[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 21, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S3661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. MIKULSKI (for herself, Mr. Cardin, and Ms. Stabenow):
  S. 997. A bill to establish the Social Work Reinvestment Commission 
to provide independent counsel to Congress and the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services on policy issues associated with recruitment, 
retention, research, and reinvestment in the profession of social work, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Dorothy I. 
Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act. As a 
social worker, I understand the critical role social workers have in 
the overall care of our population. Social workers can be found in 
every facet of community life--in hospitals, mental health clinics, 
senior centers, schools, and private agencies that serve individuals 
and families in need. They play a crucial role combating the social 
problems facing our nation and are essential providers in our health 
care system. Yet, there are not enough social workers to meet these 
needs.
  The Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work 
Reinvestment Act provides research grants to social workers to train 
the next generation of social workers; creates a Social Work 
Reinvestment Commission; authorizes workplace improvement grants to 
identify workplace safety issues and workforce shortage challenges that 
need to be addressed to improve the services social workers provide in 
our communities; and makes grants available to community based programs 
of excellence to identify, test, and replicate effective social work 
interventions. I am honored to introduce this bill named after two 
social visionaries, Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young. Dorothy 
Height was a pioneer of the civil rights movement. Like me, she began 
her career as a case worker and continued to fight for social justice. 
Whitney Young, another trailblazer of the civil rights movement, also 
began his career transforming our social landscape as a social worker. 
He helped create President Johnson's War on Poverty and served as 
President of the National Association of Social Workers.
  I believe that social work is full of great opportunities, both to 
serve and to lead. Social work is about puffing our values into action. 
Social workers are among our best and brightest, our most committed and 
compassionate. They are at the frontlines of providing care, often 
putting themselves in dangerous and violent situations. Social workers 
have the ability to provide psychological, emotional, and social 
support. Quite simply, the ability to change lives. As a social worker, 
I have been on the frontlines of helping people cope with issues in 
their everyday lives. I started off fighting for abused children, 
making sure they were placed in safe homes. I will continue to fight 
every day for our children, seniors, military personnel, and families 
on the floor of the United States Senate.
  The Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work 
Reinvestment Act is supported by the National Association of Social 
Workers. I thank Senators Stabenow and Cardin for co-sponsoring this 
bill.
                                 ______