PRINTER'S NO. 2549
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
304
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY HILL-EVANS, VENKAT, KAZEEM, FREEMAN, SANCHEZ,
KENYATTA, KINSEY, O'MARA, SCHLOSSBERG, HANBIDGE, CERRATO,
HOWARD, BOROWSKI, MALAGARI, BOYD, NEILSON, DALEY, KHAN AND
GREEN, JANUARY 31, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
JANUARY 31, 2024
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of March 2024 as "National Social Work
Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, For decades, the social work profession has been
dedicated to improving human well-being and enhancing the basic
needs of all individuals, especially the most vulnerable; and
WHEREAS, The services provided by the social work profession
are needed more than ever as our nation addresses economic
inequality, systemic racism, the need for improved physical and
mental health care, COVID-19 and other significant societal and
health issues; and
WHEREAS, People become social workers because they have a
strong desire to help others and make our society a better place
to live for all; and
WHEREAS, According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, social
work is one of the fastest growing professions in the United
States; and
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WHEREAS, Social workers have always been present in times of
crisis, helping individuals overcome issues such as death and
grief and helping individuals and communities recover from
natural disasters such as fires, hurricanes and earthquakes; and
WHEREAS, Social workers have helped the United States uphold
its values by successfully advocating for equal rights for all
individuals; and
WHEREAS, There are more than 720,000 professional social
workers in our nation, but that number is expected to rise to
more than 800,000 by 2030; and
WHEREAS, Social workers have helped drive significant,
positive changes in our nation; and
WHEREAS, Social workers, such as social reformer Jane Addams,
former Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins and civil rights
leaders Dorothy Height, Whitney M. Young, Jr., and Ida B. Wells,
have pushed for voting rights, equal rights, Social Security,
unemployment insurance and other programs; and
WHEREAS, Social workers work in all parts of our society to
empower individuals to live to their fullest potential; and
WHEREAS, School social workers have worked with families and
schools throughout the pandemic to ensure that students reach
their full academic and personal potential; and
WHEREAS, Social workers continue to work on the front lines
throughout the pandemic, helping clients receive the health care
they need and helping loved ones overcome grief and loss; and
WHEREAS, For generations, social workers have advocated for
positive changes that have made society a better place to live,
including urging policymakers to adopt the minimum wage, improve
workplace safety and enact social safety net programs that help
ameliorate hunger, homelessness and poverty; and
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WHEREAS, Social workers are one of the largest groups of
mental health care providers in the United States, working daily
to help individuals, whether in person or remotely, overcome
substance use disorders and mental illnesses, such as depression
and anxiety; and
WHEREAS, Social workers continue to stand ready to assist our
nation to overcome present and future challenges, including
pushing for racial equity, ending gun violence, improving health
care and mental health care for all and urging lawmakers to
adopt immigration reforms; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
month of March 2024 as "National Social Work Month" in
Pennsylvania and call upon all residents of this Commonwealth to
join the National Association of Social Workers in celebration
and support of the social work profession.
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