Edwards highlights Social Workers Awareness Month

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  In conjunction with the National Social Workers Awareness Month celebration, Edwards is highlighting the effort and value of the base's social work throughout the month of March. 

This is an annual opportunity for the Edwards community to enhance the public awareness of social work and the type of help social workers offer. 

This year's awareness month celebration theme is "Social Work: Purpose and Possibility." 

"It is good to recognize our social workers and their value," said William Sweeney, 95th Medical Operations Squadron Family Advocacy outreach manager and a licensed clinical social worker. "There are a lot of misconception and stigma regarding social work. This is a good time of year to clarify that family advocacy and social workers all across the country are here to offer help."

Social work help can come in many forms, and it actually encompasses a lot of things such as marriage therapy, communication skills, parenting classes, Mr. Sweeney said. 

"A lot of people think we are a legal organization, but we are not," he said. "Everything is confidential with the exception of reported spouse and child abuse, suicide or homicide issues. When Airmen and civilians voluntarily come to us for help, it will not hurt their records. Even in difficult cases of abuse, a social worker's goal is to keep people safe. All across the nation, social workers are providing educational services and a safe environment to talk about problems. We are here as a service to the community."

Social workers with the 95th MDOS provide Airmen and civilians with various classes, such as communication skills, parenting classes and a DAD's 101, which is a group run by a dad who teaches new fathers on how to handle a new child. 

"Our parenting class for example provides parents specific techniques to discipline children without shouting or violence," Mr. Sweeney said. "We also offer individual counseling to help Airmen and civilians on a number of issues from marriage enhancement to depression. We have a lot of great information for everyone." 

Social workers have the unique training and education to see the purpose and possibility in the lives of those they serve, Mr. Sweeney said. In addition, they are educated at a program or school of social work in the theory, practice and policy of social work. 

Throughout the month, the 95th MDOS will provide information to base personnel regarding their programs and how social workers can provide help relating to social work. 

For more information, call Mr. Sweeney at 275-2816.