NASW Supports Multi-State Lawsuit Challenging Federal Student Loan Limits

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has announced its support for a multi-state lawsuit, challenging the U.S. Department of Education's new rule that redefines and restricts federal student loan limits for graduate students.

The lawsuit from 25 states and the District of Columbia alleges the rule, which slashes loan options for clinical social work and health professionals, exacerbates workforce shortages and harms public health.

"This arbitrary rule directly threatens the future of the mental health workforce when our communities need it most," said NASW CEO Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C. "By stripping vital financial support from graduate social work students, the Department of Education is erecting a massive barrier to entry for a profession already facing critical shortages."

Clinical social workers account for one of the largest groups of mental health services providers in the United States, and their work is instrumental in helping the nation decrease its rates of opioid addiction and deaths by suicides. However, the nation is still facing a mental health crisis, especially for adolescents.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the nation will need 855,000 social workers by 2034, a six percent increase over a decade. However, the Department of Education rule could deter thousands of social workers from getting the advanced degrees they need to do this important work.

"We proudly stand with this coalition of states to ensure that dedicated future clinical social workers can afford the education required to provide essential, life-saving mental health care across the nation," Estreet said.