From the AOSW Advocacy Committee

Advocacy is a central tenet of social work. Our code of ethics identifies social justice as a key value, guided by the ethical principle of challenging social injustice. Further, AOSW’s Scope and Standards of Practice identify “advocacy for protection of patients’ dignity, confidentiality, rights, and access to care” as a component of Standard II, Services to Patients and Families. However, as social workers complete their MSW programs and begin to grow in their work, a divide often emerges between clinical and macro practice. Time and effort are invested in expanding clinical skills, and advocacy can get lost in the chaos of assessments and interventions. In these challenging political times, many social workers are feeling the call to advocacy growing louder.

Oncology Social Workers (OSWs) are skilled at recognizing patient needs and pivoting to meet those challenges. As federal policies continue to impact how patients are able to access care, there is a call to recognize the systems in place that are impacting our work. As our work then evolves, so does our responsibility to address and speak to those social justice issues. This moment can be a call to evolve the social work role to one that links micro and macro practice to positively and fully impact patient outcomes.

Where to Start

If you are thinking about ways to get involved in advocacy and feeling lost, the first step is often to find your focus. As individuals, it is unreasonable to expect one to take on all social justice issues, but one can choose where to focus their attention. Consider which problems are a particular challenge in your area, or what direct practice issue you are facing repeatedly, or consider which cause you feel passionate about. This can be an opportunity to think about what you have learned about the issue from working with patients or clients and which policy gaps or problems you have observed.

Once your cause is identified, advocacy work can begin. One of the easiest ways to become involved in social justice work is to lend your voice to active advocacy groups. Some of these include (but are not limited to):

• American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
• Blood Cancer United Advocacy
• CancerCare Advocacy and Policy
• CSC Cancer Policy Institute
• Lungevity Advocacy and Awareness
• PanCAN Advocacy
• NASW Advocacy

While we can’t possibly include all advocacy groups, use this as a starting point to explore opportunities. As you will find, advocacy groups can be found for almost all cancer types and issues. Once linked to these groups, opportunities to share your stories and voice will come. Watch for calls to action and requests for stories.

In addition to the work OSWs can do in sharing stories, also consider opportunities to amplify patient voices. These organizations often seek patient stories. By staying aware of this advocacy work, OSWs can more effectively connect patients with those opportunities. This is often a net win for both the organizations and the patients.

AOSW and Advocacy

Advocacy is important within AOSW. Our Statement of Policy Principles acknowledges health care as a human right, as identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) Constitution. AOSW supports work and policies that acknowledge Social Drivers of Health and work to dismantle systemic racial injustices. AOSW strives to minimize health disparities and support comprehensive access to affordable health care.

The Advocacy Committee continues to work to support those policy principles. The committee advocates for best practices in cancer care and supports the advancement of the field of Oncology Social Work. The committee continues to expand partnerships with organizations that share our goals, recognizing that these connections can amplify our shared mission.

If you are interested in joining the AOSW Advocacy Committee, please email info@aosw.org to request committee membership.

Importantly, AOSW is currently in the process of revising its Statement of Policy Principles. We will be seeking feedback from members, so please watch SWON for ways to share your thoughts.