Policy Issues

Promoting the Profession, Enhancing Social Well-Being

The services that social workers provide are vital to supporting the well-being of people throughout the United States. Social workers have become even more essential as economic inequality and health disparities increase, as the population ages, and as the middle class struggles to maintain stability.

Federal policymakers play critical roles in promoting policies that help individuals, families, and communities to fulfill their potential and to lead healthy, productive lives. NASW has developed a policy agenda, which asserts the association’s advocacy priorities for the legislative cycle. NASW’s policy agenda is consistent with the NASW policies in Social Work Speaks, which is developed by members of the association at Delegate Assembly.

Key Policy Issues

Following are the key issues that NASW is working on in the 116th Congress. Although a great part of the association’s energy is spent on these issues, NASW’s work on Capitol Hill is not limited to these areas, but is driven by the agenda that members of Congress set for themselves.