ASWB recognizes two individuals for contributions to social work regulation
During the 2025 ASWB Education Meeting in Portland, Oregon, the association presented awards for the Contributor Award and the inaugural Educational Excellence in Regulation Award.
Joy Kim, MSW, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Rutgers School of Social Work, received the 2025 ASWB Contributor Award due to her pivotal role in analyzing workforce study findings from the Social Work Census, the first-ever profession-wide study of social workers in the United States and Canada. The Contributor Award recognizes outstanding contributions to social work regulation by a nonmember as selected by ASWB staff.
Kim’s expertise in labor market inequalities and policy interventions has been instrumental in shaping the understanding of the social work workforce. Her leadership in The Effects of Social Work Regulatory Rules on Public Safety and Social Workers’ Earnings, a research project funded by ASWB, further underscores her commitment to improving standards and practices within the profession.
M. Jenise Comer, LCSW, MSW, ACSW, Professor Emerita, University of Central Missouri, was the inaugural recipient of the ASWB Educational Excellence in Regulation Award. This award recognizes exemplary contributions to the regulatory community by a faculty member (including emeriti), higher education administrator, institution, or organization.
Comer worked for 32 years at the University of Central Missouri where she was promoted to the rank of full professor and served as the Baccalaureate Social Work Program Director. She was elected to the NASW – Missouri chapter board and was appointed by three different governors to serve on the State Committee for Social Workers. While serving on the state’s licensing board, Comer volunteered on several ASWB committees and was elected to two two-year terms as Secretary to the ASWB Board of Directors. She then served a four-year term in the Office of the President on the ASWB Board of Directors.
The two awards, presented at the recent Education Meeting, complement two long-standing awards nominated by ASWB membership and presented during the Annual Meeting of the Delegate Assembly: the Glenda McDonald Board Administrator Award for Outstanding Commitment to Regulatory Board Service and the Sunny Andrews Award for Outstanding Commitment to Regulatory Board Service.
Nominations are currently open for the two regulatory service awards and must be received by July 22, 2025.