From the Pen of the Executive Director: March 2026

Joel L. Rubin, MSW, LSW, ACSW, CAE

NASW-Illinois Chapter Executive Director

NASW-Illinois Chapter Executive Director, Joel L. Rubin, LSW, ACSW, CAE

As I write this month's article, we are nearing the end of the public comment period (March 2nd) to the Department of Education (DOE) that would remove social work as a professional degree. Under this proposed rule change, social work would no longer meet the professional degree criteria, creating significant financial barriers for students, specifically the ability to take out student loans to pay for a social work education. This change comes amid growing demand for social workers in behavioral health, child welfare, education, and community service sectors already facing severe workforce shortages. The engagement of social workers and social work students around this issue reflects the 2026 Social Work Month theme of "Uplift, Defend. Transform." By submitting a public comment, we are advocating to ensure social work retains its professional degree status and continued access to federal financial aid.

This is the message I have been discussing while visiting a range of social work programs this past month (together with Candace Gingrich, the chapter's Community Engagement Manager, and chapter president LaTasha Roberson-Guifarro) with stops to date at Chicago State University, Lewis University, Illinois State University, and the University of Chicago.  More visits will follow during Social Work Month. 

There are a range of ways that Illinois social workers can Uplift, Defend, and Transform the profession during Social Work Month:

• Voting on March 17, 2026, for the Illinois primary. In early February, the NASW-Illinois Chapter, informed by our Political Action Committee (PAC), announced our endorsements for the 2026 primary. The endorsements can be found here.

• Attend a chapter or district event. There are many in-person and live virtual events in March. Check out our Events page for the full listing. We hope to see many of you there.

• Submit a presentation for our 2026 NASW Chapters Virtual Conference. The call is open throughout March until April 1st: Call for Presenters: 2026 NASW Chapters Conference

• Read and learn about chapter leadership. Profiles of many of our chapter board of directors and other social work leaders will be featured during Social Work Month on our website and social media. Many thanks to Gabbi Bretz, our graduate student intern from UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work for work on her work on this project.

• Attend the national NASW Community conversation on March 19, 2026. More details on how to participate to come.

• Attend a public meeting of the Illinois Accountability Commission, which was established on October 23, 2025, by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker through Executive Order 2025-06 which gives executive authority to the formation of the Illinois Commission on Accountability.

  The purpose of the Commission is to:

  • Create a public record of the conduct of federal agents during “Operation Midway Blitz” and the Trump Administration’s military-style operations throughout the Chicagoland area; 

  • Examine the impact of that conduct on individuals and communities; and 

  • Consider policy recommendations to prevent future harm to these individuals and communities.

• Attend in the 2026 NASW-Illinois Chapter Advocacy Day on April 15, 2026.  This is a great opportunity for social worker across the state to make their voices heard with elected officials. Complete event information can be found at Advocacy Day | NASW-Illinois Chapter.

Please take time out to celebrate what you do as a social worker this month.

Happy Social Work Month!