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The event’s purpose is to empower social work students to speak up on issues that matter to the profession and help ensure that vital education resources remain available for students now and in the future.
“Federal support remains essential to CSWE’s ability to invest in the next generation of social work leaders,” said Maisaloon Dias, MSW, Director of Centers and Initiatives at CSWE. “Through support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, CSWE can provide stipends that help Fellows offset the cost of graduate education and living expenses while they prepare to enter the workforce. Programs like MFP and SUDEALS help ease financial barriers for students pursuing careers in a field that is vital to the health and well-being of communities.”
On the first day of the forum, Sarah Christa Butts MSW, FNAP, of Community Services, Inc., centered students on the current national and state policy landscape. With looming Medicaid cuts of approximately $1 trillion expected over the next decade, Butts emphasized the critical role social workers play in educating policymakers about how social service systems operate and the profound impact these systems have on individuals, families, and communities. Additionally, Melina Afzal, LICS, led a breakout session on substance use disorder. Latoya S. Hogg, PhD, MSW, led a similar session on resiliency strategies.
On the forum’s second day, students traveled with CSWE staff to Capitol Hill for meetings with their local congressional offices to press the importance of maintaining funding for social work education and programs. They urged their representatives to protect federal student aid programs, including Pell Grants, Parent PLUS, Graduate PLUS, and subsidized loans, from reductions that could make social work education less accessible.
“We’re incredibly proud of these students for showing up, speaking up, and demonstrating the impact of social work advocacy,” said Kimberly R. Mayes, DSW, LCSW, who serves as Director of CSWE’s MFP. “At a time when access to graduate social work education is increasingly at risk, their advocacy is a powerful reminder that students must be part of the conversation about the future of the profession.”
Support for the 2026 CSWE Fellows Forum was provided by Preferra Insurance Company RRG.
Published on : May 21, 2026
2026 CSWE Fellows Forum Brings Social Work Advocacy to Capitol Hill
CSWE hosted nearly 80 baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral students for its annual Fellows Forum on May 18-19 at its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.
The event’s purpose is to empower social work students to speak up on issues that matter to the profession and help ensure that vital education resources remain available for students now and in the future.
“Federal support remains essential to CSWE’s ability to invest in the next generation of social work leaders,” said Maisaloon Dias, MSW, Director of Centers and Initiatives at CSWE. “Through support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, CSWE can provide stipends that help Fellows offset the cost of graduate education and living expenses while they prepare to enter the workforce. Programs like MFP and SUDEALS help ease financial barriers for students pursuing careers in a field that is vital to the health and well-being of communities.”
On the first day of the forum, Sarah Christa Butts MSW, FNAP, of Community Services, Inc., centered students on the current national and state policy landscape. With looming Medicaid cuts of approximately $1 trillion expected over the next decade, Butts emphasized the critical role social workers play in educating policymakers about how social service systems operate and the profound impact these systems have on individuals, families, and communities. Additionally, Melina Afzal, LICS, led a breakout session on substance use disorder. Latoya S. Hogg, PhD, MSW, led a similar session on resiliency strategies.
On the forum’s second day, students traveled with CSWE staff to Capitol Hill for meetings with their local congressional offices to press the importance of maintaining funding for social work education and programs. They urged their representatives to protect federal student aid programs, including Pell Grants, Parent PLUS, Graduate PLUS, and subsidized loans, from reductions that could make social work education less accessible.
“We’re incredibly proud of these students for showing up, speaking up, and demonstrating the impact of social work advocacy,” said Kimberly R. Mayes, DSW, LCSW, who serves as Director of CSWE’s MFP. “At a time when access to graduate social work education is increasingly at risk, their advocacy is a powerful reminder that students must be part of the conversation about the future of the profession.”
Support for the 2026 CSWE Fellows Forum was provided by Preferra Insurance Company RRG.