FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 11, 2015

Contact: Joshua Garner 202-682-0100 x 223 [email protected]

APHSA, NAPCWA Leaders Release Statement on the Death of Lara Sobel Organizations Mourn the Loss of Vermont Social Worker Killed in Line of Duty Washington, D.C. – Statement from the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators President Julie Krow, and the American Public Human Services Association Executive Director Tracy Wareing Evans on death of Lara Sobel: The tragedy that unfolded last week in Barre, Vt. has left those of us in the human services community broken-hearted. We grieve with the family, friends and co-workers of Lara Sobel, the veteran social worker who was gunned down while in the service of her community. We extend our deepest condolences. Please know that you all are in our thoughts. Lara Sobel, 48, was a Vermont Department for Children and Families employee for more than 14 years. Her death, allegedly at the hands of a woman upset over losing custody of her daughter, is a searing reminder of the difficulty and dangers faced by those who choose to work in this noble profession. Today’s social workers face a multitude of challenges on a daily basis as they deal with people who often are having the worst day of their lives. It’s an extremely difficult job, and we are blessed to have so many dedicated professionals, such as Lara Sobel, willing to take it on. We salute your courage, strength and commitment to improving the lives of others and making our communities a better place to live. ### About The American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) APHSA is a bipartisan, nonprofit organization representing appointed state and local health and human service agency commissioners. APHSA is the only association of the nation’s top government human service executives, including states, the District of Columbia, and the territories, their key state program managers, and hundreds of county-level human service directors nationwide. APHSA provides support and staff for nine affiliate human service associations. www.aphsa.org About the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators (NAPCWA) Founded in 1983, NAPCWA is a national organization representing public child welfare agencies. NAPCWA, an affiliate of APHSA, is committed to ensuring that children in the public child welfare system have safe, permanent homes by supporting and enhancing the system’s ability to successfully implement effective programs, practices, and policies.