HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.215
Reps. Coffia, Arbit, Brabec, Breen, Byrnes, Fitzgerald,
Glanville, Haadsma, Hill, Hood, Hope, Morgan, Morse, Paiz, Rheingans,
Weiss, Witwer and Young offered the following resolution:
1 A resolution to declare March 2024 as Social Work Month in the
2 state of Michigan.
3 Whereas, Social work is a profession dedicated to truly and
4 genuinely helping people; and
5 Whereas, The primary mission of social work is to enhance
6 human well-being and help meet the basic and complex needs of all
7 people; and
8 Whereas, Social workers put a particular focus on helping
9 people who are vulnerable, oppressed, or living in poverty; and
10 Whereas, Social workers follow a code of ethics that calls on
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1 them to fight injustice, and respect the dignity and worth of all
2 people; and
3 Whereas, Social workers meet people where they are and help
4 people and communities reach their full potential; and
5 Whereas, For more than a century, the social work profession
6 has worked to improve this society, with social workers playing a
7 role in establishing a minimum wage, Social Security, and Medicare,
8 and working to ensure equal rights for all; and
9 Whereas, Social workers work in all facets of our society,
10 including schools, hospitals, community organizations, the
11 military, mental health centers, social service agencies,
12 corporations, and local, state, and federal government; and
13 Whereas, Social workers are on the frontlines in helping this
14 nation solve pressing social problems, including an increased
15 demand for mental health services, an opioid addiction crisis, and
16 economic inequality; and
17 Whereas, Social workers are in high demand, with some states
18 reporting shortages in staffing and the U.S. Bureau of Labor
19 Statistics predicting that social work will be one of the fastest
20 growing professions in our nation during this decade; and
21 Whereas, A 2023 public opinion survey found that social work
22 has a public approval rating of more than 80 percent and more than
23 half of Americans say social workers deserve higher pay; and
24 Whereas, The 2024 Social Work Month theme, “Empowering Social
25 Workers” embodies the need for our society to support social
26 workers so they can continue to do the life-affirming work they do
27 and help address societal needs; and
28 Whereas, Social workers in turn empower people, communities,
29 and our nation, helping everyone achieve their full potential; and
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1 Whereas, There are over 30,000 licensed social workers in the
2 state of Michigan; now, therefore, be it
3 Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of
4 this legislative body declare March 2024 as Social Work Month in
5 the state of Michigan. In recognition of the numerous contributions
6 made by Michigan’s social workers, we call upon all citizens to
7 join us in celebration and support of the social work profession
8 and social workers across our state.