With the growing need of licensed social workers on the island, the Department of Public Health and Social Services presented its plan to recruit and retain social workers during an oversight hearing on May 2 at the Guam Congress Building in Hagatna.
The agency will implement a sign-on bonus for 3-year commitments, as well as pay incentives for employees who obtain certifications and licensing, among other things.
According to its presentation, DPHSS is also promoting in-house social workers to higher classified positions and claim the agency promotes a work-life balance for their employees.
However, according to Angelina Lape, Chairperson of the Guam Board of Social Work, contrary to other GovGuam classified employees, social workers are not being incentivized to move forward with their licensing.
“Within the Department of Education when teachers reach the next level of education, they become re-classified and then there’s this pay incentive for doing that,” said Lape. “So with a licensed social worker, what is to incentivize them to go for the next level of licensure?”
On another note, it is not only pay that threatens the retention of social workers on Guam, rather their physical and emotional distress- or compassion fatigue according to Jamela Santos, President elect of the National Association of Social Workers Guam Chapter.
“Difficult working conditions brought on by high caseloads, safety concerns, high rates of burnout and insufficient salaries pose as barriers to recruitment and retention of social workers,” said Santos.
DPHSS said its work-life balance strategies for social workers will include counseling services, self-care days to prevent burnouts and more work schedule flexibility.
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