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Adopt and present a resolution recognizing March 2024 as Social Work Month in Solano County (Supervisor Hannigan)
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Published Notice Required? Yes _____ No __X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes _____ No __X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services recommends that the Board of Supervisors adopt and present a resolution recognizing March 2024 as Social Work Month in Solano County.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The month of March is designated nationwide as Social Work Month and is an opportunity to acknowledge Solano County’s Social Workers for their invaluable contributions in helping individuals, families, children, and older adults in need of care and protection. Nationally, Social Work is one of the fastest-growing careers in the United States. According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), more than 782,000 social workers are expected to work in the United States by 2030.
The 2024 Social Work Month theme is “Empowering Social Workers.” This theme raises awareness of the social work profession and highlights the need to support social workers and the services they provide.
National Social Work Month is an opportunity to educate the public about the invaluable contributions of the profession. Social workers perform many tasks requiring knowledge and skills in psychology, crisis resolution, and complex legal requirements governing intervention on behalf of their clients. Social workers provide a 24-hour safety net for the protection of children, people with disabilities, and older adults and provide services designed to improve and stabilize the lives of their clients. Social workers also respond to and assist victims where allegations of violence have occurred and provide crisis management and intervention, resource coordination, biological and psychological social assessments, safety planning, case consultation, and arrange for treatment and services along with referral linkages.
Solano County employs 155 Social Workers who work in a myriad of programs including Health and Social Services’ (H&SS) Child Welfare Services, Older and Disabled Adults, and Employment and Eligibility Services Divisions, H&SS, Public Health, Maternal Child and Adolescent Health Bureau, and in the Solano County Family Justice Center, Public Defender’s Office, and the Probation Department.
As the nation commemorates Social Work Month, County departments recognize the social workers in their programs who empower and elevate their clients, including some of the most vulnerable in the community. The exceptional work of social workers is applauded, acknowledged, and valued as March 2024 is recognized as Social Work Month in Solano County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with preparing this agenda item are nominal and included in the Department’s FY2023/24 Working Budget. The costs associated with preparation and purchase of resolution materials are included in the Board’s FY2023/24 Working Budget. There is no additional impact on the County General Fund.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to adopt this resolution recognizing March 2024 as Social Work Month in Solano County. This is not recommended as this is an opportunity to recognize the hard work and dedication of the County’s Social Workers.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION