The Importance of Self-Care in Social Work and Social Work Education By Aaron Tooley, Ph.D. Social workers work with patients and clients in a variety of settings to help them handle, solve, and cope with both everyday problems and more serious problems that they encounter in their lives. While some clients may face joyous situations, such as adopting a child, many seek the help of a social worker to assist them during times of hardship. Whether they are supporting an individual suffering from depression or a terminal illness, or helping a vulnerable child, social workers must be able to cope […]
Resources for Social Work Students
Social workers help people solve everyday problems from life changing events like adopting a child to coping with a loss or terminal illness. We know how important it is for people to find the help they need during difficult times, so we created an online resource to help people find social workers in their area. We have compiled a list of health services agencies and other community resources for all 381 metropolitan areas in the United States (over 500 cities). In addition, we have included links to State Health and Human Service Agencies for people who live in rural areas and do not have a local health services agency.
Teen moms face barriers to educational attainment that are important to overcome when planning their careers.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest social work organization with over 120,000 members. The NASW has both a national presence and over 50 chapters, including one in each state. When a social work professional joins the NASW, their membership includes benefits at both the state and national level, as the NASW and its chapters are one organization. In addition to state-specific chapters, some states are broken into branches or units that cover a specific geographical area. For example, the NASW Texas Chapter has 26 local branches, while the California Chapter is broken up into nine regions. For California, […]
As part of our interview series, we have been asking professors and field education directors questions about their online MSW programs and how field education works for their online students. In our interview with Dr. Jane C. Hickerson (Ph.D., LCSW) from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), we asked Dr. Hickerson to summarize some of the main concerns students have about completing field education and the advice she gives to students. Her responses were so insightful, we decided to break out that question from her interview and create a completely separate resource page with her answers. While some of her […]
Field education is an essential component of all Master of Social Work (MSW) programs and is considered the signature pedagogy for social work education. A field practicum or internship allows students to take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it directly to helping patients in need. Students work under the close supervision of a field instructor at a local health services agency. Depending on the MSW program, students may complete one or two field internships. Field education is a significant time commitment for students, especially for those who plan to work while pursuing their advanced degree. The […]
State licensing boards are responsible for protecting the public by ensuring that certain types of social workers meet professional and educational standards through licensing and regulation. Licensing requirements are determined at the state level; therefore, the requirements for licensing are different for each state. Students who wish to pursue a career in social work should review the standards for their state of residence to ensure that the online program they choose meets the requirements needed for licensing. Each online MSW in our full list of programs is accredited, but some states may have additional rules. With state licensing boards being responsible for […]
Learn how to lead conversations with adolescents and teens about preventing and reporting sexual assault.
28 million children in the United States have a parent with alcohol use disorder. OnlineMSWPrograms collected resources for them and their loved ones to find support.
Being a teenager can be confusing. Not only is your body going through physical changes, but you’re also learning how to construct your own identity and navigating how you relate to the world. Sexuality is a big part of that personal journey. But knowing where you identify across the sexuality spectrum doesn’t always come easy.