The Political Power of Social Work

Christi Granstaff, MSWBrian Dautch, MA,JDRebecca Myers, LSW

…the power of social work

October 2008

©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 1

©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 2

Macro practice that relates to government, especially the conduct of government, the making

of governmental policy and running for and holding elected office.

Political Social Work Defined

Elected office: local, state and national

• Local party, school board, council, mayor, county, controller

• State legislature, governor• Congress, president

Example: Rebecca Myers, School Board

Settings for Political Social Work

Political Campaigns

• Local, state and national• Campaign organizer/manager• Policy staff for campaign

Settings and Roles

Advocacy / Lobbying Organizations

• Non-profit and for profit• Issue specific or industry/profession specific• Lobbying/advocacy staff• Field organizer

Example: Christi Granstaff, Deputy Director, Tennessee Primary Care Association

Settings and Roles

Staff for Elected Officials

• Constituent services• Policy staff• Issue area staff

Example: Valerie Grasso, MSW, Congressional Research Service

Settings and Roles

Political Appointments: Volunteer and Paid

• Volunteer committees• Cabinet positions• Government agency appointments

Example: Alexis Herman, Secretary of Labor

Settings and Roles

Knowledge of Direct Social Work Service:

•Provides an important contribution to the political environment •Enhances our skills as political social workers•Creates and advocates for effective policies for clients, social workers, and agencies

Skills Needed

• A survey of social workers serving in elected office demonstrates that most of the 12 skill areas identified in NASW’s standards for the classification of social work practice apply to political social work.

Skills Needed

• Keeping current about issues• Responding to the demands and needs of

constituencies• Social workers in political office have little trouble

with these skills because of their social work training. (Haynes & Mikelson, 2005)

Skills Needed

• “People” skills of listening, responding, persuading, and caring

• Political skills of linking, brokering, and advocacy

• Ability to consider alternative solutions • Consensus building• Negotiation and mediation

Skills Needed

For working With Constituents:

• Navigating government agencies and services   • Completing short term and task-centered activities• Assisting people with accessing benefits and services• Resolving disputes between people and agencies• Creating a group to identify and address common needs

or issues

Skills Needed

• Employer confusion• Difficulty in raising funds for elective office• Inability to take time off to run for office

(Haynes & Mikelson, 2006)

Challenges

Too many decisions are made affecting the clients we serve to leave it only to non-social workers. So few come with our background, and there are many who just don’t grasp the approach of problem solving or understand

human behavior. Maine social worker and member of the legislature

(Haynes & Mikelson, 2005)

©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 15

Political Social Work as a Tool for Every Practice

• Ethical mandate• Skills needed• Examples

• Political social workers are held to the same values and ethics as other social workers

• Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers

Ethical Mandate

NASW Code of Ethics Section 6 – Ethical Responsibility to Society

Social Workers Should Engage in Social and Political Action

seek to ensure that all people have equal access to the resources, employment, services, and opportunities they require to meet their basic human needs and to develop fully.

Ethical Mandate

NASW Code of Ethics Section 6 – Ethical Responsibility to Society

Social Workers Should Be Aware of the Impact of the Political Arena on Practice

advocate for changes in policy and legislation to improve social conditions in order to meet basic human needs and promote social justice

©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 18

Ethical Mandate

• Pursue social change• Focus on issues of social injustice• Promote sensitivity about oppression and cultural and

ethnic diversity• Ensure access to information, services, and resources;

equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making

Ethical Mandate

• Data collection and research• Public relations and media• People skills, especially persuading, negotiating,

mediating, accommodating, and educating• Knowledge of regulatory, legislative, or

organizational process

©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 20

Skills for Political Advocacy

• Fundraising• Networking and Alliance Building• Use of Technology• Organizing

(Gibelman, 2004)

©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 21

Skills for Political Advocacy

• Clinical social workers helping clients to advocate for change

• Influencing policy through the power of personal stories

• Providing expert testimony to legislative committees

• Personal advocacy on professional and social issues

©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 22

Examples

• Organizing tools (Legislative Advocacy listserv and CapWiz, website, text messages)

• Elections and campaigns (PACE)• What’s happening now

Tools and Resources

• Advocacy listserv• Web-based mobilization vehicle (CapWiz)• Website• Focused campaigns

Organizing Tools

“New Technologies”

©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 25

Elections and Campaigns NASW Political Action for Candidate Election

(PACE)

Established by NASW in 1976

GOAL: To pool money from members to support and elect politicians aligned with social

work issues and values

Elections and Campaigns NASW Political Action for Candidate Election

(PACE)

• In 1994, NASW made a commitment to elect more social workers to public office and to increase electoral advocacy

• A dues check-off was created to fund both national and chapter political action committees

• National and state chapters have focused efforts on educating social workers about the political process, how to run for office and how to be involved in political campaigns

• Currently 48 chapters have an established PACE.

• In the 2006 federal elections, NASW provided nearly $450,000 and endorsed 224 candidates for Congress.

Elections and Campaigns NASW Political Action for Candidate Election

(PACE)

• 9 social workers in Congress – 2 in the Senate, and 7 in the House

• 192 social workers holding elective office

• 37 social workers practicing in legislative offices in the US Congress

Elections and Campaigns NASW Political Action for Candidate Election

(PACE)

Importance of Participation in PACE

• Dues check off ~ national & state contribution• Additional giving opportunities• Service on PACE Committee

Elections and Campaigns NASW Political Action for Candidate Election

(PACE)

• Field mobilization• Voter registration• Get Out the Vote (GOTV)• Position statements

What’s Happening Now?