Posted March 13, 2012
by Deborah Connery, LCSW
Director of Consultation at The Comprehensive Group
edited by
Becky Lerner
Social workers are committed to helping people cope with and overcome some of life’s most difficult circumstances—physical and mental illness, disability, poverty, abuse and neglect, unemployment, marital problems, social issues, and addictions—to name a few. Understandably, it can be an incredibly challenging, yet incredibly exciting field, which is why social work is one of the fastest growing professions in the U.S., according to The National Association of Social Workers.
Professional social workers typically have Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degrees in Social Work in addition to their state’s license. Their educational background includes coursework in human development, social behavior, psychology, program development, and economic institutions. In addition, they tend to specialize in areas such as community mental health, juvenile casework, medical social work, psychotherapy, and marriage and family counseling. They are trained to observe and analyze how circumstances and environmental factors interact to impact their clients’ social functioning. As a result, there are a variety of settings in which social workers are found. They practice intervention and crisis-prevention in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, schools, prisons, corporations, and private practices. They then develop a treatment plan designed lead the client toward optimal functioning.
Further, with the consideration of the baby boomers, the demand for social workers dedicated to working with seniors is expected to grow exponentially over the next few years. The Comprehensive Group routinely seeks out and interacts with social workers in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and senior housing communities. Social workers who work with the elderly have expertise in aging, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and psychiatric and physical rehabilitation. They help the seniors regain and maintain optimal independence wherever they may be living.
March is National Social Work Month and The Comprehensive Group is pleased to recognize our exceptional staff of social workers. This month and always, we applaud these hardworking professionals who have dedicated their careers to improving the lives of others.
