Established in 1970, the Public Health Social Work Section establishes standards for social work in health care settings, contributes to the development of public health social work practice and research and promotes social work programs in the public health field.
Check out our new video to learn more about Public Health Social Work Section and who we are: APHA Public Health Social Work.
Our Members
Our members practice across all systems of care and levels of social ecology. Some of us are social workers working in public health settings, some are public health professionals interested in social work and still others are professionals who pursued both MSWs and MPHs, in combined programs or at different times.
The public health social work section is made up of professionals who play a critical role in promoting and protecting the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. We combine expertise in social work and public health to address social drivers of health and health-related challenges in society. The mission of the Public Health Social Work Section is to advocate for the health and wellbeing of all populations, provide information about the role and importance of public health social workers, mentor public health social workers so that they can strengthen their service to the public, contribute to public health social work research, and share best practices with other professional groups.
Our Work
We work to achieve our mission through the following priorities:
- Promote social justice and health equity in public health.
- Identify, investigate and remediate issues of importance to the fields of social work and public health.
- Advocate for the health and well-being of all populations (particularly vulnerable populations).
- Educate communities about the role and importance of public health social workers.
- Strengthen collaborations with other Sections and national social work and behavioral health partners to improve the health status and social functioning of populations across the lifespan.
- Promote and distribute culturally relevant, research-based resources, publications, tools, curricula and other communications through social media and other channels.
- Promote evidence-based practice and translational research using socio-epidemiologic approaches.
Member Benefits
As a member of our Section, you can help grow our legacy in public health practice! We offer many opportunities to get involved, such as joining Section leadership, collaborating with other organizations and partners, influencing APHA policies and priorities, reviewing abstracts and presenting your research at the APHA Annual Meeting.
Join Us!
Your participation is vital to our continued success. Become an active member of the Section when you join APHA. If you are already an APHA member, you can join as your second Section for no additional cost by updating your member profile.
Attend Events
Check out the APHA calendar for upcoming Section events and browse our sessions at the 2024 APHA Annual Meeting and Expo.
Visit on APHA LEAD
Members can visit us on APHA LEAD to learn about upcoming events, join in discussions with other Section members, and access our Section’s resource library.
Contribute
Support our efforts by making a donation.