Social workers spend our careers fighting for others. We advocate for vulnerable populations, support families in crisis, challenge systemic injustice, and work tirelessly to improve the well-being of our communities. Yet, while we are expected to carry the weight of society's most complex challenges, our own profession continues to be overlooked, undervalued, and burdened by barriers that threaten its future.

Today, social work stands at a critical crossroads.

Across the United States, social workers, educators, and students are facing growing challenges that jeopardize both the profession and the people who depend on it. Workforce shortages, burnout, financial hardship, and increasing barriers to entering and advancing in the field have created a reality that is unsustainable.

At the same time, proposed revisions to the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) have sparked concern among professionals and students who believe these changes could weaken essential components of social work education. The standards that prepare future social workers should strengthen our profession, not diminish the values, competencies, and critical thinking skills that define it.

Public comment on the EPAS draft remains open through November 20th. We encourage every social worker, student, educator, and supporter of the profession to make their voice heard.

However, this issue extends far beyond a single proposal.

The challenges facing social work have been building for years.

Students are expected to complete hundreds of hours of field placement, often without compensation, while balancing employment, family responsibilities, and academic demands. Many enter the profession carrying significant financial burdens before they receive their first professional paycheck.

Graduates then encounter licensing systems that can be lengthy, expensive, inconsistent, and difficult to navigate. While other helping professions continue to modernize pathways into practice, social workers are too often left navigating outdated processes that delay workforce entry and contribute to professional burnout before careers even begin.

This is not a call to lower standards.

This is a call to remove unnecessary barriers.

We believe social work education should remain rigorous. We believe competency, ethics, and accountability must remain at the heart of our profession. But rigor should not require exploitation. Dedication should not require financial sacrifice beyond reason. Commitment to helping others should not come at the expense of a social worker's own well-being.

We are calling for meaningful reform, including:

Paid internships and field placements.
Modernized and efficient licensing processes.
Greater recognition of supervised field experience.
Streamlined educational and licensing pathways.
Increased investment in recruitment and retention efforts.
Stronger protections against workforce burnout.
Preservation of the core values and competencies that define social work education.
Social workers are often told to advocate for change. We do so every day for our clients, our communities, and the causes we believe in. Now, we must advocate for ourselves and for the future of our profession.

The future of social work cannot be built on unpaid labor, unnecessary barriers, and shrinking support for those entering the field. If we want a stronger workforce, healthier communities, and better outcomes for those we serve, we must invest in the people who dedicate their lives to making those outcomes possible.

This is more than a professional issue.

It is a social issue.

When social workers struggle, communities lose advocates. When students are pushed away from the profession, vulnerable populations lose support. When barriers prevent qualified professionals from entering the workforce, everyone pays the price.

The time to act is now.

Sign this petition to demand policies that strengthen social work education, support current and future professionals, and protect the integrity of the profession for generations to come.

Together, we can ensure that social work remains not only a calling, but a sustainable and respected profession.