Social Work Organizations
There are dozens of professional organizations in social work. They range from very large organizations like the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), which reports over 100,000 members (as of February 2026), to smaller, more niche organizations like the Forensic Social Work Alliance (FSWA) (formerly the National Organization of Forensic Social Work). There are also social work organizations that focus on specific ethnic groups, like the Hispanic or African American communities, or have religious affiliations.
While every social work organization is different, they provide their members with a variety of resources, including professional development, continuing education, certifications, annual conferences and events, newsletters and journals, social networking, job boards, research, and more. In addition, many social work organizations act as an advocacy group on behalf of their members in order to promote their profession at the local, state, and national levels.
We have grouped social work organizations by the following categories:
- General Social Work Organizations
- Social Work Organizations with a Clinical / Medical / Healthcare Focus
- School Social Work Organizations
- Social Work Organizations with an Ethnic Affiliation
- Social Work Organizations with a Religious Affiliation
- International Social Work Organizations
- Forensic Social Work Organizations
- Social Work Organizations with Job Boards
Click on the name of the social work organization to visit the site.
General Social Work Organizations
Association for Community Organization and Social Administration
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Association of VA Social Workers
Canadian Association of Social Workers
International Association for Social Work with Groups (formerly the Association for the Advancement of Social Work With Groups, Inc.)
Social Work Organizations with a Clinical/Medical/Healthcare Focus
American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work (AAPCSW)
American Board of Clinical Social Work Association (ACSWA)
American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work (ABECSW)
American Public Health Association Public Health Social Work Section
Clinical Social Work Association (CSWA)
National Association of Perinatal Social Workers
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
National Kidney Foundation (NKF) – Council of Nephrology Social Workers (CNSW)
Professional Association of Social Workers in HIV and AIDS
Clinical Social Work Organizations
Unlike the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), state-specific clinical social work organizations are not part of a larger national organization. Each state’s organization is independent from the organizations in other states. Some state organizations are affiliated with the Clinical Social Work Association (CSWA), but they are not a single organization like the NASW.
While each clinical social work organization has a different mission statement, in general, they focus on representing and advancing the profession of clinical social work. This could include:
- Setting standards for professional practice, ethics, and education
- Promoting the values and roles of clinical social workers to the public
- Protecting the rights of licensed clinical social workers through advocacy at the state level
- Providing mentoring and continuing education opportunities to its members
In addition, many state clinical social work organizations hold conferences or workshops for their members. These are a great opportunity to network and meet other licensed clinical social workers.
For clinical social work professionals who are not already members of their state’s clinical social work organization, we have compiled a list of state specific organizations below. We definitely recommend contacting an organization if you have questions or want more information before potentially becoming a member.
National Clinical Social Work Organizations:
State Specific Clinical Social Work Organizations:
The following table contains state-specific clinical social work organizations for which we could find websites. States not listed below may still have a clinical social work organization.
| State | Organization |
|---|---|
Alabama | |
California | |
Georgia | |
Idaho | |
Kentucky | |
Minnesota | |
Missouri | |
New York | |
North Carolina | |
Pennsylvania | |
South Carolina | |
Texas | |
Virginia | |
Washington | |
Washington DC |
School Social Work Organizations
State Specific School Social Work Organizations
The following table lists state-specific school social work organizations for which we could confirm an official website or an official association directory listing. States not listed may still have an organization.
| State | Organization |
|---|---|
Arizona | |
California | |
Colorado | |
Connecticut | |
Florida | |
Georgia | |
Illinois | |
Indiana | |
Iowa | |
Kansas | |
Kentucky | |
Michigan | |
Minnesota | |
Missouri | |
Nebraska | |
New Jersey | |
New York | |
North Carolina | |
Ohio | |
Pennsylvania | |
South Carolina | |
Tennessee | |
Washington | |
Wisconsin |
Social Work Organizations with an Ethnic Affiliation
Social Work Organizations with a Religious Affiliation
North American Association of Christians in Social Work (NACSW)
International Social Work Organizations
International Association of Schools of Social Work
International Association for Social Work with Groups
International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW)
Forensic Social Work Organizations
NASW — Social Work and the Courts Specialty Practice Section
Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
Social Work Organizations with Job Boards / Listings
Many of the NASW state chapters have job boards on their website. Some of these are free to the public while others require membership to view listings. View our NASW State Specific Chapters page to find the website of your state’s NASW chapter.
Information about social work organizations was last updated in February 2026