2025 NASW-IL Advocacy Day Recap

450 social work students and professionals took part in lobbying in Springfield

Thank you to the 450 social work students and social work professionals who joined us this week at our annual 2025 NASW-Illinois Chapter Advocacy Day on Wednesday, April 9, 2025! This year's format brought participants into the Illinois Capitol Building for face-to-face lobbying with their direct legislators for lobbying on key issues affecting the social work profession this session.

Essential to making the day a huge success were the NASW-Illinois Chapter Lobby Leaders who volunteered their time to learn the building blocks of lobbying—the need for advocacy, coalition-building, policy development, and key bills up for discussion the week of Advocacy Day. These skills equipped them to lead groups of social work constituents to the Illinois Capitol Building for direct lobbying with their senators and representatives, explore the capitol, attend committee hearings, and learn more about taking action. Thank you to our volunteer lobby leaders who were essential to making this year's Advocacy Day success!

2025 NASW-Illinois Chapter Lobby Leaders

Ayla Anderlik, Aurora University
Adriana Arias, University of St. Francis
Jasmine Bailey, University of Illinois at Chicago
Rose Banks, Governors State University
Casey Callahan, Loyola University of Chicago (2x Lobby Leader!)
Shannon Cameron, Aurora University
ToniSue Chatfield, Western Illinois University (2x Lobby Leader!)
Adana Cranfield
Brandon Ebert, The Ohio State University (online)
Ashley Elliott, Chicago State University
Hunter Ellis, Loyola University of Chicago
Samantha Fitzwater, University of Chicago
Marlin Flores, University of St. Francis
Evelyn Garcia, Loyola University of Chicago
Antoinette Golab Krugler, Aurora University
Michelle Lopez, University of Chicago
Elyse Melero, Illinois State University
Ky Miller
Danielle Monks, Aurora University
Jimena, Nunez, Aurora University
Ariana Palma, Illinois State University
Rachel Phillips, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Alina Popatia, University of Chicago
Diana Rodas, Loyola University of Chicago
Laura Sanchez, Illinois State University
W Winston Scott, SIU-Carbondale
Brittany Smith, Louisiana State University Online
Ellion Smith, Illinois State University
Kendra Smith, Governors State University (2x Lobby Leader!)
Cambryn Spilsbury, Loyola University of Chicago
Heather Tomlinson, Aurora University (2x Lobby Leader!)
Miranda Vineyard, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
Kimberly Wiley, Aurora University (2x Lobby Leader!)
Gray Williams, University of Chicago
Aliyah Williams , Governors State University
Samantha Woodmaster, Aurora University

Together, we were able to advocate for FIELD PLACEMENT STIPENDS for school social workers, BANNING AI CHAT BOTS from mental health, and EXPANDING LOAN FORGIVENESS for social workers. Learn more about this year's bills at the links below.

Thanks to the lobbying efforts of the day's Advocacy Day participants, HB 3511 sailed out of committee hearings with 6 co-sponsors added to the bill! But our work doesn't just stop there. The bill heads to the senate where we still need senators to support and co-sponsor this bill to help social workers get access to affordable clinical supervision and get out from burdensome student loan debt. Take action and reach out to your state senators today an urge them to support and co-sponsor HB 3511.

Ask your Senator to Support and Co-Sponsor HB 3511

This year's priority bill, HB 1806, also passed in the Illinois House 105–0 where it heads to the senate where its outcome is still uncertain. Stop companies from replacing mental health practitioners with cheap AI bots by reaching out to your senator and ask them to support and co-sponsor HB 1806 today.

Ask your Senator to Support and Co-Sponsor HB 1806

Photos from Advocacy Day

Check out all of the day's activities and images on our Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages, or see our gallery below of some of the images shared with us!