Social Work in the United
States: 50 Years of
Challenge and Change
July 31, 2006
IFSW World Conference
Munich, Germany
©2006 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved.
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Section 1 – NASW’s Progress
Throughout the Past 50 Years
Elvira Craig deSilva, DSW
President, National Association of Social Workers - U.S.A.
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Forming of NASW-U.S.A.
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Social Work Legacy in U.S.A.
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Social work pioneer Jane Addams was awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize in 1931. Countless other social workers have
been key players in civil and human rights campaigns
throughout our nation’s history.
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Jeannette Rankin, a social worker, was the first woman ever
elected to the US Congress. A leader against the U.S.A.
participation in World Wars I & II.
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In 1961, Whitney M. Young Jr. became executive director of
the National Urban League where he initiated unique
programs to combat the ills of racism and poverty in
America. Young was President of NASW-U.S.A. from
1969–1971.
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Two social workers have served as U.S. Secretary of Labor.
The first was Frances Perkins, and the last was Alexis
Herman.
•
Barbara Mikulski, MSW, the first woman elected to the
U.S.A. Senate in her own right.
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Political Activism
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Whitney Young & President
Lyndon Johnson
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U.S.A. Civil Rights March – 1963
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Dr. Dorothy I. Height – Social Work
Pioneer® and Civil Rights Activist
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NASW-U.S.A. in the Rose
Garden of the White House
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HIV/AIDS - Suzanne Dworak-Peck, ACSW
& Surgeon General Koop
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Women’s March - 1986
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March for Women’s Lives – 2004
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International Collaborations
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U.S.A. Elections – Politics
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Social Work Senators &
Representatives in the U.S.A.
Social Workers in Congress:
• Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
• Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
• Rep. Ed Towns (D-NY)
• Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA)
• Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
• Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA)
There are 178 social workers currently
holding office.
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U.S.A. Supreme Court
Statements
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Social Workers Disagree with Supreme Court
Decision to Test Students for Drug Use
NASW Supports Supreme Court Decisions on
Affirmative Action
NASW Applauds Supreme Court Decision to Strike
Down Texas Sodomy Law
Social Workers Speak Out on Behalf of Gay Teen
Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison (KS)
NASW Hails U.S. Supreme Court Decision to Allow
Detainees in Guantanamo Bay Due Process in U.S.
Courts
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Michael Cronin at the U.N.
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Hurricane Katrina:
Disasters & Disparities
New Orleans, LA
U.S.A. 2006
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Immigration 2006
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Section 2 – State of U.S.A.
Social Work
Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH
Executive Director, National Association of Social Workers, U.S.A.
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Power In Numbers
How many social workers work in the United States of America?
845,000
U.S. Census
Bureau
607,000
College
Educated
150,903
NASW
NASW
Members
320,000
State SW
Licenses
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Social Workers Largest Group of Mental
Health Service Providers in U.S.A.
Federal law
recognizes social work
as one of the four core
mental health
professions.
192,814
77,456
40,731
15,330
Source: U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration, 2000
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Social Work Congress Imperatives
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The National Study of Licensed
Social Workers in U.S.A. – 2005
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Center for Workforce Studies
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Center for Workforce Studies
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Characteristics of Licensed
Social Workers in U.S.A.
Key Findings:
• Social workers have advanced
educational preparation and practice
experience
• Social workers are significantly older
than the U. S. civilian labor force
• Social workers are not as diverse as the
populations they serve in terms of race,
ethnicity and gender
• The geographic distribution of social
workers is uneven, resulting in gaps in
access for those in rural areas
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National Social Work Public
Education Campaign in U.S.A.
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Social Work Reinvestment
Initiative
• Framework for social work community to
message and organize around
• Builds on theme of unifying the social work
profession
• Serves as an important action step for – and
compliment to – several social work efforts
already underway
• Provides a mechanism for increased visibility
and leadership by the social work profession
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Components of Reinvestment
Initiative
• Funding for social work education
and training
• Support for social work research
• Strengthen policies and regulations
to support social work practice
• Loan Forgiveness
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Section 3 – Social Work Ethics
Yvonne M. Chase, ACSW, LCSW
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First NASW-U.S.A. Delegate
Assembly – 1960
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First U.S.A. Social Work
Code of Ethics
• Adopted
October 13,
1960
• The Code of
Ethics was
originally
one page
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NASW-U.S.A.
Code of Ethics– 1999
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NASW-U.S.A. Code of Ethics
• Defines the social work obligation to
advocate, including engaging in social
and political action
• Advocates for changes in policy and
legislation to meet human needs
• Promotes equal access to care
• Expands choice and opportunity for all
people, especially the vulnerable and
disadvantaged
• Promotes conditions that encourage
respect for cultural and social diversity
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Regulating the Profession
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Licensing
Education
Peer Review Process
Credentialing
Standards
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Licensing
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Clinical Register, Credentials
and Certifications
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Credentials
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Academy of Certified Social Workers
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Diplomate in Clinical Social Work
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Qualified Clinical Social Worker
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Certified Social Worker in Gerontology
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Certified Children, Youth, and Family Social Worker
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Certified Social Worker in Health Care
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Certified Clinical Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
Social Worker
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Certified Social Work Case Manager
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Certified School Social Work Specialist
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NASW-U.S.A. Standards for
Practice
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Technology and Social Work Practice
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Clinical Social Work Practice
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Social Work Practice in Child Welfare
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Social Work Practice with Clients with Substance-Related
Disorders
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Social Work Practice in Health Care Settings
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Social Work Practice in Palliative and End of Life Care
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Social Work Services in Long-Term Care Facilities
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The Practice of Social Work with Adolescents
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Continuing Professional Education
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Integrating Genetics into Social Work Practice
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School Social Work Services
©2006 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved.
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NASW-U.S.A. Standards
Cultural competency in
health care is the ability
to provide care to
patients with diverse
beliefs and behaviors,
including tailoring
delivery to meet
patients’ social, cultural
and linguistic needs.
©2006 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved.
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NASW-U.S.A. Social Work Speaks
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Encyclopedia and Oxford Press
20th Edition will
be out in 2008
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NASW-U.S.A. WebEd
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