November 8, 2005
Build Support For Resolution On Social Worker Safety: Contact
Your U.S. Representatives
ACTION NEEDED
Ask your U.S. Representative to co-sponsor
H. Con. Res. 278, "expressing the sense of Congress that Congress
should raise awareness about the importance of social worker
and caseworker safety."
Draft e-mail/letter available at: http://63.66.87.48/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode=NASW
Background
Rep. Dennis Moore (D-KS) introduced H. Con. Res. 278 on
October 26, 2005 in response to the tragic death of Teri Zenner
who was stabbed and killed during a routine, in-home visit
with a client of the Johnson County Mental Health Center.
The resolution states that it is the sense of Congress
that Congress should raise awareness about the importance
of workplace safety for social workers and caseworkers by supporting
the goals and ideals of preventing job-related violence against
social workers and caseworkers and, in addition, that
Congress encourages states and local agencies to adopt measures
that would improve the safety of social service workers.
The resolution was introduced with 17 original cosponsors
(16 Democrats and one Republican). Co-sponsors include:
- California: Reps. Baca, Berman, Costa, Davis (a social
worker), Filner, Honda, Lantos, Lee (a social worker), Matsui,
Napolitano, Radanovich, Schiff
- New Jersey: Rep. Payne
- New York: Rep. Hinchey
- Tennessee: Rep. Davis
- Washington: Reps. Baird and Dicks
NASW Involvement
NASW worked with Congressman Moore's office during the
development of the resolution and has endorsed the legislation.
The press release from Rep. Moore's office, which follows,
quotes both Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH, executive
director of NASW and Sky Westerlund, LMSW, executive director
of the NASW, Kansas chapter.
NEWS RELEASE: NOVEMBER 3, 2005:
MOORE
INTRODUCES RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT SOCIAL
WORKER SAFETY
Effort honoring the memory of Teri
Zenner endorsed by the
National Association of Social
Workers
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -Congressman Dennis Moore (Third
District-KS) announced the introduction of a bipartisan resolution
today to raise awareness about potential job-related violence
against social workers and case workers. The resolution, which
has been endorsed by the National Association of Social Workers,
would encourage state and local agencies to improve the safety
of social service employees.
"A strong program of community service workers is vital to
the best interests of our nation's vulnerable populations," Moore
said. "We have a responsibility to make sure that those who
have dedicated their lives to helping others have the resources
and support they need to do their job well and return home
safely."
The resolution has been a long-time goal of Matt Zenner of
Olathe. His wife, Teri, was killed Aug. 17, 2004, while making
a home visit to a client in Johnson County. Since the killing,
Matt Zenner has worked tirelessly to improve the safety of
social workers and bring the daily dangers they face to the
public's attention.
"What happened to Teri I wouldn't want to happen to anybody," Matt
Zenner said. "But it happened for a reason. Our society now
has so much greater access to weapons, but we've given our
social workers nothing."
The National Association of Social Workers found that among
members of the Child Welfare Specialty Practice Section, 19
percent had been victims of violence and 63 percent had been
threatened at some point in their careers. Elizabeth Clark,
executive director of the association, underscored the importance
of preventing this type of violence in a letter of endorsement
to Congressman Moore.
"As first responders for troubled families, dedicated social
workers and caseworkers far too often put their own safety
in jeopardy to ensure the safety of others," she said. "While
many public and private child-serving agencies have developed
safety plans for their employees, many others have yet to address
the issue in a meaningful way. It should not take additional
tragic deaths like that of Teri Zenner in order for every agency
to take safety seriously."
National studies have also quantified the
risks faced by social workers. Researchers at the University
of Pittsburgh surveyed 1,200 social workers, most of whom said
they had been in a work-related violent situation at least
once. A 1999 study by the University of Michigan found that
of 1,600 social workers, 3 percent had been assaulted by a
client and 23 percent had been threatened with assault. One
in four said they had a colleague who had been assaulted by
a client.
Sky Westerlund, executive director of the Kansas Chapter of
the National Association of Social Workers, called the resolution
a strong first step toward the goal of social worker safety.
"I think it's really courageous of the congressman to take
what happened to Teri Zenner and make things better for social
workers," she said. "People don't pay attention until something
really bad happens, but this resolution gives the opportunity
to talk about it in a broader way."
Westerlund said Zenner's death had made people more aware
of the dangers social workers face in Johnson County, but had
had little impact outside the county.
Johnson County Mental Health recently implemented a new "Work
Place Safety and Agency Response to Violence" program. Case
workers now have an electronic calendar and tracking system
so supervisors always know where workers are during home visits
and can check in to make sure they are safe. Workers also have
the option of declining to visit a home in which they feel
threatened and have greater access to clients' medical histories
and backgrounds. Employees received self-defense training and
attended seminars on how to deal with potentially violent clients.
The agency is also exploring the possibility of using cellular
phones with GPS tracking capabilities.
In October 2004, Moore hosted a forum with Matt Zenner to
discuss how agencies can protect workers who make home visits
and safeguard themselves at work.
"My first step was local," Zenner said. "Now there needs
to be national awareness. With Congressman Moore making this
a national deal, I'm hopeful agencies everywhere will begin
providing training to their workers."
AS ALWAYS, THANKS FOR YOUR ADVOCACY!
Cynthia Woodside
Senior Government Relations Associate
National Association of Social Workers
750 First Street NE, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20002-4241
Phone: 202-336-8324
Fax: 202-336-8311
cwoodside@naswdc.org
www.socialworkers.org
|
About
NASW