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Public interns ask council to fund a full-time licensed social worker at Chattanooga Public Library
Summary
During public comment, a team of social-work interns from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga asked the council to fund a full-time licensed social worker for the Chattanooga Public Library to help clients access housing, medical care, benefits and other services.
During the public comment period at the April city council meeting, Grace Crossett, a social work intern at the Chattanooga Public Library, asked the council to consider adding a full-time licensed social worker to the library’s staff.
Crossett told the council the student interns — three social work interns from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga working at the library — help patrons with housing searches, emergency shelter referrals, assistance applying for benefits, accessing affordable medical care, setting up electronics and applying for jobs. She said the student role leaves a service gap during school breaks and that a licensed, full-time social worker would provide continuity.
"I'm asking you to consider approving the budget for the library system to have a full time licensed social worker employed," Crossett said to the council.
Why it matters: Library staff and social-service partners increasingly field requests for housing, benefits and crisis services at public libraries. Crossett said a permanent, licensed social worker would allow the library to provide consistent assistance year-round and strengthen partnerships with community agencies.
Details from the comment
- Staffing: Crossett described the current arrangement as three student interns who rotate through agency and academic schedules; she said that staffing model leaves gaps during school breaks. - Client needs cited: housing and emergency shelter referrals, help finding affordable medical care, assistance with technology and online profiles, job and benefits applications. - Education affiliation: Crossett identified herself as one of three social-work interns from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga assisting the Chattanooga Public Library.
Action requested
Crossett asked the council to fund the library system to employ a full-time licensed social worker to improve service continuity for vulnerable patrons and to strengthen the library’s role as a community access point for social services.
Ending
The council did not take an immediate vote on the request during the public-comment segment; the item was presented as a request for budget consideration and would require action in a future budget or appropriation process.
