NASW–New York Chapter: 2025 Year in Review

A Year of Unity, Advocacy, and Impact. 2025 marked a historic year for NASW–New York as the NYC and NYS Chapters unified, expanded advocacy, strengthened professional development, and deepened engagement across the state.

Executive Director Reflections: Read Dr. Shakira A. Kennedy’s remarks on the NASW–NY 2025 Year in Review, including unification, advocacy, and statewide impact.

Read the Executive Director’s Reflections →

2025 Year in Review (Full Report): View the complete NASW–New York 2025 Year in Review report highlighting advocacy wins, programs, and statewide impact.

View the 2025 Year in Review (PDF) →

2025 Professional Development Report: Professional Development and Continuing Education (CE) summary for the 12-month period ending December 1, 2025.

View the 2025 Professional Development Report (PDF) →

2025 Milestones & Anniversaries

NASW celebrates 70 years of advocacy and advancement for the social work profession.

NASW Turns 70

On October 1, 2025, NASW marked 70 years of advancing the profession through advocacy, ethics, and leadership.

Celebrating 65 years of the NASW Code of Ethics guiding ethical social work practice.

Code of Ethics Turns 65

On October 13, 2025, the NASW Code of Ethics celebrated 65 years of values-based, ethical social work practice.

Social Work Month 2025

The 2025 theme, “Social Work: Compassion + Action,” highlighted the profession’s role in turning empathy into meaningful change.

2025 Progress & Unification

Before reflecting on where the Chapter was, we begin with what the Chapter accomplished. In 2025, NASW–New York advanced professional development, strengthened statewide community engagement, and expanded policy and advocacy efforts, all while navigating a historic organizational transition. In July 2025, the NASW–NYC and NASW–NYS Chapters officially unified to form the NASW–New York Chapter. Throughout this transformation, staff worked diligently to reshape, refine, and reimplement operations, programming, and advocacy efforts as one unified organization.

We extend our sincere thanks to our presenters, partners, board members, the Unification Taskforce, and division directors whose collaboration and leadership made 2025 programming and advocacy possible.

View the full 2025 Year in Review report →

NASW–NY Professional Development (Continuing Education) 2025

In 2025, NASW–New York expanded continuing education (CE) for social workers in New York State with high-demand clinical trainings, ethics and compliance programming, and emerging topic areas including AI in social work. Offerings increased access across regions through live online, hybrid, and in-person formats.

Overall CE Impact

70 CE programs offered
194.5 CE credits issued
4,891 total registrations
3,330 CE certificates issued
4 NYSED Mandated Reporter CE programs

Access & Cost

35.5 free CE credits offered in 2025
29 free-to-all CEs
5 member-only free CEs
1.5 division-specific free CEs
VMHTI: 20 free CEs available to all

Format & Statewide Reach

Live Online: 60 programs
Hybrid: 8 programs (Niagara, SUNY Fredonia, Touro, UAlbany, NYS Capitol)
In-Person: 1 program (Renew Hope & Healing)
Faculty: 31 new presenters; 18 returning presenters

Partnerships, Series & VMHTI (Highlights)

Two CE series launched: AI in Social Work and Ketamine (3-part series each)
Division collaborations (6): Western (4), Northeast (1), Genesee Valley (1)
DC37 partnership: 15 programs | 45 CEs
CEPP: 2 new partnerships | 5 programs | 6.5 CEs
VMHTI served 1,700+ social workers through 5 CE events plus 1 full conference
CE Taskforce created to support CE planning and quality across NYS

NASW–NY Policy & Advocacy 2025

NASW–New York advanced social work advocacy in New York State through legislative education, direct action, coalition work, and testimony.

Impact at a Glance

2,212

Social workers engaged through Act Now advocacy alerts

70+

Meetings with legislators and public officials

Endorsed candidates elected statewide (all won)

Advocacy issues supported

Sign-on letters endorsed

40+

Community partners engaged

Want the full details? Explore the NASW–NY Policy Team’s 2025 End of Year Report, including legislative wins, statements, events, and a month-by-month recap.

View the Policy Team 2025 End of Year Report →

Policy & Advocacy Highlights (2025)

Capitol Action Day 2025

NASW–NY’s annual advocacy event brought social workers and students to the State Capitol to advance Chapter legislative priorities.

Act Now Advocacy Alerts

Act Now alerts mobilized social workers statewide to take timely action on priority legislation, engaging more than 2,200 advocates in 2025.

NASW–NY legislative and coalition advocacy work with community partners

Legislative & Coalition Advocacy

NASW–NY advanced 22 advocacy issues through legislative meetings, coalition partnerships, and testimony, signing on to 21 letters with 40+ partners.

NASW–NY candidate endorsements and election outcomes

Candidate Endorsements & Elections

NASW–NY endorsed 21 candidates aligned with social work values in 2025. All endorsed candidates were successfully elected.

NASW–NY C.A.R.E.S. Community Engagement 2025

46 total C.A.R.E.S. events
Series: Social Work Month, Immigration, Pride, School Social Workers, Senior Series, Policy Series
Two Virtual Job Fairs: Winter (8 employers) and Summer (11 employers statewide)
Unification Thursdays: member re-engagement series (Fall 2025)

NASW–NY Was There: Showing Up Across New York (2025)

LEAD 2025: student-led advocacy day uniting schools of social work statewide
Capitol and rally engagement: NY Health Act rally, Medicaid 60th anniversary rally, Hands Off day of action
Community partnerships: Queens Against Kings Summit, NICE resource fair, Latino Social Work Coalition events
Recognition: Dr. Shakira A. Kennedy named a 2025 Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine

Looking Ahead to 2026

As NASW–New York moves into 2026, the Chapter remains committed to expanding continuing education, strengthening policy and advocacy, deepening partnerships, and amplifying the voices of social workers across New York State.