Tina Smith: “I rise today, on World Social Work Day, to introduce the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work…”

“I rise today, on World Social Work Day, to introduce the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act. I am pleased to be joined by my colleagues Senator Barbara Mikulski and Senator Debbie Stabenow in supporting this important legislation to help ensure the sustainability of the social work field. I look forward to continuing our collaboration on this bill and other efforts to support the tremendous work of our nation's social workers as they ensure the safety and welfare of our citizens in need of guidance and protection. Social workers in America face an array of issues that impact their ability to stay in the profession. We know that as the U.S. population increases and ages, caseworkers' caseloads continue to increase, causing greater pressure to perform with ever decreasing resources. Further, relatively low wages make it difficult for social workers to stay in their profession long-term. These are just a few of the many challenges they face. Those in the social work field need our support in creating innovative ways to keep them in the profession they love and therefore help the people in our communities who need their expertise and compassion.”