Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare faculty, students, and alumni supported the proposed Social Work Workforce Act at a Social Workers for Justice-sponsored day of action in Albany on Jan. 22.
Together with passionate colleagues, the Stony Brook contingent rallied, shared testimonies, and pushed for policies that will help build a stronger, more diverse workforce in New York State.
"We want to eliminate the entry-level exams which disproportionately impact candidates of color and act as barriers to becoming a social worker," said Assistant Dean for Manhattan Operations Shelley Horwitz, MSW, who led the SBU group on the trip to Albany.
"There's a workforce crisis throughout the state, and to address the rising mental-health crisis, we need social workers that reflect the communities they come from," Horwitz added.
Passing the Licensed Master Social Worker exam is required for social workers to practice in New York State. The act proposes eliminating the exam but still requires graduates to apply for licensing.
Illinois, Rhode Island, and Utah are among the states that have done away with licensure exams; Illinois increased its social worker workforce by thousands in the two years since.
Horwitz, and other SSW faculty, Maria Torres, Jessica Mitchell, and Leah Topek-Walker work closely with Social Workers for Justice. SW4J is leading the effort to support passing the Social Work Workforce Act and organized transportation to Albany for Stony Brook, NYU, Touro College, and Hunter College Silberman School of Social Work students.
A "powerful reminder" of social worker influence
The group met with 17 state legislators, including Assemblyman Phil Ramos, to advocate for the act. Ramos is a supporter working to bring the act to the Assembly chamber floor. SBU students also sat with Senator Anthony H. Palumbo’s chief of staff. Senator Palumbo represents the 1st district of the New York State Senate, which includes Stony Brook.
"These meetings not only provided an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing the social work profession but also allowed us to effectively flip the support of five legislators, demonstrating the power of strategic advocacy," said current School of Social Welfare student Jocelin Narciso-Molina. "It was a powerful reminder of the collective influence social workers can wield when we amplify our voices and engage in policy-making processes."
Narciso-Molina--in pursuit of a Master of Social Work--said the experience "underscored the importance of integrating policy advocacy into social work practice," and that skills needed to craft a strong ask of legislators are essential "for social workers seeking to bridge the gap between direct practice and systemic change."
School of Social Welfare students Steven Griffin and Iesha Farr, and alumna Tiffany Hervas, LMSW, BSW ‘16, also made the trip to Albany.
