Congratulations to the SMART Center, recipient of the 2024 School Social Work Advocate of the Year award from the Washington Association of School Social Workers (WASSW)! Their work represents a turning point in school social work in Washington state where dedication to the social work profession and collaboration to better support youth, have aligned to create lasting systemic change.

While presenting the award, WASSW’s Michelle Sorensen, MSW said, “In October 2022, a dedicated group came together to explore how to improve student access to school-based mental health services. Among the many ideas discussed, one stood out: expanding the role of school social workers to better support youth across Washington state. Through ongoing collaboration and, of course, the timely submission of a grant, SMART Center’s vision began to take shape, creating new opportunities for school social workers and, WASSW believes, fundamentally altering the profession’s trajectory in the state. Together, we tackle challenges and pave the way for increased school social worker employment and broader involvement, ensuring that more students and families receive the support they need.”

In attendance to accept the award were Nikki York, MSW, Workforce for Student Well-Being program operations specialist, Kelcey Schmitz, MSEd, director of training and technical assistance, and Rachel Barrett, MSW, Workforce for Student Wellbeing program manager.