Social workers were upset when KSBW TV’s Web site last week ran a headline over an article that implied a “social worker” stole a client’s ATM card and withdrew $760 in cash aid from the bank.

The woman, 29-year-old Elizabeth Serrano, was actually employed as an office assistant at California’s Monterey County Department of Social and Employment Services. However the headline shouted: “Social Worker Gets 41 Days for Stealing Aid.”

Social worker Andrea Schulz, MSW, LCSW, who works for the Parole Outpatient Clinic in Salinas, and one other social worker went into action.

Schulz and a social worker who identified herself as “jillann” posted comments below the article that said the headline was wrong. It is a good thing they did because readers were already posting defamatory comments about social workers based on the headline.

Jillann wrote:

“Just because someone works at Social Services does NOT make them a social worker; in fact the article stated she was a temp office worker. Social workers are highly skilled, highly trained, usually licensed professionals. As a social worker, I find it insulting when people of various occupations are called ‘social workers’ without any of the education or credentials.”

Schulz, who is a National Association of Social Workers member, went one step further. She sent two emails to the TV station, asking them to retract and apologize for the error. By Monday the station changed the headline to: “Ex-Welfare Dept. Employee gets 41 days for Stealing Aid.” To read the full article click here.

Schulz thinks her emails to the editorial board prompted the change. She offers this advice to social workers who hear or read incorrect information about the profession in the news:

• Comment on the article via email for the public to read.
• Email the editorial board of the news organization, as well as the writer of the article or local news desk. Emailing is quicker than hard copy and more accountable than a phone message.
• In your email, be very specific about what a social worker is.  “Highly qualified” is just so vague and braggy.  Instead, list the specific education requirements and the specific scope of practice, the code of ethics, and the general mission of social workers (see your college’s mission statement for wording).
• Send copies of your email to the state, national and local chapter of the National Association of Social Workers for follow up.
• Thank the news outlet for making the changes, point out that there is lots of confusion about the role of social workers,  and offer to provide an article or someone to interview for the paper/station to educate readers/viewers on what a social worker does.

Andrea, thanks for your wonderful work and great tips!