NASW Oregon Chapter

The National Association of Social Workers, founded October 1, 1955, is the largest and most recognized membership organization of Professional social workers in the world. Representing more than 150,000 members from 56 chapters in the United States and abroad, the Association promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW also seeks to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through its work and advocacy.

Mission Statement

• To promote the quality of social work practice in the United States through services to individuals, group and communities.

• To further the broad objective of improving conditions of life in our democratic society through utilization of the professional knowledge and skills of social work and to expand through research the knowledge necessary to define and attain these goals.

• To provide opportunity for the social work profession to work in unity toward maintaining and promoting high standards of practice and of preparation for practice and toward alleviating or preventing sources of deprivation, distress, and strain susceptible to being influenced by social work methods and by social action.

• To promote diversity, inclusion, cultural competency, and social justice.

The association shall at all times recognize and carry out a threefold responsibility: (1) to promote activities appropriate to strengthening and unifying the social work profession as a whole, (2) to promote the sound and continuous development of the various area of social work practice whereby the profession contributes to the meeting of particular aspects of human need, and (3) to promote efforts in behalf of human well-being by methods of social action.