NASW. PACE

Social Workers and Politics
By Dr. Nancy A. Humphreys, DSW, ACSW

Several years ago I founded the Institute for the Advancement of Political Social Work Practice at the University of Connecticut-School of Social Work. The Institute is dedicated to expanding the role of social workers in politics and public policy making. From nearly the beginning of the profession, social workers have been called on to be active in politics. The Institute seeks to break new ground and expand our role in politics. It has two goals: The first is to increase the number of social workers in elected office. The second goal is to "push the envelope" on what is moral, legal and ethical for all social workers to do, especially direct service social workers, to improve the political empowerment of their clients. The importance of these new endeavors is the subject of this article.

Why social workers and other human service professionals should be in elected office

Good social service policy requires special knowledge and expertise. Today most public policy makers have no direct experience in social service work and as a result they lack first hand knowledge. Helping professionals, or for that matter clients and consumers, would bring needed knowledge and experience to public policy making. Another reason for political involvement is imbedded in the social change/social reform mission that is at the heart of the social work profession. Politicians can change policy that will either help or hurt clients; therefore social workers are obligated to be among those who are making policy. Years ago, when I first became a social worker, there was a lot of concern that social workers should not be the "handmaidens" of psychiatrists in the mental health field. During my career we social workers have come to dominate the mental health field. I do not want today's social workers to be the "handmaidens" of politicians and we will be unless we agree that some of us should run for office, get elected and serve.

In addition to being elected there are other ways we can have a direct "insider" affect on the world of politics. One is by working directly with and for elected officials. Increasingly, social workers are likely to be staff members of elected officials at all levels. As such we are proving ourselves by bringing important knowledge and skills to the work of politicians. More social workers are moving into paid positions as full time campaign workers, while others are working as full time lobbyists in private practice through contracts with agencies or employed by agencies to do their lobbying work. In the near future I predict that large agencies will find it necessary to have specialized staff who carry out their legislative and lobbying work. Political staff and lobbyists along with elected officials form the group who are political social workers, i.e., social workers who work in the political arena.

Many of the skills that social workers learn in a BSW/MSW program fit perfectly with the work of politics. Over the years I have interviewed many social workers in elected office. All of them have said that their BSW/MSW educations were perfect preparation for being a politician. We know about policy, how to do research, provide services to constituents, build coalitions, bargain and compromise. Most importantly we know how to learn what people need and how to get it for them. We can do all of these things because we are trained to assess people, situations, communities and organizations. We learn active listen and translate people's statements into concrete plans of action. We know how to engage people in focused action, advocate for the interests of the disadvantaged and vulnerable. We understand group dynamics and how to use them and are culturally sensitive and respectful.

While our training prepares us for politics, there are some gaps in our knowledge. To that end, the Institute runs a Campaign School each year that involves two days of intensive training on how to be involved in and run political campaigns. The Campaign School is specific training on political campaign organizing and includes special considerations of fund-raising, developing a campaign message and media plan, voter targeting and GOTV (get out the vote), and ways to handle your social work identity during a campaign. This event will be held April 29 and 30, 2005. If you are interested in getting more information, phone (860) 570-9262 or check our webpage www.ssw.ucoBD.edu/iapsw.htm or e-mail us at iapswp@uconnvm.uconn.edu.

Political Empowerment of Clients/Consumers
Any effort to increase the political power of clients begins with getting them registered to vote. In most states in order to vote you must be registered a specific number of days before the election. It is estimated that upwards of 40% of social service clients are not registered to vote. With most elections these days being very close, sometimes decided by a very small percentage of voters, our clients could have an impact on the outcome of elections. Participating in the political process would give those who often feel that they have no control over their lives some sense of power. As Gloria Steinem has said “By voting, a welfare mother can cancel out the recipient of corporate welfare: a young woman of color can gain an equal voice with an older white guy." Real empowerment begins with the exercise of political power.

Beyond getting clients registered, we must make sure they vote. The most difficult but necessary step in the process of political empowerment is educating clients to understand and vote their own political interests. This last step is hard to do in the nonpartisan manner necessary for social service agencies. Although difficult, it is a problem we continue to wrestle with.

Social workers and social service agencies are in an ideal position to empower clients' politics. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 mandates certain public social service agencies to do voter registration and encourages private agencies to do the same. In addition to registering clients, we must encourage them to vote. Every agency should have flyers and posters giving clients important information about where and when as well as the mechanics of voting. These are small but important steps that could lead to greater power for our clients. At our school, all students are urged to do a voter registration project as part of the field placement.

Empowering ourselves by becoming more active in electoral politics and empowering our clients by getting them involved in the political process are in the best tradition of social work and are what political social work practice is all about. More politically empowered social service professionals and consumers would also improve the decisions made and the services provided.

Dr. Nancy A. Humphreys is professor of Policy Practice and Director the Institute for the Advancement of Political Social Work Practice at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. She is the former Dean of the UConn SSW and Director of the Michigan School of Social Work. She is a Past President of the National Association of Social Workers and received the 2003 Lifetime Achievement from NASW. During her career she has held a number of local, state and federal appointed positions including serving as a member of President Jimmy Carter's National Advisory Committee on Women's issues.

For more information on Dr. Humphreys’ Institute for Political Social Work Practice Visit: http://politicalinstitute.uconn.edu.