NASW and the NASW Foundation partnered (2021-2024) with the Health Behavior Research and Training Institute (HBRT) at The University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded initiative—Connect to End COVID-19—to support social workers and their clients in informed vaccine decision-making. The initiative began in July of 2021 and concluded September 29, 2024.
To more broadly engage the professional social work community in this important initiative, the NASW Foundation invited NASW Specialty Practice Section (SPS) members to apply to become Ambassadors and receive a stipend for their work. In 2023, approximately 23 Ambassadors deployed communications to their audiences. In 2024, approximately 13 Ambassadors participated.
Ambassadors Role
Ambassadors played a vital role in promoting vaccine confidence and uptake and reinforcing the messages of Connect to End COVID-19. They were invited to choose to undertake the following activities:
- Develop and deliver a presentation at an event with more than 50 practicing social workers in attendance; or,
- Develop and publish a blog post or article in a publication read by practicing social workers and develop and deploy five (5) social media messages on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
The presentations, blog posts, articles, and social media messages amplified and aligned with Connect to End COVID-19 messaging. A sampling of their work is included below.
Ambassadors Communications 2024
- Jenny Bridges, LCSW, NASW Colorado Chapter
Choosing not to become vaccinated in a risky decision. We must help our clients be well-informed.
- Melissa Flanagan, LCSW, NASW New York Chapter
For people with serious mental illness who are experiencing homelessness, Covid-19 was, and is, different
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Stephanie Guyre, LMSW, NASW New Jersey Chapter
Social Workers: The Key to Connecting Older Adults to the End of COVID-19
- Deborah Hammond, DHSc, LCSW, CADC, NASW Illinois Chapter
Shining a Light on COVID-19: Social Work Interventions for Older African Americans
- Jennifer Norton PhD, MSW, NASW Pennsylvania Chapter
Why complacency is not an option
- Deborah Perry, LICSW, NASW Minnesota Chapter
Putting an End to COVID 19: How Social Workers Can Empower People with Chronic Illnesses
Ambassadors Communications 2023
- Lusnnette Andujar, MSW, LGSW, NASW Minnesota Chapter
The Bilingual Social Workers Could Make a Difference During COVID-19 for Latinx Immigrants in the U.S.
- Yusra Aziz, MSW, LCSW, NASW Pennsylvania Chapter
Addressing Barriers to Vaccine Uptake Among Immigrant/Refugee Communities in Pennsylvania
- Dea Ellen Epley Birtwhistle, LISW, ACSW, SSWS, NASW Iowa Chapter
Connect to End COVID-19: One School Social Worker’s Motivations for Promoting Involvement for Solutions
- Jasmine Cobb, LCSW, NASW Texas Chapter
Breaking Barriers: Setting the Record Straight About COVID-19 Grief and Mental Health
- Miste Peterson Hower, MSSW, LCSW, Texas Chapter
COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: How Social Workers Can Support Children and Families
- Lauren Morris, LCSW, ACM, DC and Virginia Chapter
Vaccination Barriers for People Experiencing Homelessness: How Social Workers are Making an Impact
- La’ Tesha Sampson, PhD, MPA, MSW, LCSW, New Jersey Chapter
The Importance of Covid-19 Vaccination: A Guide for Social Workers