FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Social workers and students from around the state were at the Kentucky Capitol today in the rotunda for Social Work Lobby Day. With so many social workers in the room, one award recipient, Crystal Fox, says she wants social workers to remember their value.
"The work that they do is valued. There's a value in what they do. Every day that they wake up, you know, take care of themselves so that they can take care of the community that they do the work for a reason,” says Fox.
Several organizations were represented under the Kentucky Social Work Advocacy Network or KSWAN. Eleven people and organizations were recognized for their work, including the former commissioner of the department of community-based service, Martha Miranda-Straub, who highlighted the role social justice plays in social work.
She says, "Social justice is one of our tenets. I found a profession where social justice and respect and dignity for everyone regardless of what they've done, who they are, is part of our ethics, it's part of our core values, and that runs through my veins."
Miranda-Straub says it's important for people to understand all that social workers do.
"Like most people, don't understand what social workers do. We work with individuals, we work with families, we work with the community, we do legislative advocacy, we work with policy, we go from trauma to substance abuse to mental health. I would've had to change careers at least five times if I wasn't a social worker."
She says that this state needs more social workers and advocates that can give everyone a voice. She says the call to action at today's lobby day was for people to contact their legislators about the issues that matter to the clients and communities they serve.
"For us to come and bring our professional, understanding and advocacy, is crucial for our legislators to think with their heart, and understand how this impacts people,” says Miranda-Straub.
She's calling on social workers to continue their advocacy and for others to consider joining the profession and helping the community.
