On Thursday, March 21st, the NASW-MI hosted the annual Capital Action Day. Being hosted within the Michigan State Capitol building, Capital Action Day represents a time in which both professional social workers actively in the field and the future generation of social work students come together to participate in a series of lobbying regarding issues facing the profession. 

This year, the highlighted bill being advocated for was the Social Work Licensure Modernization Act (HB 5184 & 5185). In brief, the act’s purpose is to reduce barriers to entry into the social work profession and to increase the number of licensed social workers in Michigan to help address workforce shortages by restructuring the current licensing tier system to align it with the majority of other states and to eliminate the examination requirement. 
 

The event began with an introduction to the attendants regarding the purpose of the act, as well as relaying the importance of making such purposes understandable to the politicians who will soon be casting their votes for the act itself. Following this, the event proceeded to break out into different groups for the attendants to meet with various representatives and senators for the lobbying to begin. 

Students and professionals met with members of the House Behavioral Health Subcommittee, including Representatives Brabec, Pohutsky, Glanville, MacDonnell, Rheingans, Edwards, Thompson, St. Germaine, and Schmaltz, as well as Senators including Sen. Chang, Huizenga, and Daley. Most legislators were supportive of the bills.
 

Overall, Capital Action Day created the opportunity for the social work community to come together and recognize the significance of advocating for our profession, and in doing so, advocating for ourselves.