70 Years: NASW Looks to the Past to Inspire the Future of Social Work

By Heather Rose Artushin, LISW-CP

Since 1955, NASW has led the way in uniting social workers under a shared set of values and ethical responsibilities, advocating for the social work profession and the communities it serves, and standing up for social justice.

This year, NASW celebrates 70 years at a crossroads. Looking back on all that social workers have overcome throughout the organization’s history offers strength to stand firm on its values in the face of the unprecedented challenges social workers face today. NASW’s accomplished history provides inspiration for those looking forward to the future with hope and determination to build on the foundations laid by social work pioneers.

NASW started in 1955 when seven different organizations came together to create one unified body of social workers. “The idea around it was to create this space where social workers can gather and speak with a unified voice to address social challenges,” said NASW CEO Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C. “Still today NASW is a place where we can gather to use our collective voice to solve the challenges of this time, to organize, advocate and create a sense of community around things that social workers care about—mental health, substance use, child welfare, and more. If you’re part of NASW you’re going to find your people. There’s a lot of intersectionality in the work we do.”

This year also marks the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act, which was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Aug. 14, 1935. Equally important are Medicare and Medicaid, programs that were established 60 years ago as part of the Social Security Amendments of 1965. This seemingly monumental year serves as an important reminder of how social workers are at the heart of the creation, strengthening, and preservation of these agencies and programs that are now facing new uncertainties under the Trump administration.

Policy Challenges to Social Work Values

Throughout its rich history, NASW has been at the forefront of iconic social movements that have contributed to the progress of America. From the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s to the fight for marriage equality and LGBTQ+ rights in the 2000s, NASW has been a leader for social progress. In the 1970s, NASW launched the National Committee on Women’s Issues (NCOWI) to combat gender inequities, and in the 1990s the organization advocated for legal recognition of the social work profession in all 50 states, and for social work to be recognized for third-party reimbursement in federal, state and private insurance programs.

Today, NASW is advocating for important advances in the social work profession, like the interstate licensure compact, which allows social workers to practice across state lines with a single license. Compact legislation has been passed in 30 states so far. The association also has supported revising the Association of Social Work Boards licensing exams to eliminate bias and open alternative pathways to licensure, and has worked in coalition to reduce the burden of student loan debt.

As NASW turns 70, many social work clients are losing state-funded health insurance and are facing an increase in barriers to mental health and substance use care, exacerbating the nationwide mental health crisis, as a result of “The One Big Beautiful Bill” passed on July 4. Families fear being separated and racial profiling has escalated as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) receives unprecedented funding—all while LGBTQ+ rights have been under attack, as have diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the country. As an organization, and a profession, these challenges can feel overwhelming— a direct affront to social work’s values and ethics.

NASW has a blueprint of public policy priorities centered around advancing the social work profession and protecting the individuals, families and communities it serves. Members can sign up for policy action alerts and stay abreast of legislation changes impacting social workers and their clients on NASW’s Action Center web page. “Social workers need to be involved in these issues, and rise up as leaders,” said Barbara Bedney, PhD, MSW, NASW’s chief of programs. “We are stronger together.”

As NASW celebrates its history, it’s important to note that social workers have always been change agents, and are qualified and well-positioned to lead the way to a more equitable, socially just and compassionate future—not only for the profession, but for the communities they care for. Perhaps the social workers who comprise the heartbeat of NASW today have been called to the profession for such a time as this.

“I am proud of the way we are standing up and fighting back against what is happening in the world and in the country right now,” Bedney said. “I believe history will look back on us and know we were in the right place at the right time doing the right thing. We are going to do what we can to protect and preserve the health and well-being of this country and the people who live here.”

AI and Social Work

Artificial Intelligence (AI), the newest technological frontier, is something the NASW Office of Ethics and Professional Review has been discussing for several years in terms of its impact on the social work profession. “All of us, professionally and personally, are being impacted by AI,” said Andrea Murray, MSW, LICSW, director of the OEPR. “Our goal is to keep up with what is already moving very quickly in terms of the way AI is impacting our lives, and the charge of the association is to provide the tools necessary to support social workers with developing the policies and guardrails necessary to ensure it is utilized in a way that does not detrimentally affect the work that we do.”

While some social workers are fully embracing AI technology in their practices to make administrative tasks faster, to produce educational materials for professional development courses, to synthesize and analyze data, or even to write social media posts for digital advocacy, others are hesitant to adopt this unbridled technology. The presence of AI in our profession cannot be ignored, but instead should be used consciously through an ethical lens. “There has to be a greater focus on the integration of technology, social work practice, and advocacy,” emphasized Estreet. “AI is here now, and social workers are using it. We need to make sure we’re providing guidance to protect our clients and the profession.”

Algorithmic bias and discrimination is a significant concern for social workers using AI. Research reveals that AI may tend to discriminate against certain racial, gender, or socioeconomic groups, disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities. AI also raises concerns about confidentiality, and transparency in decision-making.

Overall, the strong interpersonal skills and people-focused perspective that social workers bring is becoming increasingly valuable in today’s machine-driven world. “With AI there are benefits to it, but there are also biases, and there’s a lack of human connection,” Bedney said. “I think in today’s world, people want connection more than anything else, and it is one of the things that social workers do best.”

Ethics

This year also marks the 65th anniversary of the Code of Ethics, established in October of 1960. The Code of Ethics began as a one-page document that has evolved into a 30-page pamphlet over the past 65 years. The code is comprehensive and has stood the test of time, providing sound guidance to this day.

“It continues to remain relevant,” Murray said. “Over the years as I have applied the Code of Ethics through the provision of ethics consultations, a service our office provides to members, I can always find a code that connects to the dilemma of the professional seeking answers around new and emerging concerns.”

In 2017, a significant revision of the Code of Ethics was made through the lens of technology’s impact on social work practice. “Who would have thought in 2020 we would see such a pivot to telehealth, something the profession had questioned and was previously tentative about that became a need and a reality during the COVID-19 pandemic,” reflected Murray.

Data collected over the past 20 years of ethics consultations reveals that what’s most frequently on the minds of social workers year after year is privacy and confidentiality. “Whether we’re at a technological explosion, a health crisis like COVID, or even a social justice crisis, privacy and confidentiality come up as the most inquired-about topics,” she said. “Another topic that arises frequently is conflicts of interest.”

Honoring the evolution of the Code of Ethics this year offers an opportunity to reconnect with the social work core values that guide our work, no matter where we practice. “Just as our code has evolved over the years, I think we need to look at what that means as we provide services, whether in direct practice, management, or as a professional that doesn’t have ‘social work’ in the title but you have matriculated through a school of social work—we are all one, and we have a collective charge to be the voice for those who are disadvantaged, to stand for the values of social justice, to stand for the value of service, to uphold the dignity and worth of the person and importance of human relationships, with integrity, and to serve with competence,” Murray said. “These are the six core values of the code, no matter your charge in the profession, we can all agree upon these things.”

Social Justice

“Today we are assuming a social justice focus, taking us back to the core values and principles of the social work profession,” Murray said. “We are seeing social workers in every capacity revisiting those core values and making decisions around what it means and what it looks like applied during today’s very polarized times.”

In recent years, NASW has facilitated a transition in its professional standards from cultural competence, to sensitivity, to humility, just as anti-DEI legislation has dismantled DEI positions at companies and universities across the nation, forbidding institutions from using diversity statements in hiring or university admissions.

“NASW has led the way in advancing DEI by supporting and encouraging social workers in taking action to dismantle systems of oppression, and to be leaders and partners in the movement for racial justice and promote anti-racism within the profession,” said Karen Bullock, PhD, LICSW, chair of NASW’s National Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity, a 2024 NASW Social Work Pioneer® inductee, and the association’s new president-elect. She will assume her role as president next year. “At a time when many social work practitioners, organizations and partners have been ordered to dismantle DEI initiatives, actions and resources, NASW Code of Ethics is our ‘north star.’ We can look to it for the strength we need to forge ahead and stand firm against attempts to undo what we are committed to and represent as a profession. NASW Code of Ethics is clear that the primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.”

An unwavering commitment to social justice can guide social workers through this unique time in history, as they face legislation that directly contradicts the profession’s Code of Ethics. “What does it look like to have laws that go against our professional values?” Murray said. “Which wins, and what guidance can we provide social workers who want to stand up to injustice in the face of laws and legislation that say otherwise?” These are big questions, and Murray says she is confident NASW will be able to bring together thought leaders in the profession to solve them.

NASW and the social work profession as a whole continue to uphold social justice and cultural humility—values at the heart of the work social workers do. “Social workers are leading the way, and will continue to lead,” Estreet said. “What I am most proud of right now is that, even in the space of this harmful administration, we are still pushing for diversity and celebrating equity. I hope we continue the same level of advocacy, and that in the future more people can show up as who they are and access the resources they need.”

Making an Impact

Becoming a member of NASW is a choice that has shaped the trajectory of many social workers’ lives, embracing them in a community of like-minded professionals, supporting them with resources that have facilitated their growth into leadership roles, and reconnecting them with their broader purpose in advancing social justice and equity.

“NASW has been part of my life since I was in the MSW program at Howard University,” recalls Yvonne Chase, PhD, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, president of NASW. “I remember Mark Battle, a former executive director of NASW, was one of my professors. I remember him telling his students, ‘If you are going to be a social worker, you need to be part of the profession.’ That’s when I joined NASW.”

For Bullock, NASW membership has been a priority from the start of her career. As an undergraduate student, her mentor, Dr. Wilma Peebles-Wilkins, a Social Work Pioneer and former dean of the Boston University School of Social Work, told her about the benefits of being a member of NASW, and from that time on Bullock wanted to join. “I could not afford to pay the membership fee, and I worked two to three jobs throughout my undergraduate studies. Years later, once I was able to find the financial support to join, I made a commitment to prioritize maintaining my membership. I moved around the country for my social work education and training, and being a member of NASW provided continuity. I developed a professional identity and connections to people who were doing what I one day hoped to achieve. All these years later, I lead by example and stand on the shoulders of many who have gone before me, who were NASW members who taught me the importance of the membership to enrich my professional life and to support my goals.”

As a member for more than three decades, Bullock has witnessed many changes in the organization through the years, and has contributed to some of these changes, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We as a society, and NASW as our membership organization, pivoted to incorporate unprecedented changes that for some were welcomed changes, while for others were unsettling and unwelcomed; but that is always the outcome of change … .”

NASW also has helped many students access social work education and mentorship over the years, empowering professionals in the same way social workers go on to empower the clients and communities they serve. Social work students today are following in the footsteps of those who have gone before them, connecting to NASW at the outset of their careers with a strong vision for the future of the organization.

“By enhancing the professional growth and development of members, maintaining professional standards for practice, and advancing social policies, I hope NASW can serve as a partner for me at every stage of my career,” said Jordan Lummus, current University of Michigan MSW student and 2025-2026 inaugural NASW Foundation Neysa Fanwick Scholarship recipient. “I would love to see the association continue to support economic and social empowerment by creating more scholarship opportunities, facilitating more access to up-to-date research, publications, and workshops, and providing more career support resources to new and seasoned social workers alike.”

Looking Forward

Social workers are serving in an increasingly wide range of roles and practice settings, and social workers of tomorrow will likely continue to expand the reach of social work practice beyond what has been thought possible. “We spend a lot of time as social workers empowering others, but as a profession we are in the process of finding our voice, and reinventing our professional identity,” said Murray. “Social workers today are working in many capacities with a united commitment to advocacy and promoting the values that our profession stands on.”

International social work is an emerging area of practice garnering increased interest. As the world shrinks through technology and ease of travel, and global issues rise to the forefront, social workers are inspired and equipped to serve geographically diverse communities, advocating for human rights and the health and well-being of people around the world.

“Supporting the next generation of social workers includes supporting stipends for field placements, ensuring that standards are in place for critical areas (e.g., suicide prevention), and ensuring there are guidelines for the ethical use of AI,” said Chase. “I also think, as a new administration takes office in 2029, we will see a re-emergence of international social work, as we work to rebuild the global support structure that is being eliminated by this administration.”

The vision for NASW’s future is multifaceted and focused on leadership and empowering social workers with increased compensation and recognition for the important work they do. “I would love to see NASW as a leading voice around AI technology, digital advocacy, and what leadership can look like in these spaces,” Estreet said. “Expanding the workforce, ensuring that social workers are recognized for the work they are doing, creating a strong brand and increasing public awareness through education, and ensuring we are being paid for the work we do. Recognizing social workers for the full scope of what we do, across the continuum from banking, to finance, technology, military, expanding the full view of what social work does. Social workers really are everywhere.”

Heather Rose Artushin, LISW-CP, is on a mission to make a difference, one word at a time. Learn more at heatherrosewriter.com.