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Pennsylvania State Senate
10/08/2024 07:47 PM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?SPick=20230&chamber=S&cosponId=43110
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: September 4, 2024 10:02 AM
From: Senator Judith L. Schwank
To: All Senate members
Subject: Social Worker Educational Enrollment and Training (SWEET) Program
 
Pennsylvania faces a critical shortage in mental health treatment access, exacerbated by underfunding, high caseloads, and a lack of awareness. Social workers play an essential role in assessing, diagnosing, and treating psychosocial disabilities and impairments, which often encompass mental and emotional disorders, developmental disabilities, and addiction.

Despite the crucial role of these professionals to provide critical support to individuals grappling with psychological, emotional, social, or behavioral challenges in their daily lives, social workers face significant obstacles such as budget cuts, low wages, and inaccessibility of schooling. These challenges contribute to burnout and impede our ability to build a sufficient workforce to meet the growing demand. A 2015 study projected that by 2030, Pennsylvania would face a shortage of 5,000 social workers.

The Social Worker Educational Enrollment and Training (SWEET) Program is designed to address this issue by offering stipends to graduate students completing internships as part of their accredited Master’s of Social Work programs, thus encourages more student to pursue this vital profession.

I urge you to join me in co-sponsoring this critical measure, a companion to Representative Kristine Howard’s HB2272, to ensure that no individual is left waiting indefinitely for the help they need.




Memo Updated: September 4, 2024 10:03 AM