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Theme and Rationale for
Social Work Month 2026

People standing around smiling with their hands in the center

Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform.

The 2026 Social Work Month theme honors the prime mission of the Social Work profession – to enhance human well-being, meet the basic human needs of all people, and put special attention on the needs and empowerment of people are vulnerable, oppressed and living in poverty.

The ability of Social Workers to uplift, defend and positively transform the millions of people they work with each day is needed now more than ever. That is because our nation is experiencing a period of deep cultural, political, and economic divide.

Social safety net programs such as Medicare and Medicaid face budget cuts. Voting rights are being rolled back in several states. Discrimination against certain populations, including transgender people and people of color, is on the rise. And our nation continues to face a mental health crisis, with suicide rates rising 36 percent between 2000 and 2022.

Social Workers are on the front lines, helping individuals and communities so they can overcome personal and societal challenges and even thrive. Social Workers are also adept at bringing people and communities together – no matter their political affiliation – so they can find common ground and work to improve the welfare of all.

There are more than 810,000 Social Workers in the United States and it is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Social Workers are in all areas of our society – with veterans, in schools, in social service and child welfare agencies, in adoption and foster care, in mental health care and health care, and in local, state, and federal government to name a few.

You have social workers who uplift, such as Social Worker of the Year Victor Armstrong of North Carolina, a leading suicide prevention expert who helps people get the mental health support they need.

You have Social Workers who help defend, such as Caitlin Ryan at the Family, Acceptance Project. Ryan advocates for LGBTQ youth, helping them gain acceptance and support of their families.

And there are social workers who transform, such as Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Dr. Georgia J. Anetzberger of Ohio, who has worked for more than 50 years to ensure people who are growing older can still live enriched, fulfilling lives with dignity.

During Social Work Month in March 2026, we will honor the Social Work profession and educate the public about the contributions of the profession. Here are the campaign highlights:

  • A Day in the Life of Social Workers series will feature videos from social workers from around the nation talking about what they experience each day and how they uplift, defend, and transform the people they work with.
  • Media Tour/Op Ed Placements: NASW CEO Anthony Estreet will do a series of interviews with the media during Social Work Month in March.
  • 101 Things to Do with a Social Work Degree: This video and podcast series with authors Melanie Sage and Laurel Hitchcock will look at the myriad places Social Workers work in our society and the positive contributions they make.
  • Social Work Merchandise: NASW’s official vendor, Jim Coleman LTD, provides merchandise that can be used to promote the theme Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform.
  • What I Know Series: We will pair NASW Social Work Pioneers with newer professionals so they both sides can share their experiences
  • Facebook/YouTube Live Event: “Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform. Behind the Scenes” Panels with Social Workers from multiple sectors will discuss what they are experiencing in the current political and social environment and what the profession must do to bring about positive change.