[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 37 (Thursday, March 14, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL SOCIAL WORK MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILL FOSTER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 14, 2013

  Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the thousands of 
Americans who benefit from the work of social workers in observance of 
March being National Social Work Month. Social work has been identified 
as the profession charged with serving as the safety net of our 
society, thus serving and advocating for society's most vulnerable 
groups including children, the elderly, veterans, mentally ill, and so 
on. From its start in the 1960s, Social Work Month has been a 
nationwide effort. According to Social Work Pioneer Robert Cohen, ``The 
initial idea of Social Work Month was to try to combat the widespread 
notion that social work was something anyone can do; or that it just 
involved people who were good Samaritans trying to help others. The 
profession has taken a long time to demonstrate and explain the 
professional nature of social work.''
  While many Americans recognize the work of social workers in the 
community, many Americans are not aware of the noteworthy roles social 
workers have historically played in shaping our social policies. In 
fact, social work pioneer Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in 
a presidential cabinet as Secretary of Labor, drafted a significant 
portion of the New Deal legislation related to the Social Security Act, 
labor laws including a minimum wage, child labor protections, worker's 
compensation, safety standards developed through OSHA, unemployment 
compensation, and so on. Through the decades, Social Work Month themes 
have evolved along with the profession. From ``Doing Good Isn't Bad--It 
Isn't Easy Either'' (March 1973) to the latest theme of 2013, ``Weaving 
Threads of Resilience and Advocacy,'' this important month continues to 
celebrate the profession, and be a voice for all social workers.
  I am proud to represent the state of Illinois which is home to a mega 
chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. NASW is a 
professional association of social workers that advocates for resources 
to meet the needs of clients, allocation of resources that is open, 
fair, and non discriminatory, and promotes social justice. Currently, 
NASW Illinois has 7000 members in eight districts throughout the state. 
Additionally, there are hundreds of social workers in my district 
providing supports to families, including a member of my staff. For 
instance, Big Brothers Big Sisters, an organization that has been 
helping change the lives of kids for over a century, is located in my 
district. Through mentoring, coaching, fundraising, and other 
activities, BBBS has consistently reported positive outcomes for youth 
including children that participate in BBBS are 46 percent less likely 
to use illegal drugs and 52 percent less likely to skip school.
  I urge my colleagues to reflect on the valuable contributions of 
social workers in their respective districts and I acknowledge my 
social work colleagues serving in Congress with me today. I urge my 
colleagues to stand with me and recognize National Social Work Month.