The 12th edition of Social Work Speaks is a comprehensive and unabridged collection of policies adopted and revised by the NASW Delegate Assembly in 2020. The Delegate Assembly, NASW’s key policymaking body, meets every three years. The policy statements set the parameters for NASW’s positions and actions on a broad range of public policy and professional issues.

This edition includes updated policy statements on a wide range of topics, including rural social work, voter rights and participation, mental health, hospice care, juvenile justice, foster care and adoption, and the rights of indigenous peoples. Social Work Speaks is a reference tool that represents the collective thinking of thousands of social workers across all fields of practice. This user-friendly resource can assist in developing organizational responses to policy issues, conducting policy analysis, and working in advocacy coalitions.

Social Work Speaks is a first-rate introductory social policy text that will spark dynamic and valuable debates on public policy and the role of social work in leading change.

Social workers who want to be informed and involved in policy analysis, advocacy for social policies, or the formulation of future policy statements will find the 12th edition of Social Work Speaks a useful resource.