NASW Vermont task force urges tailored safety training, systemic supports under Act 115

At an April meeting of the House Health Care Committee, Lynn Currier Stanley, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers Vermont chapter, told lawmakers that the task force convened under Act 115 of 2024 recommends organization-specific safety protocols, targeted training and systemic supports to reduce risks faced by social service providers.

The report, compiled by a task force formed under the act, found that gaps in basic needs and service access—poverty, food insecurity and housing instability—heighten client stress and can increase the risk of violence toward providers, undermining service quality and staff retention. “When people don’t have their basic needs met—shelter, nutritious food, physical and mental health—they’re at an increased risk,” Currier Stanley said.

The task force assembled research and practitioner expertise rather than trying to issue one-size-fits-all rules. Using 2023 data cited in the presentation, Currier Stanley said 9.7% of Vermonters live below the poverty line, more than 75,000 residents face hunger (including over 16,000 children), and Vermont’s 2024 homelessness rate ranked second in the nation by one metric. The presentation cited Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) findings and peer-reviewed studies showing substantial exposure to workplace violence among social-service workers: in one survey, 25% of social workers reported assault by a client, nearly 50% had witnessed workplace violence and more than 75% feared violence. A study cited on child protective services workers found nonphysical violence (yelling, property damage) experienced by 75% of workers and physical violence reported by 2.3% of workers in the first six months on the job.

The task force’s central conclusion was that safety measures must be tailored to the setting and client population. Currier Stanley said OSHA’s attempt at broad guidelines proved difficult because “so much depends upon the client population and where services are provided, whether it’s inpatient, whether it’s in the home of clients, or within the community.” The group recommended that individual organizations set protocols suited to their work environment and client mix, and that smaller agencies be supported through pilot programs and grants to conduct safety needs assessments.

Specific recommendations presented included: - Organization-level safety guidelines and protocols based on setting and client population; - Ongoing, setting-specific training for new and continuing staff in de-escalation, safety procedures and agency policies; - Systemic supports such as scheduled check-ins during client transitions, improved inter-agency communication, panic-button or similar infrastructure where appropriate, and websites or centralized resources; and - Grants or pilot funding to help smaller organizations perform safety needs assessments and implement infrastructure changes.

Committee members asked whether the task force had produced the bill’s requested set of guidelines and a report. Committee member Leslie asked if the materials shown were the statutory guidelines; Currier Stanley replied that a single statewide guideline proved infeasible and the task force instead compiled best practices and recommended organization-specific adoption. “It’s hard to have guidelines… setting guidelines became an impossible task,” Currier Stanley said. Committee member Daisy asked whether NASW Vermont had been collecting data from social workers and whether students could help with ongoing monitoring; Currier Stanley said NASW has relied on MSW interns and would consider further academic partnerships, noting smaller organizations have more difficulty reporting incidents consistently.

The presentation emphasized that attention to worker safety can reduce burnout and support staff retention; Currier Stanley told the committee that addressing service access and workforce capacity must proceed concurrently with safety measures because the two problems reinforce one another. The task force did not bring legislative language requesting further immediate action, and Currier Stanley said reconvening the group for ongoing monitoring was not yet decided but could have value.

No formal committee votes or directives were recorded during the presentation. The task force’s written report and appended materials were promised to committee members by the presenter.

Currier Stanley closed by urging continued attention to both workforce safety and client access to services, saying, “Our workers provide invaluable services to our most vulnerable populations. They deserve to be safe and supported.”