Introduction to Social Action

In October and November 2006 the Social Action Committee surveyed the NASW Alaska Chapter membership. A link to this web-based survey was sent to every member of the Alaska Chapter for whom the Chapter had an email address. There were over 415 members at the time, and we received 71 responses: a 17% response rate. We asked where respondents were from, about their fields of practice and the organization in which they work. We asked about their top priorities for advocacy.

Respondents were from Southcentral, 59%; Southeast, 21%; Interior/Central, 9%; Northern, 6%, Western 5%.

Social workers are passionate about social justice in all its forms. The results were very close. The top priorities were:

• Health care (including Medicaid and access to care)
• Child welfare
• Domestic violence
• Mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders
• Children's mental health and substance abuse
• Poverty
• Elder issues, including long-term care
• Housing and homelessness

The Committee will be proactive and responsive on the other priorities of social workers as they come up in the legislative process. We expect to maintain positions adopted by the National Association of Social Workers through our national Delegate Assembly, which met in 2005 and will meet again in 2008. This means we will support anti-discrimination measures, hate crimes measures and reproductive rights of women; and oppose measures that discriminate against any population based on personal characteristics or relationships.

Social workers have always been strong advocates for change.
Let us hear your voice.