Social workers are marching!
NASW-MA Hosts Annual Lobby Day (LEAD) on Monday, March 28,
2016
Social Workers for Social Justice
Boston – The MA
Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers holds its annual
Legislative Education and Advocacy Day (LEAD) on Monday, March 21st from 9am –
3pm. Celebrating March as National Social Work Month, LEAD is one of the
largest annual lobby days at the State House each year with a record-breaking 800
participants expected on the 21st.
For the first time in
LEAD’s 12-year history, this year’s event will begin with a plenary inside
historic Faneuil Hall, capacious enough to seat the 800 social workers who will
be participating. Then social workers will march through the streets of Boston
to the State House.
“The March for Social
Work Values” highlights the importance of our profession and social justice for
those with whom we work.
LEAD empowers social
workers to effectively advocate for legislation that advances human rights,
anti-racism, economic justice and access to health and mental health care – all
the more important in 2017 given the policies, budget priorities and threats
coming from Washington.
Many legislators will
be in attendance or expecting social workers for lobby visits. Representative
Byron Rushing, longtime Civil Rights Activist, will speak with participants in
Faneuil Hall about what makes a good advocate and why engagement is so critical
at this time. Other speakers include Tiziana Dearing, Boston College Social
Work professor known for her anti-poverty work, and Kate Audet, social worker
and State Government Relations Director at Boston Children’s Hospital, who will
tell the story of a legislative win.
The first priority for
many social workers will be the Social Work Loan Forgiveness bill establishing
a pilot program for young professionals aimed at building the workforce in
underserved agencies and including elder services and child welfare. Social
workers on the front lines of the opiate crisis will advocate to increase treatment
from 14 to 30 days, referring to evidence that demonstrates much stronger
effectiveness. Child welfare, economic justice, ending mass incarceration,
mental health access, and other social work issues will be at the forefront
with related bills.
As the legislative
session gets underway, timing could not be better for social workers to make an
impact!
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