Latest Edition of ‘Social Work Speaks’ Includes Updated Policy Statements

Publications

By Paul R. Pace

The 13th edition of “Social Work Speaks,” available now, is a comprehensive and unabridged collection of policies, including those adopted and revised by the NASW Delegate Assembly in 2024.

The policy statements in “Social Work Speaks” set the parameters for NASW’s positions and actions on a broad range of public policy and professional issues. Social Work Speaks is a reference tool that represents the collective thinking of thousands of social workers across all fields of practice.

NASW Chief of Programs Barbara Bedney, PhD, MSW, noted that the 13th edition includes updated statements on affirmative action, LGBTQIA2S+, racism, social justice, the death penalty, and electoral politics. In addition, these statements include new language on NASW’s commitment to equity and inclusion, including the banning of all forms of discrimination and harassment and the elimination of systemic racism.

The statements also address opposition to voter suppression; ending racial profiling and the death penalty; and promoting an inclusive, multicultural society with equal access to resources, services, education, and workplace opportunities for everyone, Bedney said.

“The updated statement on disasters highlights the importance of preparation, empowerment and crisis intervention based on the cultural context of those affected,” she said. “The policies on health care, end-of-life decision-making, homelessness, substance use disorders, and youth suicide highlight workforce issues important to social workers, including title protection, payment equality and reimbursement.”

The 13th edition includes the need for the expansion of services for those experiencing homelessness as well as family, school and community-based programs that enhance protective factors against youth suicide, Bedney noted. It also addresses increasing access to affordable treatment for substance use disorders, and equitable access to affordable hospice and palliative care.

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