IV 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 257 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 27, 2023 Ms. Lee of California submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of a Social Work Month and a World Social Work Day .

Whereas social workers enter the profession because they have a strong desire to help empower individuals, families, communities, and our Nation to overcome issues that prevent them from reaching their full potential; Whereas social workers have worked for more than a century to improve human health and well-being and enhance the basic needs of all people; Whereas social workers follow a code of ethics that calls on them to fight social injustice and respect the dignity and worth of all people; Whereas social workers positively touch the lives of millions of Americans each day and in an array of settings, including schools, hospitals, the military, child welfare agencies, and community centers, and in Federal, State, and local government; Whereas the 2023 Social Work Month theme, Social Work Breaks Barriers , embodies how social workers help empower individuals, families, communities, and our society to overcome hurdles that prevent them from achieving better health and well-being; Whereas social workers are one of the largest providers of mental health, behavioral health, and social care services in the United States, working daily to help thousands of Americans overcome mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, and meet basic needs; Whereas social workers are on the frontlines of the Nation’s addiction crisis, helping people get the treatment they need and prevail over substance use disorders; Whereas social workers help people cope with death and grief; Whereas social workers help people and communities recover from natural disasters that are increasingly fueled by our warming climate, including hurricanes, droughts, and floods; Whereas social workers continue to help this Nation live up to its values by advocating for equal rights for all, including people of color, people who are Indigenous, people who identify as LGBTQIA2S+, and people who follow various faiths; Whereas the social work profession is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States, but still not large enough to meet the demand; Whereas there is a need to make a meaningful investment in recruitment and retention of the social work profession; Whereas social workers serve in all levels of government; Whereas social workers have continued to push for changes that have made our society a better place to live, including a livable wage, improved workplace safety, and social safety net programs that help ameliorate poverty, hunger, and homelessness; and Whereas social workers endeavor to work throughout our society to meet people where they are and help empower people and our society to reach the goals they wish to attain: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) supports the goals and ideals of a Social Work Month and a World Social Work Day ; (2) recognizes with gratitude the contributions of the millions of social workers who have advanced individual, family, community, and the Nation’s health and well-being since the founding of the social work profession over a century ago, and continue to do so today; (3) acknowledges the diligent efforts of individuals and groups who promote the importance of social work and observe Social Work Month and World Social Work Day ; and (4) encourages individuals to engage in appropriate ceremonies and activities to promote further awareness of the life-changing role that social workers play.