Governor Proclaims Social Work Month 2023

WHEREAS, for decades, the social work profession has been dedicated to improving the well-being and enhancing the basic needs of all people, especially the most vulnerable; and

WHEREAS, this year’s Social Work Month theme, Social Work Breaks Barriers, embodies how social workers help empower individuals, families, and communities to overcome hurdles that prevent them from achieving better well-being; and

WHEREAS, social workers are the largest group of mental health care providers in the United States, working daily to help thousands of Americans overcome mental disorders such as depression and anxiety; and

WHEREAS, social workers have always helped people through issues such as the grief that follows the death of a loved one, as well as helping communities emotionally and mentally recover from increasing natural disasters such as fires, hurricanes, and earthquakes; and

WHEREAS, social workers have helped this nation live up to its values by advocating for equal rights for all, including people of color, Indigenous people, the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as people of all faiths; and

WHEREAS, the social work profession is one of the fastest growing career fields in the United States, with about 708,000 social workers employed today and 60,000 more social workers expected to enter the profession over the next decade; and

WHEREAS, social workers possess the necessary expertise to assist our nation with some of its most demanding concerns, including the health and well-being of many during the pandemic, and at all other times, focusing attention on equal rights, improved health and mental health care for all, and immigration reform; and

WHEREAS, social workers operate in schools, hospitals, mental health practices, veteran centers, child welfare agencies, the criminal justice system, corporations, federal, state, and local governments, and more – to meet people no matter their circumstance and empower them to live to their fullest potential;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim March, 2023, as “SOCIAL WORK MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.