The Social Workers of New Mexico Survey Helps Legislators Understanding the Needs of New Mexico’s Social Workers
NMHU’s Center for Excellence in Social Work, a statewide research and professional development resource for social workers and behavioral health providers, released findings today from the first survey to look at New Mexico’s social workers’ professional wellbeing and factors influencing their work. The aim of this research was to help legislators and leaders in state agencies and community organizations understand the barriers social workers face across the state and how these barriers are impacting their work and wellbeing.
A total of 755 social workers across all 33 counties in New Mexico responded to the survey. Survey findings highlight the challenging conditions faced by social workers in New Mexico. Despite their strong commitment and pride in their profession, many social workers are experiencing significant stress and financial difficulties. 33% of respondents feel overwhelmed by their workloads, and over 50% have experienced burnout and vicarious trauma.
Pay disparities are a significant barrier for social workers practicing in New Mexico. More than a third of social workers feel underpaid, struggle financially due to student loan debt, and work multiple jobs to make ends meet. Social workers are among the lowest-paid professionals in the nation, and one person said, “We do the same job as nurses, but nurses are paid in a different scale due to their licensure.” Another overwhelming challenge facing social workers who participated in the study is the lack of community resources to support the people and families they serve. One survey taker shared, “I cannot overstate how the lack of community resources is placing an impossible burden on this profession.”
These findings underscore the need for policymakers and organizational leaders to address the financial and emotional challenges faced by social workers to ensure their wellbeing and continued effectiveness in serving communities. “A social worker told me recently, ‘We don’t ask engineers to build bridges because they love bridges. We should stop asking social workers to do this work without equitable compensation because they care. Social workers deserve to be paid fairly for their skills.’ Low wages and financial stressors compound the impact of New Mexico’s resource drought on social workers. We are asking legislators and leadership statewide to invest in our communities and social workers. Given that only 19% of New Mexicans’ mental health needs are met, investment in social workers’ wellbeing and retention is crucial for improving community health outcomes,” says Dr. Anna Nelson, Director for the Center of Excellence in Social Work. The full report will be presented to the New Mexico Legislative Health and Human Services Interim Committee meeting in Portales, New Mexico on August 1, 2024.
Click this link to read the full report. If you would like more information or have questions, please call Dr. Anna Nelson, principal investigator, at (505) 319-8822 or annelson@nmhu.edu.