Empowering Social Workers
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is the largest employer of master’s level social workers in the United States.
Social Workers have been employed in the VA since 1926. Social Work has evolved into a health care profession embedded in all patient care areas across the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), helping Veterans, service Members, their families and caregivers and survivors to achieve their highest level of personal wellness.
The mission of VA social worker is to assist Veterans, their families, and caregivers, and survivors in resolving Social Determinants Drivers of Health (SDOH) challenges to health and well-being. Social work is woven into the fabric of VA health care, providing clinical interventions, and services across the VA continuum of care.
The Sierra Nevada VA is celebrating Social Work Month in March. The Social Work Month 2024 theme Empowering Social Workers underscores the need for our nation to better support social workers to address societal issues.
People become social workers because they have a strong desire to help others. Social workers have a hearty sense of social justice and follow a Code of Ethics that calls on them to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people. They are particularly attuned to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.
For more than a century, social workers have helped our nation tackle major societal challenges. Social workers have also been behind initiatives we continue to benefit from, including Social Security, a minimum wage, Medicare, and improved workforce safety.
The Sierra Nevada VA has over 120 Social Workers, across various service lines including Mental Health, Medicine, Ambulatory Care and Geriatrics and Extended Care. We urge you to learn more about the essential work of Social Workers and what you can do to help members of this profession do their positive, life-changing work.