Your Voice Matters

Welcome to KSSWA's advocacy page!  Here you can make a difference, because your voice matters for your students, for your school, and for your profession.  Below you will find resources to help in your advocacy efforts.  However the most impact we can have is if all School Social Workers join together with a unifying voice across the state.  School Social Workers need to be the ones dictating what the profession is and can be.  As School Social Workers we know and see the influence we can have on a student, family, and educational system.  It is only with your support that we can advocate and grow this profession at the state level.  Collectively our voice is powerful and can make change happen.  So please join with us to create one collective voice for School Social Workers across the State of Kansas.

2023 KSSWA Legislative Focus

1. Strengthen the Profession of School Social Work

2. Promote Student Growth and the Wellbeing of Families and Staff

3. Advocate for Sufficient Funding and Support for Educational Growth in Kansas

Please click here to view the 2023 KSSWA Legislative Focus 

Please click here to view Progress of the 2023 KSSWA Legislative Focus 

June 2023 Legislative Updates

National Legislative Updates

NASW Legislative Alert for H.R. 1415: School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act: 

https://www.socialworkers.org/Advocacy/Legislative-Alerts?vvsrc=%2fCampaigns%2f105198%2fRespond

If passed, this Act will help provide appropriate school social worker to student ratios and establish the National Technical Assistance for School Social Workers. Technical assistance would assist with:

  • Providing strategies on improving the effectiveness of school social work
  • Identify areas of improvement for school social work programs'
  • Work with agencies on disseminating data on best practices
  • Establish school social work development programing. 

Kansas Legislative Updates

Education Bill signed into law: 

https://www.ksde.org/Home/Quick-Links/News-Room/Weekly-News/Feature-Story/education-budget-bill-signed-into-law-line-item-vetoes-protect-schools-facing-declining-enrollment

Senate Bill 25 Mental Health In Schools:

https://www.ksde.org/Home/Quick-Links/News-Room/Weekly-News/gov-kelly-signs-bill-that-will-help-improve-mental-health-services-in-kansas-schools

Message from the Governor regarding Senate Bill 25 Mental Health In Schools: 

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/KSOG/2023/05/15/file_attachments/2498299/Line-Item%20Veto%20Message%20SB%2025.pdf

*Please note that this bill specifically says the word "liaison's." You can still contact your representative regarding the wording in this bill and advocate for an LMSW and/or LSCSW to be placed in this position.

The KSSWA Legislative Committee would like to share our progress towards our legislative priorities. You may access this document by clicking the button below. You can also access this document on the KSSWA website under the 2023 Legislative Focus heading.


KSSWA Progress Towards Legislative Priorities


The Legislative committee will also be on a short break until July. We look forward to continuing to support our Associations advocacy efforts next legislative session and school year.


KSSWA Legislative Focus 2023 Highlight

We are now on the KSDE website! Please copy and paste the link below into your browser to see our section under School Mental Health. 

https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Special-Education-and-Title-Services/School-Mental-Health

2023 School Social Workers Week

KSDE Guidance - Section 27 HB2567: Nonacademic Tests, Questionnaires, Surveys & Exams

Please see the .pdf below for guidance from KSDE about HB2567 that was passed in May 2022. 

HB 2567 - Nonacademic Surveys (Updated 8.18.22) (2).pdf

Contact Your Legislators

To find further information about who represents your district please visit Openstates website. You can enter your address here to find who it is that represents your district. Legislators usually welcome any contact with constituents, so please email, call or even invite them to your school to further that relationship.    

Resources for Advocating


Letter-to-Legislator July 2022(1).docx

Letter-to-Legislator July 2022 (2).docx

This is a letter to help you communicate with your legislator about social workers and the importance of our presence in schools

Letter-to-School-Administrators Updated July 2022(1).docx

Letter-to-School-Administrators Updated July 2022 (2).docx


This is a letter to let a school administrator about school social worker and how we can benefit students, staff and our communities

 KSDE School Mental Health (School Social Work) Information posted on the KSDE website regarding School Social Work and School Mental Health.
Surgeon General Youth Mental Health Advisory
Information regarding youth mental health and creating a responsive systematic support for todays youth. 
School Mental Health Teaming StatementNational Associations statement indicating effectiveness of teaming strategies to address school mental health concerns
Kansas Legislature VideoThis is a video put together to assist with the navigation the Kansas Legislature Website
School Social Work Association of America - News & Advocacy

This portion of the SSWAA website includes advocacy resources, legislative updates, and guidance regarding how to contact legislators on various levels. 

School Social Workers - A Necessity in the Fight Against Youth Mental Health .pdf Provided is a policy brief from a member of KSSWA, Sara Nowak. This brief discusses School Social Workers and the importance of our positions to help support our students mental health needs.
Social-Emotional Growth and the Kansans Can Vision for Education
 KSDE information about Social Emotional Growth. Provided on this site are: SECD Standards, Resources, and Measuring Documentation in addition to other resources.

KSSWA Advocacy Information last updated on:  May 31st, 2023

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