The National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice (NRCFCP) at the University of Iowa has released a report based on an assessment of Iowa’s social work labor force: Meeting the Needs of Iowans Through the Services of Professional Social Workers. The study was conducted by NRCFCP and NASW-IA,  with support from Telligen Community Initiatives and the National Association of Social Workers Foundation.

The purpose of the assessment was to gather information about current and future workforce needs among Iowa’s social work labor force using a range of methods, and to develop an action plan for NASW-IA to address recruitment, retention, and potential workforce shortages based on the assessment results. A particular focus of the assessment was on two challenges facing Iowa’s social work labor force: workforce diversity and the needs of rural communities.