students to school social workers is far 
higher than the 400 to 1 ratio recommended by the School Social Work 
Association of America.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution serves to recognize the tremendous 
importance of school social workers and acknowledge the valuable role 
that they play in guiding our students' success. I want to thank 
Congressman Kennedy for bringing this resolution forward. I urge my 
colleagues to resoundingly pass this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution before us, House 
Resolution 1091, expressing support for designation of the week now 
passed of February 28 through March 6, 2010, as ``School Social Work 
Week.''
  School social work is a specialized area of practice within the broad 
field of the social work profession. School social workers bring unique 
knowledge and skills to the school system and the student services 
team. School social workers are instrumental in furthering the purposes 
of education, which is to provide a setting for teaching, learning, and 
for the attainment of competence and confidence. School social workers 
are hired by school districts to enhance the district's ability to meet 
its academic mission.
  Within the school setting, school social workers are a link between 
the student, the student's family, the school, and the community. The 
efficacy of this link is considerably dependent upon professional 
relationships developed with the student and the student's family, as 
well as with other school personnel. School social workers are 
concerned with the student's education as well as their emotional and 
mental well-being.
  School social workers play an important part in the academic and 
emotional development of students in schools. They provide services to 
students who face challenges that might be a barrier to learning, such 
as poverty, disability, abuse, loss of a loved one, or divorce. School 
social workers are critical to the identification of mental health 
problems and the provision of services when needed.
  Today, we honor and recognize the contributions of school social 
workers to the success of students in the schools throughout our 
Nation. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Having no requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PIERLUISI. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this resolution recognizing National School Social Work 
Week.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 
1091, supporting ``School Social Work Week.'' I introduced this 
resolution in order to recognize and support the critical, often 
thankless work performed by social workers in schools across our 
country. School social workers bring valuable skills and expertise to 
schools and student services teams to ensure that every child has an 
opportunity for success.
  On a daily basis, school social workers help educators, 
administrators, and parents address students' emotional, physical, and 
environmental needs. School social workers help educators to understand 
cultural, family, and community factors affecting students.
  Everyday, they work with administrators to design and implement 
prevention programs and policies that address school attendance, 
bullying, sexual harassment, teen pregnancy, child abuse and neglect, 
special education, and more. Issues like cyber bullying and harassment 
are extremely underreported and on the rise in schools across the 
country. Adult intervention at school is necessary to effectively curb 
these trends.
  School social workers also work as liaisons between parents and 
schools. They work with parents so that they may participate in their 
child's education, understand special education services, and access 
other services related to their child's needs.
  In healthcare we must treat the whole person and in education we must 
do the same. School social workers recognize the importance of 
connecting emotional, behavioral, and academic services in order to 
maximize children's opportunities for success.
  Too many children do not receive the mental health services they 
need. Improved and expanded school mental health programs would help to 
close this discrepancy. The kinds of services that so many students 
desperately need are precisely the type 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 multiples.
  That is why I am proud to be the sponsor of this resolution. I would 
like to thank the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Education 
and Labor Committee for allowing this resolution to come to the floor, 
and I urge all of my colleagues to support it.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H. Res. 1091, which expresses support for designation of the week of 
February 28 through March 7, 2010, as ``School Social Work Week''.
  Mr. Speaker, there is a mounting need for local educational 
institutions to provide the mental health services social workers offer 
when working with students' emotional, physical, and environmental 
needs. When students are coupled with sincere and understanding social 
worker, they are more likely to succeed and achieve behavioral and 
academic success. This legislation will affirm that social workers are 
life lines to children, schools, families and communities and those we 
fully are committed to any and all initiatives that promote the need 
for such crucial workers.
  Mr. Speaker, 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. It is imperative that more social workers are 
properly trained and deployed into these various school systems to 
assist students in reaching their most favorable level of potential and 
achievement, especially children with serious emotional barriers. The 
observation of `School Social Work Week' during the week of February 28 
through March 7, 2010, calls attention to the fundamental role school 
social workers play in the lives of students in the United States.
  As many may know during the first years in the aftermath of hurricane 
Katrina, the Houston school system, mainly Houston Independent School 
District, was flooded with children from the affected area school 
systems. After being through such a horrific ordeal, students were 
expected to continue with their studies as normal. It took the 
dedicated work of school social workers which assessed what was already 
in place to help the students, conclude what was missing and formulate 
a plan to build the student's aptitude to bounce back from adversity. 
Now many of these students have gone on to succeed academically and 
socially.
  So in conclusion, I support H. Res. 1091 and I encourage my 
colleagues to join me. In these uncertain times, where natural and 
unnatural disasters are on every hand and have caused traumatic 
experiences for this nation, let us not forget our youth.
  Mr. PIERLUISI. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Pierluisi) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1091, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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