When Lisa Reyes Mason was writing her social work paper on water insecurity in the Philippines, she was often asked, “What’s this social work like?” Today, 10 years later, she is considered a pioneer in the field as climate change rapidly transforms Western communities. Mason said that not only does she see social work playing an important role in combating the climate crisis, but Western countries can also learn a lot from regions that are already taking steps to adapt to climate change. She believes she should. For example, her research in the Philippines found that many households, regardless of income, already recycle gray water. This practice is just beginning to gain traction in Western countries where water scarcity is becoming more acute.
In 2015, the accrediting body for social work Added Give “environmental justice” a competency that every social worker in the United States should have. All graduates in this field now have some knowledge of environmental justice issues and how they impact their work. But both in the speed and scale of climate change and natural disasters; To acceleratesocial workers especially struggle to deal with the impact on the already vulnerable communities they tend to serve.
Lisa Reyes Mason is a biracial social worker, academic, and climate justice advocate. A faculty member at the University of Denver, she is one of the leading researchers on how social work can mitigate climate change and help communities adapt to its worst effects. HCN How social workers are helping communities cope with climate change, how social workers’ strategies are tailored to the political and ecological realities of Western countries, and how the field is We spoke to Mason about where we need to go in the future.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Highland news: Why did you become interested in how social work can respond to climate change?
Lisa Reyes Mason: When most people think of social workers, they think of them as either caseworkers or therapists who work primarily in the child welfare system. That is the micro aspect of social work. At its core, social work is intended to be a profession about social justice and social change, although the majority of social work still is (approximately 80%). What are the inequalities in society, whether racial, economic, or other aspects of diversity and identity, and how do we challenge them? is about.
I earned my master’s degree in social work about 20 years ago, and I always focused on the so-called macro aspects of social work, those related to economic development, poverty, and social justice in communities . At the same time, and this was in the early 2000s, I was becoming increasingly concerned about climate change. My mother is Filipino and she often told me about her childhood in Manila when her uncle rescued her on the street during a typhoon and how it was a once-in-50-year event. He talked to me. But when I was growing up in the United States and following the news about the Philippines and our family back home, I saw it happening much more often than once every 50 years.
That’s when I decided to focus on the connections between social work, social justice, and climate change. That was in 2008 and I’ve been there ever since.
HCN: Have you seen how social work is responding to climate change?
LRM: Climate issues are becoming more and more apparent. For example, many social workers find that their clients suffer more in extreme heat. They are unable to pay their utility bills and are forced to choose between paying their utility bills and putting food on the table.
In terms of response, part of that is what social workers in direct practice have always done: understand what resources are available to people, such as emergency public works funds and emergency food assistance, and work with people to navigate the bureaucracy. It’s about going. We joke that people who can break the rules and find loopholes to get people what they need are good social workers. Climate change and extreme weather events are increasing demand.
They are also an additional stressor on mental health. Climate anxiety and environmental grief are on the rise. With the increase in disasters, more people are experiencing stress, ranging from mild stress to PTSD from post-disaster survival. This manifests itself across ages alike and calls for a therapeutic approach that many social workers are trained to take.
There are also effects on physical health. In the West, wildfires and air pollution are obvious examples. At the direct practice level, social workers can help people navigate the health care system. There is also health education. For example, helping to raise awareness of what the signs of heat stress look like in the body may be part of a community-based social worker’s job.
At a higher policy level, some cities and states have policy protections in place, such as prohibiting utility companies from disconnecting people for nonpayment in extreme circumstances. Social workers can play a role in influencing the widespread adoption of these policies.
HCN: How does social worker training and response to climate change vary by region?
LRM: In direct practice, some are similar because the categories of influence are similar. For example, flooding in the southeastern United States and wildfires here in the West can both have respiratory effects. If your home floods, you may not know there is potential mold or mildew contamination. Additionally, if you are a renter, you may not know that your landlord is not adequately addressing or remediating those threats. Therefore, social workers visiting homes need to be aware of the impact of various disasters on physical health.
Where things can vary by region is local and state politics. Some states are more conservative and don’t want to use the term climate change. We will focus only on access to health care and ignore climate change.
Some states are more conservative and don’t want to use the term climate change. We will focus only on access to health care and ignore climate change.
HCN: You co-founded the Master of Social Work (MSW) program in environmental justice at the University of Denver. This is the first attempt in the United States. Can you explain your vision for this intensive course?
LRM: This concentration meant a “mezzo” or macro-level area of practice. It focuses on policy analysis, systems thinking, power analysis, and community engagement. You now have your first cohort. For example, graduates may seek jobs at conservation societies that focus on access to the natural environment, which historically has been primarily aimed at white people. Our graduates will be able to inject social justice thinking into their organizations. Cities are increasingly creating some sort of climate justice office or environmental justice director. Therefore, these are likely the careers that graduates can pursue.
HCN: Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resilience (CASR) administers Denver’s taxpayer-funded Climate Protection Fund. At least 50% of CASR’s approximately $40 million annual budget is directed toward addressing climate change as well as improving social and racial equity in cities. You serve on CASR’s Sustainability Advisory Committee, which advises the Secretariat on the use of funds.
What do you think is the potential for an office like this to change our response to climate change?
LRM: There were many of us on the council who have always been vocal about justice and the importance of justice as a factor in CASR decision-making and where these funds go. For example, this already started when I was on the city council, but the city of Denver started moving toward a garbage fee policy that we’ve adopted ever since. I remember we asked how much of a burden this would put on low-income families. Will there be exemptions for those families? What is the cut-off point for exemption? It is important to ensure that programs to address climate change do not harm people who are already vulnerable.
Another example is the city’s rebate program for e-bikes, which has taken off in earnest. But we have to stop and ask who has taken advantage of it. Ultimately, the city realized it could more effectively reach low-income families who don’t have other transportation options. They have since changed several aspects of the program to address equity and access for low-income households.
Firms like CASR offer an opportunity to invest in ideas about minority communities most affected by climate change and what they need to respond to. For example, it is important to ensure that even “green jobs” provide opportunities for people on low incomes and to address those opportunities.
HCN: Where does social work as a whole need to go when it comes to climate change?
LRM: For several years now, we in the social work industry have been talking about environmental justice in general. And now it’s like, “OK, heatwave — what should we know about it?” What resources are actually available regarding climate anxiety?’ Many of our social workers, especially those in direct practice, need this kind of specialized knowledge. Continuing education is also required to maintain your license, so you also have the opportunity to create continuing education programs on these specific topics.
On a macro level, climate change brings many points of contact for coalition building. My daughter’s school here in Denver was closed multiple times due to extreme heat because the school was built without air conditioning. What does it mean for young people, or for working parents, if their child is suddenly out of school? How does that relate to paid leave policies? Climate change is always on the hike I hope that we begin to realize that not only what environmental activists are advocating for, but also the overlap with our physical health and the development of our youth.
Of course, all these complexities cannot be ignored. What I tell my students is a quote from prison abolitionist Mariame Kaba. “The sheer complexity of prisons means there are endless possibilities for change.”
Raksha Vasudevan is a Denver-based economist and author. Her work is LitHub, The Los Angeles Review of Books, NYLON more. We look forward to hearing from our readers. Email high altitude news in [email protected] or submit letter.See our Letter to the Editor Policy. Follow @RakshaVasudevan