The life of a medical social worker is of course not always as easy as you would sometimes want it to be. This is due to the fact that you might have to deliver bad news to the patient and his or her family from time to time, which might involve that they cannot yet be discharged for certain reasons. Some patients feel they are ready to be discharged and they oppose your findings, because they feel scared and confused.

The social worker job description can also be varied within the boundaries of normal social work encased in the medical field. The basics of the medical social worker job description stays the same, but it can vary according to which type of institution you will be working in. This will also determine the social worker salary.

Being a medical social worker is not being the bearer of bad news all the time. It is one of the rewarding jobs, because you get to help people on a daily basis. All those years of studying ridiculously difficult medical terms and theoretical texts, are all very well worth it at the end of the day and brings you closer to a brilliant future.

Getting A Job As A Medical Social Worker

The job description of a medical social worker includes the help to prepare patients and their families for when the time comes for them to be discharged from the hospital. They also help with the rehabilitation of the patient as well as assess if the person is ready to be discharged. Sometimes it can be a challenge for a patient to go back into the world when they are discharged and this is where the social worker prepares you for further recovery out of the hospital.

When looking at a typical medical social worker job description, you need to do the following:

• Preparing a patient for hospital discharge

• Preparing the family how to handle any crisis at home and giving them a plan of action

• Evaluation the mental health of the patient before discharge

• Gauging if the client is chemically dependent on any medication before discharge

• Reporting and investigating any suspected child abuse

• Grief counseling

• Referrals to special support groups for the patient and the family

The medical social worker job description can also include any other duties that the hospital, hospice or other medical facility might deem necessary to reach its objectives and for the better service of patients.

They may not have the most glamorous job when you look at the it’s job description, but when you look at the good you are doing for your patients and for society as a whole, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much satisfaction and self-worth you will gain from this career. Your patients will be assured that they are ready to leave the hospital or medical facility and they will know how to deal with the challenges that the world will hold in for them.

Think about how a new amputee must feel when they have to take on the world where their lives have changed forever. The social worker can help him or her deal with the loss through grief counseling, can get him or her in touch with support groups and can council the family of the patient with regards to what they can expect and how to handle the patient. The patient might be a little more dependent on others, but would still want to retain some sense of self-sufficiency and this is something that can be a big adjustment for both the patient and for the family. The patient might be in a depressed state of mind and it is up to the social worker to help the patient deal with this depression as well as what the world out there would be like. Cancer can also be a life changing disease and a big adjustment for the patient and the family. There are many support groups patients can join and it is important for you, as medical social worker, to help the patient and the family get in touch with these groups so that they can see that they are not alone in their struggles and that there are people that they can relate to.

The Earning Potential of a Medical Social Worker

A medical social worker salary is relevant to the amount of work that the person has to do. The working hours are quite long and the stresses could be many and for this reason, the remuneration is relevant to the workload.

The salary will also depend on the state they work in as the laws on remuneration are so different between states. You will also need to look at what kind of establishment you will be working in. You will be able to use your medical social worker qualification in a hospital, a hospice, for home care or in any other mental or medical institution. The type of care you give and the kind of environment you work in with the working hours will also have an impact on your salary.

The average salary should be around $52000, but as mentioned already, there are many factors that could influence what they could earn. This gives you some small measure of control over your earning potential, but the industry standard is quite set about how much you can learn. When you look at everything you have to do to earn this salary, you will see that it is quite relevant to what you will be earning.

Required Skills For This Career

As a medical social worker, you are very important to the hospital’s discharge plans. If a patient takes too long to recover and his discharge is delayed for too long by your observations, the hospital could end up losing millions in a year. For this reason, you need to be skilled in observing tell-tale signs that the patient may be getting better so that he can be discharged and see through the fact that he might be delaying the inevitable by pretending to still be sick. Many patients want to be discharged, but are delayed because of studies that still needs to be done and observations that need to be made before they are discharged. You also cannot discharge a patient who is not fully recovered.

You would also need to work well in a team environment, because the medical team often relies on the social worker for important information and to help them ensure their patients are fully equipped to leave the hospital and won’t be a danger to themselves or others. If a cancer patient lives by themselves you would need to make sure that the patient does not have any side effects from the medication that could place them in danger. If this is the case, then a home care worker needs to be assigned to the patient when he is being released. Other frail care patients also need the necessary help to get through their daily lives with dignity and in a safe manner. Above all you would need the necessary amount of compassion that will enable you to put the welfare of your patients above anything else.

The Ability To Work Under Pressure

As a medical social worker, you need to make sure that each case is handled by its deadline even if you have a high load of cases waiting for you. This means you would need to be able to work well under pressure so that you can give each one of your cases the necessary attention and care as you would if you only had one single case that you were working on. The rehabilitation of certain patients is very important so that they can return as functioning members of society and that they can deal with the discrimination that might come their way once they have been discharged.

Even if you don’t have a doctor’s degree, you will be just as much a part of the critical medical staff as any doctor, nurse or therapist. Just as you will be able to assist the rest of the medical team, they will be able to assist you with the necessary tests and files and information that you may need of the patient to do the job to the best of your ability.

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Different Types Of Social Worker Jobs

Child Social Worker Jobs

If you want social worker employment in the child industry you will come up against quite a lot of competition as this is a favorite among social workers looking for jobs. Social worker positions in the childcare sector require that you come into contact with:

• Children that have been abused
• Children who are in need of foster care
• Parents who want to adopt a child

You need to be prepared to work with these children and adults in a way that is sympathetic, empathetic and compassionate. If you don’t think that you will be able to do that then a social worker job in this area may not be the best choice for you. Dealing with abused children can be very difficult and you need to know well ahead of time whether you can deal with the emotional stress that it will put on you or not.

Family Social Worker Jobs

Social workers can also work with the family unit as a whole if they so choose. This is also a fairly popular form of social worker employment. The things that you may be required to do in a position like this include:

• Counsel family relationships in cases where there are difficulties between different members of the family that are having far-reaching effects.

• Provide information about government and private programs that the family will be able to utilise in order to become more stable.

• Assist families through a grieving process in the case of a loved one having passed away.

All of these tasks are of equal importance and you will need to have the emotional capacity necessary to handle these types of situations fairly easily as well as professionally. You will need to have the skills necessary to relate to all of the members of the family in order to help the family reach its goals.

Case Worker Social Worker Jobs

A case worker is a social worker job that is very general and that comes with a wide range of skills and responsibilities. However all case workers need to be able to:

• Assess the needs of the client and those living with the client.

• Arrange for and coordinate a battery of services to benefit the client (including psychological evaluations and monitoring, home visits, and other forms of assistance).

When you are a case worker you will be able to come into contact with a wide variety of people and you will have the opportunity to work with all of them. You will also not need to choose a specific area in which to specialise in order to get social worker positions as you will be skilled in all areas of social worker employment. This is great for someone who has the personality skills necessary to relate to anyone.

Medical Social Worker Jobs

Social workers can also work in a medical setting. There are a number of things that you may be required to do if you work in the medical field, but the most common tasks that you will need to perform are the following:

• Help individuals and family members cope with illness and injuries that are life-changing events.

• Arrange the care that is needed when a patient leaves the hospital.

Working as a medical social worker is a great way for you to be guaranteed of a stable job. While many other industries suffer under economic pressures the medical industry is one that will always stay strong. Getting social worker employment in this setting will guarantee you of job security and make your life substantially more stable and secure than it would otherwise be. As a result many students are choosing to enter the field of social work with the aim of getting a social worker job in the medical field.

Substance Abuse Social Worker Jobs

There are many places where social workers are needed. One of the places where you can stand a chance of finding social worker positions is in the area of substance abuse. In this job, you will be required to get involved in the following area:

• Group therapy
• Community outreach
• Inpatient monitoring
• Teaching of daily living skills to help patients cope.

If you think that you have what it takes to work in a social worker employment setting where substance abuse is the main issue then you will be glad to hear that there is quite a demand for people wanting to work in this area. The personality you will need is one that is non-judgemental and empathetic and compassionate at the same time. It is essential that you have the right attitude towards this type of job before starting it.

Mental Health Social Worker Jobs

It should not be surprising to you to hear that there are a lot of jobs and positions in the field of mental health. A social worker employer in this area will, among other things, have to:

• Counsel and treat people with substance abuse problems.
• Counsel and treat people with weight disorders.
• Counsel and treat people with depression.

Working with mental health patients can be a very challenging and difficult social worker job to undertake. But this does mean that you will be eligible for a higher social worker salary and that your skills will be more highly coveted making it easier for you to apply for and get the best social worker positions that are out there. Like with all of the different types of jobs, however, you need to examine yourself closely and make sure that you have what it takes to engage in this particular form of social worker employment.

School Social Worker Jobs

School social workers work in schools. They have a variety of tasks to fulfil while working there, including:

• Providing needed information
• Assist parents and students in meeting all the graduation requirements
• Address student behavior problems

Social worker positions in schools are quite popular and many people try to get a social worker job in this setting. This means that there may be a lot of competition. However, if you do not relate well to children then you will struggle to handle this job. There is a special way of speaking and behaving that you will need to be able to do in order to have an impact on the children that you deal with and this does not come naturally to everybody. Consequently you need to think very carefully about taking on a social worker job in a school environment before making your final decision. This comes with a huge degree of responsibility on your shoulders.

Gerontological Social Worker Jobs

Gerontology means working with elderly people. Something that many people don’t realize is that the elderly suffer abuse at the hands of others just as often as children do. Because this one of the more underserved areas of social worker employment you should be able to get a social worker job in gerontology quite easily. In this area of social work you will:

• Provide counselling for the children of aging adults.
• Assist their patients in facing the challenges of aging.
• Explain Medicare benefits and procedures.
• Coordinate and schedule transportation of the infirmed.

A respect and love for elderly people is an essential aspect of this type of social worker job. If you do not have the right attitude then this is a job that you should, for your own sake as well as for the sake of your clients, avoid. If you have the right attitude you should get involved as soon as possible.

The Best Paying Social Worker Jobs

Medical Social Worker

In this job, you can expect to earn anything from about $45,000 to about $52,000. This is quite an impressive salary indeed. This is one of the higher paying social worker positions because there is a lot of demand in this area. As mentioned previously the medical industry is one that is expanding constantly, so it is necessary for more and more people to become employed here. In order to attract more social workers the salaries are made higher so that the job will appear more attractive and will encourage more people to join the profession. If you were hoping for social worker employment in this industry you are in luck in terms of salary. Just remember that there is quite a lot of competition for these social worker positions so make sure that you have a back up area in mind where you can work instead.

Mental Health And Substance Abuse Social Worker

Mental health and substance abuse social worker jobs are not really among the most popular for social workers, but they are among the highest paying. If you have the right approach towards life for dealing with mental health and substance abuse cases then this is the area of social worker employment that you should get involved in. People working in these social worker positions can expect to earn around about $37,000 to $62,000 a year. This is not a bad salary at all and it is one that is worth considering. However you need to remember that this is one of the more intense areas to work in so you have to be certain that you have the necessary attitude and skills for dealing with this area of social work. When it comes to fields like social work it is never a good idea to choose a job based to the salary. You need to make sure that you choose social work as a career, because you want to help people.

Child, Family And School Social Worker

These are the most popular social worker jobs. Fortunately these are also the jobs that pay among the highest salaries, making them very good options to consider indeed. In these areas of social work you can expect to earn anything from $39,000 to about $54,000. These are very good rates indeed. You need to make sure that you have a love for children if you want to work in any of these fields, and family social work also requires that you are able to relate to all members of a family. If you are unable to communicate effectively with everyone involved, then you may run into trouble and feel as though you are having very little effect on the people who you are working with. Although this is one of the more popular, as well as one of the better paying areas of social work, you still need to be careful about committing yourself to a line of work in this area of social worker employment as it may not be the best possible choice for you.

Now that you have read this comprehensive account of the different jobs and social worker positions that are available you will be in a better position to make a decision whether or not this is the kind of job that suits you. As you can see there are several different areas in which you can specialize when it comes to social worker employment so you are literally spoiled for choice. However if none of these options appeal to you then you may want to consider an alternative form of employment as this type of job is probably not the best for you.

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A Short History Of Social Work

In the past there was no social work, there was only charity, and poverty was seen as a scourge and something which was just there with no use. Poor people were looked down on and treated as less than nothing, as servants to the rich. Those who suffered from a disease were to be avoided like the plague and those who were unfortunate enough to suffer from a mental condition, were often thought to be witches or inhabited by the devil.

After the industrial revolution things started to take a turn for the better and social work was born as a career. This was, however still in its infancy, based on science and was still seen as something which was self-inflicted and needed to be controlled and dealt with. Those who suffered mental anguish still fared no better and often ended up in the direst of circumstances in a mental institution.

The Modern Social Worker

Fortunately the role of the social worker has come of age and is now more encompassing, empowering to the client, and takes on a holistic role wherein the person is not treated as being less, but is given assistance and advice to deal with the situation in which they find themselves, within their own environment. There are various requirements to become a social worker including regulation, licensure, and personality social worker requirements. There are also various education requirements for social worker positions, depending on the type of social work which is to be practiced.

The social worker career is like no other, as it has varying education requirements for social worker positions, it has its own code of ethics, licensing laws, nationally accredited training programs and practice standards. The social worker requirements do differ slightly from state to state, but they are relatively similar, and there is a national standard which most employers demand is met.

The role of the modern social worker is to provide relief, assistance and advice to an individual, community or family. They work with the elderly, families, and individuals who are dealing with substance abuse problems, poverty, unemployment or a host of other social problems. The modern social worker can also be found in schools, hospitals, police departments, nursing homes, healthcare facilities, courts, public agencies and private businesses. Social workers also work in government departments initiating and developing legislature, and those with a lot of experience may also work as teachers, managers, supervisors and administrators.

The duties of the modern social worker include:

• Advocacy
• Case Management
• Community Organizing
• Counseling
• Human Services Management
• International, Social & Community Development
• Policy and Practice Development
• Psychotherapy
• Social & Political Research
• Social Welfare Policy Analysis
• Teaching – in Schools of Social Work

There are various fields of social work in which the individual can decide to specialize and they develop and implement programs which:

• Address poverty, substance abuse, homelessness, child abuse, and violence.

• Research and analyze programs, policies and regulations.

• Identify social problems and put forward legislative and other solutions.

• Write grants and organize fundraisers.

Some of the above-mentioned branches of social work have different social worker requirements, which may include higher education requirements for social worker positions in specialized fields than the basic Baccalaureate which is one of the basic requirements to become a social worker at entry-level.

Personality Requirements To Become A Social Worker

Social work is by its nature a career which should not be entered into lightly, as it is hard work, can sometimes require evening and weekend work and being on call for emergencies. It is also a job which can expose one to the darker underbelly of life where situations can get very stressed, conflicted, abusive and sometimes even dangerous. It is for these reasons that there are very specific personality social worker requirements for those wishing to enter into the social worker career.

Social work programs will look for these traits, and some of them will have them down as requirements to enter the program. Prospective employers will also require that the social workers they employ can cope with the stresses of the job.

Social workers need the following traits and abilities:

• Ability to handle responsibility
• Emotional maturity
• Resilience is vital
• Sensitivity to people and the problems they are facing
• Confidentiality is prime
• An ability to work independently
• They must maintain good working relationships with co-workers and clients
• Objectivity and being non-judgmental is vitally important
• Patience and the ability to remain calm in a crisis
• Be flexible and able to easily adapt and adjust to new tasks, rules, and situations
• Be able to show initiative
• Have strong observation, analytical, and listening skills
• Be able to easily absorb procedural/legal information
• The ability to mediate/negotiate/interpret on behalf of clients
• General administrative skills such as report-writing
• Good intrapersonal and communication skills

Other social worker requirements are empathy, the genuine desire to serve and improve the lives of the less fortunate, the ability to think on one’s feet, and the ability to make tough decisions under pressure.

Education Requirements For Social Worker Positions

The requirements to become a social worker at the basic level include being in possession of a bachelor’s degree. Educational social worker requirements at other levels, such as positions in the health and school environments require either a Master’s Degree or a Doctorate in Social Work. Most states require that you are licensed, and in order to get licensed you need a postgraduate degree or honors in social work. Teaching and research social worker requirements include a certain amount of hours as a practicing social worker and a doctorate.

There are more than 468 bachelor’s degree programs and in excess of 196 master’s degree programs which have been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. There are also around 75 doctorate programs listed by The Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education. This means that no matter where you are in the United States you are sure to find an accredited social worker program in which you can take part in order to qualify to enter the wonderful world of social workers where you can make a difference to countless lives.

Pre Social Worker Program Requirements

In order to enter a social work program, there are some requirements which need to be met. Although these requirements vary slightly from state to state, they generally include the following:

A grade point average of between 65-70 % in pre-professional studies or an undergraduate degree

• Completed coursework in Social Sciences, English, and Humanities

• Introductory Social Work courses

• Work experience or volunteer experience in an area of human or social services which has a direct relationship to Social Work

• A written motivation as to why you wish to enter the Social Work profession

• Letters of reference

• Personal interviews with a selection committee

Bachelor’s Degree Program

Having a degree in social work is the accepted minimum requirement for anyone who wants to enter into a social worker career. It teaches all students about the economic and social justice and the cultural diversity which exists in at-risk populations. Students are introduced to the role that social services play in the community, and various social work practices. The training is mostly generalized and really prepares students to enter in to the arena of social work in a lot of various fields.

Bachelor’s Degree Programs include:

• Applied Statistics
• Counseling Strategies
• Community Organizing
• Cultural Diversity and Anthropology
• Human Behavior
• Policy Analysis
• Research Methods
• Social Justice
• Sociology and Psychology

According to the Council on Social Work Education, a Bachelor’s degree program must include at least 400 hours of supervised fieldwork.

The employment opportunities that are available to those who meet the bachelor’s degree social worker requirements, are the following:

• Group Home Worker
• Mental Health Assistant
• Counseling Assistant
• Residential Counselor
• Drug Counselor

Once you have obtained your bachelor’s degree and have completed the required amount of hours of supervised clinical work, you can apply to be licensed. Standards for licensing vary by state but it is always better to get licensure, and it is required for certain posts such as in various schools or most clinics.

You might decide to further your studying, and do a Master’s or a Doctorate in Social Work. You may also decide that you would like to specialize in one or other field, in which case you should research what social worker requirements there are for that particular field. All in all, make sure you do your research to best understand how the social worker industry works.

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The roots of social work can be traced back as far as the industrial revolution, where society had to find a way to deal with the poverty and the resultant problems that it causes. The initial focus of social work was to deal with poverty; hence it became synonymous with charity work. A modern Clinical Social Worker, however, deals with far more than just poverty; homophobia, sexism, racism and other phobias such as ageism and those focused on disability or mental acuity are just some of the problems that a licensed social worker deals with daily.

Duties Of A Licensed Clinical Social Worker

There are various kinds of social workers, such as a licensed clinical social worker, who specializes in working with children and families. Another type of license social worker may work with those who are having problems due to Mental Health and Substance Abuse issues. A clinical social worker can also work in the Medical and Public Health sector, and then there are also other types of licensed social workers.

This type of social worker helps an individual or a community by providing counselling, and assisting with housing and employment opportunities. The function of a clinical social worker is to get the individual or community to become productive members of society.

A clinical social worker employs the following methods:

• Provides the individual or community with various tools and resources to facilitate healing.

• Facilitates group and individual therapy sessions.

• Arranges special living accommodations.

• Counselling, registering individuals in work programs and assisting them to access financial resources where required.

• Counsel the family of the patient and provide them with information and methods of assisting their loved one to become a practising, independent and productive individual.

• Refers the individual to a psychologist or enrol them in a group-home or halfway house where necessary.

• A licensed social worker works in various settings, such as hospitals, clinics, schools, private practice, inpatient and outpatient mental health clinics, and substance abuse treatment centers.

Personality Traits Of A Clinical Social Worker

Social workers work in difficult circumstances and with people who have various problems ranging from poverty to drug abuse. Not everyone is suited to a career in social work, as we are all different.

Personality traits required for social work:

• A social worker must be emotionally mature.

• Social workers must be able to handle responsibility.

• They must be objective and non-judgemental.

• A licensed social worker needs to be sensitive to people and their problems, personal and otherwise.

• They must be able to maintain good working relationships with clients/patients and co-workers.

• A clinical social worker needs to be able to work independently.

Work Environment Of A Clinical Social Worker

Depending on the branch of social work in which they practice, social workers spend most of their time in an office or residential facility, but may also travel locally to meet with service providers, visit clients or attend meetings.

Social work is a very satisfying although challenging career and huge caseloads and understaffing can lead to added pressure and stress in some circumstances. The full-time social worker’s standard hours are 40 hours per week, although many work weekends and in the evenings in order to take meetings and handle emergencies.

Education Requirements Of A Clinical Social Worker

The entry-level requirements for social workers are a bachelor’s degree and majors in psychology and sociology. Social workers may also take further courses in social work practice and social welfare, and human behavior. Although a Bachelor’s degree is sufficient to begin practicing as a social worker in some fields, many other fields require a MSW or Master’s Degree in Social Work.

In order to become a licensed clinical social worker one has to obtain either a postgraduate degree or honors in social work. A Master’s degree is required for certain positions, especially those in schools and health environments, and is required for clinical work. Certain other jobs in the private and public agencies also require an advanced degree with a focus on social services policy or administration. Teaching positions require a doctorate in social work, as do research positions.

The Council on Social Work Education has accredited in excess of 468 bachelor’s degree programs and 196 master’s degree programs. The Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education lists more than 74 doctorate programs in social work.

Bachelor’s Degree Programs

• The aim of a Bachelor’s Degree Program is to promote economic and social justice whilst familiarizing students with the cultural diversity that is prevalent in at-risk populations.

• These programs introduce students to social services and acquaint them with social work practices.

• Training is given in generalized social work and enables and prepares students to become mental health assistants, residential counsellors, and caseworkers.

• Courses generally include applied statistics, counselling strategies, community organizing, cultural diversity and anthropology, human behavior, sociology and psychology, policy analysis, social justice, and research methods.

• The Council on Social Work Education mandates that a Bachelor’s degree program include a minimum of 400 hours of supervised fieldwork.

• Some employers accept social workers with other undergraduate degrees, in related fields such as psychology or sociology.

Although many social work positions require graduate degrees, there are also various career options available for those with a bachelor’s degree:

• Counselling Assistant
• Drug Counsellor
• Group Home Worker
• Mental Health Assistant
• Residential Counsellor

Master’s Degree Programs

• Many social workers’ positions, especially those in healthcare facilities and schools require a Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW).

• The Master’s Degree takes 2 years and prepares the students for advanced clinical practice in their chosen specialty.

• The professional components of social work, such as caseload management, clinical assessment, and leadership skills, as done in the Bachelor’s Degree can be expanded on via supervised field practice.

• Students also learn to assist clients currently making use of social services, and supervise a team of social workers.

• A Master’s Degree program incorporates a minimum of 900 hours of fieldwork or internship as mandated by the Council on Social Work Education.

• You do not necessarily require a bachelor’s degree in social work to enter into a master’s program. It is recommended that you have at least done courses in social work, biology, economics, psychology, sociology, and political science.

• A second language can also prove to be very helpful.

• There are part-time courses which usually take four years to complete.

Advancing In The Occupation

• There is scope for these social workers to advance to supervisory positions such as a supervisor, assistant director, executive director or program manager with experience and a higher education.

• A licensed social worker who obtains their doctorate can go on to do research or teach at university or college.

• Some social workers with experience assist the government to formulate policies, analyze and advocate policy positions in government, as members of legislator’s staff, and in research institutions.

• Other social workers who have at least a master’s degree in social work and a relatively decent period of service prefer to become a clinical social worker in a private clinical practice which provides clients with psychotherapy services.

Clinical Social Worker Salary Expectations

The median annual clinical salary for social workers depends largely on the section of social work in which the social worker is employed and also which type of social work is performed.

The table below shows the median annual wages for the various industries employing the most licensed clinical social workers, broken up into the diverse disciplines.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, approximately 24% of Clinical social workers either belong to a union or are represented by a union contract.

Licensing And Certification: License Social Worker

All states and the District of Columbia require licensing, although the certification requirements may vary somewhat. There are four levels of practice which may legally be regulated according to the Association of Social Work Boards.

Licensing

Practices which may be regulated include:

• Bachelors – students who have earned a Baccalaureate Social Work degree.

• Masters – students with a Master of Social Work degree but who have no post-degree experience.

• Advanced Generalist – Master of Social Work degree holders who have at least two years of post-degree supervised experience.

• Clinical – Master of Social Work degree holders with two years of post-degree clinical work experience.

Social workers who are not licensed may face limitations as to where they can legally be employed.

Certification

As all states differ somewhat in their licensing requirements, it is recommended that you check what the requirements are for the state in which you intend to practise. Most states will require a bachelor’s degree and a minimum amount of experience in the field. This experience ranges between 1,600 and 3,000 hours of full-time experience.

Certification for social work is post-baccalaureate; it is beneficial to those who want to enter into a branch of social work such a mental health, child welfare, or other family services.
Certification coursework normally includes:

• Human Behavior
• Policies in Social Welfare
• Psychopathology
• Social Work Research

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Credentials

There are three credentials offered by the National Association of Social Workers for a clinical social worker who has either a Bachelors Social Work degree or a Master’s Degree in Social Work.

Credentials that are offered are:

• The qualified clinical social worker credential is aimed at entry-level clinicians who have a Master’s Degree, are members of the National Association of Social Workers, and a minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised clinical practice.

• NASW also certifies seven different specialties, including healthcare, substance abuse, youth and family work, school social work, and case-management.

Clinical Social Worker Job Outlook

There were approximately 642,000 social workers in 2008, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, who project that this figure will increase to 745,000 in the 2008-2018 decade. This is a growth of approximately 16% which is a bigger growth than the average for most other vocations.

A big increase is expected in the Medical and Public Health Social Workers sector due to the aging population requiring more assistance. This means that a licensed clinical social worker in the gerontology sector will have no problem in finding a job.

As you can see from the above table, the average growth of all disciplines is 16%. This is formed by a 12% increase in the social workers for schools, children and family; a 13% increase in Social Workers, All Other; 20% increase in Mental Health And Substance Abuse Social Workers, and the largest increase is of 22% is in the Medical and Public Health Social Workers sector.

One of the most important things to bear in mind when deciding to become a licensed clinical social worker is ensuring that whichever program you do, and whichever institution you study through, they have been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

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In general becoming a social worker of any kind is highly challenging, so you need to make sure that you have the personality needed to handle this line of work. That said, however, it is an incredibly rewarding line of work to get into. You will literally be able to help other people in life changing ways. There are many people in this world who owe their lives to social workers.

Becoming A Psychiatric Social Worker

There are a few things that you will have to do if you wish to become a psychiatric social worker. These are the following:

• Get the necessary qualifications. To be this kind of social worker you will need to obtain a certain level at a tertiary education institute. A bachelor’s degree is often sufficient for working with many patients with mental health disorders, but for a more advanced position or to work in a hospital or other clinical setting you will most likely be required to get a master’s degree.

• Get in the program. When you enter a graduate program, be sure to enter one that will reflect your career goals as a psychiatric social worker.

• Get licensed. This may be harder than it sounds, especially as licensing laws vary from state to state. You need to keep this in mind when becoming licensed. Do some research and find out what the licensing laws are in the particular state in which you plan to practice as a social worker. You don’t want to end up wasting your time simply because you did not take the time to find out exactly what you need to work in your state.

• Improve Your language skills. In many cases you may be working in situations where people do not speak the same language as you do. Therefore, if you have any foreign language skills, make sure that they are up to scratch. Speaking to someone in their own language lessens the communication barrier and may put them more at ease.

• Where do you start? Deciding where you want to start your career, is also a very important step and one that should be given due thought and consideration. Remember that to work autonomously requires a lot more skill then you are likely to have starting out, so make sure that you start off in a setting that you know you can handle and perhaps one where you will be under supervision.

• Don’t stop bettering your skills. Continuous education is the best thing that any health care professional can do, and there are plenty of programs for psychiatric social workers to engage in once they are qualified in order to keep their skills up at the right level.

Psychiatric Social Worker Job Description

Their main goal is to help patients who suffer with mental problems and disorders to function as well as possible within society. The duties of a such a social worker are as follows:

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• Help people who have mental and psychological problems deal with those problems appropriately.

• Help people who have mental and psychological problems gain access to important social services that they will need in order to cope with their problems.

• Provide counselling to the patients who are in your care.

• Provide counselling to the families of the patients in your care as they will also be affected by the problems your patient faces and will need help in coping with their emotions as well as with practical difficulties.

• Help patients and their families obtain the financial resources they need in order to survive.

• Help patients and their families get the medical services necessary to deal with the problem in question.

• Assist in finding housing options for patients who are recovering.

• Assist in finding job for patients who are in recovery.

• Make detailed records about the problems you have identified in your patient and keep those records well up to date.

• Help people who are dealing with job related issues that may affect their mental health as well as their job performance in actual work setting in order to better their quality of life.

In addition you may find yourself doing some of the following if you pursue a career as a psychiatric social worker:

• You may work directly with patients who are in prisons or mental health facilities. In some cases the patient is simply assigned a social worker, but there are those who voluntarily ask to see a social worker in order to find the best solution to their problem.

• You may deal directly with the families of these patients. This is an important part of the counselling service as mentioned above as the families of the patient is are affected by the predicament of their loved one to quite an extensive degree.

The services you will provide and the methods you will employ may vary depending on where you work and on the specific needs of the patient and their family, but the basics are as follows:

• individual and group therapy
• outreach
• crisis intervention
• social rehabilitation
• teaching skills needed for everyday living

Where You Can Work

There are several setting in which this kind of social worker can work. They are:

• Inpatient psychiatric hospitals
• Outpatient mental health centers
• Prisons
• Government social services offices

Career Outlook

You will be happy to hear that like so many of the health and mental health industries, the need for psychiatric social workers is growing, meaning that you will have guaranteed job security and employment options should you choose this line of work. They hold about 137,300 of the 642,000 jobs that are currently registered. It is though, that jobs for them will increase by nearly 20% by 2018, which is a lot faster than jobs are increasing in any other industry at present. A big part of being a psychiatric social worker is working with substance abuse offenders. Due to changing attitude towards the problem of substance abuse, many substance abusers are being put in institutions rather than prison.

This change benefits many people, including social workers. The demand for social workers in outpatient institutions has therefore greatly increased. Even those who are in prison are generally required to fulfill some sort of rehabilitation program, thereby given you the opportunity to work in prisons as well, once again increasing your job opportunities as a social worker. If you are hoping to open you own private practice, you will also be in luck. Generally speaking, they are cheaper than psychologists, making them a preferred option for a large number of people. The psychiatric social worker pay that you will be eligible for, will not be amazing, but it will be sufficient for the vocation.

Work Environment

The work environment varies. A lot of the time you will find that you are in a job that involves being indoors all day or in an office setting. However, there are also jobs that provide you with the opportunity to work in the field and travel to the affected areas in your community, although as a psychiatric social worker you will most likely be traveling to the institutions where your patient is interred. It can be a very challenging job, however, especially considering the understaffing and low salaries that social workers receive. However, if you speak to any social worker, they will tell you that they are not in it for the money, but rather for the rewarding experience in general.

The workload is also likely to be heavy, leaving you feeling that you are unable to give each case the personal attention it deserves. However, all you can do is your best, and for many people, that will be more than enough to get them through their difficulties. You will have the option of working normal 40 hour weeks, but in many cases you may be able to negotiate for part-time or weekend work, making it a very flexible career in terms of the working hours. On top of the 40 hour week you may work in the evenings and on weekends in order to engage in extra meetings and so on.

Know that you have all of the facts and figures related to becoming a social worker you will be able to make an informed decision about this career path and whether or not it is the best choice for you. It is very important to make sure that you get the correct qualifications and licensing in order to practice in the state in which you are hoping to work. Make sure that you are fully aware of what will be expected of you in most psychiatric social work jobs, and be aware that you will be dealing with people who are dangerous in this line of work. Make sure that you are fully prepared and able to cope with all of these aspects of being a psychiatric social worker. Do your research well and make sure that you are 100% certain.

The post What You Need To Know About A Psychiatric Social Worker appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

These social workers are very critical members of the educational team as they go directly to the source of the problem which can often be very difficult to assess. Dealing with a school social worker is also normally the first point of contact for families that find out their child is having problems in their school. They will set out a developmental, preventive and remedial program to achieve their goals. Social workers within the education field use their sound knowledge of human behavior, social systems and social work in the delivery of services.

Education And Experience

To be able to apply for school social worker jobs a person must have a master’s degree in social work. They must also obtain their states credentials to work in a public school. This will often involve the social worker taking a qualifying test. Many schools also require work experience within a school before applying for a position as a social worker.

Salary Expectations

The salary of a school social worker, will depend on experience and the school district they are working in. An average salary in the US is somewhere around $65,000 a year. This can be much higher depending on years of experience, or much lower if recently qualified.

Skills Needed To Perform

There are many skills that a school social worker will need. These skills are apart from the educational requirements of obtaining a masters degree. A social worker will need to have exceptional interpersonal skills as the need to deal with many different people and students will be happening on a daily basis. A social worker will need to be flexible, as no two days will be alike, and can often take the social worker into many different environments. They need to be in possession of excellent communication skills as the need for public speaking in front of large audiences will happen. They will also have to perform staff training sessions as well as participating in community panels. Apart from the educational requirements and top-notch communication skills, they will have to be fully computer literate. They will be working on word processing software, spreadsheet software and database listings. They will also have to be fully equipped to search the internet when needed, so a good sound knowledge of computer skills will be required by a social worker enabling them to perform their duties at a high level.

The Areas Of Practice

There are many different areas of work that a school social worker job description can involve. They will hardly ever find themselves in an office, but rather based within the school and often visiting a student’s parents at their home as well as consulting with other social service departments. Their duties are varied and include the following:

• Early invention to reduce or eliminate stress within or between individuals or groups – The social worker will share their expertise and offer advice to the student and their family regarding emotional, educational and the social and physical well-being of the child.

• Problem solving services to students, parents, school staff or community agencies – A skilled school social worker will use many different skills to resolve a problem. This can be by diagnostic testing. By detecting a child that has developmental disabilities early will help their teachers to develop a correct plan to assist the student.

• The early identification of students who are at risk – Families and social workers will be in frequent communication. Students that are deemed to be at most risk or are in an economically depressed family that receive services from a social worker. A school social worker will have to be in contact with outside school social service departments to ensure that the students overall needs are obtained.

• Working alongside various groups within the school to develop coping, social and decision making skills – The social worker will often find the need to refer parents for counselling services if they deem that the parents need educating in assisting their child’s well-being and future.

• Removing a child – This can be a very difficult and stressful part of a social worker’s job. There will be cases where the social worker feels that it is necessary to remove a child from their home. They will then be working alongside law enforcement as well as the local children’s services department. This is probably the last resort that a social worker will take and only be used when needed for the sake and welfare of the child.

• An important link – They will often intervene with students that are having difficulty at school. They will be providing a very important link, acting between the child’s parents or guardians as well as the student’s teachers and school administrators.

• Addressing problems – When a student has issues to deal with such as pregnancy or are playing truant at school and missing classes a these social workers will be able to talk to the student. They will also advise their teachers and families on how to deal with these important issues.

• Consulting medical professionals – If a school social worker feels the need to involve doctors, therapists, and medical professionals to assist with a student they will get in touch and set up meetings with whoever they feel can assist. This could involve a student’s social or psychological challenges that the child is facing and suggest to the child what treatments they feel could help.

• Helping Students – They can help students reach their full potential as well as helping to understand themselves. They can teach students to cope with stress that might be affecting them at home or at school, and improve their relationships where issues may be a problem. They can also assist students in their decision-making skills, not to make rash decisions that could lead to bigger problems.

• Helping Parents – Social workers can be of great assistance to parents helping them become more involved in their children’s lives. They can also help parents who have special needs children to better understand their children and what they are going through. They will help those parents find resources and programs to meet their children’s specific needs.

• Helping Communities – School social workers serve as a bridge between schools and communities and try to ease and resolve issues that occur.

Techniques Used By A School Social Worker

The social workers will have to use various forms of counselling and referral techniques depending on the issue they are dealing with. They will first have to identify the problem and consider what options they can use to resolve the problems. They will develop and obtain resources and information to assist the student and when need be, the student’s family as well. Their goal is to improve the overall quality of life of the student and that they are able to learn and progress in school, safely and freely. A school social worker will on occasions have to work within a team to achieve their goals. The basis for a good relationship between a student and social worker is based on total respect and trust. A child that is having problems needs to be spoken to in a certain way and dealt with accordingly, this is where a social worker will use their knowledge and skill to build up a trusting relationship. Confidentiality is a prime concern of both the student and their family, so all information that is shared will be held in the strictest of confidence.

Direct counselling can be on an individual basis or with group sessions. They may hold group sessions with students if their behavior or academic progress is indicating a need for counselling. They will be able to assess the child’s particular needs and perhaps will recommend a change in their school setting, tutoring or special classes that would be beneficial to the student. If they feel that a community agency referral is the way to go, then the social worker will arrange for that to happen. The main goal of these social workers, is to maximize the child’s potential and allow them to benefit from their education.

School social workers perform an important role in gathering all information needed about a student’s social, emotional and behavioral adjustments to both school and community. They will conduct interviews with the student, the family, school personnel and other social service departments. By performing these interviews and also attending classes of the student they will have all the relevant information needed to identify the student’s strengths and problem areas and determine what course of action is necessary.

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You will then be required to formulate a treatment plan for dealing with the problems you have identified. Whatever the line of social work you decide to enter into, you will find that above all, the work is rewarding. You will feel that you are genuinely making a difference in the world and you will be able to fulfill your long-time desire to help others.

What Does A Social Worker Do?

The overall duties of a social worker will be to:

• Administer social services programs that will benefit wider groups and communities at large.

• Work with clients in order to develop a plan of treatment and to allow the patient to take an active hand in deciding their own fate in relation to the social problem or situation that they are facing.

• Communicate with the various other parties who will be dealing with your patient at various times in order to ensure that everyone is providing the highest possible of standard of care to your patient at any given time of the caring process.

• Observe any emotional and psychological problems in a patient and then provide the appropriate treatment plans in order to help them overcome those issues which you have successfully identified.

• Keep families of your client informed as this will aid the healing process – if they are fully aware of what is going on then they will be able to actively work with your patient in order to speed up the recovery process.

• Meet with clients in order to assess and identify the problems that they have – this is essential as you will need to have successfully diagnosed your patient’s problem before you can successfully solve it.

• Keep detailed records regarding the patient’s concerns, the treatment you administered, and their progress – this may not seem that interesting, but it is absolutely essential, especially in situations where other health care professionals will be dealing with your patient at different times.

• Refer your client to any other resources, institutes or professionals who you feel will be able to help them with the difficulties with which they are currently dealing.

Types Of Social Workers

There are several different types of social work that you could choose to participate in as a social worker. The role of a social worker for each one differs slightly, so it is a good idea to study the options carefully to find the one that suits you the best.

Child, Family And School Social Workers

The social worker job description for child, family and school social workers is:

• To provide services and structures that will better the social and psychological well-being of both children, who will be your primary clients, and their families.

• To assess the needs of the client and to ascertain what the best course of action for that client is.

• To coordinate all of the services that are available in the area in order to assist the child and his or her family to the best degree possible.

• To assist single parent families to find the services needed and to cope with the stressful life style associated with being a single parent.

• To arrange adoptions for children without families.

• To find homes for children who have been abandoned and/or abused (you may also be in a situation where you are specialized in a specific area, such as child abuse).

• To serve as a link between parents and the school in order to deal with any school related issues that a child may have.

• To assist school students with any emotional problems that they may be experiencing and to help them to deal with any stress that they encounter.

• To teach classes within the school structure to entire groups of people on life orientation topics.

Medical And Public Health Social Workers

The job description for public health and medical social workers is:

• To provide support to anyone who is coping with serious and terminal illnesses, including individuals, families,, communities, and even entire populations.

• To advise family members and caregivers on how to take care of the patient once they have been discharged from the care of the hospital.

• To arrange for home services and care for patients who require such advanced assistance.

• To evaluate patients.

• To deal with the needs of geriatric patients, and to provide them with the services they need in order to live comfortably.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

The social worker job description for mental health and substance abuse social workers is:

• To assess patients that have mental disorders or substance abuse problems.

• To treat patients that have mental disorders or substance abuse problems.

• To ease the patients’ return to the community if they have been living in an institute of some kind, and to ensure that this transition happens as smoothly as possible.

• To help family members of those suffering with mental disorders and substance abuse problems to cope with the situation.

• To work in businesses where the stresses of daily working life are enough to interfere with the quality of the work that they provide.

Work Environment

The work environment that is inherent in the social worker job description is as follows:

• You will be inside most of the time in an office setting, although there may be cases where you will be required to travel in order to meet with a client.

• It is generally considered to be a rewarding job. However, the work is difficult and the pay is not that great. This combined with problems of understaffing makes it a very difficult working environment indeed.

• 40 Hour weeks are the norm, but there are usually part-time and weekend options available.

Other Duties

Because the social worker job description covers a wide variety of situations and institutions, social workers are often required to become involved in duties and tasks not directly related to their primary job as a social worker. These other social worker requirements may include:

• Giving evidence in court in the case of legal difficulties.

• Giving assessments of patients with the help of a more professional health worker; these assessments must be in line with the given standards.

• Deciding on the best course of action for the various patients and clients who are within your care.

• Taking part in any training and meetings that are required at the particular company or institution that you work for.

• Conducting interviews with the clients as well as their families, as this will allow you to better assess the situation and to make the necessary recommendations for the problem in question to be relieved as speedily as possible.

• Maintaining the necessary records.

• Preparing any documents that may be needed for any legal proceedings that may arise from the situation.

• Providing information and service support to your clients and their families.

• Coordinating the various services that are available in order to ensure that your client gets the best possible quality from the resources that are provided in the area, and to enable your clients to have the best possible lives under the circumstances.

• Communicating with other relevant agencies, sometimes sending your clients to those agencies or accepting any clients that they send to you.

• Participating in teams that are responsible for a number of different social issues under one umbrella.

Where You Will Work

As a social worker you will be able to work in the following areas:

• Government welfare agencies

• Social services agencies

• Hospitals

• Rehabilitation centers

• The juvenile court system (in this instance you will be required to deal with the young people who are convicted of juvenile crimes).

• The foster care system

• Schools (many children and teenagers have a variety of problems varying in severity that may affect their school performance and that may both be related to their home life as well as their school life – your job will be to get them through this difficult time as best as you can).

• Adult guidance (adults also face a wide range of problems, ranging from financial difficulties to being bullied in the work place – your job will be to counsel them through these issues).

Social Worker Salary

As a social worker you can expect to earn a salary of between $32,000 (as a basic social worker with the most essential qualifications) and $92,000 (as a Supervising Social Worker, should you progress to such a high level).

It is incredibly important to note however that if you are in it for the money, then your heart is not in the right place. As you can see from the social worker’s job description that has been outlined, most people do this for the sake of the work itself, not because they want to make some quick and easy money, or because they want a high paying career. Examine your motives very carefully when deciding to become a social worker.

It is important to note that social workers do get paid very little comparatively speaking. This is a universally acknowledged fact and something that you need to prepare yourself for. It is practically part of the social worker job description that you will need to do hard work under difficult conditions and for little remuneration. It is important to not let this compromise on the quality of the service you provide. Many studies have claimed that poorly paid social workers provide poor service by and large, but you needn’t fulfill this stereotype in your work.

Why Do People Choose To Become Social Workers?

There are some very convincing reasons given by social workers for why they have chosen this particular profession, or, as some would say, calling or vocation. If you are still on the fence about your suitability for this job, then have a look at these reasons and see if they match up with you:

• You will have ample opportunity to interact with other people at all times of the day, and these people who you meet will be diverse and many allowing you to inject a bit of diversity and color into your life.

• You will literally be in a position where you will have the opportunity to saves the lives of others. Very few people can say that they save lives on a day-to-day basis.

• You will be able to provide a support structure for people who have been neglected and who feel that no one cares about them or wants to make an effort to make their lives better.

• You will be able to help not only your local community, but you will also be presented with opportunities to help the international community at a bigger level.

• Social work is needed in international organizations which means that you will not only have the opportunity to help others, but you may also get to travel a little in the process.

• It is an incredibly rewarding vocation on a personal level.

• You will have the opportunity to deal with and solve a wide range of problems that will better the lives of many people just because you took the time out to solve them.

• There will always be a need for social workers, so you will never be out of a job and someone somewhere will always appreciate you.

• You will have the choice of working either in an office or outside in the field, depending on your personal preferences in this regard.

• You will gain the trust of many people who will look at you with respect and put their faith in you.

These are all very good aspects of the social work industry you can have a look at in determining whether or not this is the future you want for yourself.

The post The Job Duties Of A Social Worker appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

Salary Of Social Worker: Facts And Figures

To become a social worker also comes with a reasonable salary, although there is a lot of debate as to whether this salary is worth the time and effort that goes into the job. These problems will be discussed in a lot more detail later in this article. For now, let’s begin with what you can reasonably expect to earn as a social worker. The following is a list of what you can expect to earn as a social worker depending on the exact type of social worker you decide to become. These figures are not exact, but they are a good approximation of a social worker salary.

• A normal Social Service Worker with the basic qualifications earns something around $32,000.

• If you are a Licensed Social Worker you can expect to earn in the region of $47,000.

• A Psychiatric Social Worker can expect a social worker salary of about $54,000.

• As a Social Service Specialist can expect to earn around $56,000.

• A Children’s Services Specialist, who also usually requires to be a social worker with the appropriate qualifications, can expect to earn around about $58,000.

• The social worker income for a clinical social worker can earn something like $60,000.

• If your interest is in the medical arena you can expect to earn about $65,000 as a Medical Social Worker.

• A Supervising Psychiatric Social Worker can earn $82,000.

• A Supervising Counselling Psychologist will most likely earn something in the lines of $91,000.

• At the higher end of the pay scale a Supervising Social Worker can earn about $92,000.

As you can see it depends heavily on the exact line of work you are planning to pursue as a social worker. You can also see that even on the upper limit of the scale, the pay is not that high. However, this is something you are going to have to deal with if you decide to become a social worker.

Child, Family, And School Social Worker Salary

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Healthcare Social Workers Salary

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Mental Health And Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary

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Social Workers Salary, All Other

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Becoming A Social Worker – Motivation

If you are looking to make money, then becoming a social worker is not the career path for you. Although a social worker salary is not at all bad, you will soon realize that all social workers currently in the profession are not in it for the money. They are in it in order to make a difference and to help others. If this is not your primary goal in your studies to becoming a social worker, then perhaps it is not the career path that is most suitable for you.

Issues Related To Social Worker Salaries

It is well-known fact that social workers receive a rather low salary comparatively speaking. This is unfortunate, especially considering the essential work that they do. The service that a social worker provides is an essential one in many areas, and is the glue that holds societies together. However, when it comes to social worker pay, social workers tend to be short-changed.

Luckily in most cases people aren’t in it for the social worker salary, but rather for the inherent rewards that come with doing a job such as this one. However it has been found in several studies that it is not only the social worker that suffers in this situation, but also the client. Lower pay means lower motivation and less devotion to Excellency, at least for most people, and this in turn results in poor quality service being given to the clients in the care of the social worker.

It is a known fact that some very basic professions, such as meter reading, render higher salaries than those paid to social workers. Some people see this as a reflection of how social workers are valued. In short, they are valued very poorly. When it comes to social worker salaries a change in mind-set is desperately needed if the industry is to advance. There have been practically no increases in pay for social workers over the years, and no one really expects there to be any in the future.

There is, consequently, a very low growth in the industry, something to keep in mind if you are looking to begin a career in the social work industry. Fewer and fewer people are choosing this vocation every year, meaning that the profession may well die out. Unless a change in attitude is effected as soon as possible, then this country may find itself in a very difficult situation. In general people do not realize how important the emotional and social well-being of an individual is. They look at the physical comfort and health of a person without taking these equally crucial concepts into account. Consequently people who work to serve this aspect of the country’s well-being are shoved to one side and devalued, making it a difficult profession in which to continue.

One of the reasons for this maladaptive attitude towards social workers is the erroneous belief that this type of work can be done by anyone, that it doesn’t require any special skills or qualifications. This is something every social worker knows to be wrong. This is a profession that requires training and a very specific personality type, and the average social worker salary should reflect this fact sufficiently.

Basically, even though there have been some salary increases, they are not in line with what other health care professionals, such as nurses, are receiving. They are simply related to cost of living, but are not keeping up with the overall inflation rate. Basically things are only getting worse with each passing year, with no sign that anyone is trying to do anything to remedy the situation.

Working For Church Related Agencies

Salaries do vary according to the exact work you as a social worker as well as according to the region in which you work. For one thing, many social workers work for church related agencies, or other practically non-profit organizations, which leaves them in a bad position. This is because such agencies simply do not have the resources to devote to the profession. This once again ties in with the fact that it is not the social worker salary that is the aim of being a social worker, but rather the work itself.

It follows from the above statement that if you wish to earn the highest possible amount as a social worker, you should avoid church-like organizations and focus more on positions in industries, universities, the private sector, and businesses. This however may not always be in line with what your personal intentions as a social worker are, and consequently you may prefer to work in a lower paying job. However, the fact remains that overall there is no infrastructure in place to ensure that social workers are paid adequately.

Even if you have a private practice, usually considered the best paying area to be in as social worker, you will still find that other costs, such as insurance, will take a huge bite out of your earnings, making it difficult to keep afloat. Although this is still a very real option as a social worker, having your own private practice or working for yourself is not as great as it is made out to be.

Gender Related Issues

Another very salient issue related to the issue of the average social worker salary you can be expected to earn is that of gender. Despite a large number of efforts in this area, it still appears that men, who make up a smaller percentage of the social working arena than women, still get higher salaries. They are also far more likely to make it into the superior positions of power and to be hired in the larger and more successful agencies. This inequity is unfortunate, but is also not surprising for this day and age. Despite efforts by many people in many industries, the average salaries of men remain higher than that of women in the same social worker jobs opportunities with the same qualifications. This is another way of thinking that needs to change if we wish to improve the situation related the salaries received by social workers.

Unfortunately there are a large number of individuals with lower qualifications than social workers who are nevertheless hired for the jobs which are meant to be reserved for social workers. The result of this is an unfortunate perpetuation of the situation in that the average salary paid to social workers is not going to increase as long as there are less qualified individuals out there who are willing to work for less money.

Usually wages are increased in situations where there is a shortage of people who can fulfill the position. This is unlikely to happen considering the high number of people who meet the bare minimum requirements to do a social workers job. However, considering that more and more people are deciding to leave the social work industry, this may mean that the shortage required to stimulate a salary increase may eventuate in the future. However, it would be a pity if we have to wait for this situation to take place before anyone took it upon themselves to initiate and increase in the average salary that a social worker receives.

Licensing Laws

In many states there are no licensing laws. This means that you don’t have to have a license to practice as a social worker. Unfortunately this also has a negative impact on the salaries of social workers. Without strict licensing laws the market becomes flooded with people who meet the specifications for being a social worker. A more stringent infrastructure controlling this aspect of social work may go a long way to improving the situation of a social worker’s salary.

Even social workers who are dedicated to their job and love it have trouble with the poor social worker salary that they receive. As a result, they have other jobs. This means that their attention is not limited solely to their job as a social worker, but is instead divided among two or more jobs. They also may be overtired and overworked because of this situation. Unfortunately, however, considering the low salaries that social workers receive, many of them have no choice but to put themselves in these situations.

The social system needs to be stable. Children and other people helped by social workers need stability, but under current conditions, stability is simply not available. Low salaries affect everyone, not simply those working as social workers.

The Positive Side

Although the above information may have put you off the entire social worker experience, it is important to note that there are many people who simply do not share these views, as well as several facts to back up their optimism. Generally speaking, social work is considered to be an industry that is growing faster than other industries, which means that job stability is practically guaranteed.

Social Worker Job Description
Perhaps a more important question than the social worker salary you will receive should you embark on this career is what the actual job description of a social worker is. You need to know whether or not you are willing to actually fulfill the expectations that are inherent in becoming a social worker before deciding whether or not you are willing to become one.

The basic duties of a social worker are as follows:

• You will be required to interview clients and their families to find out the information relevant to helping them with their situation.

• You will have to plan and coordinate any activities or programs that are necessary to meet the emotional and social needs of the client and the client’s family.

• You will have to aid your clients in terms of their mental health in terms of identifying and working through their emotional problems through therapy in either groups or on an individual basis.

• You will need to be able to accurately diagnose the problems that your client may or may not have. You will find it very difficult to treat a patient unless you can be absolutely sure of what is wrong with them. If you feel that you will be unable to do this, then you should consider alternative professions.

• You will need to be open to working with your client rather than issuing them instructions that you expect them to obey. It is far better for the healing process if your client works with you in terms of deciding on a treatment plan and a way forward.

• A very important part of the basic job description is record keeping. This may sound uninteresting, but in all jobs you need to keep accurate records, and this is no exception. Record keeping is an essential part of the social worker job description.

• You will need to be aware of other tools and resources that your client can use in order to speed up their recovery process and you will have to be confident enough in your knowledge to refer your client’s to such resources should the need arise.

• You will need to be willing to work closely with other professionals, such as doctors, in order to ensure that your client receives the best care and attention possible from all areas of the care system.

• You will need to spontaneously initiate and run social service programs in order to serve the wider community.

• You also need to be willing and open to working with the families of your clients as their influence will be crucial in helping the recovery of your client.

There are a few different areas that you may be able to work in as a social worker. The most common areas are the following:

• Child social work
• Family social work
• School social workers
• Medical social workers
• Public health social workers
• Mental health social work
• Substance abuse social work

There are many doors open to you as a social worker. You will be able to help many different people in a variety of situations. Social work is very rewarding, and people who choose this line of work choose it as a vocation. They choose it because they love it. The key question that you have to consider before deciding on a career as a social worker is whether or not you have the drive necessary to get the job done. There is no possibility for you to be in it for the money. The social worker salary you will receive cannot be the basis of your choice of career.

The post What You Can Expect To Earn As A Social Worker appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

The treatment that a mental health social worker dispenses ranges between the teaching of necessary skills for day-to-day living, crisis intervention, personal or group therapy, or various other interventions. Mental health social workers work in either out-patient or in-patient settings. Some mental health social workers are employed in private practices, where they see the patient privately and decide on the type of therapy according to the issues that are presented in consultation.

Duties Of A Mental Health Social Worker

A mental health social worker basically provides services that assist individuals to deal with crises or issues of a personal nature via therapy, counselling, or other practical assistance. Exactly what they do and how they operate depends on the setting in which they work. In an outpatient setting they usually take on multiple roles, and in substance abuse clinics, their duties could include intermittent drug testing and counseling. Some mental health workers are employed by companies as part of an employee assistance program, where part of their duties would be to assist individuals with personal or work-related stresses that are affecting their ability to work effectively.

Some duties of a mental health social worker are:

• Interviewing clients, conducting assessments, reviewing records, or consulting with other professionals in order to evaluate the mental or physical condition of patients or clients

• Educating clients or community members regarding mental or physical illness, medication, abuse, or the availability of community resources

• Assisting clients in adhering to treatment plans by performing such tasks as setting up appointments for them, arranging for their transportation to those appointments, or providing support

• Counseling or aiding the client or patient’s family as to how to assist them in dealing with, understanding, and supporting them

• Collaborating with physicians, nurses or counselors to plan or coordinate a treatment-plan, drawing on their own social work experience and the needs of the patient

• Monitoring, evaluating and recording a client’s progress with regards to treatment goals

• Referring clients, patients, or families to community resources for housing assistance or treatment to assist in their recovery from a physical or mental illness

• Developing or advising on social policy or assisting in community development

• The planning or conducting of programs to combat social problems, prevent substance abuse, or improve counseling or health services in community

• Counseling clients or patients individually or in group sessions to assist them in dealing with mental or physical illness, substance abuse, physical abuse poverty, or unemployment

Depending on the setting there may also be other duties that the mental health social worker will perform, such as supervising or directing other individuals who provide a range of services to their patients or clients, or modifying treatment plans according to client needs. Many private clinical social workers also often do recordkeeping and various other administrative tasks such as marketing their practice or assisting clients to get payment from their insurance carriers.

It is also the responsibility of every mental health social worker to continually improve their knowledge in the field by conducting social research, attending training workshops and seminars and reviewing current literature.

Skills Required By A Mental Health Social Worker

Mental health social work does not suit everyone, even if they have done other social work before. This is a very stressful career and some very specific skills are required to cope with the stresses of the job.

In order to become a mental health social worker, one needs the following skills:

• Active Listening – this means the ability to give full attention to what other individuals are saying, taking time to understand the points that they are making, asking questions when appropriate and if required, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

• Active Learning – one must be able to understand the implications of new information and its impact on both current and future problem-solving and decision-making

• Critical Thinking – the ability to use reasoning and logic to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems is a very important skill for a mental health social worker to have

• Complex Problem Solving – the ability to identify complex problems and review related data in order to develop and evaluate various options and implement the correct solutions

• Effective Communication – this includes the ability to communicate effectively with others both verbally and in writing, in order to convey important information effectively

• Instruction – the ability to instruct others in order to teach them better ways of doing things

• Learning Strategies – the ability to select and use the best and most appropriate training/instructional methods and procedures for a particular situation when learning or teaching new things

• Monitoring – the ability to monitor/assess performance of self, other individuals, or organizations in order to institute improvements or take corrective action

• Negotiation – the ability to bring others together in order to try to reconcile differences.

• Persuasion – the power of Persuasion is important in order to get others to change their minds or destructive behavior

• Systems Analysis – the ability to determine how a particular system should be working and how changes in operations, conditions, and environment could affect outcomes

• Systems Evaluation – the ability to identify different indicators or measures of system performance and the actions required in order to correct or improve performance, relative to the goals of the system

There are also other skills required, such as management of personnel resources, judgment and decision-making, time management, coordination and reading comprehension.

Work Environment

Social workers held 650,500 jobs in 2010, and were employed in Hospitals and clinics, Nursing homes, Community mental health clinics, Private practices, State and local governments, Schools, Colleges and universities, Substance abuse clinics, Military bases and hospitals. The work in done mainly in an office, but there are also occasions that require a mental health social worker to go out into the field.

According to stats released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2010, the industries that employed the most mental health substance abuse social workers were:

Outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers 17%
Individual and family services 16
Hospitals; state, local, and private 14
Local government, excluding education and hospitals 10
Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals; state, local, and private 8

Mental health social workers generally work full-time, and like many other types of social workers, they may on occasion be required to work evenings or over a weekend.

How To Become A Mental Health Social Worker

The requirements to become a mental health social worker differ somewhat in various jurisdictions, but generally most states require that one have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Some jurisdictions also require a certain amount of fieldwork to be done before licensure can be obtained. It is possible to become a mental health social worker in some states with a bachelor’s degree other than the bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW), if you have a bachelor’s degree in a closely related field.

Some positions, including those in schools and healthcare frequently require that applicants have a master’s degree in social work (MSW) or a closely-related subject. No matter what qualification is required, it is always a good idea to pursue a higher education, as it will help you to stand out among other job candidates, and will augur well for your future in the field.

All clinical social workers must have an MSW, which takes 2 years to complete, although there are some programs that allow those who already have a BSW to complete their MSW within 1 year. All MSW programs will prepare you for work in your chosen field, and help you to develop the skills to do clinical assessments, manage a large number of clients, and take on a supervisory role. All programs also include a compulsory amount of hours that must be done either in an internship or doing supervised fieldwork.

Job Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, the job outlook for mental health and substance abuse social workers is expected to grow by 31% between 2010 and 2020, which is faster than the average for other occupations.

This growth is expected to happen as a result of more people seeking treatment for addiction and mental illness. Drug offenders are increasingly being sent for treatment rather than to jail, therefore the use of substance abuse treatment programs is expected to grow exponentially, which will thereby increase the demand for mental health and substance abuse social workers.

Licensure

Licensure varies by state, but all states do require some sort of certification or licensure requirement. Clinical social workers are required to be licensed in all states, and as such, as a mental health social worker you will be required to do what is required by the state in which you intend to practice in order to gain licensure.

The post The Mental Health Social Worker In The U.S. appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

In order to understand the foster care and social work systems, one needs to understand everything about foster care, how it should be instituted, and the role that social workers play in foster care. There is no breaking social work and foster care up; there is no way that foster care could work without social work and all the social workers that put so much into their work.

What Is Foster Care?

Foster care is a service which provides a means of creating a safe temporary placement for children who can, for various reasons, not remain safely in their parental home. Children who are in foster-care are placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services by court order. This means that social work and foster care are inexorably intertwined and it is incumbent on the social worker to ensure that the child is placed into foster care with the right family.
Foster care is intended to create a plan of permanency for the child that will last throughout his or her youth and until they can be released from the custody of the social work agency and state oversight. If possible, attempts will be made to return the child to the familial home, but should this not be possible another permanent planned living arrangement will be made.

The priorities of social work and foster care are as follows:

1. Reunify the child with his or her parents
2. The child should be adopted, preferably by a relative, but if that is not possible then by a non-relative
3. The child should be placed under guardianship with a relative or non-relative
4. Foster-care placement with a relative who is willing to offer a long-term, secure commitment to the child
5. Other planned foster care as a permanent living arrangement

Plans for permanent placements are made only after a comprehensive family assessment has been done and the parents have been provided with any help that may enhance their capacity to care for the child or children. If necessary, the family and or foster children are also provided with services that address the physical, mental and educational well-being of the children.

Who Is Eligible For Social Work And Foster Care Services?

Social work and foster care services are provided by 46 County Department of Social Services (DSS) offices across the United States, and intensive clinical and foster care services are provided by regional services. There are also other public and private providers who provide services to families in need of social work and foster care, once such needs have been identified via a comprehensive family assessment and individualized case plan.

The DSS provides foster care services to:

• Children aged 0-18 years of age who the court has determined cannot remain in their home for their own safety, and who are in the custody of the Department

• Parents whose children have been removed from their home for the children’s safety

• Chafee Independent Living services also provides social work and foster care services, via DSS, to youth between the ages of 13-21; they are taught skills that increase their chances of successfully transitioning out of the foster care system

• After Care Services are also available to youth who emancipate from foster care once they reach the age of 18

What Social Work And Foster Care Services Are Offered?

The Department of Social Services offers various services, which include joint assessment and development of individual case plans by parents, children and Department staff. Parents are offered help and advice to help them change the circumstances which made the home unsafe for children, and which, once successfully followed, could result in the return of the children and social work and foster care services being ceased.

Children are offered various services aimed at helping them to work through and diffuse and heal the detrimental effects of abuse and neglect. This includes services that relate to the child’s physical, mental and educational well-being.

Youth who emancipate from DSS care at the age of 18 can apply to their local DSS county office to request Aftercare Services. An Aftercare assessment interview is conducted with the youth in order to determine what services are needed.

The Interstate Compact On The Placement Of Children (ICPC)

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children, or ICPC, as it is also known, is statutory law in all 52 member jurisdictions and a binding contract between member jurisdictions. The ICPC was established to ensure uniform legal and administrative procedures govern the interstate placement of children. This means that children who are receiving social work and foster care services receive an appropriate level of care in the new placements when they are moved from state to state in their adoptive or foster care placements.
The Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (AAICPC) was established in 1974. It is made up of members from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The ICPC gives the AAICPC the authority to “promulgate rules and regulations to carry out more effectively the terms and provisions of this compact.”

Social Workers And Foster Care Services

Individuals busy studying for their master’s in social work, or an MSW degree generally choose to specialize in one of a wide range of specialties, one of which is foster care. For those who elect to follow a social work and foster care path, there is a very rewarding albeit challenging career waiting for them. Foster care is crucial to many families in the United States, and a good social worker can literally be the difference between life and death for many youngsters.

There were about approximately 408,400 children in foster care as of September 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The average age of these youths was around 9 years. If you are a social work student and are interested in specializing in foster care, you may benefit from perusing Foster care statistics, which is a document prepared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The Administration for Children and Families also provides various reports on additional foster care statistics, as does AdoptUsKids, who provides information about foster care by state. All of these resources are very helpful to social workers who are interested in specializing in foster care.

Problems That Face Foster Care Children

Most children who are placed in foster care have good experiences, but this is not necessarily so for all who are recipients of social work and foster care services. Many children who are fostered experience teenage pregnancy, depression and even incarceration because they get into trouble with the law. In addition to problems that they may face whilst under the care of DSS and in a foster home, once they are emancipated at the age of 18 they often experience a sense of abandonment.

Social workers who intend working in foster-care should be aware of the following issues facing foster children in order to understand the work:
Lack of Educational Opportunities: According to the Heritage Foundation, children in foster care are more likely to be incarcerated, live in poverty, rely on state services, and run afoul of the law. The Foundation suggests that foster care children need to be given more educational opportunities that prepare them for college as well as additional financial support such as scholarships to enable them to study further and improve their chances in life.

Developmental Issues: According to research by the American Academy of Pediatrics, more children in foster suffer from serious developmental, physical, or mental problems than those in regular families. This could make the work of a social worker more difficult dealing with these cases.

Depression: It is not uncommon for foster children to suffer from debilitating depression, as they feel the loss of not having their biological parents in their lives, no matter the circumstances at home. This can lead to various mental and emotional difficulties.

“Aging Out” of the System: According to the National Association of Social Workers, a documentary by social worker Matt Anderson reveals many problems experienced by youth who “age out” of the system, or who are eligible to leave the foster care system when they turn 18. Most of these youth are destined to become pregnant, get into trouble with authorities or face depression due to a lack of family support, and many end up homeless.

Foster Care Helpline

Any youth that are in need of social work and foster care services can contact the Foster Care Helpline on 1-888-722-2580. The Helpline was established to answer calls from children and youth in foster care 24/7.

Social work and foster care is a wonderful career for those who love children and wish to help improve the lives, their day-to-day circumstances, and offer them a future that has the potential of allowing them to break the cycle of poverty, inadequate education and look forward to a bright future.

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