University of Washington and Eastern Washington University will now train newly hired  and current social workers, a move that should improve their skills, according to this article in the Olympian.

Such training was previously done by the Department of Social and Health Services.

“It wasn’t that training was bad in Washington. We could just do much more,” said National Association of Social Workers member Edwina “Eddie” Uehara, who is dean of UW’s School of Social Work. “This alliance permanently brings together the experience of the Children’s Administration, the UW and Eastern Washington University. This will provide cutting-edge, competency-based, evidence-based training. There is so much at stake here.”

To learn more about the social work workforce and social work professional training and development visit the National Association of Social Workers’ Center for Workforce Studies by clicking here.