Every March, during Social Work Month, NASW Ohio Chapter hosts Advocacy Day to connect social workers to their state legislators. It's a time to promote our profession and issues that impact our clients. Join over 600 social workers and social work students for a day of action. You'll learn how to be an effective advocate and meet with your state Representative's and state Senator's offices.

2026 Advocacy Day

When: Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 

Where: Vern Riffe Center in Downtown Columbus; 77 S High St, Columbus, OH 43215

Register Here>>>

Registration Costs

$25 for students, $30 for non-students 

Includes boxed lunch and 2 social work CEUs

Areas of Advocacy Focus

TBD

Advocacy Day Schedule:

• 9:00am-10am - Check-in, networking, exhibit viewing 

• 10:00am-12:00pm - Main legislative advocacy training (2 CEUs available for social workers)
  
  • Learn how to be an effective advocate and about our policy priorities, relevant bills, and our legislative "asks". Attending this portion of the day is mandatory for participating in legislative meetings. 

• 12:00pm-12:30pm - Lunch pick-up; exhibit viewing
  
• 12:30pm-1:15pm - Advocacy planning meetings
  • Attendees will be divided into groups based on Ohio State Representative Districts to plan for meetings with their state legislators. Each group will have a team lead to facilitate discussion. Consider signing up to be a team lead (with registration) - a great opportunity to exercise your your macro social work skill! 
• 1:15pm-4pm - Meetings with legislators
  • Each group will have a 15-30-minute meetings with their State Senator/Representative or a member of their staff, during this time frame. When attendees are not in meetings we will have additional activities (See below) and encourage folks to visit the exhibit tables.

Dress Code

Please wear professional (business casual) clothes to Advocacy Day.

Accessibility Accommodations

NASW Ohio is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible event.  If you have a disability (including but not limited to concussion, vision, mobility, hearing, physical or other health related disabilities), require communication access services for the deaf or hard of hearing, or believe that you require a reasonable accommodation for another reason please contact the event organizer at info.naswoh@socialworkers.org by Friday, March 6th to discuss your needs. We will attempt to implement late requests as well, but cannot guarantee they will be met, depending on the services needed. 

The event venue is wheelchair accessible and has an accessible bathroom (If you need assistance finding it, please ask NASW staff at the check-in desk). The nearest parking lots often fill up early, so consider arriving early for a better chance of getting close by parking. Getting dropped off right in front of the building is also a great option if at all possible, as unfortunately the downtown sidewalks can be difficult to navigate. Advocacy planning meetings and most meetings with legislator's offices occur in designated spots in the venue's hallway, chairs are not available for all attendees, however, if you need a chair due to a disability, please let NASW Ohio staff at the check-in desk know, and we will bring a chair to the designated spot for you. 

For dietary restrictions, a space is included on the event registration form for you to indicate your dietary needs. Accommodation of specific dietary needs can only be guaranteed if registration is completed by Monday, March 16th. We will attempt to accommodate late requests as well but cannot guarantee they will be met. Vegetarian options will be available. 

To be respectful of those with allergies and environmental sensitivities, we ask attendees to refrain from wearing strong fragrances.

Additional Sessions

TBD

Sponsor Advocacy Day 

As NASW Ohio's largest event of the year, with 600+ attendees, this event is an amazing opportunity to connect with social workers from all around the state! Advocacy Day is an especially great opportunity for organizations and schools looking to connect with social work students (Bachelor and Master students), many of whom will be graduating soon and looking for employment or the next step in their social work education!

Sponsor Registration is not yet open.

Thank you 2026 Sponsors! 

Gold Sponsors

Case Western Reserve University,

Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences

Equity. Innovation. Transformation.

As the #9 ranked social work school in the United States and the highest ranked school at Case Western Reserve University, the Mandel School is at the forefront of educating future leaders in social work and nonprofit management. Our students are talented, compassionate, diverse people who are educated and mentored by world-renowned professors and taught in a rigorous, groundbreaking curriculum that will prepare them to change the world. We offer a  Master of Social Work (MSW),  Master of Nonprofit Organizations (MNO), and a PhD in Social Welfare.

LEARN MORE

The Ohio State University, College of Social Work

Amplify. Advocate. Change.

The College of Social Work aims to enhance our students' experiences through a dynamic curriculum, community-engaged research, technological exploration, and a steadfast dedication to their success. World-class faculty is leading the way in innovative research that seeks solutions to the societal problems impacting individuals and families. Our continuing education program provides lifelong education to social work professionals creating an interdisciplinary community of extraordinary advocates, clinicians and organizers. We’re committed to bettering communities across the globe with knowledge, collaboration and action.

LEARN MORE

Problem Gambling Coalition SW OH

The Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment Coalition of SW OH advocates for increasing public awareness of problem gambling, the availability of prevention, treatment, and recovery services, motivating healthcare providers to incorporate problem gambling screening into client assessments, and equipping practicing social workers to provide problem gambling prevention and treatment services. 

LEARN MORE

Silver Sponsors

Previous Advocacy Days:

2024 - Empowering Social Workers

In 2023 we continued to focus on solutions to the be behavioral health workforces crisis in the form of on-going funding of The Great Minds Fellowship and Medicaid reimbursement rates for providers. We also supported the passage of the Social Work Licensure Compact (SB 90), opposed legislation targeting transgender youth and ethical social work practice in the school setting (HB 8), and opposed efforts to inhibit honest education in higher education (SB 83). 

2023 - Social Work Breaks Barriers

In 2023 we were almost back to our pre-COVID numbers with nearly 600 attendees! We focused on solutions to the behavioral health workforces crisis including funding for paid internships, Medicaid reimbursement rate increases for the 24-25 budget, student loan forgiveness, and to protect Gender Affirming Care for Ohio's youth. 

2022 - The Time is Right for Social Work

In 2022 we hosted not one, but two Advocacy Daye events, one in-person and one virtually. We advocated for professional issues, including paid field placements, the end to the death penalty in Ohio, and to protect Gender Affirming Care for Ohio's youth. 

2021- Social Workers are Essential

This virtual advocacy day focused on funding change through Ohio's state budged, social work professional issues (student debt relief, reasonable case loads, salary advocacy), racial justice & policing and ending conversion "therapy"

2020- COVID-19, Racial Justice, LGBT Rights, and Professional Issues

Our first ever virtual Advocacy Day was held on March 26, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 700 attendees learned about the state government, the legislative process, the state budget, and how to take action on a host of issues.

2019 - Focus on Child Welfare

We advocated for an increase in funding for Ohio's locally-administered child welfare system, more social and emotional support in schools, an end to "conversion therapy" with minors, and cross-reporting.

2018 - Social Workers: Leaders. Advocates. Champions.

730 attendees advocated for stronger supports for social workers, additional funding for student supports, and policies to help youth interacting with the juvenile justice system.

2017 - Social Workers Stand Up

650 attendees advocated for increased funding for health and human services, opposed licensing board consolidation, and voiced support for the passage of Monica's Law.

2016 - Forging Solutions Out of Challenges

525 attendees advocated for increased salaries for social workers, funding for police training in implicit bias and crisis intervention, and banning licensed providers from practicing conversion therapy.

2015 - Paving the Way for Social Justice

We discussed proposals to improve community-police relations, banning conversion or reparative therapy, and educational debt relief for social workers.

2014 - Addressing Barriers to Professional Success

330 attendees asked to close a loophole in social work title protection by passing HB 232 and to develop a social work educational debt relief program.

2013 - The Role of Social Workers in Healthcare

The ask was to support Medicaid Expansion and to consider social work as a pivotal role in healthcare.