Mental Health Memo Contributors
Jennifer Luke – HS Social Worker
Quinn Hamilton – Social Work Intern

Celebrating Social Work Month – March 2026

What is Social Work Month?
Social Work Month is an annual observance held every March to recognize the profound contributions social workers make on our communities. First celebrated in 1963, Social Work Month provides an opportunity to increase awareness of the profession’s contributions and to acknowledge the essential role social workers play in improving access to care, advancing equality, and promoting whole person well-being. For 2026 the National Association of Social Workers has designated the theme: Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform.

What Do Social Workers Do?

Social workers advocate for individuals, provide education, and deliver clinical support across many settings to ensure vulnerable South Dakotans receive essential services. In behavioral health hospitals, they connect patients, families, providers, and community systems to support continuity of care. Their work when carried out in behavioral healthcare includes assessments, crisis intervention, treatment coordination, discharge planning, and linking individuals to resources such as housing, transportation, outpatient treatment, and financial assistance.

Why Is This Work Important?

Social workers are important because they play a critical role in improving patient outcomes by ensuring underlying factors impacting a patient’s health are addressed by practitioners with specific competencies. Recovery is not solely clinical, it is deeply connected to social stability, support systems, and community reintegration. By fostering resilience and empowerment, they help build a stronger community where every citizen is given the opportunity to thrive.

Social Work and Behavioral Health

Social Work Month underscores the need for a strong behavioral health workforce to meet rising mental health and substance use needs. Social workers apply a person‑in‑environment approach grounded in trauma‑informed care, recovery principles, and community integration. As essential members of treatment teams, they help ensure discharge plans align with available community resources and support long‑term recovery.

How to Celebrate Social Work Month

Since its establishment, Social Work Month has served as an opportunity to:

• Raise public awareness about the role and value of social workers
• Advocate for policy improvements
• Highlight the profession’s impact on vulnerable populations
• Strengthen professional identity and pride within the field

Departments and organizations often mark the occasion with leadership messages, recognition events, and other opportunities to honor the dedication and expertise of their social work staff.

To learn more about a career as a Social Worker and other career paths in Behavioral Health visit https://sdbehavioralhealthcareers.sd.gov/explore-careers