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Corona, PEF Region 4 Coordinator, LCSW-R Samantha Fletcher, Executive Director, NASW-NYS  \nMichele Rosello, LCSW-R Vanessa Sandor, LCSW, CASAC Mary Savva, LCSW, CASAC Elaine Vasilopoulos, LCSW-R  \nErin Morales, PEF Field Representative  \nNicole Richmond, Research Associate, PEF Civil Service Deptartment Geraldine Stella, PEF Director of Health & Safety  \nCrisis in Care — Page 2  \nI. INTRODUCTION  \nThe Public Employees Federation (PEF) represents 1,190 licensed social workers who practice in New York State agencies. The majority of PEF social workers are employed by the Office of Mental Health (OMH), but members also perform social work atthe Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), the Department of Health (DOH), the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), the State Education Department and the Workers’Compensation Board.  \nDue to their unique education and licensure, social workers are routinely relied upon to provide quality, therapeutic care at facilities, institutions, agencies, and health care providers around the state. While meeting with PEF members statewide in the Spring and Summer of 2022, union leadership heard from an overwhelming number of Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) members who expressed concerns and frustrations with vacancies and staff shortages, increased and unmanageable workloads, more complex and difficult clients, pay inequity, and increased stress and burnout. Social workers feel they are too often not safe at work and their jobs are devalued. Many are either leaving or thinking about leaving State service orthe profession altogether. It was clear that the current mental health crisis, exacerbated by the pandemic, will only get worse if New York State does not act to recruit and retain social workers, who play critical roles treating some of New York’s most vulnerable residents.  \nPEF reached out to the executive leadership of the New York chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to partner with them inan effort to address these concerns. In September 2022, PEF and NASW coordinated two listening sessions for PEF social workers and in October 2022, PEF developed and sent a survey out to licensed social worker titles to collect data. The survey was conducted online and was open for two weeks. It consisted of 20 questions, ranging from demographic information to inquiries about pay equity, workload responsibilities, the complexity of assignments and job satisfaction. The survey was sent electronically to 935 personal email addresses of PEF social workers. Five hundred and fifteen (515) of those who received the email opened it and 279 members completed the survey.  \nPEF next assembled a team comprised of members and elected leaders, staff from our Field Services, Organizing and Civil Service Departmentsand the Executive Director of NASW-NYSto analyze the data. This report provides an overview of the findings from the survey, which highlight a current crisis and looming catastrophe, if New York State does not prioritize and address the critical shortages, unsafe working conditions and salary disparities for the social workers they employ.  \nII. SURVEY RESPONDENT DEMOGRAPHICS  \nWhere do you work-Agency and Location?  \nAnswered: 272 Skipped: 2  \nCrisis in Care — Page 3  \nHow many years have you been a social worker for New York State?  \nAnswered: 273 Skipped: 1  \nHow many years have you worked at your current agency?  \nAnswered: 274 Skipped: 0  \nWhich social work license do you hold?  \nAnswered: 272 Skipped: 2  \nHow long have you been licensed? Answered: 269 Skipped: 5  \nCrisis in Care —","cbCaiqlxpb2MSYa7","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiqlxpb2MSYa7","pdf",303378,21,"English","# I. Introduction\n# II. Survey Respondent Demographics\n# III. Background","[{\"question\":\"What is the main focus of the February 2023 white paper?\",\"answer\":\"It focuses on how high stress and low pay impact New York State-employed social workers, highlighting shortages, unsafe working conditions, workload pressures, and pay disparities.\"},{\"question\":\"How was the survey on social workers conducted?\",\"answer\":\"PEF coordinated listening sessions and then developed an online survey distributed to licensed social worker email addresses. It collected responses over two weeks and included 20 questions on demographics, pay equity, workload responsibilities, assignment complexity, and job satisfaction.\"},{\"question\":\"Which institutions and agencies employ most of the PEF social workers?\",\"answer\":\"Most PEF social workers are employed by the Office of Mental Health, with members also working across agencies including OPWDD, DOCCS, OCFS, DOH, OASAS, and others.\"}]","February 2023 Social Workers - Crisis in Care: High Stress, Low Pay Impact | PDF",1789984200,53]