HR648: HR648 School Social Workers Association of Georgia; expertise and commitment to the well-being of students and their families; commend

25 LC 112 3248 House Resolution 648 By: Representatives Wilkerson of the 38th, Smith of the 41st, Berry of the 56th, McQueen of the 61st, and Newton of the 127th A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending the School Social Workers Associatio n of Georgia for its1 expertise and commitment to the well-being of students and thei r families; and for other2 purposes.3 WHEREAS, each year, thousands of children and their families in this state utilize the4 services of school social workers, who are master's level trained professionals working in our5 schools; and6 WHEREAS, the School Social Workers Association of Georgia is a nonprofit entity that was7 formed in 1978 to help children and families access resources n eeded to allow children to8 thrive and learn; and9 WHEREAS, the School Social Workers Association is a nonprofit a ssociation with more10 than 450 members statewide; and11 WHEREAS, the School Social Workers Association of Georgia champions the needs of all12 children in Georgia's public schools and their families by ensuring access to mental health13 services, responding promptly to individual and school-wide crises, addressing educational14 H. R. 648 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3248 barriers faced by homeless youth, and partnering with community m e m b e r s a n d15 organizations to secure resources aimed at enhancing student achievement; and16 WHEREAS, the School Social Workers Association of Georgia seeks to promote the17 well-being of its members by offering conferences focused on wellness practices for school18 social workers and their communities and training that provides strategies to manage stress19 and prevent burnout and helps to ensure that its members remain effective and resilient in20 their roles, which is a practice that enhances their ability to support students' mental health21 and well-being, leading to a more positive and productive schoo l environment as mental22 health challenges among youth continue to rise; and23 WHEREAS, the School Social Workers Association of Georgia's members work tirelessly24 to remove student barriers to learning by intervening to improve school attendance, behavior,25 and academic achievement; coordinating family, school, and community resources to enable26 a child to learn as effectively as possible; alleviating stress by making connections for27 students, family, and school staff; providing crisis intervention services; assessing students28 with mental health concerns and making referrals where appropri ate; identifying and29 reporting child abuse and neglect; conducting home visits; enha ncing the professional30 capacity of school personnel; and assisting in implementing multi-tiered supports in schools.31 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that32 the members of this body recognize and commend the School Social Workers Association33 of Georgia and its members for their work done to help provide crisis and counseling34 services to Georgia's children and their families as well as to improve Georgia's education35 system, including better student attendance and graduation rates.36 H. R. 648 - 2 - 25 LC 112 3248 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized37 and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the38 School Social Workers Association of Georgia.39 H. R. 648 - 3 -