NASW Virginia Encourages All Social Workers to Participate in a Legislative Week of Action January 31-February 4

Now is the chance to use your voice as a social worker on the ground to advance and support key professional and social justice policies in the Virginia General Assembly! NASW Virginia has joined with allied organizations for a Legislative Week of Action running from Monday, January 31, to Friday, February 4 to advocate to legislators about end-of-life issues.

Below is a suggested list of actions you can take to impress upon legislators that Virginians want to chart their own end-of-life journeys and to authorize medical aid in dying in their state.

Mon., Jan. 31:

If you have a little time: Take a look at the Virtual Advocacy Guide of our coalition partner, Compassion & Choices, and see the many ways you can get involved If you have a little more time: Email family and friends telling them why you support HB 1095 and SB 668 and ask them to take action to support it, too. Here is a link to some sample email messages: Friends and family letter templates.

Tues., Feb. 1:

If you have two minutes: Send an email to your lawmaker to ask them to support legislation authorizing medical aid in dying. Our simple form takes just a few moments to complete. If you have a little more time: Contact members of the House Courts of Justice Committee and the Senate Education and Health Committee to ask them to give our bill a hearing. Here is Committee Member contact information.

Wed., Feb. 2

We will be jointly supporting a virtual media-only event at 10 a.m., where Delegate Kory and Senator Hashmi, as well as Compassion & Choices staff and Virginia Volunteers, will be speaking. Join us at 6:30 p.m. for an All Virginia Volunteer Meeting, where we will view the event and discuss our path forward. Please email Debra Riggs, CAE, at driggs.naswva@socialworkers.org for the private Zoom link.

Thurs., Feb. 3

If you have a little time: Personal stories have the power to move the needle in advancing our cause. Share your account of why it is important to you that everyone should be able to choose end-of-life care that reflects their values, priorities, and beliefs. Virginia residents overwhelmingly support medical aid in dying, but their values are not reflected in the state’s laws. Let’s come together next week to raise our voices to our policy makers.