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HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The social work profession is dedicated to
3enhancing well-being and helping meet the basic needs of all
4people, especially those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and
5living in poverty; and
 
6    WHEREAS, This year's Social Work Month theme, "Elevate
7Social Work", embodies the need to recognize the extraordinary
8contributions of the profession to our society; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The social work profession is expected to grow
10faster than average over the next seven years, with more than
11682,000 people nationwide expected to be employed as social
12workers by 2026; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Social workers elevate and empower people, giving
14them the ability to solve problems, cope with personal
15roadblocks, and get the resources they need to succeed; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Over 20,000 licensed social workers are present
17throughout our State, deeply woven into our society; social
18workers are active in state government, schools, universities,
19social service agencies, and communities; they own and operate
20numerous private practice small businesses and work in
21corporations, the military, and healthcare and mental health

 

 

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1settings; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Social workers are the largest group of providers
3of mental health services in the United States as well as in
4Illinois, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is one of
5the largest employers of social workers holding advanced
6degrees; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Social workers travel across the State and the
8nation to aide people in crisis, helping them overcome issues
9such as death and grief, gun violence, epidemics, environmental
10pollution, and natural disasters such as wildfires, tornados,
11and floods; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Social workers have been in the forefront on
13social justice for decades, pushing for equal rights for women,
14African Americans, Latinos, people who are disabled, people who
15are LGBTQ, and various ethnic, cultural, and religious groups;
16and
 
17    WHEREAS, The social work profession has been on the cutting
18edge of helping create changes to make our society a better
19place to live for more than a century, including voting rights,
20improved workplace safety, a minimum wage, and social safety
21net programs that ameliorate poverty and hunger; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Social workers stand ready to help our State
2overcome current pressing issues, including equal rights for
3all, the need for improved availability of health care and
4mental health services, a reformed criminal justice system, a
5fairer tax code, an educational system that achieves true
6equity, and a cleaner environment; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
8HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
9we declare the month of March 2019 as Social Work Month in the
10State of Illinois; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to the National Association of Social
13Workers-Illinois Chapter with our sincere appreciation for
14their efforts.