Reps. Moolenaar, Accavitti, Anderson, Ball, Baxter, Bieda, Booher, Brandenburg, Brown, Byrum, Caul, Clack, Elsenheimer, Espinoza, Farhat, Farrah, Garfield, Gillard, Gleason, Gonzales, Hopgood, Kolb, Kooiman, Leland, Lemmons, III, Lemmons, Jr., Lipsey, Marleau, Mayes, McConico, McDowell, Meisner, Meyer, Miller, Mortimer, Nitz, Plakas, Polidori, Sak, Shaffer, Sheltrown, Alma Smith, Spade, Stahl, Tobocman, Vagnozzi, Vander Veen and Zelenko offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 207.

A resolution proclaiming March 5-11, 2006, as School Social Work Week in the state of Michigan.

Whereas, Children need a supportive environment in order to learn the skills to prepare them to become members of the society at large; and

Whereas, Children have different backgrounds, abilities, and needs, but all can succeed; and

Whereas, Linking schools to human services, reducing barriers to learning, and facilitating positive learning atmospheres within schools require specialized mental health professionals; and

Whereas, School social workers constitute the 700 members of the Michigan Association of School Social Workers.  They are among the 6,000 members of the Michigan Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers who are trained to provide the specialized services to ensure the well-being of children and reduce barriers to learning through working with families, teachers, and community organizations; and

Whereas, The Michigan Association of School Social Workers and the Michigan Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers have lent the legislature their expertise in determining policies concerning the well-being, safety, and success of students in Michigan’s schools on issues that have included special education, prevention of bullying and school violence, and psychotropic medications in schools; and

Whereas, School social workers across the country will mark the 100th anniversary of the profession during National School Social Work Week, March 5-11, 2006; now, therefore, be it 

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body proclaim March 5-11, 2006, as School Social Work Week in the state of Michigan; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Michigan Association of School Social Workers and the Michigan Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers as a token of our esteem.