Social workers, like many health and behavioral health professionals, are concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their own well-being as well as the communities they serve. Social workers are in a unique position to promote disease prevention efforts (including disseminating accurate information from trusted sources), and to help address anxiety and other concerns that are arising as a result of this public health crisis. Every day many more people are becoming partially or fully vaccinated, but there are many others who have not been vaccinated, despite the demonstrated safety of the vaccines and their high degree of effectiveness in preventing severe illness and death. Social workers, as professionals who provide services in a wide range of community settings, and who are trusted messengers, are in a unique position to promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence, access, and uptake — particularly among populations with low vaccination rates and higher vulnerability to severe forms of infection.  
NASW and the NASW Foundation are partnering with the Health Behavior Research and Training Institute (HBRT) at The University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded (CDC) initiative to support social workers and their clients in informed vaccine decision-making.
To learn more, click here.

At the NYS Chapter, we are also doing our part to equip social workers with the information they to engage their clients and communities from populations with lower vaccination rates. We encourage you to bookmark this page to use these resources in the future.

In 2021 organizations like the Hispanic Federation, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, New York Immigration Coalition, Asian American Federation, Charles B. Wang Community Center, and APICHA Community Health Center received part of a $15 million effort to decrease vaccine hesitancy. Click here to learn more.

The New York Vaccine Literacy Campaign at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy recently worked with Health Leads to produce a three-part series focusing on maternal vaccine hesitancy. Click here to learn more.

New York Community Trust $9.9 million in grants to 53 nonprofits to address vaccine hesitancy. Click here to learn more.

Social Worker Audiences in NYS

Social workers hold our communities together across our Nation, but where are they specifically in New York State? Our NYS membership of 6,500+ shows the following breakdown in practice area:

Our NYS membership of 6,500+ shows the following breakdown in major job function:

New York State has expand access to vaccines through an in-home vaccination program for those who are homebound due to physical limitations, cognitive impairment, other chronic conditions, a lack of transportation, and/or visual impairments, and who do not have access to supports that may help them physically go to an existing vaccination provider. Click here to learn more about getting a vaccine in the comfort of your own home.

Subpopulations in NYS with Lower Levels of Vaccine and/or Booster Uptake

 

Vaccine Disparities by Race

Click the below images to be directed to their sources with additional information. 

Vaccine Disparities by Age

Click the below images to be directed to their sources with additional information. 

 

COVID-19 RESOURCES

COVID-19 Vaccines FAQ

HIPPA Compliance during COVID

NASW National Resources

Click here for NASW National Resource Page

The National office of NASW has an incredible array of resources to support social workers, and we highly recommend you visit their COVID-19 Resource site in addition to ours.  See below for a few specific areas we find most helpful:

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Visit their main page here.

The CDC coronavirus webpage provides guidance on preparation and action steps for various settings:

Social workers may also consult other reliable sources for current information and setting-specific guidance, including:

PUBLIC HEALTH SOLUTIONS RESOURCES

Public Health Solutions is here to help New Yorkers through the COVID-19 pandemic. All  services are operating on modified times and available virtually to meet the growing health needs of everyone affected by the pandemic.

Health insurance
SNAP enrollment
WIC benefits
Maternal and child health services

vOTHER RESOURCES

Association of Social Work Boards

Department of Health

NYSED

Telehealth Learning Series

The Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network, the Center for Excellence on Protected Health Information (CoE-PHI), the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers, and the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT) at the University of Nevada - Reno (UNR) are facilitating a FREE, national online discussion and resource sharing opportunity for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers and peer support specialists faced with transitioning their services to the use of telephone and videoconferencing methods in response to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.

Coalition on Human Needs: COVID-19 Special Resource Page:
Addressing The Needs Of Low-Income And Vulnerable People

 

Medicare Telehealth Psychiatric CPT Codes Used by Clinical Social Workers

Social Security Updates & Resources - Cheat Sheet

Division of Financial Services

What You Need to Know in Corrections

Office of Mental Health

Coronavirus and Forbearance Info for Students, Borrowers, and Parents

Medicaid Eligibility Information

PhRMA’s Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT)

Mental Health Support

Caregiver Assistance

Financial Support for Low-Income Families

Benefit Finder

Filing for unemployment

How To Support Seniors With Car Modifications During COVID-19

How to find funding for home improvement for the disabled and elderly populations

Benefits for Veterans and their Caregivers

Guide to Life Insurance for Parents of Children with Disabilities

STATEMENT ON XENOPHOBIA

“The NASW-NYS firmly rejects any form of racial superiority, racism, or xenophobia against the Asian and broader international community in the United States. As COVID-19 continues to spread across the country, there have been increases in racial attacks and blatant prejudices against the Asian community.

Every human has the fundamental right to dignity and equality. Any and all acts of racism through propaganda, physical attacks, or racial slurs are condemned by the NASW-NYS. We have seen a rise in online posts of demeaning pictures about the Asian community for the sake of “comedy” as well as people intentionally avoiding businesses run by Asian owners. These actions are inherently racist and have done nothing but spread misinformation about the virus and hatred towards the Asian community.

This virus is non-discriminatory and can infect any individual. Attempts to justify racial superiority with the virus are a violation of dignity, safety, and equality.

As we enter unprecedented times, we must come together and grapple with the difficulties ahead by showing our solidarity and support.”

Get Involved

NASW-NYS knows YOU are the power of social work, and there would be no NASW without our members. Contribute to our efforts below:

- Know a resource or organization we should share that isn’t included here? Let us know at naswnys@socialworkers.org or click here for our submission form!

- Want to get involved with NASW-NYS leadership, volunteer during this time, or help amplify our efforts in your community? Email us at naswnys@socialworkers.org!

- Click here to let us know what CE topics and Presenters you want NASW-NYS to deliver.