National Association of Social Workers

Recent Violent Acts Put Emphasis on Safety

Legislation Would Offer ‘One Extra Measure in Having Social Workers Feel Secure’

NASW Kansas helped convince lawmakers to pass a law that requires social work safety training with its licensure process.

By Paul R. Pace, News Staff

Illustration: John Michael Yanson

Gary McDaniel has a special reason for helping social workers learn skills that can protect them from harm.

He was a friend and professional colleague of Brenda Lee Yeager, a West Virginia social worker who was brutally killed by a young couple during a home visit in 2008.

McDaniel, a West Virginia licensed clinical social worker for Morgan County Schools, said Yeager’s tragic death inspired him to help other social workers in dealing with conflict resolution through safety workshops he hosts for the NASW West Virginia Chapter and other groups.

“Losing Brenda was one too many,” McDaniel said. “She was a sweet, lovely, unassuming woman. I do this as a way to honor her service and her sacrifice.”

McDaniel is a certified Crisis Prevention Institute instructor and teacher. “I teach different forms of crisis intervention,” he said during a recent workshop with the chapter. “It’s never our goal to harm anyone. We have an ethical obligation not to hurt people.” He also has a black belt in tae kwon do and teaches self-defense techniques to those who are interested.

McDaniel, who was named West Virginia’s Social Worker of the Year this year, said all members of the workforce need to prepare themselves by taking some sort of safety training. “A lot can be accomplished with the universal sign of stop, by raising your hands and shouting it out,” he said.

“We’re suggesting simple practice and ways to ensure safety,” McDaniel explained. He noted that other professions, such as police officers and firefighters, typically receive regular safety training. Social workers deserve the same benefit, he said.

Sam Hickman, executive director of the NASW West Virginia Chapter, said McDaniel’s workshops have been well received. “He teaches us that there is always a solution to the conflict, as well as some self-defense,” Hickman said.

The West Virginia Chapter honored Yeager’s memory after her death by leading a charge to pass a law that compounds the consequences for those convicted of assaulting a state service worker.

Lawmakers increased the penalty for such a crime from a misdemeanor to a felony offense, thanks to the encouragement by the chapter and Yeager’s family, Hickman noted.

West Virginia is among several NASW chapters in recent years that have made positive strides in social work safety in the aftermath of violent acts against their colleagues.

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From October 2010 NASW News. © 2010 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. NASW News articles may be copied for personal use, but proper notice of copyright and credit to the NASW News must appear on all copies made. This permission does not apply to reproduction for advertising, promotion, resale, or other commercial purposes.