From left: CRISP Director Charles E. Lewis, Jr, CSWE CEO Dr. Halaevalu Vakalahi, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Sylvia Garcia, NASW CEO Dr. Anthony Estreet.
Dozens of social workers braved the cold, rainy, and swirling winds Wednesday evening to gather in the Rayburn House Office Building to salute outgoing Congresswoman Barbara Lee for her stewardship of the Congressional Social Work Caucus during the past decade since the retirement of founder and former Congressman Edolphus “Ed” Towns in 2013 and welcome incoming Chair, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia. Speaker after speaker intoned the need for a strong social work presence on Capitol Hill, affirming the need for social workers, whether macro, micro, or mezzo, to be actively engaged in legislative processes on the Hill and at all levels of government.
Mr. Towns and his wife, Gwen, attended the reception that was co-sponsored by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). He founded the Social Work Caucus during the 110th Congress to provide a platform for social workers to bring our values and voices to the Hill, where they are profoundly needed. During his remarks, Towns noted that he remembered when there were 13 social workers in Congress. We will enter the 119th Congress with only two: Rep. Garcia and Rep. Hillary Scholten, representing Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District.
Congresswomen Lee and Garcia echoed his concerns and committed to working to build and invigorate the Social Work Caucus. Rep. Garcia was one of the first two Latinas elected to represent Texas citizens in Congress in 2018. She arrived to represent the 29th Congressional District in the eastern portion of the Greater Houston area, along with colleague Rep. Veronica Escobar, who represents the 16th Congressional District. She brought her staff to the reception, led by Chief of Staff Chris McCarthy, who earned his MSW at the University of Houston. She also agreed that CRISP Fellow Dasia Westerfield, a Howard University student, will move her practicum to Garcia’s office.
Mr. Towns was introduced by Serena Pallan, a high school student from Baltimore who is serving as a page in the United States Senate. Serena was among the first to join the CRISP PALS (Political Advocacy Leaders) LinkedIn group, created in June as a network of political social workers and others who realize the need for social workers and allies to be active in legislative settings. The group has grown to 289 members, including several deans and directors. Serena says she became interested in politics and advocacy after testifying in the Maryland legislature. She proposed creating a Youth Advocacy group and submitted a proposal that’s in the works.
NASW CEO Dr. Anthony Estreet was on hand to present Congresswoman Barbara Lee with the NASW Foundation Social Justice Award. Dr. Estreet lauded her exceptional service to the nation and the issues of concern regarding the social work profession. Rep. Lee, a NASW Foundation Pioneer, is the sponsor of H.R. 1638 – Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2023, which would 1) increase Medicare beneficiaries’ access to mental health services in skilled nursing facilities (SNF), 2) increase Medicare beneficiaries’ access to health and behavior assessment and intervention (HBAI) services, and 3) increase Medicare reimbursement for independent clinical social workers. Dr. Estreet pledged his support to efforts to bolster social work’s presence on the Hill.
CSWE CEO Dr. Halaevalu Vakalahi braved the inclement weather to support the Social Work Caucus and its leadership. We met on Tuesday to discuss how CRISP and CSWE can work together to create a pipeline to increase the number of social workers on the Hill as members of Congress, staffers, and advocates. I proposed a plan to have social work students complete their practicum requirements in congressional district offices and Washington, DC. CRISP conducted a nonpartisan get-out-the-vote campaign during the elections and will expand on that idea during our events in March for Social Work Month. The theme will be Our Voices Matter: Reaffirming the Need for Social Workers in Political Arenas. Not all social workers have bought into the idea of political social work being a legitimate activity in our profession. It’s a debate that has gone on for decades. Political social work should be a field of practice, much like forensic social work, but I am willing to listen to other thoughts. We will address this during Social Work Day on the Hill on March 26 and Student Advocacy Day on March 27.