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SENATE 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, "Social
7Workers Are Essential", embodies the need to recognize the
8extraordinary contributions of the profession to our society;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, The social work profession is expected to grow
11faster than average over the next seven years, with more than
12682,000 people nationwide expected to be employed as social
13workers by 2026; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Social workers elevate and empower people, giving
15them the ability to solve problems, cope with personal
16roadblocks, and get the resources they need to succeed; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Over 20,000 licensed social workers are present
18throughout our State, deeply woven into our society; social
19workers are active in state government, schools, universities,
20social service agencies, and communities; they own and operate
21numerous private practice small businesses and work in

 

 

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1corporations, the military, and healthcare and mental health
2settings; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Social workers are the largest group of providers
4of mental health services in the United States as well as in
5Illinois, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is one
6of the largest employers of social workers holding advanced
7degrees; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Social workers travel across the State and the
9nation to aide people in crisis, helping them overcome issues
10such as death and grief, gun violence, epidemics,
11environmental pollution, and natural disasters such as
12wildfires, tornados, and floods; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Social workers have been in the forefront on
14social justice for decades, pushing for equal rights for
15women, African Americans, Latinos, people who are disabled,
16people who are LGBTQ, and various ethnic, cultural, and
17religious groups; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The social work profession has been on the
19cutting edge of helping create changes to make our society a
20better place to live for more than a century, including voting
21rights, improved workplace safety, a minimum wage, and social
22safety net 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 SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
8ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare the month of
9March 2021 as Social Work Month in the State of Illinois; and
10be 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.