LGBTQIA2S+, Immigration, Social Compact, Federal Student Loans, Homelessness Statement, Action Alert on Mental Health Access for Seniors 

(Week of August 4-8, 2025)

• Five Virginia Counties Violated Title IX, Must Ban Transgender Students from “Intimate” Facilities, Sport Teams, Says U.S. Department of Education

• VA National Guard Deployed to Immigration Facilities to Help ICE Process Undocumented Detainees

• Social Compact Podcast Available

• Free NASW Webinar on Federal Loan Forgiveness in 2025 Scheduled for Aug. 21

• NASW Opposes Trump Executive Order on Cruel Treatment of Unhoused People, Forced Institutionalization of the Mentally Ill

• NASW Action Alert: Call Congress to Support the Expanding Seniors' Access to Mental Health Services Act

LGBTQIA2S+: The sports and locker room policies of five Northern Virginia school divisions “violated the Title IX requirements in the Education Amendments of 1972,” according to investigations by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights and an announcement by Gov. Youngkin. Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Arlington County, Prince William County, and the city of Alexandria “allow students of the opposite sex access to intimate sex-separated facilities and … to participate in sex-separated sports,” said Youngkin, who claimed that “students in the divisions avoid using school restrooms whenever possible because of the schools’ policies.” A resolution agreement would require the counties to rescind policies or regulations that allow access to locker rooms and bathrooms based on gender identity rather than by birth sex, adopt biology-based definitions of the words “male” and “female” relating to Title IX activities, and separate students to ensure “women’s equal opportunity in any education program or activity, including athletic programs.”  

Immigration: Virginia is one of 20 states where National Guard troops will soon be deployed to immigration facilities to conduct “alien processing” (pre-detention administrative work). Troops would be directed by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leaders but technically serve under state control, according to the Trump administration. The order increases the involvement of domestic armed forces in federal law enforcement, despite a longstanding ban by the Posse Comitatus Act on the use of active-duty troops domestically except in emergencies. Democracy experts fear the new orders, which start in August, will further move American governance toward a police state model.

Social Compact: Have questions about the progress of the Social Work Social Compact? As of June, 27 states have signed on to this license mobility agreement, and bills in other states are under consideration. Listen to this related NASW podcast episode if you missed it earlier.

Federal Student Loan Policy: Register now for NASW’s FREE “Federal Loan Forgiveness in 2025: What Social Workers Need to Know” Thurs., Aug. 21, 6-7:30 p.m. You’ll hear from student loan experts at SAVI—an NASW partner--about the latest federal policies affecting student loan repayment and forgiveness. Topics covered include recent changes to Income-Driven Repayment Plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness, with a focus on how they apply to social workers. You’ll also get guidance on how to use free tools to lower payments and potentially reduce or eliminate student debt. Click here for free registration.

NASW strongly opposes President Trump’s executive order directing the forcible removal of unhoused people from public spaces and the institutionalization of people who are mentally ill. "NASW will continue to advocate for humane, just, and effective responses to the intersecting crises of homelessness, addiction, and mental illness,” said NASW CEO Anthony Estreet, Ph.D., MBA, LCSW-C. Read our full statement.

Action Alert: Tell Congress to increase access to social work services in Medicare! The Expanding Seniors' Access to Mental Health Services Act (S. 1797/H.R. 3808) is much-needed legislation focused on enhancing access to clinical social worker (CSW) services for Medicare beneficiaries. Now introduced in both chambers of Congress, NASW members need to urge legislators to move it forward. Find details and add your voice here today.