Happy Social Work Month!

HAPPY SOCIAL WORK MONTH!

Social Work Month is every March, and for March 2021 the national theme for this special time of the year honoring all social work professions is “Social Workers are Essential.”  Oh yes, many are essential and frontline.  Social workers continued their duties in the US and around the world as COVID spread to devastate the well-being of so many humans on this planet.  And throughout the world, social workers come together this month to spread word for needing acceptance of different groups, collective action, social solidarity, human rights, and a call for action on these issues.

So writing this blog, I felt that I could go down so many avenues to explore social work with everyone reading this.  That’s just it, social work really does have so many areas of service.  I remember the incredibly famous line I’d get after disclosing that I was a social worker “oh so you like take kids away from their families, that must be rough.”  While yes, that is one social work avenue, and yes it is very difficult to be put in that position (I do not even think “difficult” is a strong enough word), that is not the ONLY work of this profession.  But, that also taught me how little is known of this profession and how CPS workers carry the heavy burden of making these tough calls, have high caseloads and little pay, and intentionally or unintentionally are being shamed for what they do.  I also reflect back on some (not all) personal experiences where social workers were kind of “not essential” enough to be brought into meetings or included in the decision of what is best for a patient during their hospitalization, but rather told what to do for the patient.  Yeah, no….not this social worker.  And that is the great thing about most social workers, we don’t stay quiet…well maybe in the beginning to get our game plan ready and not curse anyone out…but then after some deep calming breaths we are ready for action.  Social workers might ruffle some feathers, but that is how we created change throughout history.  We are strong advocates for the safety and well-being of the population we serve.  We hold licenses to practice this profession, we have a bachelors, or masters, or yes even a Ph.D.  There are social workers like me who have their LCSW and offer clinical experience to help those with mental illness.  There are case managers at hospitals, psychiatric facilities, outpatient clinics, social services, etc.  There are social workers who provide research, program development and evaluation, create policies, and take leadership positions.  Some of us even become actors like Samuel Jackson and get to lead a team of super heroes!

I encourage people to explore the diversity of this profession!  Social workers do have one thing in common, we all want to see change for the better.  As I continue my journey in this profession, I am seeing social workers chipping away and evolving into something great.  Now social workers are being called to the important meeting, they are asked for their expertise for best practice on how to handle delicate situations, and yes we are being recognized for our degrees and licenses that we must hold to do our work. We hold trainings, create a space to talk about the current issues of the world, and educate the community.  Though there is still much work to be done (because let’s be serious, most do not get paid as well as their counterparts and are worked to the bones) to keep this momentum going, I see these little changes that give me hope.

Social workers are essential. Why?  Because those social workers at the hospital, they are there right alongside with that doctor or nurse, making those tough phone calls to families, creating discharges that are safe, providing counseling to a family that just lost their loved one, or talking down that human that is ready to put an end to life.  Because that doctor, nurse, or whoever is essential is starting to feel the reality of their work and needs that Clinical Social Worker alongside of them, cheering them on and helping them through their mental health journey during the most difficult of times.  Because we absorb some of the chaos, fear, sadness to help build a community that can thrive.  

At the end of the day, when I see someone make a step towards healing, when what was once felt broken or damaged to someone feels repaired, or when someone feels safe in my presence and works through their fears, it answers all those questions and worries I had as I was filling out my college applications for an MSW program.  It’s been an incredible journey filled with amazing stories and experiences taught to me by clients, other disciplinarians, my fellow social workers, and the community.

To all my fellow Social Workers out there, we ARE creating change.  But we can only create change if we are well ourselves.  Take that vacation without guilt, find a healthy way to de-stress after work, realize that we cannot change everything all at once, and create that balance with work and personal life to reduce burnout.  

To all the social workers out there, Happy Social Work Month and Day!

Kajal Patel, MSW, LCSW

Mental Health Therapist