NASW Highlights Mental Health Awareness Month
Denise Johnson, LCSW-C – Senior Practice Associate for Clinical Social Work
May 2025
During the month of May, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) observes Mental Health Awareness Month. This annual observance honors the millions of individuals affected by mental health conditions across the United States where approximately one in five adults will experience a diagnosable mental health condition each year.[1]
NASW also recognizes the important contributions of social workers who are on the front lines of mental health care, providing services such as crisis intervention, assessment, treatment, and ongoing support.
The following resources are provided to support social workers in their practice:
Upcoming Webinars
The Power of Civility in the Social Service Workplace
May 7, 2025, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Designed to promote healthier workplace dynamics, this webinar will introduce resilience-based strategies that empower social workers to foster respectful and supportive environments.
From Knowing to Doing: Trauma-Informed Leadership for Social Workers in Practice
June 23, 2025, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
This webinar will equip social workers with practical strategies to apply trauma-informed principles in leadership, emphasizing emotional intelligence, actionable tools, and addressing systemic barriers to foster inclusive and supportive environments.
Navigating the Chaotic Wake of Childhood Traumatic Loss, Grief, and Bereavement
July 9, 2025, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Social workers will learn targeted strategies to support children and adolescents experiencing various forms of loss including relational and identity-based grief, while examining the profound impacts on mental, physical, and behavioral health.
NASW Press Publications
Artificial Intelligence in the Behavioral Health Professions: Ethical and Risk Management Issues explores the integration of AI technologies into mental health care, examining their potential to enhance diagnostics, personalize treatment, and improve access, while addressing the ethical and practical challenges faced by behavioral health professionals.
Self-Care in Social Work: A Person-in-Environment Approach to Managing Occupational Stress and Burnout (2nd Edition) offers social workers practical, culturally responsive strategies rooted in cognitive coping and self-compassion to prevent burnout and promote well-being in both personal and organizational contexts.
Social Work Field Instruction in Modern Practice: A Handbook addresses the evolving landscape of social work education, emphasizing inclusivity, technological integration, and trauma-informed approaches. It offers practical strategies for self-care and mindfulness, aiming to support both students and educators in achieving a healthy work–school–life balance.
The 13th edition of Social Work Speaks is a comprehensive and unabridged collection of policies on a wide range of topics such as mental health, self-care, social justice, and youth suicide.
The National Association of Social Workers’ Practice Standards for Clinical Social Workers is a comprehensive reference and practice guide for clinical social workers in practice settings such as private practice, mental health centers, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and agencies.
The National Association of Social Workers’ Practice Standards for School Social Workers addresses the changing landscape of schools and the current practice trends of school social workers.
Podcasts
EP 127: Understanding Traumatic Grief
In episode 127 of NASW's Social Work Talks podcast, host Elisabeth Joy LaMotte speaks with Melissa Sellevaag, Director of the Wendt Center’s Training Institute, about the complex intersection of trauma and grief. They explore how mental health professionals can build confidence and capacity to support individuals and communities coping with traumatic loss, drawing on the Wendt Center’s decades of experience in healing after illness, violence, and other crises.
Ep 122: Something's Really Wrong Here: What Social Workers Should Know About Families with Adult Children with Mental Illness
Episode 122 of NASW's Social Work Talks podcast, Dr. Judith R. Smith discusses the challenges aging mothers face when supporting adult children with serious mental illness or substance use disorders.
Episode 119: Update on the EAP Landscape
Dr. Dale Masi, a pioneer in the field of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), shares insights on the shifting global landscape of EAPs in Episode 119 of Social Work Talks. She underscores the growing need for workplace mental health services and encourages social workers to engage with EAPs as a vital resource for employee support.