101 Careers in Social Work _ Jessica A. Ritter

101 Careers in Social Work
Jessica A. Ritter

Halaevalu F.O. Vakalahi
Mary Kiernan-Stern
2009
Pages 304
Format PDF 1.89 MB

Preface xv

Acknowledgment xvii

PART I: THE PROFESSION OF SOCIAL WORK 1

1 What is Social Work? 3

Separating the Facts from the Fiction 4

Top 7 Myths about the Social Work Profession 4

How is Social Work Different from Other Related Professions/Disciplines? 7

How Did Social Work Begin? 9

A Brief History of the Social Work Profession in the United States 9

What is the Future Outlook for Social Workers? 10

2 Got Social Work? 13

Is Social Work for You? 13

Benefits of a Career in Social Work 15

Challenges of a Career in Social Work 16

The Social Work Oath 16

An Invitation to You 17

3 The Yellow Brick Road: Education and Licensure for Social Workers 21

Who Qualifies as a Social Worker? 23

What Do I Need to Know about Social Work Licensing? 24

Is Licensing Really Necessary for the Social Work Profession? 24

Do All Social Work Jobs Require Getting a License? 25

If I am Licensed in One State Will I Be Able to Use this License in a

Different State if I Relocate for a Job? 25

What Is the Difference Between a License, a Certification and a Credential? 26

After Graduation from My University’s Social Work Program Will I Be Able to Obtain a License? 26

Where Can I Learn More About the Requirements for the Social Work

Profession, Supervision, and Licensing? 26

Postscript 27

PART II: CAREERS IN SOCIAL WORK 29

4 Careers in Child Welfare 31

Child Protection Caseworker 32

Social Worker Spotlight: Jessica A. Ritter, BSW, MSSW,

PhD Children’s Protective Services, Austin,

Texas 33

Intake Worker 34

CPS Investigator 34

Family Preservation Caseworker 34

Substitute Care Caseworker 35

Foster Care and Adoption Caseworker 35

Careers with Private or Nonprofit Agencies 36

Careers in Child Welfare Research 36

Careers with the Government 37

Child Welfare Advocate 37

Adoption Social Worker 43

Social Worker Spotlight: Agnes Zarcaro, LCSW

Spaulding for Children, Houston, Texas 48

Foster Care Social Worker 51

5 School-Based and School-Linked Services 57

School Social Worker 58

Social Worker Spotlight: Magda Flores, MSSW

School Social Worker, Communities in Schools,

Austin, Texas 59

After School Program Counselor 60

Day Care and School Readiness Program Worker 60

Adult Literacy Program Worker 61

Special Education Social Service Worker 61

Social Worker on a College Campus 62

Social Work with Older Adults 71

Adult Protective Services Caseworker 72

Social Worker Spotlight: Lori Delagrammatikas, MSW/PhD

Candidate and Program Coordinator, MASTER,

Academy for Professional Excellence, San Diego

State University School of Social Work 73

Social Work in Adult Day Centers 74

Residential Care Case Manager 75

Careers in Psychogeriatrics 75

Social Work in Hospitals and Other Health Care Settings 76

Social Worker Spotlight: Sheryl Bruno, MSW

Social Work Supervisor, Providence ElderPlace,

Portland, Oregon 76

Hospice Social Worker 78

Social Worker Spotlight: Mary Jane O’Rourke, MSW

Hospice and Palliative Care of Washington County,

Hillsboro, Oregon 78

Home Health Social Worker 79

Geriatric Case Manager 79

Social Worker Spotlight: Simon Paquette, LCSW, RC

Medical Social Worker, Independent Case

Management, Camas, Washington 80

Careers in Research and Policy 82

Careers with the Government 82

7 Social Work in Health Care 89

Social Work in Hospitals 91

Social Worker Spotlight: Maya Doyle, LCSW

Senior Social Worker/Camp Coordinator,

Division of Pediatric Nephrology/Children’s

Hospital at Montefiore 92

Emergency Room Social Worker 94

Director of Social Work 94

Public Health Social Worker 95

Social Worker Spotlight: Erica Solway, MSW, MPH

Doctoral Student in Sociology, University of

California, San Francisco 96

Rehabilitation Social Worker 97

Health Care Policy Specialist 98

Social Work in Health Care Exercise 101

8 Social Work in Mental Health and Addiction 103

Clinical Social Worker 105

Social Worker Spotlight: Sue Matorin, MS, ACSW

Treatment Coordinator, Affective Disorder Team,

Payne Whitney Clinic, New York Presbyterian Hospital;

Faculty Member, Department of Psychiatry, Weill

College of Medicine at Cornell; and Adjunct Associate

Professor, Columbia School of Social Work 106

Social Work with Groups 107

Social Worker Spotlight: Mary Kiernan-Stern, MSW,

LCSW, Northern Virginia Cancer Center,Alexandria, Virginia 108

Social Work and Substance Abuse Intervention 110

Social Worker Spotlight: Robert Klekar, LCSW, LCDC

Social Work and Substance Abuse 110

Social Worker Spotlight: Shana Seidenberg, MSW, LSW

MISA (Mental Illness Substance Abuse) Coordinator,

Kauai Community Mental Health Center 113

Employee Assistance Worker 113

Military Social Worker 114

9 Careers in Crisis Intervention 121

Careers in Disaster and Emergency Management 122

Social Worker Spotlight: Brian Rivers, BSW, LSW

Case Manager/Volunteer Coordinator, East Biloxi

Coordination, Relief, and Redevelopment,

Biloxi, Mississippi 123

Family Violence Counselor 125

Sexual Assault Counselor 125

Policy Advocate 127

Social Worker Spotlight: Cindy Southworth, MSW

National Network to End Domestic Violence,

Washington, DC 128

10 Careers in Criminal Justice and the Legal Arena 137

Social Worker Spotlight: Lyn K. Slater, MA, MSW, PhD

Interdisciplinary Center for Family and Child

Advocacy, Fordham University, New York 138

Probation Officer 139

Parole Officer 140

Correctional or Detention Officer 140

Correctional Treatment Specialist 141

Juvenile Justice Counselor 141

Gang Prevention Counselor 141

Family Court Social Worker 142

Social Worker Spotlight: Brandy Macaluso, BSW, CVP

Coalition for Independent Living Options,

West Palm Beach, Florida 142

Prison/Jail Social Worker 143

Careers in Victim Assistance 144

Social Worker Spotlight: Marilyn Peterson Armour,

MSW, PhD, Institute for Restorative Justice and

Restorative Dialogue, Austin, Texas 144

Careers in Restorative Justice 146

11 Careers in Forensic Social Work 153

Custody Evaluator 154

Mental Health Evaluator 155

Mitigation Specialist 155

Social Work Spotlight: Alison Cusick MSW

Candidate George Mason University, Intern,

Office of the Public Defender, Montgomery County,

Maryland 156

Forensic Social Work in Juvenile Justice 158

Social Worker Spotlight: Joel T. Andrade, MSW, LICSW,

Doctoral Candidate, Boston College Graduate

School of Social Work, Bridgewater State Hospital,

Bridgewater, Massachusetts, MHM Services,

Inc. 158

12 Careers in International Social Work and Human Rights 165

U.S.-Based Immigrant, Refugee, and Asylee ResettlementWorker 166

Social Worker Spotlight: Marleine Bastien, BSW, MSW,

LCSW, Founder, FANM Ayisyen Nan Miyami/

Haitian Women of Miami 167

Social Worker Spotlight: Juliane Ramic, MSW

Resettling Refugees 169

Immigration Policy Advocate 170

Disaster Relief Worker 171

Social Worker Spotlight: Susan Kosche Vallem, EdD,

LISW Professor and Chair of the Social Work

Department, Wartburg College, Waverly, IA 171

Human Rights Worker 172

International Development Worker 172

Careers with United Nations/UNICEF 173

Social Worker Spotlight: Purnima Mane, MSW, PhD

Deputy Executive Director (Program), UNFPA,

the United Nations Population Fund 173

13 Careers in Poverty and Homelessness 181

Income Assistance Caseworker 182

Homeless Outreach Caseworker 188

Careers in Research 189

Poverty Advocate 190

Social Worker Spotlight: Kristin Noel Ludwig, MSW

Community Action, Hillsboro, Oregon 191

14 Careers in Politics 197

Lobbyist 199

Campaign Worker 200

Social Worker Spotlight: Greg Shufeldt, BSW, MSW

Political Social Worker, Missouri Pro-Vote Coalition,

St. Louis, Missouri 200

Legislative Aide 201

Field Organizer 202

Social Worker Spotlight: Elizabeth Alex, MSW Lead

Organizer/Manager, CASA of Maryland 202

Policy Analyst 203

Legislator or Public Official 204

Social Worker Spotlight: Representative Elliott Naishtat,

MSSW, JD., Attorney and Texas State Legislator204

15 Careers in Community Practice 213

Community Planner 214

Social Worker Spotlight: Odis Dolton, MSSW

Assistant Director for Finance, City of Abilene,

Abilene, Texas 214

Community Developer 215

Social Worker Spotlight: Amy Krings-Barnes, BSW,

MSW, Community Police Partnering Center,

Cincinnati, Ohio 216

Community Organizer 218

Social Worker Spotlight: Trina Scordo, Senior Organizer,

Change to Win Labor Federation, MSW student

Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ,

International and Community Development

Concentration 218

Social Work in Urban Communities 219

Rural Social Worker 220

16 Leadership in Human Service Organizations 225

Administrator 226

Executive Director 227

Social Worker Spotlight: Laura Elmore Smith, LMSW

Executive Director, Crime Prevention Institute,

Austin, Texas 227

Program Manager 228

Social Worker Spotlight: Mary Kiernan-Stern, LCSW

Arlington Hospital, Arlington, Virginia 229

Organizational Consultant 230

Public Relations/Media Relations 230

Volunteer Services Director 231

Fundraiser 232

Grant Writer 232

17 Careers in Research and Academia 237

Social Work Researcher 238

Social Work Professor 239

Adjunct Faculty/Lecturer 239

Field Education Director/Coordinator 240

Social Worker Spotlight: Jessica A. Ritter, BSW, MSSW,

PhD, Director of Field Education and Assistant

Professor, Pacific University,

Forest Grove, Oregon 241

Director of Special Programs 242

Program Director/Department Chair/Dean 242

18 Careers Beyond Social Work 247

Novelist/Journalist 248

Social Worker Spotlight: Anne Driscoll, LCSW

Journalist and Author of the Girl to Girl

guidebooks 248

Documentary Filmmaker 249

Social Worker Spotlight: Murali D. Nair PhD

Communicating Beyond Print Media 250

Artist 251

Corporate Consultant 251

Careers in Human Resources 251

Careers in Mediation and Conflict Resolution 252

Ombudsman 252

Self-Employment/Consulting Careers 252

Social Worker Spotlight: Richard B. Joelson, DSW,

LCSW, Private Practice, New York City 253

Entrepreneur 255

Attorney 255

PART III: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? 257

19 Paying for Your Education 259

Conducting a Scholarship Search 260

Other Methods of Financing Your Education 261

Social Work Scholarships, Fellowships, and Other Programs 262

20 Job Hunting Tips 267

Books on Job Hunting 268

Job-Hunting Web Sites 269

International Social Work Opportunities 270

Online Job Hunting 270

Creating Your Resume 271

Networking 272

Epilogue 275

Index 279