Description: This lecture in the series will address the complexities of federal advocacy. Social workers will learn about the major federal health and human services agencies and how they interface with Congress. We will give an overview of processes to determine federal budgets and priorities. Finally, we will present mediums and strategies to participate in federal advocacy in relation to priorities for social work, social workers, and the populations social workers serve. Participants will leave with a comprehensive understanding of how to navigate the federal landscape to advocate for systemic change on a national scale.
Trainer: Nicole Parker, Ph.D., serves as a senior advisor at Lewis-Burke Associates, supporting universities, non-profits, and foundations in navigating federal research and education policies. Her work focuses on agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), and other HHS entities. Dr. Parker brings a strong scientific foundation to her role, holding a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has contributed to impactful projects at prestigious institutions, including the NIH and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). As a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Dr. Parker worked with the Board on Higher Education and Workforce, advancing initiatives in education and workforce development. Throughout her career, she has been a steadfast advocate for expanding biomedical research portfolios, broadening participation in STEM, and fostering innovation in education policy.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the training participants will be able to:
- Identify the major federal health and human services agencies and their roles in shaping policies that impact social work and the populations social workers serve.
- Explain the federal budgeting and priority-setting processes to understand how funding decisions and legislative agendas are determined.
- Apply effective mediums and strategies for engaging in federal advocacy to advance social work priorities and promote systemic change on a national scale.
References:
- Bliss, D. L., & Ginn, H. (2021). Expanding presence of social work advocacy on the national stage. Journal of Social Work Education, 57(3), 432-444. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2019.1671266
- Mason, L. R., Minnick, D. J., Tercero, S., Melton, C. C., & Greenfield, J. C. (2022). Policy mapping of US congressional proposals on climate change: Informing social work advocacy. Journal of Policy Practice and Research (Online), 3(3), 221-240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42972-022-00055-4
- Zayas, L. H. (2022). Social work advocacy in federal immigration courts: A Consultant’s reflection on successful cases. Advances in Social Work, 22(1), 33-45. https://doi.org/10.18060/25294
UNC SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK MACRO LECTURE SERIES