Policy Updates


Latest Updates

Dec 02, 2021

NASW commends the U.S. House of Representatives for its passage of the historic Build Back Better Act. We urge the Senate now to pass a robust package that will advance social well-being, promote health equity, create an inclusive economy, and help the nation recover from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Dec 02, 2021

NASW, University of Michigan White House Field Placement Paper Explores Macro Policy Practice and Political Social Work

The White House as a Field Placement: Reflections on the Past and a Future for Policy and Political Practice, released by NASW and the University of Michigan, explores macro policy field placements, political social work, and policy practice roles for social workers.

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Nov 11, 2021

Medicare Finalizes Rule for CY 2022, Includes Welcome Telehealth Continuation Provisions

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 3 released a Medicare final rule for Calendar Year 2022 that includes welcome provisions on telehealth and the Quality Payment Program (QPP). The agency has implemented many of the provisions that NASW requested in its comment letter.

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Nov 04, 2021

Make Child Tax Credit Permanent, Says NASW and 800+ Individuals and Organizations

NASW is pleased by the inclusion of the enhanced Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan through 2022 and that full refundability will be made permanent. NASW, along with more than 800 individual social workers, social work scholars, researchers, and allied professional organizations, including NASW chapters, signed a letter in October urging Congress to make the expanded Child Tax Credit permanent and fully refundable.

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Nov 04, 2021

NASW is working in partnership with the Legal Action Center’s Medicare Addiction Parity Project to collect stories from people who use Medicare and who have not been able to get the substance use disorder treatment they need. We are asking social workers, colleagues, family, and friends to submit stories that will be used to encourage policymakers to improve treatment and access to substance use disorder and other behavioral health services.

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Oct 07, 2021

U.S. Department of Education to Overhaul Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program

NASW, active in coalition around strengthening the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and restoring the failed promise of loan forgiveness for public service workers, is pleased to learn that the U.S. Department of Education (DoEd) will overhaul the PSLF program. The changes are substantial and will result in many social workers getting student loans forgiven and/or years of public service counted toward forgiveness.

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Oct 07, 2021

ACTION ALERT: Send this prewritten, customizable email now to your Senators and Representative urging co-sponsorship of the Improving Access to Mental Health Act.

The Improving Access to Mental Health Act (S. 870/H.R. 2035) was reintroduced in the 117th Congress by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and John Barrasso (R-WY) and Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA-13).

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Sep 23, 2021

NASW is among 18 organizations that has endorsed the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner (COCM) Act (H.R. 5218), which will improve access to evidence-based mental health and substance use care by supporting and investing in the implementation of the Collaborative Care Model in primary care offices.

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Sep 23, 2021

NASW has signed on to be a partner organization for the October 2, 2021, Women’s March. The purpose of the Women’s March is to mobilize and defend our reproductive rights.

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Sep 02, 2021

Review the Changes and Comment by September 13

In July 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule that announced proposed policy and practice changes for Medicare Part B payments beginning January 1, 2022. The proposed changes may impact the work and reimbursement of social workers in various settings and that of other Medicare providers.

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NASW Members who attended NASW's 2023 Advocacy Day

NASW Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill

Nearly 100 social workers from 44 states and two U.S. territories attended 143 meetings with Congressional offices in the U.S. House and Senate on June 28, 2023

Read about their advocacy work on behalf of social workers and those they serve


Pioneers at 2023 event

Social Work Pioneers Learn about New Challenges and Community Building

The 2023 NASW Social Work Pioneers program honored members who contributed to the evolution and enrichment of the social work profession.

Learn more about the Pioneer program and the social workers who transformed our profession.


Sarah Butts in front of the Capitol

How NASW Advocates for the Profession

Learn how NASW advocates for social work