This month we’ve been highlighting MS Awareness as we present different topics important to and associated with MS as well as ways in which we can educate ourselves and those around us. In addition to MS Awareness, March is also Social Work Month. Social workers play a vital role in overall health and wellness, mental health, as well as in areas far outside of the health sciences.

Social workers have been around since before the 1800’s working diligently on issues of injustice, inequality and to help empower individuals and communities to use their collective strength to make a difference. Some of our most noted alums here in the United States started institutions such as the Hull House in Chicago in 1889, which was established to help the surrounding low-income neighborhoods have access to education programs, health care services and recreational opportunities. In addition to reaching out to low-income communities, social workers throughout history have partnered with the Red Cross to treat soldiers returning from war, been civil rights activists, served on presidential cabinets and worked in legislative arenas as catalysts for change. Social workers are often thought of as the caseworkers in hospitals or with children and family services. While those are two of the important roles that social workers take on, social workers also work with the military or international businesses as well as be political campaign workers, community organizers, run nonprofit organizations and are behavior and mental health professionals. Our first lady Michelle Obama has an MSW (Master of Social Work) on her team to initiate new programs and services across the country.

Social work as a profession has evolved from those early years but some things still remain. The individuals who enter into social work are dedicated, compassionate, innovative, inclusive and hard working professionals who cover a bevy of occupations and can be found in almost every avenue. We meet people on some of their worst days and walk with them through circumstances and over obstacles while assisting them to build on their own strengths to come out the other side better equipped to tackle some of life’s uncertainty. It takes a special person to be a social worker and partner with others to be the difference someone may need.

Thank any social workers you know for all their hard work not just in the month of March but whenever you get the chance.