By Leah Wade, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates 

March is National Social Work Month, and this year the theme is Empowering Social Workers. The theme of this month highlights the need for higher compensation and support for the high-demand roles that social workers engage in. This month is used as a way to celebrate the contributions that social workers are making to individuals, families, and communities. It is a time to support the ongoing work that social workers participate in. 

The need for social workers is great. In 2021, there were over 708,000 social work jobs and it is one of the fastest growing professions in the US. Social workers work in various roles, some in direct care of clients and therapy settings, while others lead support groups or work in school and medical settings. 

There are also those who work in large-scale settings in initiatives, campaigns, collaborations, community organizing, and advocacy and policy efforts for the most vulnerable populations. Social workers at this high level, or macro level, focus on work engaging in changing systems, policies, and advocating for the needs of communities. Social workers at Kentucky Youth Advocates work daily to make Kentucky the best place in America to be a kid. 

KYA is proud to employ eleven social workers and currently has four social work interns. These social workers work in many settings at KYA, including promoting positive outcomes for children regarding health, economic security, families and communities, and education and through policy advocacy, disseminating data on Kentucky’s kids through the Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book, and program-based efforts with those with lived experience. Our team works in a variety of settings and statewide initiatives to support the needs of kids, such as with foster care and child welfare involvement, justice involvement, kinship caregiver support, education, and prevention of child abuse and Adverse Childhood Experiences, amongst other efforts. 

For the last two months, many of our social workers have been promoting the well-being of the Commonwealth’s children through advocating for policy changes during the 2024 General Assembly’s legislative session. These social workers have been identifying and advocating for budget and policy priorities outlined in the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children agenda. 

Learn more about social workers’ roles in advocacy and join us in recognizing our KYA social workers! 

Kentucky Youth Advocates social workers include:

  • Debbie Abreu, MSW
  • Cortney Downs, MSSW, CSW 
  • Jami Garth, MSSW
  • Tatum Heath, BSW student
  • Clarissa Mobley, MSSW, CSW 
  • Shannon Moody, PhD, MSSW, CSW
  • Carli Mosby-Smith, MSSW, CSW 
  • Kathleen Niestadt, BSW student
  • Mara Powell, MSSW 
  • Alicia Whatley, MSSW
  • Crystal Willis, MSSW 
  • Andrew Alvey, MSSW Intern
  • Casey Lane, MSW Intern
  • Rayne Parker, MSSW Intern
  • Leah Wade, MSSW Intern