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Ron Avi Astor Takes Part in Congressional Briefing on Critical Need for School Social Workers

By Joanie Harmon
Professor of Social Welfare Ron Avi Astor

UCLA professor of social welfare a co-sponsor on growing national need for school-based mental health services.

Ron Avi Astor, UCLA professor of social welfare in the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies and the Marjorie Crump Chair in Social Welfare in the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, recently took part in a virtual congressional briefing on March 30 focused on “The Critical Need for School Social Workers: Improving Student Success through H.R. 7037.” 

Professor Astor is a co-sponsor of the School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act (H.R. 7037), introduced by Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) with Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13). 

Astor presented his research at the briefing with social work experts, including Julie Incitti, school social work consultant, Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin; Nicole Other Medicine, school social worker, Indian Education Program, Saint Paul Public Schools, Minnesota; Tiffany Walker, school social worker and chief executive officer, Journey Therapy Center, Clifton, New Jersey; and Damion Wilson, coordinator, School Social Work Services, Virginia Beach City Public Schools and National Member-at-Large, National Association of Black Social Workers. Earl Hadley, associate director of government relations, American Federation of Teachers provided opening remarks.

The briefing was cosponsored by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, the American Council for School Social Work, the American Federation of Teachers, the Council on Social Work Education, the National Association of Black Social Workers, Inc, the School Social Work Net, and the Society for Social Work and Research.

Visit this link for a recording of the Congressional Briefing.

Click here for an action alert by the National Association of Social Workers. 

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