Elaine Congress, MSSW, MA, DSW, LCSW

Elaine Congress, MSSW, MA, DSW, LCSW, is a Professor and Associate Dean at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service in New York City.  

Dr. Congress began her social work career working in a mental health clinic in Brooklyn, primarily serving recent immigrants to the U.S. In addition to providing counseling services for this vulnerable population, she also provided information about community and government resources. 

For more than three decades, Dr. Congress has served has a faculty member at Fordham University, working under distinguished deans Mary Ann Quaranta, Peter Vaughan, and Debra McPhee. She has taught classes in clinical social work, family oriented social work, and supervision. Most recently, Dr. Congress has taught macro social work to Fordham’s MSW students. Her students are developing skills that include connecting with major international programs and United Nations, as well as in speaking and organizing local, national, and international conferences and events. At the United Nations, Dr. Congress has represented the International Federation of Social Work (IFSW) and the Institute for Multicultural Counseling and Education Services (IMCES).  

Dr. Congress is a prolific author, having written more than a dozen books on social work ethics, migrants, women, children, non-profit leadership, health, international themes, and social work education. 

She serves on the Executive Committee of the Psychology Coalition at the United Nations (PCUN) and as Chair of the Publications Committee. As a leader of the Institute of Women and Girls, Dr. Congress has hosted conferences and events on family violence, maternal mortality, post-partum depression, and menopause. Dr. Congress has served as President of the New York City chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), as well as on the NASW’s national board of directors. She also chairs the social work section of the New York Academy of Medicine and serves on the social work board for the American Public Health Association.