National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is a professional organization for social workers. It advocates for left-of-center social policies focusing on racial, economic, and LGBT issues. It also advocates for members to uphold professional standards rooted in identity politics. ^{1 2}

Background

Founded in 1955, National Association of Social Workers is a 501(c)(6) professional association for social workers. ³ As of January 2023, it is estimated to have 120,000 members and consists of 55 chapters nationally. ^{4 5}

NASW advocates for members to strictly follow its so-called “Code of Ethics” within their capacity as social workers. Its Code of Ethics states that members’ primary job as a social worker is to dismantle so-called systemic racism and counter the effects of oppression. NASW also states members are to join NASW in its advocacy for redistributionist policies to address disparities in economic and employment outcomes among racial groups. ⁶

NASW is a member of Declaration for American Democracy (DFAD), which advocates for legislation such as the John R. Lewis Act, Disclose Act, and Honest Ads Act that would restrict campaign finance speech and election integrity laws. ⁷

Activities

Abortion

In May 2022, National Association of Social Workers filed a lawsuit against the city of Lebanon, Ohio, alongside the abortion fund of Ohio, arguing the city’s abortion laws following the Supreme Court overturning Roe vs. Wade violate citizens’ constitutional rights to due process and freedom of speech. The legislation being challenged criminalized abortion access as well as the act of advising people to get an abortion. ⁸

Defense of Marriage Act

In December 2022, NASW published a blog post supporting the Respect of Marriage Act, which overturned the Defense of Marriage Act. The post supported liberal policies on LGBT and gender issues, claiming that only states with liberal policies on LGBT issues recognize all individuals within the LGBT community as full persons. ⁹

Safe Communities Act

NASW published a blog post in December 2022 responding to the Safe Communities Act, claiming that it did not sufficiently restrict legal access to firearms such. It also advocates in support of a “comprehensive ban” on so-called assault weapons. ¹⁰

Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act

In October 2022, NASW endorsed HR 9201, the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act, which would establish a grant program for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to fund community organizations providing social services to individuals experiencing mental health issues which it states can be “derived from cumulative and accelerating toxic stresses due to job, income, housing, poverty, and other struggles, as well as the enormous number of people and families impacted by extreme weather and other natural disasters.” The program would appropriate $30 million between 2023 and 2027 for grants up to $15,000 for “small planning grants” and grants up to $4 million for existing initiatives. ¹¹

Code of Ethics

National Association of Social Workers has a “Code of Ethics” that it expects its members to uphold within their careers. On NASW’s webpage titled “Code of Ethics,” while discussing different employer and governmental policies on ethics, NASW states, “Recognizing that among codes of ethics social workers should consider the NASW Code of Ethics as their primary source.” It goes on to say, “A code of ethics cannot guarantee ethical behavior” and “Rather, a code of ethics sets forth values, ethical principles, and ethical standards to which professionals aspire and by which their actions can be judged.” ¹²

Under its Code of Ethics, NASW advocates for equity standards for economic outcomes between racial groups, claiming “anti-racist” theory states redistributionist policies are necessary to “dismantle” alleged systemic racism of ethnic minorities. It also states members are expected to advocate for policies that would provide “resources,” employment, housing, and so-called “living conditions.” NASW also claims that the “meaning” of being a social worker is to “obtain education about and seek to understand the nature of social diversity, race, racism and oppression.” ^{13 14}

People

Anthony Estreet is the CEO of National Association of Social Workers. He previously was vice president of NASW’s board of directors. Estreet is the founder of Next Step Treatment Center in Baltimore, is a member of National Association of Black Social Workers, and is a professor at Morgan State University. ¹⁵

Funding

According to its tax returns, National Association of Social Workers reported receiving $18 million from membership dues, $5 million from educational programs, and $3.6 million from conferences in 2021. It reported total program revenue of $31.5 million and had $35.4 in total revenue overall. ^{16 17} Also in 2021, NASW gave out $9,000 in grants, paid $15.4 in salaries and compensation to employees, contributed $2.4 million in “other compensation” to employees, and its total expenses were $33.2 million. ¹⁸

1. “About.” National Association of Social Workers. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.socialworkers.org/About.
2. “An Important Message About Racism.” National Association of Social Workers. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Ethics-Education-and-Resources/Ethics-Resources-for-Racial-Equity/A-Message-About-Racism.
3. “About.” National Association of Social Workers. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.socialworkers.org/About.
4. Wright, James. “Morgan State Scholar to Lead Social Workers Association.” The Washington Informer, January 19, 2023. https://www.washingtoninformer.com/morgan-state-scholar-to-lead-social-workers-association/.
5. “Chapters.” National Association of Social Workers. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Chapters.
6. “An Important Message About Racism.” National Association of Social Workers. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Ethics-Education-and-Resources/Ethics-Resources-for-Racial-Equity/A-Message-About-Racism
7. Admin. “Declaration of American Democracy.” Declaration for American Democracy, October 20, 2022. https://dfadcoalition.org/.
8. “Social-Worker, Rights Groups Sue Ohio City over Abortion Ban.” AP NEWS. Associated Press, May 11, 2022. https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-ohio-lawsuits-municipal-governments-d0e9ae5c7eb2d534000f093d3a62c39d
9.  Brown, Cassie. “NASW Member Voices: Marriage, Midwinter and Making Progress.” Social Work Blog. National Association of Social Workers, December 15, 2022. http://www.socialworkblog.org/advocacy/2022/12/nasw-member-voices-marriage-midwinter-and-making-progress/.
10. Wilson, Mel. “NASW Member Voices: Unfortunately, Mass Shootings Are Small Part of the America’s Larger Gun Violence Problem.” Social Work Blog. National Association of Social Workers, December 5, 2022. http://www.socialworkblog.org/advocacy/2022/12/nasw-member-voices-unfortunately-mass-shootings-are-small-part-of-the-americas-larger-gun-violence-problem/.
11. Pollock, David, and Bob Doppelt. “Bipartisan Bill Offers Public Health Approach to Build Mental Wellness …” Psychiatric News. Psychiatry Online, January 4, 2023. https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2023.02.2.23.
12. “Read the Code of Ethics.” National Association of Social Workers. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English.
13. “An Important Message About Racism.” National Association of Social Workers. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Ethics-Education-and-Resources/Ethics-Resources-for-Racial-Equity/A-Message-About-Racism.
14. “UNDOING RACISM THROUGH SOCIAL WORK.” National Association of Social Workers, October 2021. https://www.socialworkers.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=YOg4qdefLBE%3d&portalid=0.
15. Wright, James. “Morgan State Scholar to Lead Social Workers Association.” The Washington Informer, January 19, 2023. https://www.washingtoninformer.com/morgan-state-scholar-to-lead-social-workers-association/.
16. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax(Form 990-O). National Association of Social Workers. 2021. Part VIII, Lines 2a-g.
17. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax(Form 990-O). National Association of Social Workers. 2021. Part VIII, Line 12.
18. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax(Form 990-O). National Association of Social Workers. 2021. Part IX, Lines 1-25.