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2010 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 23
Designating the month of March, in 2010 and in each succeeding year, as Professional Social Work Month in Virginia.
 
Agreed to by the Senate, February 16, 2010
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 26, 2010
 

WHEREAS, the first college social work class was offered in the summer of 1898, and since then, social workers have led the way in developing private and charitable organizations to serve people in need; and

WHEREAS, social workers help people in all stages of life, from children to the elderly, and in all situations from adoption to hospice care; and

WHEREAS, social workers work in a variety of settings, including schools, courtrooms, drug clinics, hospitals, senior centers, shelters, nursing homes, the military, disaster relief, prisons, and corporations; and

WHEREAS, social workers are dedicated to improving the society in which we live and connecting individuals, families, and communities to available resources; and

WHEREAS, social workers have the education and experience needed to guide individuals, families, and communities through complex situations, issues, and choices because they earn a bachelor’s degree in social work and advanced degrees at the master’s or doctoral levels; and

WHEREAS, the practice of social work requires knowledge of human development and behavior; social, economic, and cultural institutions; and the interaction and impacts of all these factors; and

WHEREAS, the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values embraced by social workers throughout the profession’s history, which include social justice, dignity and worth of the individual, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence; and

WHEREAS, social workers stand up for others to make sure everyone has access to the same basic rights, protections, and opportunities; and

WHEREAS, according to the last census, the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported social work as one of the fastest growing careers in the nation, with nearly 600,000 people currently holding social work degrees nationally; and the profession is expected to grow 30 percent by 2010; and

WHEREAS, Professional Social Work Month will build awareness of the role of professional social workers and their commitment and dedication to individuals, families, and communities everywhere though service delivery, research, education, and legislative advocacy; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly designate the month of March, in 2010 and in each succeeding year, as Professional Social Work Month in Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to the president of the National Association of Social Workers—Virginia Chapter and the commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services, so that they may further disseminate copies of this resolution to their constituents; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the Senate post the designation of this month on the General Assembly’s website.