MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS: COMMUNITY NEEDS CAN’T BE MET

What: Virtual press conference following the State of New Jersey’s Board of Social Work Examiners Meeting to discuss the community crisis, delays in licensure and call to action.
When: July 14, 2021, 1:00 p.m. EDT
Where: Virtual
https://zoom.us/j/96984173231

Meeting ID: 969 8417 3231
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Who: National Association of Social Workers-New Jersey (NASW-NJ) joined by social workers and community members impacted by bureaucratic process.
Why: Hundreds of qualified social workers wait in limbo for license approval due to months long delays (sometimes upwards of a year or more) due to the inefficiencies of the Board of Social Work Examiners. These delays have led to missed job opportunities for otherwise qualified workers and agencies’ inability to meet the needs of the broader community—as licensure delays impact their ability to offer services. Emails, phone calls and applications have sat without response for over a year. While social workers were called to action as first responders in the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to address the mental health crisis in our nation, the Board of Social Work Examiners has failed to provide the basic services needed to support the profession and must be held accountable.

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Founded in 1955, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, with more than 100,000 members. The New Jersey Chapter is the second largest chapter in the United States, with more than 6,500 members. NASW-NJ works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies. Learn more at www.naswnj.org.