The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) reached a potential news audience of more than 250 million readers in December, thanks partly to coverage of the Kentucky governor announcing pay raises for social workers, mention of NASW in a People magazine article on adult adoption, and an op-ed on the drug syringe program in New Jersey.

Here are the highlights:

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  Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

  Yahoo News covered Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announcing pay raises for the state’s social services workforce, including social workers. The article, which reached a potential 65 million readers, noted that NASW Kentucky Chapter Executive Director Brenda Rosen was one of stakeholders he consulted in making this decision.

• Yahoo News posted a press release announcing The VA Maryland Health Care System had hired social worker Kelley W. Anthony has been appointed assistant director. Anthony is an NASW member, the article said. The press release appeared in about 40 other outlets, reaching 48 million potential readers.
• People magazine posted a touching article about a caseworker who adopted a foster child under her supervision when the young woman reached adulthood. The article mentioned the NASW Code of Ethics, which discourages social workers from adopting clients under their care. The caseworker’s agency had also ruled against her adopting the child when she was a minor. The article reached a potential 36 million readers.
• Springer, an online research article resource, mentioned the NASW Press article on cultural competence and working with native Hawaiians was used in it research article, ”Moving from Darkness to Light: Cultural Pathways to Healing and Posttraumatic Growth of Formerly Incarcerated Native Hawaiian Women.” The article reached a potential 21 million readers.
• NASW New Jersey Chapter Executive Director Jennifer Thompson wrote a column for NJ.com on why syringe programs are so useful in addressing addiction and save lives. The column reached a potential 9 million people.
• David McKinley (R-WVA) noted that NASW was one of the supporters of a bill he sponsored to provide mental health support to health care providers. The press release reached a potential 5 million readers. NASW support of the bill, which passed the U.S. House, was also noted on a press release from Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and a video from Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA).
• The NASW Massachusetts Chapter took part in a Boston Globe op-ed (subscription only) “Social Workers are Key Part of Solution to Mental Health Crisis.” The op-ed reached a potential 4 million readers.
• LGBT Rights Advocate and NASW Pennsylvania Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Robert Schoenberg was remembered in a Philadelphia Inquirer article on notable local people who died in 2021. The article reached a potential 4 million readers.
• The Tennessean reported that the metro benefits board has denied health care coverage to people who are transgender. The NASW Tennessee Chapter and other organizations are protesting the decision. Articles on the issue reached a potential 2 million subscribers.
• NASW Texas Government Relations Director Alison Mohr Boleware was interviewed for a KVUE-TV news segment on how mental health issues have increased during the holidays as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading. The segment reached a potential 773,000 viewers and readers.
• Portland State University’s publication honored Professor Norm Wyers, who died from lung cancer on Dec. 14. Wyers was the 1990 NASW Oregon Chapter Social Worker of the Year. The article reached more than 700,000 potential readers.
• The San Antonio Express-News reported the city is demolishing hundreds of homes, harming people who are low-income or of color who need affordable housing. NASW Texas Chapter Executive Director Will Francis commented on the issue. The article, which is subscription only, reached about 700,000 potential readers.
• NASW Director of Public Policy Sarah Butts commented in an com article on advocates urging President Biden to extend the moratorium on student loan payments. The article reached a potential audience of 679,000 readers. Butts was also quoted in a similar article on the Hechinger Report.
• Insider New Jersey ran a press release on NASW New Jersey Board Member Caelin McCollum was named director of Healthy Community Initiatives. The release reached about 257,000 potential readers.
• Austin Public Radio reported that as the pandemic grinds on more young people are needing mental health services. NASW Texas Government Relations Director Alison Mohr Boleware said there are not enough school social workers to meet the need. The article reached about 277,000 potential readers. Boleware was also quoted in a Valley Central article that said on in three teenagers feels hopeless about the future. Boleware said teletherapy has allowed social workers and other mental health professionals to more easily reach clients during the pandemic. That article reached about 274,000 potential readers.
• The NASW Vermont Chapter wrote a letter to the editor in the Seven Days independent Vermont complaining about the Vermont Principal’s Association’s failure to address alleged racist incidents reported by the Winooski soccer team. The letter each about 224,000 potential readers.
• Houston Public Media did a report on how people who are adopted have difficulty finding their real parents. NASW Texas Executive Director Will Francis said when adoptees are issued new birth certificates with the names of their adopted parents it erases the history of their birth parents. The article reached more than 200,000 potential readers.
• com reported that the Idaho child welfare system is under stress. There is a shortage of social workers and Delmar Stone, executive director for the NASW Idaho Chapter, said many social workers who work in the system are burned out. The article reached about 144,000 potential readers.