The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) would like to thank you for taking the time to advocate for social work education with your federal policy makers. Your efforts are invaluable as we continue our work to educate Congress about the issues that affect social work education at all levels and promote the public policy goals of CSWE. This CSWE Advocacy Handbook was created to provide you with the tools you need to make your meetings on Capitol Hill a success.
Through its Public Policy Initiative, CSWE strives to promote the value of social work education on the national stage by developing and implementing thoughtful public policy that is focused on providing the very best education, training, and financial assistance to social workers. CSWE’s Public Policy Initiative is focused on keeping its members informed about the latest legislative and executive branch issues affecting social work educators, students, and practitioners while monitoring and advocating for legislation that would positively affect CSWE’s priorities.
With the help of members like you, CSWE advocates for issues that are important to social work education—including loan forgiveness, training opportunities, and measures that foster a sustainable and competent social work workforce—by interacting with the U.S. Congress, the various agencies within the federal government, and other nongovernmental organizations throughout the social work and higher education communities.
To assist in this mission, CSWE has enlisted the help of Lewis-Burke Associates LLC, a leading full-service government relations firm specializing in advocacy for the public policy interests of institutions of higher education and research organizations. Lewis-Burke advises CSWE on the strategies with which to achieve the public policy goals set by the CSWE leadership and helps prepare CSWE members for their visits to Capitol Hill and agencies in the executive branch.
By making the decision to advocate for CSWE’s public policy goals on Capitol Hill, you are effecting change for the betterment of social work education on the national level. Members of Congress receive their most valuable and influential information when they have the opportunity to hear directly from informed and active constituents like you. Again, thank you for the contribution of your time and efforts.
The CSWE Advocacy Handbook provides basic information to facilitate smooth and successful meetings on Capitol Hill. For more information about CSWE’s Public Policy Initiative, or for additional resources to use in preparation for visits to Capitol Hill, please see the Public Policy Initiative website: http://www.cswe.org/CSWE/publicpolicy/.
Sincerely,
Julia M. Watkins
CSWE Executive Director