There is light on the horizon as COVID 19 infection rates and hospitalizations are on the decline nationwide, and vaccinations are projected to be completed sometime this summer. People are starting to imagine a world with a brighter future and the promise of a return to normalcy.
March is National Social Work Month, where social work professionals' essential work is recognized. There could hardly be a more relevant illustration of social work's value to society during the past year. The dedicated men and women within the profession have battled on the frontlines alongside people facing the grief of loss, the anxiety of illness, the financial crisis of eviction or foreclosure, and widespread depression caused by acute isolation. Social work is the glue holding at-risk families together by helping those unable to help themselves.
SC House Calls (SCHC) employs 11 Social Work professionals throughout the state who assist providers with patients and families who are overwhelmed and have nowhere else to turn. Social work helps families with advanced care planning, connecting needs to resources, assessments, counseling, and any service that improves the human condition. The SCHC social worker, not unlike a hospice caregiver, often becomes an inseparable part of a family's dynamics, helping both patients and loved ones navigate challenging life events.
The official theme for the 2021 Social Work Month is "Social Workers are Essential." We celebrate the over 700,000 social workers during March and affirm the life-changing work they perform in every community across our great nation. The National Association of Social Workers encourages every member during this time to text or post short messages and videos, helping others understand the essential work each is doing daily.
