At NASW Ohio, we affirm that reproductive health care—including abortion—is essential to social justice, client well‑being, and equity. In recent years, we have strategically advocated for policies that uphold bodily autonomy and resisted efforts to restrict access. Our mission extends beyond supporting individuals, we aim to transform systems so that reproductive rights are protected under Ohio law.

Read NASW’s position statement on reproductive justice>>

NASW Ohio’s Legacy in Abortion Access Advocacy

Policy Advocacy at the State Level

NASW Ohio has consistently testified and lobbied against restrictive abortion measures. We opposed bills like HB 570 (sex‑selection abortion bans) and HB 298 (reprioritization of family‑planning funds), advocating instead for evidence-based family planning and reproductive health access. Our efforts have emphasized the social work values of dignity, autonomy, and client-centered practice.

Successful Legal Action in Lebanon, Ohio

In May 2022, NASW Ohio, alongside the Abortion Fund of Ohio, filed a federal lawsuit, NASW  Ohio v. City of Lebanon, challenging the City of Lebanon’s Ordinance No. 22‑03. This ordinance, passed in March 2022, made it a misdemeanor punishable by jail time and fines for anyone, including social workers, to “aid" or "abett” a Lebanon residents accessing lawful abortion care outside of Lebanon.

Case Timeline:

• March 15, 2022 – Lebanon enacts Ordinance No. 22‑03, which banned abortion in city limits, criminalized the simple possession of mifepristone and misoprostol inside Lebanon, criminalized efforts to help persons in Lebanon obtain abortions outside Lebanon, and specifically criminalized a wide rage of activities including providing transportation, instructions, and money, as well as "abortion doula" services, broadly defined to include emotional and informational support, which are a standard element of services provided by social workers and other health and human services providers.

• May 5, 2022 – Plaintiffs file NASW Ohio v. City of Lebanon in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, with support from ACLU of Ohio and Democracy Forward.

• July 2022 – Plaintiffs request a preliminary injunction to block the ordinance’s enforcement.

• October 2022 – Lebanon officially repeals the ordinance under legal pressure and public scrutiny.

• November 2022 – The court dismisses the case as moot but explicitly notes the ordinance imposed unconstitutional burdens on free speech and reproductive autonomy.

This victory was more than just a repeal—it set a precedent affirming the constitutional rights of individuals and providers to support access to reproductive health care. The judicial commentary underscored that criminalizing “aiding and abetting” abortions infringed upon both free speech and bodily autonomy.

“We are proud to have defeated Lebanon's attempt to criminalize social workers for simply doing their jobs," said Danielle Smith, Executive Director of NASW Ohio. “Prior to our successful litigation, social workers across Ohio were at risk of being sent to jail not only for helping people access essential health care but even just providing therapeutic space for clients to talk about abortion. This is a critical victory in ensuring our clients receive quality care.”

The Fall of Roe v. Wade and NASW Ohio’s Response

On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade through its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, eliminating the federal constitutional right to abortion. This historic and devastating ruling triggered a wave of uncertainty and fear across Ohio, where existing restrictive laws threatened to immediately limit abortion access.

NASW Ohio responded swiftly to support the profession and the public:

• Practice Guidance for Social Workers: We released timely guidance for social workers navigating the new legal landscape, providing ethical frameworks, risk mitigation strategies, and clinical considerations for supporting clients.

• Educational Webinars: We hosted live and recorded webinars featuring legal experts, reproductive justice advocates, and social work leaders. These sessions offered CEUs and addressed questions about confidentiality, client rights, and how to ethically support access to care.

• Legislative Monitoring and Advocacy: We mobilized members to speak out against new restrictions, submitted testimony, and maintained a public resource hub for updates, tools, and calls to action.

Through these efforts, NASW Ohio provided critical leadership during a period of national upheaval, ensuring that Ohio's social workers remained equipped, supported, and ready to advocate for reproductive justice.

Issue 1: Embedding Reproductive Rights in Ohio’s Constitution

What Happened

On November 7, 2023, Ohio voters passed Issue 1—the “Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety”—by a margin of 56.8% to 43.2%. It became effective just 30 days later. In the months leading up to the election, NASW Ohio took action to support this historic amendment. Our PACE (Political Action for Candidate Election) committee formally endorsed a YES vote on Issue 1 in our statewide voter guide. We also launched a grassroots postcard campaign, encouraging social workers across Ohio to vote YES and mobilize their networks. Throughout the campaign, NASW Ohio used its communication channels—including newsletters, social media, and virtual events—to educate and empower members about the stakes and significance of Issue 1.

What It Means for Ohioans

• Legal Protection: The amendment safeguards the right to abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, crisis pregnancy services, and miscarriage care.

• Impacts on Social Workers: The passage of Issue 1 protects social workers from being criminalized for providing referrals, education, or support related to abortion care. This is especially significant given past attempts, such as the City of Lebanon’s ordinance, to impose legal penalties on anyone—including licensed professionals—who “aided or abetted” an abortion. Issue 1 reinforces the ability of social workers to ethically practice without fear of legal retaliation.

• State Restrictions: State government or municipalities cannot burden or penalize individuals or providers exercising this right, except with least-restrictive, medically based regulations.

Continuing Challenges: Legislative Attempts to Roll Back Protections

Despite Issue 1’s constitutional protection, Ohio’s legislature continues to introduce bills aimed at restricting abortion access:

• Prenatal Equal Protection Act (H.B. 370): Introduced June 2025, this proposed law would classify abortion as homicide, imposing criminal penalties on providers—even though it directly conflicts with the newly codified constitutional right.

NASW Ohio is closely monitoring H.B. 370 and other potential restrictions. We are preparing policy responses and mobilizing coalition partners to defend reproductive freedom in and out of the courtroom.

NASW Ohio’s Ongoing Commitment

• Education & Training: We host webinars and CEU events to equip social workers with knowledge on reproductive justice, ethical practice, and legislative advocacy.

• Policy Advocacy: We advocate before the Ohio legislature and support civic engagement to ensure current protections remain robust.

• Collaborative Action: We continue collaborating with organizations like AFO and ACLU Ohio, and others to protect reproductive health care access.

NASW Ohio proudly stands at the forefront of defending reproductive rights in our state. While Issue 1’s constitutional protections represent a milestone, emerging legislative threats like H.B. 370 underscore the need for continued vigilance.

How you can help:

• Join NASW Ohio to support our work! Encourage colleagues to join NASW Ohio to strengthen our collective advocacy.

• Stay informed by attending NASW Ohio webinars and advocacy sessions.

• Reach out to your state representatives to voice opposition to bills like H.B. 370.

Together, we will continue to advance reproductive justice—upholding dignity, autonomy, and well‑being for all Ohioans.

Webinars

• Webinar: What is Self-Managed Abortion?>>>
• Webinar: Update on Abortion Responsibilities for Clients and Advocacy (June 29, 2022) >>>
• Webinar: Legal Implications of Local Ordinances>>>
• Webinar: Abortion Rights & Advocacy in Ohio>>>
• Webinar:All Options Counseling>>>
• Webinar: Compassionate Counseling>>>

Messaging Guidance

NASW Ohio supports the following messaging points and encourages all social workers to use the same.

Say abortion-  Abortion is a safe healthcare procedure. Avoiding the word adds to the stigma that the procedure is something to be ashamed about. Avoid language that adds to a stigmatizing narrative like, “I’m not pro-abortion but I am pro-choice.” Also avoid any language that relegates abortion to only being important to some groups like people living in poverty. Everyone needs access to abortion, period.

Use gender-neutral language-  Pregnancy does not only affect women. People who are transgender or non-binary need access to abortions.

Remember intersectionality-  Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color have historically and currently been subjected to different forms of reproductive injustice than white people. Avoid messaging that erases the experience of BIPOC folks like using messaging from the Handmaid’s Tale. Handmaid’s Tale imagines a dystopian future for white people but is drawn from the direct experience of Black and Indigenous people in the United States. Abortion bans are racist, classist, ableist, misogynistic, transphobic, and fat phobic. 

Abortion is safe- While the future of abortion access in this country is dire, it is important to remind people that in our modern age abortion is incredibly safe. Avoid using imagery of clothes hangers or natural abortion solutions. Rather talk about accessible options like Plan C pills .

Abortion does not cause mental health problems- As social workers we have a specific role to play in talking about the fact that abortion does not cause mental health problems. More than 50 years of international psychological research shows that having an abortion is not linked to mental health problems, but restricting access to safe, legal abortions does cause harm.  Read more on the APA’s website>>

Join the NASW Ohio task force on Social Work Practice Criminalization

We have already seen attempts to criminalize social work practice as it relates to bodily autonomy & self-determination, specifically aiding and abetting abortion and providing gender-affirming care. NASW has built a taskforce to strengthen our leadership capacity to do advocacy work on these issues from a social work workforce lens.

We are looking for folks who have strong values-alignment with NASW Ohio's stances on bodily autonomy & self-determination and who represent diverse identities and lived experiences. We are committed to intersectionality and centering the experiences and expertise of Black people, Indigenous people, and other People of Color and those most affected by these laws including transgender and non-binary individuals and women.

Task force work may include things such as:

• Tracking legislation that limits access to abortion & gender affirming care
• Creating messaging scripts (with guidance from NASW Ohio) for social workers talking to legislators about these issues
• Meeting with members of the legislature to talk about how attacks on bodily autonomy & self-determination criminalize ethical social work practice
• Creating social media posts with information and guidance for social work advocacy and disseminating information through wide networks.

Email Daniel Smith at dsmith.naswoh@socialworkers.org if you are interested in joining.