Introduction to Social Work Susan Mankita, MSW, LCSW SOW 3203 Chapter 20: Social Work, A Maturing Profession Adapted from Farley, Smith, & Boyle

Criteria of a Profession  Professional person Type of activity Motive of service Motive of self-expression Recognition of social duty

Is Social Work a Profession?  Greenwood Systematic theory Authority Community sanction Ethical codes Culture “Social work is already a profession: it has too many points of congruence with the model to be classifiable otherwise. Social work is, however, seeking to rise with the professional hierarchy, so that it too, might enjoy maximum prestige, authority, and monopoly, which presently belong to a few top professions”

Historical Background Schools of Social Work Columbia University School of Social Work  1898 New York School of Social Work Before 1910 schools of social work in the 5 largest cities in the U.S. In 2004, 143 programs in U.S. with master’s education : 14,484 Master’s Degrees : 12,356 Bachelor’s Degrees

CSWE History  Council on Social Work Education Established in 1952 ‘support, strengthen, and improve social work education and to increase the number of qualified social workers’ Since 1974 Commission on Accreditation has had the authority and responsibility to accredit undergraduate social work programs.

NASW History  National Association of Social Workers - NASW American Association of Social Workers (1921) Seven predecessor organizations established NASW in July membership of 145,000

NASW Responsibilities Three responsibilities:  Promote activities appropriate to strengthening and unifying the social work profession as a whole  Promote efforts in behalf of human well-being by methods of social action  Promote sound and continuous development of various areas of social work practice whereby the profession contributes to the meeting of particular aspects of human need Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW)  NASW credential  More than 58,000 members  New Academy of Certified Baccalaureate Social Worker (ACBSW)  Delegate assembly ultimate policymaking body for NASW Social work licensing

NASW’s Professional Code of Ethics  NASW adopted first in 1960  Each member of profession responsible to: Maintain and improve social work service Constantly examine, use, and increase knowledge on which practice and social policy are based Develop further the philosophy and skills of the profession

Schools of Social Work  CSWE accredited 422 undergraduate social work programs in 2004  CSWE accredited 143 graduate social work programs in 2004  Advanced standing began in 1971  Academic and field work training simultaneously  Master’s program includes three core areas  Human behavior and social environment  Social services and social polices  Methods

Specializations or concentrations:  Casework  Group work  Micro or macro approach  Social planning  Drug abuse  Health care  Mental health  Child welfare  Elderly service

Doctoral programs  55 graduate programs award about 300 degrees per year  The DSW degree has been gradually changed to a Ph.D. degrees

Research  Basic to professional development  Areas of study include human social behavior, the helping processes, and related activities  Other areas include new knowledge about human behavior and social work education and practice

Private Practice NASW standard  Graduate of CSWE accredited program  Member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers  Five years minimum of acceptable full-time experience in agencies providing supervision by professionally trained social workers of which at least two years in one agency under supervision Third-party payers  Vendorship

Publications  Social Work  NASW NEWS  Encyclopedia of Social Work  Social Work Abstracts  Health and Social Work  Social Work in Education  Social Work Research  Journal of Social Work Education

Social Work Roles & Career Paths Salaries and Jobs Elective Offices Changing Nature of Work Path Ahead What Does the Future Hold