The voluntary credentials offered by National Association of Social Workers to social workers with a master’s degree in social work include:

• Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW)
• Qualified Clinical Social Worker (QCSW) for
• Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (DCSW)

For those in private practice, credentials can be particularly important as some health insurance providers require social workers to have them in order to be reimbursed for services.

In social service agencies, an advanced degree and related work experience is usually required for advancement to:

• Supervisor
• Program manager
• Assistance director
• Or executive director

Other career options include:

• Teaching
• Research
• Consulting
• Formulating government policies
• Private practice

Most private practitioners are clinical social workers.  They provide psychotherapy.  The client or a health insurance company pays for these services.  To obtain an essential network of contacts for referrals, many private practitioners divide their time between working for an agency or hospital and working in private practice.  They may also hold a position at a hospital or agency to receive health and life insurance.

Job prospects for social workers are particularly favorable in the aging population or work in rural areas.  It is a position expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year of 2016. 

The growing elderly population and the aging baby boom generation will create a greater demand for health and social services, which is expected to result in rapid job growth among gerontology social workers.

It is also expected that private social service agencies will hire more social workers; however, agencies increasingly restructure services and hire more social and human service assistants, who are paid less, instead of social workers.

State and local government agencies always have positions for social workers; however, many of these services will be contracted out to private agencies.  Employment levels in public and private social services agencies will depend upon need and government funding.

Growth may be hindered in social worker private practices by restrictions that managed care organizations put on mental health services.  Private practitioners may find employment in a growing popularity of employee assistance programs.  Some employee assistance programs will provide social work services to corporations on a contractual basis.  However, employment opportunities will most likely fluctuate with the economy.  Businesses are not likely to offer employee assistance programs during recessions.

Employment for child, family and school social workers is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations.  Social workers working with families will be needed to assist in finding the best care for the aging and to support their families.  The demand for child and family social workers may be related to government funding. 

Rising student enrollments and the continued emphasis on integrating disabled children into the general school population will create more jobs for school social workers.  There will likely be competition for school social work jobs in some areas because of limited number of openings.  Actual job growth in schools will be determined by the availability of Federal, State and local funding.

Mental health and substance abuse social workers will grow much faster than the average over the 2006-16 decade.  This will be especially true for social workers specializing in substance abuse, as substance abusers continue to be placed into treatment programs rather than prison.  The job outlook for this area looks more promising than in other employment areas.

Growth of medical and public health social workers is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations.  This growth may be slow in hospitals as they continue to limit the length of patient stays, which lessen the demand for social workers in hospitals.  Social worker employment in home health care services is growing since hospitals are releasing patients earlier than in the past. 

Gerontology social workers should experience particularly good employment opportunities due to the growing numbers of assisted-living and senior living communities.  The growing senior population will also create more jobs for social workers in nursing homes, long-term care facilities and hospices.  It is true also, however, that in these settings other types of workers are being given tasks that were previously done by social workers for less salary.

Social work jobs are generally expected to be favorable.  Many openings will come from growth and the need to replace social workers who leave the occupation.  Competition for social work jobs is expected in cities, possibly due to prevalent training programs for social workers.  Rural areas should present good job opportunities for the social worker.  These areas often find it difficult to attract and retain qualified staff.

By specialty, job opportunities may be best for social workers with a background or special training in gerontology and substance abuse treatment.

Source:  U.S. Department of Labor

Written by:  Connie Limon  For more career description information visit http://smalldogs2.com/CareerDescriptions  For a variety of FREE reprint articles and special topic articles rarely found elsewhere visit Camelot Articles at http://www.camelotarticles.com

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© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved