Social workers advocacy group endorses Harris for president

The National Association of Social Workers Political Action for Candidate Election (NASW-PACE) endorsed Vice President Harris on Friday, the group first told The Hill.

NASW-PACE, the largest membership organization of professional social workers, said its endorsement stems from Harris’s leadership and historic candidacy and the Biden-Harris administration’s investments in mental health, including investments in the American Rescue Plan that President Biden signed into law in 2021.

The group also said Harris’s work to empower marginalized communities directly aligns with the values of the social work profession.

“Vice President Harris is a shining example of America’s promise. Her presidential bid is historic in many ways, and it’s clear that she is the most qualified person in the race. She is a proven champion for the people, and the lives of social workers and those we serve will be better under her leadership. I am confident that Vice President Harris will continue to invest in mental health and lead the nation through our current mental health crisis,” NASW CEO Anthony Estreet said.

Harris shouted out the care economy in her first campaign rally since launching her presidential run, telling a crowd in Milwaukee, “We believe in a future where … every person has affordable health care, affordable child care and paid family leave. We believe in a future where every senior can retire with dignity.”