March is National Social Work Month

Social workers: ‘Good people helping good people better their lives’

Who in your life do you consider to have strengths? The answer is simple – every person, family and community has strengths from which they can draw when times are difficult. And social workers can help build upon those strengths.

The theme of National Social Work Month - Building on Strengths: Help Starts Here – focuses on the important strengths inherent in each individual, family and community. Understanding and utilizing these strengths are essential to improving the emotional health and well-being of society.

“The foundation for the growth and change in any individual, family or community is existing strengths,” said Debbie Snapp, executive director of Catholic Social Service. “Social workers are trained from the ‘strengths perspective,’ emphasizing the assets and resources available, and using those assets to reach their goals.”

Strengthening people and providing support are priorities of the social work profession. Wherever there is a problem with an individual, family or community, social workers look for the inherent strengths that can be used as a starting point for further growth.

“The strengths perspective approach fosters hope by focusing on the positive, rather than on feelings of helplessness,” said Snapp. “Individuals, families and communities can feel empowered by identifying and working with their strengths.”

Social Work Month also provides an opportunity for social workers to highlight the essential role they play. “Behind our ministries are social workers and a trained support staff,” stated Snapp. “They are good people helping good people better their lives.”

In addition to Snapp, who directs the operations of the agency, are the following individuals and their particular areas of expertise:

Dodge City office: Amy Falcon, LBSW, (Pregnancy Counseling, Teen Moms, Infant Adoption Program); Hattie Stein (Addiction Services); Melissa Legleiter, (office manager); and Rosa Lopez, (program assistant).

Garden City office: Rhonda Goodloe, MSW, (Marriage for Keeps Regional Coordinator); Susan Hendershot, (Family Service Coordinator); Brooke Hamlin-Lopez, (Marriage for Keeps Family Specialist); and Vickie Box, (Administrative Assistant/Marriage for Keeps Facilitator).

Great Bend office: Pattie McGurk, LBSW, (Infant Adoption Awareness Training, The Benefit Bank, Food Stamp Outreach, Poverty in America); Sandy Gros, LBSW, (Adoption Programs, Foster Care); and Annette Schremmer, (Fundraising and Marketing).

The objective of Catholic Social Service is to provide quality services to people of all faiths, backgrounds, and ethnicities in a manner that best serves the needs of the client. The agency was formed in 1965 to engage in organized charitable welfare and social service work for the promotion of the physical, mental and moral betterment of all persons who come under the care of this society.

National Social Work Month was initiated by the National Association of Social Workers to accentuate the positive role of social work in society.