Dear friends,
During National Social Work Month this March, we take the time to appreciate and celebrate the 725,000+ social workers across the nation who have devoted their careers to bettering the lives of others. As advocates for children and families in the child welfare system, CASA volunteers, staff and leadership know that social workers are essential. From caseworkers to therapists to high-level leadership, social workers are the foundation of the child welfare system.
Did you know that historically 90% of social workers in the United States identify as women? National Women’s History Month is also recognized in March, and in honor of this important month, we’re shining the light on a few women pioneers in the social work field. Jane Addams, the first woman to receive a Nobel Peace Prize in 1931, was a progressive social reformer and activist. In the early 19th century, Addams led an initiative to establish a School of Social Work at the University of Chicago in an effort to create educational support for a new profession. Another profound pioneer of the field was American civil rights activist and journalist, Mary Church Terrell. After graduating in 1884, Terrell became the first African-American woman to earn a college degree. Terrell was fiercely dedicated to championing racial equality and women’s suffrage in the late 19th and early 20th century. She is well known for helping to found the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the College Alumnae Club, later renamed the National Association of University Women. We encourage you to read more about the history of social work and the women pioneers who helped shape the field into what it is today.
Today, the social work profession is continuing to uphold the legacy of these pioneers by following a set of core values: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity and competence. We see these values on display each and every day from social workers advocating for children and families in care in our communities.
We are fortunate to have no shortage of dedicated social workers at Texas CASA:
- Chief Network Services Officer Deedra Baker, LMSW
- Public Policy Director Sarah Crockett, MSW
- Advocacy Initiatives Director Candice Dosman, MSW
- CFE Coach Catherine Herlich, LMSW
- CFE Coach Maria McCord, working towards an MSW
In each of their various roles, these devoted staff members are using their training to make the CASA difference for all children and families across the state. We are proud to recognize the esteemed social workers at Texas CASA and those in the statewide CASA community.
The services social workers provide are crucial to supporting families and preventing them from going into crisis. The need for more social workers is widely recognized and we hope more individuals will step into this important field of work. For those individuals who are retired social workers, we encourage you to consider becoming a CASA volunteer. Social worker skills and expertise are powerful tools to have as an advocate for a child experiencing foster care. For more information visit www.becomeacasa.org. We hope you will take time this month to help us celebrate all of the amazing social workers and their commitment to advocating for vulnerable children and supporting families.
Warmly,
