School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA)
“SSWAA is the only national organization solely dedicated to
promoting the profession of School Social Work”
Our Mission: The School Social Work Association of America empowers school social workers and promotes the profession of school social work to enhance the social and emotional growth and academic outcomes of all students.
Our Vision: Our vision is that school social work is a valued, integral part of the education of all children, connecting schools, families and communities.
How Many School Social Workers Are There?
SSWAA has conducted a Census to find out about School Social Work numbers nationally. While the findings are significant, they remain an “imperfect representation” due to the large variety of state standards, credentialing and preparation programs compared with other Specialized Instructional Support Personnel, i.e. school counselors and school psychologists.
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Fall, 2025: The State of School Social Work – Survey Results
“SSWAA’s Fall 2025 Survey captured the voices of more than 300 school social workers representing 40 states. The results paint a sobering picture of the pressures facing the profession:
- 35% of respondents reported school social work position cuts in their state, leading to larger caseloads or reduced access to mental health supports for students.
- 42% noted state-level reductions in mental health funding, and 31% said their districts have already experienced cuts.
- Only 10% of respondents believe their state has sufficient mental health resources to meet student needs.
- Nearly half of the participants (44%) reported considering leaving the profession due to unsustainable workloads and funding challenges.
These findings reinforce what school social workers know firsthand—students’ social, emotional, and behavioral needs are growing, while resources to meet those needs are shrinking. SSWAA is using this data to inform our federal and state advocacy, ensuring that policymakers understand the consequences of inaction and the importance of investing in a robust, sustainable school social work workforce.”
See Infographic
Federal Advocacy:
NYSSSWA is an affiliate state organization of the School Social Work Association of America. SSWAA has lobbyists who represent School Social Workers in Washington D.C. and help to keep us updated on bills that have an impact on school social work services.
“In September, 2025 members of the SSWAA Legislative Team gathered in Washington, D.C., for a quarterly Hill Day. Executive Director Rebecca Oliver and University Representative Rob Lucio met with legislators and staff to discuss critical issues impacting schools—chief among them, the growing student mental health crisis and the urgent need for adequate staffing and funding for school-based mental health professionals.”
Rebecca and Rob reported on “The State of School Social Work” (above) and shared stories from our members about rising caseloads, the need for equitable access to services, and the essential role school social workers play in promoting student success and well-being.
10/21/2025 Outreach Update:
- SSWAA is headed to the Special Education Directors’ Conference in November and will be presenting a session at the conference about the strategic partner SSW can be in meeting student needs!
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AND … we just got notification that SSWAA has been accepted as a presenter at the National School Board’s Conference next April! SSWAA is sharing the message far and wide!
National Position Statements
Over the years, SSWAA has developed numerous Resolution Statements to address issues of importance to School Social Workers at the local, state and national levels. Statements are organized by the following topics:
- Professional Advocacy,
- Promoting School Social Work,
- Social Justice Advocacy,
- Marginalized Groups,
- School Mental Health & Trauma-Informed Care,
- MTSS-FBA/BSP & School Discipline
See Complete List of SSWAA Resolution Statements Here!
Articles by School Social Workers
- Articles Written by School Social Workers and School Social Work Experts
- See Blog Posts Here.
- 30th Anniversary Blogs:
- Before There was SSWAA Streeck 12/2023
- In the Room Where It Happened: After Edwardsville: Kontak 11/2023
- In the Room Where It Happened: Edwardsville Kontak 10/2023
- Let’s Start at the Very Beginning 8/2023
National School Social Worker Week March 1 – 7, 2026
“We have compiled some resources for SSWAA members and hope that you will find them useful. Please feel free to use them all or pick and choose what is beneficial to you and your district. We invite you to follow us on social media and share throughout the week as well. ” Not a member yet? Join here.
National Campaign to Promote School Social Workers:
SSWAA partnered with NASW to launch the “Back to School with School Social Workers” campaign last fall. SSWAA, however, is continuing the promotional campaign. Check out their website for suggested social media, twitter storm information, blogs, monthly featured experts in the field, sample documents for promoting school social workers and much more.
History:
On July 22, 23 & 24, 1994 in Edwardsville, Illinois 64 participants from 20 states came together to form an organization exclusively representing School Social Workers. Four task forces were established to assist with the organizational structure and Constitution and Bylaws. The fall of 1994, the first SSWAA Luncheon was held at the Midwest School Social Work Conference Milwaukee, Wisconsin and named in honor of I. Lorraine Davis for her long commitment to furthering the cause of School Social Workers. In July of 1995, SSWAA’s first annual meeting was held in Minneapolis and was attended by 60 School Social Workers from 26 states as we continued strategic planning. In October of 1995, SSWAA held its first elections and Randy Fisher was elected as our first President.
See 30th Anniversary “Pearls of Wisdom” Blog Posts for SSWAA’s history.
Membership:
Why join SSWAA? Well, SSWAA has 20 reasons including professional liability insurance! But, the most important is to be a part of something bigger than yourself and do your part in moving our profession forward. Help School Social Workers be seen as visible, vital, & valuable in schools with a strong voice! Join SSWAA and stand with us and be seen as vital professionals! See how SSWAA has made it easier to join: