Reps. Whitted, Baker Introduce Legislation to Help Social Work Students Make Ends Meet

COLUMBUS — State Reps. Jodi Whitted (D-Madeira) and Rachel Baker (D- Cincinnati) today announced a new bill that establishes a grant program for social work students. House Bill (HB) 675 would grant $20K to individual students who are completing their internships. While these internships are required for students to complete while pursuing their degrees, most of these internships are not paid or underpaid. HB 675 aims to give hard working students some financial relief. 

“When I was a student of social work, I saw my peers struggle to support themselves while they were a full-time student, completing their internship, and working another job. Years later, as a professor, I see some of my students facing the same struggle. Social workers are vital to Ohio and its workforce. I am proud of the work we are doing to support young professionals, and those in need of all the work social workers do,” said Rep. Whitted. 

“Ohio is in a mental health crisis and one of the major contributors to this crisis is the lack of mental healthcare providers,” said Rep. Baker. “This legislation seeks to remove one barrier to entering the social work profession and increase the ability of Ohioans to enter the social work profession.”

The primary sponsors of this bill worked in close collaboration with the National Association of Social Workers - Ohio Chapter. 

"Ohio relies on its social work workforce to provide essential services in mental health, child welfare, healthcare, community support, and many other areas. However, many aspiring social workers face significant barriers in entering the profession, particularly due to the challenge of completing often unpaid internships. The bill introduced by Representative Whitted and Representative Baker is a crucial step toward funding social work students across the state in various practice areas. It will help students who are working 16 to 24 hours a week in internship placements, where they deliver valuable services to clients and communities, to be able to afford their cost of living while doing so. These contributions should be appropriately valued and compensated,” said Danielle Smith, LSW, CAE, executive director of NASW-Ohio.

From 2013-2019, the demand for behavioral health services increased 353% while the behavioral health workforce only increased 174% during the same period. Only three of the 88 counties in the state have a surplus of social work practitioners. All the other counties have a deficit. Social workers are important professionals who are helping Ohioans through this mental health crisis; and the sponsors hope that in providing support to students, they will help fulfill the needs of Ohioans. 

While the General Assembly ends in December, the sponsors are hopeful for movement on this important bill.