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| School
of Social Work S I U - Carbondale Carbondale,IL 62901-4329 Phone (618) 453-2243 |
Child welfare social workers practice in family-based
services that address the needs of children, youth and families.
They may counsel children and youth who have behavioral problems
or have difficulty adjusting socially. Social workers also work
to protect children, and intervene on their behalf when they are
abused or neglected. Some of them work in residential institutions
for children and adolescents. Still others specialize in adoption
services and assist parents in arranging for adoptions. Employers
Social workers are important members of the healthcare
teams in hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. They
work together with doctors, nurses, adminstrators, and other professionals
to help patients and their families cope with chronic or terminal
illnesses. They assess a patient's needs for medical, and/or emotional
treatment, as well as rehabilitation. Social workers help facilitate
discharge and provision of supportive services for post-hospitalization
by providing patients and the family caregivers with information
and referral. Social workers are often hired by agencies that provide hospice care. The hospice movement is increasingly popular in this country. The goal of these agencies is to assist the dying to have optimal quality of life during their final months. Social workers employed by hospices provide counseling to these patients and their families, helping them adjust to the inevitable stressors presented by the dying process. The mission of hospice, which is to help patients take charge of their lives and make their own decisions during this critical period, coincides with the social work mission of helping people help themselves. Employers
Clinical social workers provide more than half
of the counseling and therapy services in the United States. As
mental health providers they help clients with mental, emotional,
alcohol or drug abuse problems through individual and group therapy,
outreach and crisis intervention, and, in many cases, serve as agency
directors and administrators. Employers
Social work in public welfare entails administration, implementation, monitoring, and program evaluation of the public welfare system. Social workers provide information on how to apply for public assistance and other benefits, review eligibility requirements, and arrange for services. Social Workers also train and supervise caseworkers who provide direct services. The main challenge of public welfare agencies is to develop effective programs for self-sufficiency and moving people from public welfare into the workforce and mainstream of society. Employers
There is a great need for a professional social
work practice in our aging society. Social workers direct services
to senior citizens such as counseling, income assistance, transportation,
home care assistance, and recreational activities to help them remain
active, healthy, and independent as long as possible. Employers
A growing practice field for occupational or corporate social workers is in employee assistance programs (EAP's). These programs are available with large corporations, businesses, and labor unions, mostly in urban and industrial settings. EAP social workers counsel workers and executives alike to help them achieve emotional well-being and improve job performance. They deal with the diverse problems and situations affecting American workers today: divorce, single parenthood, substance abuse, domestic violence, depression, eating disorders, vocational rehabilitation, stress, takeovers, layoffs, etc. In this way, social workers help businesses and organizations improve their productivity. Employers
School social workers work closely with teachers,
administrators, and other professionals to help children with physical
or learning disabilities as well as emotional problems. They provide
counseling and referral services for a range of concerns including
family problems, domestic violence, child abuse, neglect, and poverty.
They serve as a liaison between family and school and often between
school and community. Employers
Social workers in criminal justice make recommendations
to courts, serve as expert witnesses, do pre-sentencing assessments,
and provide services for prison inmates and their families. They
focus on rehabilitation by providing therapy, drug and alcohol addiction
treatment, and basic life-skills training. Many social workers become
probation officers or parole officers. They help ex-offenders access
supportive services upon release from prison. Social workers may
arrange for a halfway house, job training, employment, remedial
classes, counseling, child care, and/or transportation. Employers
There are numerous opportunities for social workers
in community development programs and projects that are designed
to provide community, professional, and volunteer services. This
is an area of employment that is expanding as greater responsibility
for human service programs is assumed by cities, towns, communities,
neighborhoods, and local organizations. Employers
International Social Work involves direct services in child welfare, family planning, health and mental health, international adoptions, human rights advocacy, and refugee programs through relief and international aid organizations. Social workers also assist governments in developing delivery systems and training programs. They provide technical assistance and are involved in research projects. International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Red Cross, the United Nations, and numerous non-government organizations employ social workers. Employers
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