To Gov. Beshear and Ky legislators: Thank you for listening to social workers.
To Governor Beshear and the Kentucky Legislature:
In October, 2021, I wrote an open letter to you all as a call to action and plea for help as we struggled with the mass exodus of frontline social service professionals, administrative staff, and leadership from our ranks in the Cabinet for Heath & Family Services. It was part of a larger effort by myself and some 1,400 colleagues to educate anyone who might listen on the work we do and the bleak and desolate landscape we found ourselves in. To better serve families of the commonwealth and protect our vulnerable citizens, we chose to advocate on our own behalf in an effort to recruit and retain workers and staff in this agency through equitable pay.
We had successes almost immediately, beginning with Secretary Friedlander and DCBS Commissioner Miranda-Straub promising their support, as well as from the Kentucky Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and Code 6.04 Advocates who helped us voice the concerns in a effective way. Then, with Governor Beshear’s announcement in December that there would be an immediate increase the salary of many frontline staff by 10% and an expedited the hiring process, we began to feel the overwhelming sense of dread lift. During this time we spoke with many of you in person and on virtual forums to share our stories and the dangers of an understaffed workforce.
In all of our efforts, we asked you to commit to making a more equitable and competitive pay for professionals in our agency a priority in this legislative session and, with the passing of the budget, you demonstrated just that. You demonstrated your commitment to a stronger workforce and a safer Kentucky. You heard our voices, committed to act, and made good on your promises.
And so, to Governor Beshear, Senate President Stivers, Senator McGarvey, Representative Jenkins, and all of you, I want to share my very sincerest thanks.
Today, thanks to your substantial actions, we are closer to the goals we set than we ever imagined. By increasing the base salaries for many positions, increasing the salaries all state employees, and opening the door to respite opportunities for frontline social service staff to help us reduce burnout, you have equipped us with more opportunities to better recruit and retain frontline and administrative staff. These will help us better serve the vulnerable citizens of the commonwealth and those most in need. While our work of advocacy for other measures like educational incentives and cost of living raises is not over, it would be irresponsible to not take a moment and acknowledge all that you have done.
So, to each of you, again, I say thank you. Thank you for hearing us, making our requests part of the budget, and committing to bipartisan legislative action that helps us support and serve Kentuckians through recruiting and retaining staff. Your example is truly a testament to how effective government can change lives.
Devin Reul is a Master of Social Work student at Spalding University (2023) and a Social Service Clinician II with the Cabinet for Health & Family Services.
