Your Voice MattersWelcome 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. |
Advocacy Goals1. Advocate for the social, emotional, and educational well-being of children and families 2. Increase the profession of School Social Work in Kansas 3. Educate about the impact of trauma and promote trauma informed schools |
2022-2023 Legislative AgendaUpdated 2022-2023 Legislative Focus coming soon. Until then, please view 2020-21 Legislative Focus below to see past goals and priorities for KSSWA. Here is our 2020-21 Legislative Focus. Clicking on the link will take you directly to our two page document which gives KSSWA's goals and priorities that will help with impacting legislation for School Social Workers across Kansas. If nothing else use the first page to inform and educate your legislators, school or community about the impact School Social Workers have. It is our voices not only individually but united together that makes a difference for the children and families we serve. August 2022 Legislative UpdatesThe Senate and House are adjourned until January 9, 2023 at 2:30pm. KSDE Guidance Regarding HB2567 In HB2567 was enrolled into law on May 26, 2022. It discusses: nonacademic test, questionnaire, survey or examination containing any questions about the personal and private attitudes, values, beliefs or practices of the student or the student's parents, guardians, family members, associates, friends or peers that is administered during the school day shall not be administered to any student enrolled in kindergarten or grades one through 12. Parents must opt-in or opt-out no more than four months before nonacademic test, questionnaire, survey or examination is implemented. (- KSDE HB2567 Administration Final docx.pdf) Below you will find KSDE guidelines about HB2567 and in specific safety screeners for students (HB 2567 - Nonacademic Surveys Dr. Proctor.pptx - slide 5). HB 2567 - Nonacademic Surveys Dr. Proctor.pptx HB 2567 Administration Final docx.pdf Kansas Voting Information: Kansas Primaries will take place on August 2, 2022. Please visit the links below for additional information regarding voting and your voting status in Kansas. Kansas: Election Tools, Deadlines, Dates, Rules, and Links National Bill Update: This month we would like to highlight H.R. 2988 School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act. This bill would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Department of Education to award renewable grants to high-need local education agencies to hire and to retain additional school social workers. You can find your congress member by clicking here and then send them an email in support of this bill to help expand services for those that need them in the school setting. You can find an email template with pointers for email from SSWAA at the bottom of this page. Find Your Congress Member: congress.gov/members SSWA Policy and Advocacy: https://www.sswaa.org/policy-and-advocacy As of July 25, 2022 there has been no movement on this bill. It has currently been referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Elementary (11/16/2015). Other KSSWA Legislative Information: The KSSWA Legislative Committee and KSSWA Board are currently in the process of updating our resource: Letter to School Administrator and Letter to Legislator. We will have this completed in August 2022 as well as other new resources coming soon to help assist with advocacy in schools as we start the 2022-2023 school year! |
Advocacy Toolbox Welcome Letter
| 2022-2023 Advocacy Toolbox1. KSSWA Back to School Flyer.pdf 2. KSSWA Brochure - Students.pdf 3. School Social Workers - A Necessity in the fight against youth mental health.pdf 4. Overlapping_and_Unique_Roles_of_OH_Pupil_Services (2).pdf (Roles of School Social Workers, School Counselors, and School Psychologist - currently being updated to include School Nurses) 5. Letter-to-School-Administrators Updated July 2022(1).docx (Version 1) 6. Letter-to-School-Administrators Updated July 2022 (2).docx (Version 2) 7. Letter-to-Legislator July 2022(1).docx (Version 1) 8. Letter-to-Legislator July 2022 (2).docx (version 2) KSSWA Confidentiality Signs |
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Contact Your Legislators
To find further information about who represents your district please visit Open States 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
This is a letter to help you communicate with your legislator about social workers and the importance of our presence in schools | |
This is a letter to let a school administrator about school social worker and how we can benefit students, staff and our communities | |
| Surgeon General Youth Mental Health Advisory | Information regarding youth mental health and creating a responsive systematic support for todays youth. |
| School Mental Health Teaming Statement | National Associations statement indicating effectiveness of teaming strategies to address school mental health concerns |
| Kansas Legislature Video | This 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. |
Regional and National Associations
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