WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has selected well-known suicide prevention advocate Victor R. Amstrong Sr., MSW, as the 2025 National Social Worker of the Year.
An NASW member for 26 years, Armstrong is being recognized for his leadership in public mental health, suicide prevention, and health equity.
Vice president for Health Equity and Engagement with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Armstrong was the first chief health equity officer for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). He has more than 30 years of experience in human services, primarily dedicated to building and strengthening community resources to assist those who are marginalized.
He currently serves on the steering committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, as well as the 988 National Advisory Committee. He is on the board of directors for College for Behavioral Health Leadership, Recovery Innovations International, and i2i Center for Integrative Health. He is a member of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and is the host of the “Strong Talk” podcast.
In March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began, Armstrong was named director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services at NCDHHS. He was charged with overseeing the state’s public mental health, substance-use systems, and traumatic brain injury system. He also brought attention to how the pandemic amplified racial disparities in behavioral health care.
In 2021, Armstrong was appointed as NCDHHS’s first deputy secretary of health equity and chief health equity officer. He promoted the state’s health equity strategy, diversity, and inclusion across all of NCDHHS. His work focused on embedding equity and inclusion into all aspects of the department’s programs and internal culture.
Armstrong’s professional work has consistently intersected with his passion for suicide prevention, a topic on which he is a nationally recognized speaker. You can find him regularly discussing it on X @1of2vics. His efforts are grounded in personal experience and include national board service with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). In 2023, he was named AFSP’s first vice president for health equity and engagement. In this national role, he works across departments to guide strategies that address disparities in mental health and suicide prevention efforts.
A social justice advocate, Armstrong has spoken at events nationwide on topics such as suicide in marginalized communities; implicit bias in behavioral health; and the role of faith communities in mental wellness. He has appeared before Congress, contributed to policy development, and has been featured in national media outlets, including The New York Times, PBS, and other media.
Armstrong is active in the professional social work community. He was the keynote speaker at NASW-North Carolina’s 2021 Advocacy Week and has contributed to conferences and workshops focused on stigma, access to care, and health disparities. He was named NASW North Carolina’s Social Worker of the Year in 2022.
He holds an MSW from East Carolina University and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from North Carolina Central University. He previously held leadership positions in state government, hospital systems, and national nonprofits. Throughout his career, Armstrong has maintained a focus on expanding access to mental health care and improving outcomes for underserved populations.