SLO Unit Spotlight

Bill Ernst Honored as Social Worker of the Year

Every year the San Luis Obispo unit of NASW honors the Social Worker of the Year at the Social Work Month party.  This year’s Social Worker of the Year is Bill Ernst, LCSW.

In June, 1960, at the age of 21, Bill left the seminary where he had spent eight years studying to become a priest. His departure resulted in the loss of his draft deferment and he was soon invited to join the U.S. Army. After basic training and training in chemical warfare, Bill found himself in western Utah at Dugway Proving Grounds. The Army had an arrangement with the University of Utah, paying tuition for soldiers wishing to take classes, so he enrolled in night classes in psychology, a subject that interested him and felt related to his seminary studies.

After receiving his BA in psychology in 1965, Bill moved to Los Angeles. He  had become interested in the field of social work while in Utah and, thus, began working for the Los Angeles County Bureau of Public Assistance. Bill was in the third class admitted to the Fresno State University School of Social Work, and graduated in 1968. Five days before he graduated, he married Glenda, a fellow social work student.

Bill joined NASW while in social work school and he obtained his ACSW and subsequently his California LCSW in 1971.

“Because of its organizational structure and its size as a collective of social workers, NASW is able to give voice to issues and concerns that are important to me,” he says.

Bill worked with adult males at ASH for nearly 35 years, (retiring in 2001). He says child welfare is an issue that he cares deeply about and asserts that he is proud of the strides that NASW has made over the years in protecting the lives and the futures of children.

He says, personally, he is most proud of the fact that his own two children have grown up to be productive, caring, loving members of society.

Congratulations to Bill Ernst on being recognized as 2017 SLO Unit NASW Social Worker of the Year!

Please join us in celebrating Bill and Social Work Month on March 23, 2017 at 5:30 pm.  Dinner will be served! Email naswslo@gmail.com for directions.