Southeast Ga NASW

Welcome

Welcome to the Southeast Georgia Unit of the National Association of Social Workers. This unit includes Savannah, Brunswick, and Statesboro.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest organization of professional social workers with 155,000 members. Founded in 1955, NASW has its national office in Washington, DC, and 56 chapters in the United States and abroad.

Mission Statement

NASW is a membership organization that promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW also seeks to enhance the effective functioning and well-being of individuals, families, and communities through its work and through its advocacy.

Social Workers

Social workers are trained professionals who have bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees in social work. They practice in a wide variety of settings, including family services agencies, community mental health centers, child welfare, private practice, schools, hospitals, businesses, nursing homes, courts, prisons, and public and private agencies. Social workers address problems as varied as substance abuse, family conflicts, workplace tensions, health problems, disabilities, mental illness, inadequate housing, poverty, and violence. Social workers work directly with individuals and families, as well as in public policy, administration, research, community organizing, and advocacy.

Professional social workers are the nation’s largest group of mental health services providers. Federal law recognizes social work as one of the four core mental health professions. About half of NASW members are clinical social workers in direct services. NASW members pledge to uphold a strict code of ethics.

Activities

NASW works to promote the social work profession, advance social work practice, and shape public policy.

Advocacy. NASW’s public policy advocacy includes lobbying for legislation to improve health, welfare, and other human services programs; advocating for civil rights and for appropriate recognition of the social work profession; and supporting political candidates who back sound social policies.

Consumer Protection. To protect the public and ensure high quality social work services, NASW sets practice standards, enforces a code of ethics, and works to improve state regulation of social work.

Credentials. NASW offers voluntary professional social work credentials and publishes a roster of clinical practitioners, the NASW Register of Clinical Social Workers. Credentials include

	the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) for independent, self-regulated practice
	the Diplomate in Clinical Social Work for advanced clinical practice
	School Social Work Specialist (SSWS) for specialty practice as a school social work professional
	Qualified Clinical Social Worker for clinical practitioners who qualify to be listed in the NASW Register of Clinical Social Workers

Professional Advancement. NASW provides its members with services including continuing education, conferences and workshops, professional journals and publications, and specialty practice sections to meet diverse member interests. Membership services also include insurance, professional liability insurance, and a tax-deferred annuity plan.

Public Awareness. NASW actively promotes Social Work Month in March. This has taken the form of annual public service campaigns to educate the public on pressing social issues, and, more recently, campaigns designed to increase an accurate awareness of the social work profession.

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	Southeast Georgia NASW Chair (Stephanie Cruwys)