PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITION:
This is a vital and necessary guide to the social work profession. This book clarifies the social work mission, goals, and objectives, and strengthens and promotes them as well.
óCarmen Ortiz Hendricks, MSW, DSW, ACSW, LCSW
Professor & Dean, Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University
The authors do an excellent job of illustrating the uniqueness, diversity, and richness of the profession. I strongly recommend this book for use in social work orientation, advising, and education.
óSaundra Starks, EdD, LCSW, Professor, Western Kentucky University
What do documentary filmmakers, conflict mediators, forensic social workers, researchers, mental health practitioners, human services administrators, medical social workers, and policy advocates have in common? They are all potential careers for social workers. The second edition of this popular guide to social work careers has been completely updated and expanded to reflect current trends in social work education and social work practice, including the employment outlook in various fields of practice, current accreditation standards, core competencies, and licensing requirements, along with new opportunities for social workers resulting from health care reform and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. With a focus on the interdisciplinary nature of social work, the book describes both traditional careers and those that are off the beaten path in such arenas as forensic social work, social entrepreneurship, working in political systems, international careers, and community practice.
Well organized and written in a conversational tone, each chapter describes a particular social work domain, illustrating specific careers within that field including best features, challenges, required core competencies and skills, and educational and licensing requirements needed to succeed. For each career the book also discusses employment outlook and includes recommended references for more in-depth information. Vivid stories from social workers across the country further help readers to choose a career that is a good fit. Additionally, the book includes updated job-hunting tools and websites, including international opportunities, and ways to offset the high cost of higher education. Questionnaires and self-assessment checklists provide additional fodder to help readers choose a social work career tailored to their unique talents, interests, and passions.
New to the Second Edition:
- Presents updated accreditation standards, core competencies, and licensing requirements
- Describes new opportunities for social workers resulting from health care reform and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
- Discusses the impact of our current social, economic, and political climate on the profession
- Includes new career-planning and job-hunting tools
- Addresses how students can offset the high cost of higher education
Jessica A. Ritter, PhD, MSSW, BSW, is a full professor of social work at the Metropolitan State University of Denver in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Ritter has over 20 years of experience as a social worker. She earned a BSW, MSSW, and PhD in social work at the University of Texas at Austin. Her career as a social worker and academic has been dedicated to political advocacy, child welfare, and children's rights. Over the course of her career, she has held a variety of positions at both the micro and macro levels-from working as a caseworker at Children's Protective Services, to working in an administrative capacity in child welfare, to conducting research. Today, her passion includes teaching policy and macro-level social work courses with the goal of getting undergraduate social work students excited about social policy, demystifying the political process, increasing students' levels of political efficacy, and inspiring students to be engaged politically. Dr. Ritter is a Fulbright scholar and is the author of two books- 101 Careers in Social Work and Social Work Policy Practice: Changing Our Community, Nation, and the World. Being a social work educator is one of the great joys of her life!
