March is Social Work Month. Appleseed Community Mental Health Center is helping celebrate this year’s Social Work Month with the theme “Social Work Breaks Barriers,” to highlight how social workers have enriched our society by empowering people and communities to overcome hurdles that prevent them from living life to the fullest. The theme “Social Work Breaks Barriers” resonates because social workers are on the frontlines helping our nation overcome a myriad of challenges, including trauma, economic inequality, racism, and natural disasters.
People become social workers because they have a strong desire to help others and make society a better place. Social workers have transformed millions of lives. Chances are over the course of your lifetime, you, a family member, or a friend have been helped by a social worker. According to a new survey released this month by Ipsos, 80% of Americans have a favorable opinion of social workers. And 81% of people who have interacted with a social worker say a member of the profession improved their situation or that of a family member.
Social workers have been at the forefront of the global Covid-19 pandemic. When many were quarantined at home, social workers were out in their communities—making sure children and at-risk youth were attending classes over Zoom, providing food and other resources to the elderly or those experiencing homelessness, helping those with mental health or substance-use disorder get the help they needed to stay healthy, and helping tens of thousands of people of people stay connected to the community.
Each day, social workers break barriers in innovative ways that help millions of Americans live their best lives. During Social Work Month, we urge you to educate yourselves about our amazing profession, thank the social workers in your lives, and help support the profession. For more information on the services that Appleseed Community Mental Health Center offers, visit www.AppleseedMentalHealth.com. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, call Appleseed’s 24-hour crisis hotline at 419-289-6111. If you need immediate help, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
