Ready to Advocate? 
NYSSSWA has compiled information to help assist you in advocating for increased School Social Work services as well as legislation impacting the students and families we serve. Please help us advocate regarding issues of importance to our profession by contacting your legislators. See information below to take action today!
Websites to help you “Take Action”
Searching for a New York State Law?
Click here to find a New York State Law
Searching for a New York State Bill?
(NY Assembly bills are preceded by an A and NY Senate bills are preceded by an S)
New York State Assembly Bill Search
New York State Senate Bill Search
Looking for Similar Laws in Other States?
National Conference of State Legislatures
School Social Work Resources to Assist You:
- Explore useful resources under Promoting School Social Work.
Macro Level Advocacy Toolkit “This toolkit will provide tools to increase your knowledge about how to be an effective advocate for the children and families you serve as well as how to promote the role, expertise, and value that school social workers bring to the educational team. Each module provides the components to develop a strategic plan around macro-level advocacy for state associations or leadership teams.” Source: SSWAA
New York State Assembly
- Assembly Home Page
- Assembly Members: Click Here
- Assembly Email List
Education Committee
- Members: Click Here
- Updates from the Committee on Education: Click Here
New York State Senate
Education Committee
Members: Click here
Higher Education Committee:
Members: Click here
Other State Advocacy Resources:
- NYS Codes, Rules and Regulations
- New York State Division of Administrative Rules (NYS Register) DAR produces the weekly State Register that provides information on the rule making activities of state agencies.
- What is Rule Making in NYS?
“The State Legislature is responsible for enacting the general laws in New York. In doing so, the Legislature often delegates “rule making powers” to the state’s administrative departments and agencies. These agencies are then empowered to develop and enforce the rules and regulations they find necessary to implement the broad policies adopted by the Legislature.” This document describes how rules are created to enact laws in NYS.
NYS School Social Worker Survival Toolkit
Click here to download the self-advocacy resource guide by NASW-NYS School Social Work Task Force in collaboration with NYSSSWA.
School Counseling Regulations
Amendments to Commissioner’s Regulations Related to School Counseling
Even in 2024, NYSSSWA continues to receive emails from very concerned School Social Workers regarding their district’s interpretation of this regulation which is negatively impacting SSW positions. See the Commissioner’s memo dated January 3, 2018 which was sent “to inform you that amendments to Commissioner’s Regulations related to school counseling were adopted by the Board of Regents effective, July 1, 2017. The amended regulations
(338 KB) impact the comprehensive developmental school counseling program beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.”
Background
The New York State Education Department finalized the Counseling Amendments on November 10th and presented them to the Board of Regents P-12 Education/Higher Education Joint Meeting on November 14th, 2016. Please see:
http://www.regents.nysed.gov./common/regents/files/1116p12hed1.pdf
Please familiarize yourself with this information as well as the regulations so that you can use your expertise to discuss the interpretation of the regulations with your district.