SOCIAL WORK

The Assignment should address each of the following points:

Describe the experience.

Reflect on the experience and consider:

What were your preconceptions or expectations before the experience?

What were your reactions to, thoughts about, and/or emotional responses to the experience?

What did you gain or learn from this experience?

Explain privilege in relation to this social identity.

Apply concepts and material from this week’s resources to the experience.

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Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy
and Accreditation Standards by Chapter
The Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards requires
all social work students to develop nine competencies and recommends teaching and assessing 31
related component behaviors, listed as Educational Policy (EP) Competencies 1–9 below. Multicolor
icons and end-of-chapter “Competency Notes” connect these important standards to classwork in
the chapters identified below.
Competencies and Practice Behaviors
The Nine Competencies and 31 Component Behaviors (EPAS, 2015):
Competency 1—Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior:
1, 5, 13, 14
a. Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics,
relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision making, ethical conduct
of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context.
1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
b. Use reflection and self-regulation to manage personal values and maintain
professionalism in practice situations.
1, 5, 6
c. Demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior; appearance; and oral, written,
and electronic communication.
1, 6, 9, 12
d. Use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes.
e. Use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior.
Competency 2—Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice:
1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
a. Apply and communicate understanding of the importance of diversity and difference
in shaping life experiences in practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14
b. Present themselves as learners, and engage clients and constituencies as experts
of their own experiences.
5, 6, 11
c. Apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal
biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies.
1, 2, 5, 6, 7
Competency 3—Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic,
and Environmental Justice:
a. Apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to
advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels.
1, 3, 4, 8, 11, 13
b. Engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice.
4, 5, 10, 11, 13
Competency 4—Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice
a. Use practice experience and theory to inform scientific inquiry and research.
1, 10
b. Apply critical thinking to engage in analysis of quantitative and qualitative
research methods and research findings.
c. Use and translate research evidence to inform and improve practice, policy,
and service delivery.
Competency 5—Engage in Policy Practice:
1, 6, 10, 12, 14
11
a. Identify social policy at the local, state, and federal levels that impacts well-being,
service delivery, and access to social services.
2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
b. Assess how social welfare and economic policies impact the delivery of and access
to social services.
4, 7, 10, 11
c. Apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that
advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
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CENGAGE EMPOWERMENT SERIES
An Introduction
to the Profession of
SOCIAL WORK
B E CO M I N G A C H A N G E A G E N T
SIXTH EDITION
Elizabeth A. Segal
Arizona State University
Karen E. Gerdes
Arizona State University
Sue Steiner
California State University Chico
Australia ● Brazil ● Mexico ● Singapore ● United Kingdom ● United States
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Empowerment Series: An Introduction
to the Profession of Social Work,
Sixth edition
Elizabeth A. Segal, Karen E. Gerdes,
and Sue Steiner
Product Director: Marta Lee-Perriard
© 2019, 2016 Cengage Learning, Inc.
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Print Number: 01   Print Year: 2018
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This book is dedicated to social work professionals everywhere.
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Contents
Preface
xvi
1 What Is Social Work?
1
Social Work as a Profession 2
Who Are Social Workers? 3
Box 1.1 More About . . . Social Work 5
Social Work Education 6
Box 1.2 More About . . . Social Work Education Criteria 6
Box 1.3 What Do You Think? 6
Central Concepts and Theories 7
Person in Environment Concept 7
Theoretical Basis for Social Work Practice 8
Box 1.4 What Do You Think? 12
Box 1.5 More About . . . NASW Standards and Indicators for Cultural
Competence in Social Work Practice 13
The Power of Language 14
Box 1.6 Point of View 16
Box 1.7 What Do You Think? 18
Social Work Values and Ethics 18
Social Workers’ Ethical Responsibilities 19
Box 1.8 Ethical Practice . . . Helping Clients 20
Box 1.9 From the Field: Herman’s Rights or Worker Safety? 21
Social Work Careers 21
Child Welfare: Working with Children and Their Families 21
Box 1.10 What Do You Think? 22
People Who Are Older 22
Health Care/Medical Social Work 22
Mental Health 23
School Social Work 23
Substance Abuse 23
Violence, Victims, and Criminal Justice 24
Crisis, Trauma, and Disasters 24
Military Social Work 24
Public Welfare 24
Community Organization 25
Policy Practice 25
Management/Administration 25
iv
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CONTENTS  v
Rural Social Work 25
International Social Work
26
Is Social Work for You? 26
Personal Characteristics Suited to Social Work Practice
Social Workers as Change Agents 28
Box 1.11 Becoming a Change Agent 29
Box 1.12 What Do You Think? 30
Choosing Social Work as a Career 30
Conclusion 30
26
2 The History of the Social Welfare System and the Social Work
Profession 37
How the Social Welfare System Helps People 39
Box 2.1 What Do You Think?
41
The History of US Social Welfare 41
Colonial Period 41
Pre–Civil War Period 43
The Civil War and Post–Civil War Period 43
The Progressive Era 44
The Great Depression and the New Deal 46
World War II and the Postwar Economy 47
The Social Reform Years 48
The Retrenchment Years 49
Social Welfare in the New Millennium: Terrorism, War, Financial Struggles,
and Recovery 50
Box 2.2 Becoming a Change Agent 53
Major Social Welfare Programs 53
Cash Assistance Programs 55
In-Kind Benefit Programs 56
Box 2.3 What Do You Think? 56
The History of the Social Work Profession 57
Charity Organization Societies 58
Box 2.4 More About . . . Mary Richmond 58
Settlement Movement 59
Box 2.5 More About . . . Jane Addams 59
Values, Social Welfare, and Social Work 62
Are Recipients Worthy or Unworthy? 63
Religious Values or Separation of Church and State 63
Box 2.6 Ethical Practice . . . Abortion 64
Should We Change the Person or the System? 64
Impartial Professional or Advocate 64
Helping People We Know or Helping Strangers 65
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vi
CONTENTS
Crisis or Ongoing Need 65
Box 2.7 What Do You Think? 65
Conclusion 66
3 Poverty and Economic Disparity
71
Defining Poverty 72
Box 3.1 What Do You Think? 73
The Official Definition of Poverty 73
Who Is Poor in America? 74
The Causes of Poverty 75
Values and Blaming the Victim 76
Box 3.2 From the Field: The Faces of Poverty 77
Box 3.3 What Do You Think? 77
Employment and Income Levels 78
Jobs 78
Income Distribution 79
Race 80
The Costs of Poverty 81
Homelessness and Housing 81
Personal Costs 83
The Roles of Social Workers 83
Box 3.4 Becoming a Change Agent 84
Social Welfare Programs 85
Supplemental Security Income 85
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 85
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 88
Psychosocial Interventions 89
Advocacy 90
Box 3.5 Ethical Practice . . . Self-Sufficiency or Neglect?
Conclusion 91
4  Human Rights and Social and Economic Justice
90
97
What Is Social Justice? 99
Social Work’s Mandate for Social Justice 100
Barriers to Social Justice 101
Box 4.1 More About . . . Oppression and Violence 102
Box 4.2 What Do You Think? 103
Box 4.3 Becoming a Change Agent 104
Box 4.4 From the Field: Doing My Civic Duty 107
Explanations of Social Injustice 109
Biological Determinism 109
The Socialization Process 109
Psychological Perspectives 110
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CONTENTS  vii
Sociological Perspectives
110
Models of Intergroup Relations 111
Overcoming Social Injustice 112
Civil Rights 112
Protection from Discrimination 112
Civil Rights for Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals, and Transgender Persons 114
Hate Crimes Prevention Act 115
Affirmative Action 116
Immigration Rights 117
Refugees 118
Social Work Roles in Fighting Social Injustice 119
Box 4.5 More About . . . Social Work’s Commitment to Social Justice 119
Box 4.6 Ethical Practice . . . Social Justice 120
Social Justice and Civil Rights in the Twenty-First Century 120
Conclusion 121
5 Dimensions of Diversity
127
Social Construction of Differences 128
Diversity in the United States 130
Historical Background 132
Exploration and Colonization 132
Forced Relocation and Enslavement 133
Expansion into Mexico 133
Immigration 134
Refugee Status 134
Undocumented or Unauthorized Immigrants 135
Implications for Social Work Practice 135
Influence of History 135
Barriers to Service 136
Box 5.1 From the Field: Cultural Divide 137
Box 5.2 What Do You Think? 137
Cultural Competency 138
Multiculturalism 138
Box 5.3 What Do You Think? 139
Ecological Framework 139
Empowerment Practice 140
Achieving Cultural Competency 140
Awareness of Self 140
Understanding Cultural Differences 141
Box 5.4 More About . . . Core Values for Working with Diverse Populations 142
Stages of Cultural Understanding 142
Box 5.5 What Do You Think? 143
Cultural Humility 143
Box 5.6 Ethical Practice . . . Racism 144
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viii
CONTENTS
Emerging Issues 144
Civil Rights for LGBT People 144
Box 5.7 Becoming a Change Agent 145
Multiethnic or Transracial Adoptions 146
Redress or Reparations for Past Social Injustices 146
Threats to Religious Tolerance 146
Environmental Justice 147
New Research on Human Diversity and Genetic Makeup
Conclusion 148
147
6  Generalist Social Work Practice
155
Box 6.1 More About . . . Generalist Social Work Practice
Box 6.2 More About . . . Levels of Practice 157
157
A Theoretical Framework for Generalist Social Work Practice 158
Ecological Systems Framework 158
The Strengths and Diversity Perspectives 159
Historical Influence of Theories of Human Behavior
in Social Work Practice 160
Psychodynamic Theory 160
Cognitive Behavioral Theory 161
Crisis Theory and Crisis Intervention 162
Mindfulness-Based Theories and Therapies 163
Generalist Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families 164
Case Management 164
Engagement and Assessment 165
Box 6.3 More About . . . Empathy 166
Intervention 167
Monitoring and Evaluation 168
Family Intervention 168
Ethical Challenges in Working with Individuals and Families 169
Box 6.4 From the Field: Using Multiple Practice Skills 170
Box 6.5 Ethical Practice . . . Doing Two Things at Once? 172
Generalist Social Work Practice with Groups 172
The Unique Challenges of Rural Social Work 173
Other Types of Groupwork 174
Support Games 174
Self-Help Groups 174
Social Action Groups 175
Ethical Challenges in Working with Groups 175
Box 6.6 What Do You Think? 175
Community Practice 176
Roles 177
Box 6.7 More About . . . The Goals of Organizing 177
Models of Community Practice 178
Neighborhood and Community Organizing 178
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CONTENTS  ix
Functional Organizing 179
Community Social and Economic Development 179
Social Planning 179
Program Development and Community Liaison 180
Political and Social Action 180
Coalition Building 180
Ethical Challenges in Working with Communities 181
The Role of a Global Perspective in Generalist Practice 182
Box 6.8 From the Field: Social Work Takes Many Forms of Practice
Box 6.9 Becoming a Change Agent 185
183
Conclusion 185
7 Child Welfare: Working with Children and Their Families
191
The Importance of Theory 192
Box 7.1 What Do You Think?
193
Theories of Child Development 193
Ecological Approach 194
Box 7.2 More About . . . Systems and Children 195
Human Development 195
Prenatal 195
Infancy 195
Preschool Years 196
Middle Childhood 196
Adolescence 196
Other Theories 197
The Child Welfare System 197
Historical Background 197
Box 7.3 Point of View 199
Child Welfare 199
Child Protective Services (CPS) 200
Juvenile Justice 201
The Roles of Social Workers 201
Case Management 201
Direct Practice 201
Box 7.4 From the Field: Learning from a Child 202
Box 7.5 What Do You Think? 203
Advocacy and Policy Building 203
The Intervention Process 204
Referral 204
Assessment and Engagement 206
Determining Intervention Strategies 207
Planning and Implementation 208
Termination 208
Values and Ethics 209
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x
CONTENTS
Respect for the Dignity and Uniqueness of the Individual 209
Respect for Self-Determination 210
Respect for Confidentiality 210
Critical Issues Facing Children and Families 211
Child Maltreatment 211
Box 7.6 Ethical Practice . . . Child Welfare 211
Box 7.7 Becoming a Change Agent 212
Foster Care 213
Substance Abuse 214
Decisions About Sexual Behavior 215
Trauma 215
Delinquency 216
Poverty 216
Immigration 217
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity 217
Box 7.8 What Do You Think? 217
Working with Children and Families from a Strengths Perspective 218
Conclusion 218
8 Gerontology: Working with People Who Are Older
Box 8.1 More About . . . Age Discrimination
225
227
Human Development within the Social Context 227
Biological and Physiological Aspects of Aging 227
Cognitive Process and Emotional/Psychological Development 228
Sociological Aspects of Aging 229
Legal, Economic, and Political Aspects 229
Social Work Practice with People Who Are Older 230
Historical Background 230
Current Context 232
Box 8.2 More About . . . the Group of People Who Are Older 233
Diversity 234
Critical Public Policies   236
The Roles of Social Workers 237
Current Practice Interventions 237
Older People at Risk 239
Values and Ethical Issues 241
Box 8.3 Point of View 243
Box 8.4 What Do You Think? 243
Critical Issues and Emerging Concerns 244
Medicare Drug Prescription Benefit and the Affordable Care Act 245
Box 8.5 Ethical Practice . . . High Cost of Care 245
Elder Abuse and Neglect 246
Box 8.6 From the Field: Quality of Life 248
Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia 249
Mental Health and Depression 250
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CONTENTS  xi
Caregivers for Aging Parents 251
Grandparents Caring for Grandchildren 252
Box 8.7 Becoming a Change Agent 253
Conclusion 254
9 Health Care Services
261
Health Care in America 262
Defining Health 263
The US Health Care System 264
Historical Background 264
Health Care Reform: 1960s 265
Health Care Reform: 1990s 266
Health Care Reform: The States 267
Health Care Reform: The Obama Administration 267
The Republican House of Representatives American Health Care
Act of 2017 268
The Current Health Care System 269
Box 9.1 What Do You Think? 270
Limitations of the Current Health Care System 270
Box 9.2 Point of View 271
The Roles of Social Workers 272
Acute Care 273
Box 9.3 From the Field: Helping to Find the Problem 273
Box 9.4 What Do You Think? 275
Ambulatory Care 276
Long-Term Care 276
Developmental Disabilities 277
Social Work Values and Ethics in Health Care Settings 278
Critical Issues 280
Disability 281
Box 9.5 More About . . . the Americans with Disabilities Act 282
HIV/AIDS 282
Box 9.6 Ethical Practice . . . Confidentiality or Health Safety? 283
Medical Use of Marijuana 283
Diabetes 283
Box 9.7 Becoming a Change Agent 284
Conclusion 285
10 Mental Health Services
291
Mental Health and Mental Illness 293
Box 10.1 More About . . . Mental Disorders
Biological and Psychological Factors 295
Social Factors 296
294
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xii
CONTENTS
The Mental Health Care System 297
Historical Background 297
The Current System 299
Fragmentation of the System 299
Managed Care 300
Deinstitutionalization 301
Criminalization 301
Community Treatment 301
Multidisciplinary Aspects of Mental Health Care
Box 10.2 Point of View 303
Box 10.3 What Do You Think? 304
302
Social Work Practice in Mental Health Settings 304
Social Work Roles 307
Treatment 307
Family Therapy 309
Psychotherapy Groups 309
Online Therapy 310
Culturally Responsive Practice 311
Strengths Perspective 312
Box 10.4 From the Field: Working with People Living with Serious Mental
Illness 313
Box 10.5 What Do You Think? 314
Obstacles to Treatment 314
Box 10.6 Becoming a Change Agent 315
Box 10.7 Katie A. and Increased Collaboration 316
Policy Issues 316
Mental Health Issues and the Military 317
Values and Ethics 318
Box 10.8 Ethical Practice . . . Cost or Care? 319
Conclusion 320
11 School Social Work
327
The History of School Social Work 329
School Social Work Roles and Skills 330
Responsibilities of School Social Workers 331
Working with Students at Risk 332
Box 11.1 From the Field: Social Work Persistence 335
Box 11.2 What Do You Think? 336
Knowledge and Skills 337
Box 11.3 From the Field: Experiencing School Social Work 338
Box 11.4 What Do You Think? 339
Box 11.5 More About . . . School Social Work Credentials 339
Critical Public Policies 340
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CONTENTS  xiii
Students with Disabilities 340
Poor and Homeless Students 341
Diversity 343
Multicultural Education 343
Bilingual Education and Immigration 344
Students Who Are Deaf or Hearing Impaired 345
Box 11.6 Becoming a Change Agent 346
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students 347
Social Work Values and Ethics 347
Box 11.7 More About . . . School Social Work Standards
348
Challenges Facing School Social Workers 349
Violence Prevention 349
Teenage Pregnancy and Disease Prevention 350
Tobacco, Alcohol, and Illicit Drug Prevention 351
Dropout Prevention 352
Box 11.8 Ethical Practice . . . Confidentiality with Teens
Conclusion 353
12 Substance Abuse
352
361
Substance Abuse and Human Development 364
Types of Drugs 365
Box 12.1 More About . . . Alcoholism 365
Dependence and Addiction 369
Sugar and Caffeine Addiction 369
Box 12.2 More About . . . Criteria in the DSM-5 for Diagnosis of Substance
Use Disorders 370
Causes of Dependence and Addiction 371
Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention 372
Historical Background 372
Current Context 374
The Role of the Social Worker 375
Box 12.3 From the Field: The Case of Twyla 377
Diversity Issues and Populations at Risk 378
Women 378
African Americans 379
Latino Populations 380
Indigenous People 382
The LGBT Community 383
Social Work Values and Ethics 384
Should Drug Use during Pregnancy Be Prosecuted? 384
Box 12.4 What Do You Think? 385
Are Needle Exchange Programs Ethical? 385
Should Some Drugs Be Legalized? 385
Box 12.5 What Do You Think? 386
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xiv
CONTENTS
Emerging Issues and Future Concerns 386
AOD Problems in the Workplace 386
The Opioid Epidemic 387
Drugs and HIV/AIDS 388
Criminalization or Treatment 389
Box 12.6 Ethical Practice . . . Punishment or Treatment?
Steroids and Human Growth Hormone 391
Conclusion 391
Box 12.7 Becoming a Change Agent 391
13 Violence, Victims, and Criminal Justice
390
399
Violence, Crime, and Punishment in the United States 400
The Criminal Justice System 401
The Extent and Variety of Crime in the United States 401
Theories of Criminal Behavior Relevant to Social Work 402
Individualistic Theories 402
Sociological Theories 404
Box 13.1 What Do You Think? 405
Theories and Social Work 405
The Criminal Justice System 406
Racial Imbalance 407
Women 408
Box 13.2 What Do You Think? 409
Inmates with Disabilities 409
Inmates with Chronic Health Problems 409
Undocumented Immigrants and Crime 410
Social Work Roles and Skills 412
Historical Background 412
Practice Settings 414
Juvenile and Family Courts 414
Juvenile Corrections 415
Adult Corrections 417
Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections 418
Victim Assistance Services 420
Box 13.3 More About . . . Victim Assistance 421
Policy Issues 421
Juvenile Offenders 422
Box 13.4 What Do You Think? 422
Domestic Violence 423
Box 13.5 What Do You Think? 424
Box 13.6 From the Field: An Unexpected Journey 424
Crime and Mental Illness 425
Overcriminalization and Privatization 426
The Death Penalty 426
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CONTENTS  xv
Box 13.7 The Case of Cameron Todd Willingham: Is the System
Too Fallible? 427
Box 13.8 Becoming a Change Agent
429
Victims’ Rights 429
Box 13.9 Ethical Practice . . . Rehabilitation or Punishment? 430
Ethics and Values 431
Conclusion 431
14 Crisis, Trauma, and Disasters
439
What Do We Mean By Crisis, Trauma, and Disaster? 441
Box 14.1 What Do You Think? 442
Stress 442
Trauma 444
Box 14.2 More About . . . Trauma A Unique Approach to Recovery from Trauma 445
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 446
Box 14.3 More About . . . PTSD 447
Disasters—Natural and Human Made 448
Terrorist Attacks on American Soil—September 11, 2001 449
The Unexpected Nature of Disasters 450
Box 14.4 Becoming a Change Agent 451
International Events 452
The Iraq War 453
Secondary Traumatic Stress 453
Social Work Practice 454
Box 14.5 From the Field: We Didn’t Start the Fire 455
Micro-Level Interventions 456
Techniques for Reducing Stress 458
Mindfulness and stress 458
Cognitive-behavioral therapy 458
Emerging techniques—Energy Psychology and Trauma-Releasing Exercises 459
Pharmacological Treatment 460
Macro-Level Interventions 460
Prevention 462
Military Social Work 463
Social Work Values and Ethics 464
Conclusion 465
APPENDIX NASW Code of Ethics
Glossary
473
495
Index 503
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Preface
The twenty-first century has been a time of extraordinary social and economic
changes. Hillary Clinton was the first female nominated by a major political party to run for president. She lost to the Republican candidate Donald
Trump, who was elected as the 45th president. The first African American president served two terms in office. America experienced the steepest economic
recession since the Great Depression in the 1930s gripped the nation for
18 months. Major health care legislation was passed, after decades of political
debate and arguments, legislation that is now being challenged by the Republicans in Congress. More Americans struggle against poverty; an opioid epidemic has swept the nation; and many face oppression and violence. Millions
live without adequate wages, health care, food, or education. The threat of
international and domestic terrorism still lingers and challenges us to make
our lives safer without turning to hate, bigotry, or repression. Social workers
are called on to address these challenges.
Why We Wrote This Book
As social work educators, we are charged with preparing a new generation of
practitioners trained to help individuals, families, and communities develop and
expand the strengths they need to address their problems. Today’s social workers
face these challenges during a time of budget constraints and vocal distrust of
government and public social welfare efforts. The task of introducing students to
our changing and demanding world often begins in social work classes.
Introductory social work courses attract a variety of students. Most are drawn
to the profession because they want to help people. An Introduction to the Profession of Social Work: Becoming a Change Agent provides a foundation of knowledge
about social work practice that prepares students for future social work classes
and more advanced study. This book also introduces students to the process of
becoming change agents. Although wanting to help people is critical for anyone working in human services, there is much more to becoming a professional
social worker. The book provides students with information about the breadth
of social work practice and what it means to be a social worker, helping them
determine whether social work is a good fit for them. Therefore, the book is designed to encourage knowledge building and self-exploration, both of which are
essential to developing good social work practice.
Content of the Chapters
xvi
An Introduction to the Profession of Social Work: Becoming a Change Agent, like many
other textbooks, informs students about what it means to be a professional social worker. Unlike some other books, it also instills interest and enthusiasm in
students about pursuing a social work career and encourages students to take an
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PREFACE  xvii
active role in changing social conditions for the better. The chapters include detailed, first-person stories by social work practitioners, who describe daily work
in their areas of expertise and highlight cases that illustrate their work. The stories show the many sides of social work practice. The chapters also include “More
about . . .” and “Point of View” boxes with additional details and differing points
of view on topics of interest. Each chapter includes a box featuring an ethics dilemma, an exercise in how to become a change agent, and a concluding section
on how to put into practice the concepts presented.
Pedagogically, the book includes several aids to learning and teaching.
Besides the boxed material, the book features challenging but uplifting case
examples. Some of them remind us why we do this type of work; others end
less positively and make us wonder how to make a difference. The stories give
students a very real picture of social work practice and help them better understand what it is like to be a social worker. Each chapter is followed by a
conclusion and a list of key terms. Each term is set in bold type in the chapter
and is also defined in the glossary at the end of the textbook
New to This Edition
The authors added five to six student learning objectives at the beginning of
each chapter. In addition, similar to the way CSWE core competencies are integrated throughout the text, symbols are used to connect the learning objectives with specific parts of the text.
The new edition includes content on the broad-ranging changes in
health care, human rights, education, immigration, and other policy areas that have been put in motion since the 2016 election that will likely
affect social work practice. In Chapter 4, “Human Rights and Social and
Economic Justice,” content on current human rights challenges have been
added, including a discussion of the record numbers of refugees seeking
asylum in the United States and elsewhere, the increasing numbers of hate
crimes throughout the United States, and the expanding and contracting
rights based on gender identity.
Chapter 5, “Dimensions of Diversity,” offers an updated examination of
the shifting demographic patterns in the United States and the likely impact
they will have on social work related policy and practice and a new section on
“Threats to Religious Tolerance” that became a growing concern in 2017.
In Chapter 6, “Generalist Social Work Practice,” there is an added focus on
mindfulness-based theories and interventions, including mindfulness-based
cognitive therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction.
Chapter 9, “Health Care Services,” includes all the latest information
about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more commonly known
as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare. Students will be able to compare Obamacare to the latest Republican-sponsored health care plans, including the repeal of Obamacare, that have thus far not passed in Congress.
Chapter 10, “Mental Health Services,” now includes an expanded focus
on the recovery model that is widely used in public mental health nationwide.
And in Chapter 12, “Substance Abuse,” the authors have included all the latest
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xviii
PREFACE
information about the opioid epidemic, including new case examples. Every
day in the United States 100 men and women die from opioid overdoses.
Chapter 14, “Crisis, Trauma, and Disasters,” now includes a traumainformed practice perspective. The chapter is designed to help students understand that clients may be survivors of trauma and therefore social workers
need to create a safe environment for clients to explore their trauma.
Pedagogical Features
In addition to the learning objectives at the beginning of each chapter, the book
functions well as a textbook and workbook. Brief questions are interspersed
throughout the chapters to encourage students to engage more deeply with the
material. At the end of each chapter are questions that can be used for full-class
or small-group discussions or on examinations. The questions are based on the
material presented in the chapter; they encourage students to obtain additional
information and explore their thoughts about important issues. The chapters
end with exercises that are designed as group or individual assignments. Many
are experiential and emphasize self-exploration as well as a review of the material presented in the chapter. There is also a set of ancillary materials, including exercises linked to the EPAS core competencies, an instructor’s test bank, and
practice questions for students. At the end of the course, each student will have
a compendium of exercises that help put into practice the material presented in
the book and reflect the new CSWE core competencies.
We have deliberately included more exercises than can be done in the available time in order to provide choice and flexibility. Instructors and students can
choose which exercises to complete, or individuals or groups can work on different
exercises and report back to the class on their findings. The exercises can be used
to stimulate discussions or can be semester-long assignments. The discussion questions, change agent activities, exercises, and stories challenge students to explore
the concepts introduced in the text and relate them to their own interests.
This book was developed from our combined years of practice experience
and teaching of introductory social work courses. We are appreciative of all
the assistance we received from colleagues, especially those who helped write
some of the chapters, and from the professional social workers who shared
their experiences. We are also grateful to our students who, over the years,
have let us know what does and does not work in the classroom. In particular,
we thank the students who reviewed chapters and provided valuable insights
from the perspective of the target audience.
An introductory textbook cannot thoroughly cover all the topics important to all social workers. Therefore, the responsibility for the content and design of this book rests solely with the authors. We hope that students and
instructors alike will find An Introduction to the Profession of Social Work: Becoming a Change Agent useful, informative, and engaging.
Elizabeth Segal
Karen Gerdes
Sue Steiner
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What Is Social Work?
© Heinle Division of Cengage Learning®
1
LEA RNING O B JEC T IVES
After reading this chapter, students will be able to:
1. Describe and define the profession of social work.
2. Identify the key concepts and theories underlying the profession.
3. Distinguish between different terms used and how those terms reflect meaning.
4. Appraise the importance of values and ethics.
5. Identify professional social work roles and career paths.
6. Assess their own personality in relation to the characteristics that are expected of social
workers and how they might fit in various social work careers.
 
1
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2   CHAPTER 1
Jane is a 32-year-old single mother with a 5-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter.
She has supported her family by working 30 hours a week at a small local grocery
store. Her job performance was excellent, but because of a decline in business, she was
laid off. Now she needs to find a way to support her family. Her low-income neighborhood has very few businesses, and most of her neighbors subsist on small amounts of
earned income and public social service programs.
Jane contacts her local family service agency for advice and direction. “My neighbor said I should come here. I just lost my job, and I have two young kids to support.
My rent is due next week, and I don’t know what to do. Can you help me?”
If Jane came to you, what would you do?
This book will help you identify the resources available to Jane. You will learn
about the skills that the professional social workers at the family social service agency
will draw on to help Jane and her family. Social work is not only about Jane and her
lost job. It is also about neighborhoods and communities. It is about the childhood experiences that have contributed to Jane’s identity and concerns. It is about government
and public policies. This book is a guide to understanding how social workers fit into
all these different areas.
Once you have learned about the resources and skills needed by a professional
social worker, you will be better prepared to decide whether a career in social work
would suit you. You will be ready to choose your next step in pursuing a career in this
ever-changing and diverse field.
This chapter provides an overview of the field of social work. It defines concepts
and terms that are the basis of understanding what social workers do. The structures
in which services are provided and how social work is a part of social change efforts are
also presented. Throughout the chapter and the book, you will explore what it means
to be a social worker and whether a career in social work is right for you.
These notations reflect the link that the material in the book has to the professional accreditation standards of our national organization, the Council on Social Work
Education. You will read more about this organization later in this chapter and how
being accredited reflects the national scope of social work education.
Social Work as a Profession
EP 3a
LO 1
The purpose of the social work profession is to promote human and
community well-being. Guided by a person and environment framework,
a global perspective, respect for human diversity, and knowledge based
on scientific inquiry, social work’s purpose is actualized through its quest
for social and economic justice, the prevention of conditions that limit
human rights, the elimination of poverty, and the enhancement of the
quality of life for all persons, locally and globally (CSWE, 2015, p. 5).
Many professions participate in promoting and improving human and community well-being. For example, police officers protect people and improve
safety; lawyers contribute to protecting people’s civil rights; and doctors
strive to save lives and keep people healthy. People who are not professionals also help others. Neighbors watch each other’s children or prepare meals
when someone is sick. Volunteers visit the elderly or serve as big sisters or big
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What Is Social Work?   3

EP 6a
EP 2
brothers. All these efforts are concerned with improving social functioning.
How is the profession of social work unique?
The unique contribution of social work practice is the duality of the profession’s person and environment mandate: social workers must help society work
better for people and help people function better within society. Helping individuals fit better into their environments, is typically referred to as micro practice, and
changing the environment so that it works better for individuals is called macro
practice. In other words, social workers make a commitment through professional
training to help people and to improve society, and to give special attention to the
interactions between people and between people and their surroundings. In some
social work literature you might see the term mezzo practice, which refers to work
with families and small groups. Sometimes it is used to refer to practicing in between micro and macro, and sometimes you will not see it identified, and practice
with families and small groups is subsumed under micro practice.
A psychologist or counselor would likely focus only on Jane’s anxiety and
depression as a result of losing her job. Although a social worker can also help
Jane deal with anxiety and depression (micro practice), the assistance would not
stop there. The social worker would also connect Jane with local, state, and federal resources, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), food
assistance, job training, and educational programs (again, micro practice). Connecting clients with needed resources is one of the most important things a social
worker can do. For this reason, it is critical for social workers to learn about all the
resources available in every community where they work or serve. In addition, if
Jane were unable to get access to a needed resource, such as quality day care, or if
the resource were unavailable in the community, her social worker would advocate for providing the resource and might help create it by campaigning for new
social policies and programs (macro practice). Instead of working only from their
offices and waiting for clients to come to them, social workers are out in the field
trying to change societal structures so that fewer people like Jane will need help.
In addition, social workers “understand how diversity and difference characterize and shape human experience and are critical to the formation of identity”
(CSWE, 2015, p. 7). As a result, we recognize how a culture’s educational, economic, and political structures may oppress, marginalize, and alienate some people while at the same time creating or enhancing privilege and power for others.
Social workers’ keen understanding of societal forms and mechanisms of oppression has resulted in a strong commitment to human rights, social and economic
justice, and the elimination of poverty. Although other professions may ascribe
to similar ideals and values, there is no other profession that is as engaged and
dedicated to ending injustice, discrimination, and poverty as social work.
Who Are Social Workers?
Professional social workers hold social work degrees from accredited undergraduate or graduate programs. Baccalaureate social work (BSW) and graduate social work (MSW) programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work
Education (CSWE) on the basis of whether they meet the criteria discussed later.
Students in CSWE-accredited programs learn the knowledge, values, ethics,
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4   CHAPTER 1
and a variety of intervention techniques or skills to work with individuals,
families, small groups, communities, and organizations in order to solve
problems and create change.
Upon graduation from an accredited social work program, social workers
must comply with state licensing or certification requirements. Most states distinguish among three levels of social work: (1) BSW, (2) MSW, and (3) MSW
with two years’ postgraduate clinical practice. Applicants must pass the examination appropriate to their level of practice. For clinical licensure, they must
also complete at least two years of post-MSW practice experience under the
supervision of a licensed clinical social worker.
MSW- and BSW-level social workers engage in micro practice or direct
services to individuals, families, and small groups. They also participate in
macro practice by conducting research into social problems and their solutions; engage in policy analysis and legislative advocacy; administer programs; and organize people to fight for social change. To effectively address
problems, social workers must help individuals and families function better
and at the same time work to change societal conditions that limit individual and family functioning. For example, a woman like Jane who has recently
lost her job can benefit from job training and help with interviewing skills
so that she can more easily get a new job. She and others like her can also be
helped by social advocacy efforts to develop new jobs in low-income areas
and by legislative efforts to provide health coverage for the unemployed and
working poor.
In addition to BSW and MSW degrees, there are also two types of doctoral-level social work degrees. Students interested in pursuing a doctorate in
social work can either get a doctor of social work (DSW) degree or a doctor
of philosophy (PhD) degree, depending on the school they attend. Although
the DSW was the original social work doctoral degree, the PhD has become
more common over the years. The course work is generally the same in DSW
and PhD programs, though there are recent efforts to make the DSW more of
an advanced clinical practice degree and the PhD more of a research-focused
degree. Social workers holding doctoral degrees generally work as social work
educators, researchers, administrators, or policy analysts.
The desire to help others and change social conditions does not earn a
person professional status as a social worker. The desire must be combined
with the knowledge, values, and skills delivered in one of the 250 graduate
and 511 undergraduate programs accredited by the Council (CSWE, 2017).
Even though other human service practitioners are sometimes referred to as
social workers, if they have not completed an accredited social work program
and met licensure or certification requirements, they are not professional social workers.
Few careers rival social work for the diversity and wealth of opportunities
offered to practitioners. Social workers operate in a variety of urban and rural settings, including public and private mental health centers, community
centers, courts, prisons, schools, public welfare offices, the military, hospitals,
nursing homes, businesses, and child welfare offices. They address drug and alcohol abuse, mental and physical illness, poverty, violence, lack of community
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What Is Social Work?   5

power, family conflicts, workplace tensions, discrimination, oppression, and
inadequate housing, among other problems (see Box 1.1).
There are currently over 650,000 social workers employed in the United
States (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017). Forty-seven percent of social workers are employed as child, family, or school social workers, and 43 percent
are working in the areas of health or mental health. Employment opportunities for social workers are expected to grow faster than the average profession,
through 2024. Social workers who specialize in services related to health care
and substance abuse are projected to have the easiest time finding a job due to
growing need in these areas.
The professional organization formed to support and advocate for social
work professionals is the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). The average NASW member holds a master’s degree in social work, has practiced social work for 16 years, and earns on average $45,000 annually (NASW, 2017a).
Hospital social workers tend to have the highest median salary ($56,650);
child, family, and school social workers have a median salary of $42,350; and
practitioners in state-funded or public social work positions earn on average
$46,940 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017).
Box 1.1 More About…Social Work
What people think they know about social work is often a
myth.
Myth Most social workers work for the government.
Fact
■■
Fewer than 3 percent of all professional social workers
work for the federal government.
■■
About a third of all professional social workers are
employed by federal, state, and local governments
combined.
Fact
■■
About one-quarter of all child welfare cases are handled
by professional social workers.
■■
About 1 percent of NASW members work in public assistance.
■■
Professional social workers practice in many settings:
family services agencies, mental health centers, schools,
hospitals, corporations, courts, police departments, prisons, public and private agencies, and private practice.
■■
More than 200 professional social workers hold elective
office, including one US senator and six representatives
during the 115th Congress.
Myth For therapy you need a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Fact
■■
■■
Professional social workers are the nation’s most numerous providers of mental health and therapy services.
Professional social workers are often the only mental
health care providers serving residents of many poor,
rural counties.
Social work is designated as one of the four core
mental health professions under federal legislation
that established the National Institute of Mental
Health.
Myth Most social workers are employed in public welfare or child welfare.
Myth Social service employees, caseworkers, and volunteers are social workers.
Fact
■■
A social worker is a trained professional who has a
bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in social work.
■■
All states license or otherwise regulate social work
practice.
■■
A social service employee, caseworker, or volunteer
community worker is not a social worker unless she or
he has a social work degree.
Source: Information drawn from naswdc.org website.
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6   CHAPTER 1
Social Work Education
The social work profession’s unique integration of knowledge from a number
of disciplines with the profession’s own skills, values, ethics, and knowledge
can be seen in the content of social work education. Accredited BSW programs
include relevant material from biology and other social sciences. Most require
students to take economics, political science, human biology, philosophy, psychology, and sociology courses. This material is combined with social work–
specific courses in human behavior and the social environment, research,
practice, and social policy.
In addition, students in accredited BSW programs complete a minimum
of 400 hours of field practicum, and MSW students complete a minimum
of 900 hours. In the field practicum course, students are assigned to a social
service–related agency or organization under the supervision of a social work
practitioner. Field practicum organizations include child welfare agencies,
schools, hospitals, mental health agencies, senior centers, homeless and battered women’s shelters, and juvenile and adult probation programs, among
others (see Box 1.2).
Many two-year colleges offer social or human service programs in which
students can earn preprofessional degrees. These programs provide important
foundation knowledge and skills that can lay the groundwork for a BSW degree. Students with degrees from two-year programs can work in most areas
of social services. The positions are typically entry level, and they provide excellent work experience should the preprofessional choose to pursue a BSW
degree. Many students who complete two-year degrees transfer into accredited
BSW programs (see Boxes 1.2 and 1.3).
Box 1.2 More About…Social Work Education Criteria
The criteria for social work education are outlined by
the Council of Social Work Education in its “Educational
Policy and Accreditation Standards.” All schools that
wish to be accredited must follow the guidelines. Every
eight years, programs conduct self-studies and submit
a comprehensive written portfolio to the CSWE accreditation board. As part of the accreditation process, a
team of social work educators reviews the school and
provides a report to the accreditation board. The report
and self-study documents are then reviewed, and a
determination is made whether to grant accredited
status. This process ensures uniform standards for
training social workers. No matter where you choose to
study, as long as it is in a CSWE-accredited program,
your curriculum will reflect the standards and values of
the profession.
Box 1.3 What Do You Think?
What are the differences between a BSW and an MSW
degree? What is the difference in emphasis between the
two degrees? How might the different training affect the
type of job a BSW graduate might do compared with an
MSW graduate?
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What Is Social Work?   7

Central Concepts and Theories
LO 2
Part of what defines a profession is a shared vision, typically referred to as a
mission. The primary mission of social work, according to the membership of
NASW, is
to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of
all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of
people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic
and defining feature of social work is the profession’s focus on individual
well-being in a social context and the well-being of society. Fundamental
to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living. (NASW, 2017b, p. 1)
Person in Environment Concept
EP 7b, 8b
Several aspects of the mission make the profession unique. One is the focus,
as stated above, on the “needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.” The profession has a clear commitment to working with members of society who are often left behind or left
out. A second unique characteristic is the fact that individuals’ problems are
addressed in combination with the social context. Social workers realize that
they must pay attention to the environment in which people live, and they
work to change the environment so that it functions more effectively for individuals, families, and communities. This dual view is known as the person-inenvironment perspective (Karls & Wandrei, 1994).
The person-in-environment perspective is what sets social work apart from
other helping professions. The environment is not just the physical place where
people live and their relationships with those who are nearest. It is broader and
includes the culture and beliefs that are part of people’s lives, the impact they
experience as a result of public policies, and the effects of prejudice and oppression that are part of the larger environment of our society (Langer & Lietz,
2015). If we consider Jane and her family from the person-in-environment perspective, we need to ask about relationships between Jane and her extended
family, what living in their neighborhood was like before she lost her job, what
activities the children have been involved in, and what those activities mean to
them. Perhaps Jane and her children belong to a church, a synagogue, or a
mosque that might be a place of support and resources that Jane did not think
of and which her social worker can suggest she consider. Does she have social
connections from her job at the grocery? Or does her former boss have connections with other businesses that might need someone, and he could recommend
Jane? Are there barriers to opportunities like education so that Jane has not been
able to gain skills that would prepare her for better-paying employment? When
people face a crisis, it is difficult to consider the entire picture, their place in the
larger environment. Social workers are trained to take that perspective. In Jane’s
case, maybe finding a program that will train her for a higher-paying job would
be a long-term plan that could change Jane’s situation.
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8   CHAPTER 1
The importance of understanding problems and directing change efforts at
both the individual and environmental levels is central to good social work practice. Which approach social workers use depends on where they see problems
originating. If all change efforts are directed at individuals, social workers see the
causes of people’s problems as being inside themselves. If they focus only on the
environment, they believe that the problems begin outside the individual.
Although it is true that some problems lie exclusively within individuals and
others are purely environmental, most problems have multiple causes. Some
causes are individual, whereas others are societal or structural in nature. If social
workers do not address both individual and environmental causes, they will not be
able to solve problems effectively. For example, to help someone who is depressed,
a counselor might immediately engage in therapy and refer the client to a medical
doctor who can prescribe antidepressant drugs. Although these are certainly viable
approaches, the person-in-environment concept dictates also considering whether
something in the person’s environment is contributing to or even causing the depression. If the person lives in poverty, for example, the everyday struggle to survive might result in depression. Therefore, interventions aimed at reducing poverty
would also be appropriate ways to alleviate the individual’s depression.
Theoretical Basis for Social Work Practice
EP 4c
Social work practice is based on a number of theories developed in a variety of
fields. For example, social workers rely on biological, sociological, anthropological, and psychological knowledge and theories to help them understand
human development. A theory is “an organized set of ideas that seek to explain
a particular phenomenon,” which can help social workers understand complex
situations (Langer & Lietz, 2015, p. 8). A theory attempts to explain why something is the way it is. Theories can explain social relationships; for example,
some theories explain why people develop biases against members of other
groups. Theories can also make predictions about the likely outcomes of people’s efforts. For example, many types of therapies are based on the theory that
people’s understanding of what happened to them during childhood leads to
improved functioning as adults. A theory must be testable, meaning that research can be conducted to see whether it is accurate. For social work, theories
help us practice effectively and understand our profession (Payne, 2014).
Theories help us understand human behavior, which is particularly important for social workers, who must apply knowledge of human behavior and the
social environment across the life span. Theories alone do not create change,
but social workers apply various theories in practice settings to create desired
change. Social workers use conceptual frameworks to help determine which theories to apply. A conceptual framework combines theories, beliefs, and assumptions to help us understand how people interact in their social systems and how
those systems help or block health and well-being. A conceptual framework
gives social workers a basis from which to view situations with clients and provides guidance for the assessment, intervention, and evaluation process.
Most of the theories used by social workers today developed from a central theoretical framework, the general systems theory developed by biologist
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What Is Social Work?   9

Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1971). Von Bertalanffy described the functioning of
living systems, including the human body. Scientists have long realized that
the systems within the human body are connected to each other. The failure
of one human system often affects the functioning of other systems and of the
body as a whole. Since its development, von Bertalanffy’s framework has been
applied to systems in many fields, including social work.
A system is a group of separate but interrelated units, or elements, that
form an identifiable whole. Each of the parts in a system interacts with other
parts in some way, and the various parts are dependent on each other to create
the larger whole. The various parts of a system affect and are affected by one
another. Social workers are most interested in social systems—the interactions
and interdependence among people that together make up society. Interacting
groups can be as varied as a family, residents of a group home, employees in a
business, and residents in a neighborhood.
Jane’s family is the point of focus for the social worker’s micro interventions. Figure 1.1, Jane’s System, illustrates that Jane’s family system contains the
Social Environment
Public Social Service System
Social Environment
Jane’s Neighborhood
Unemployment
Insurance
Family
Service
Agency
Jane’s
Former
Workplace
Medicaid
Focal System
Jane’s Family
Jane’s
Son
Jane
Jane’s
Daughter
Jane’s
Neighbors
Local
School
TANF
Figure 1.1 Jane’s System.
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10   CHAPTER 1
subsystems of Jane, her son, and her daughter. The family is itself a subsystem
within the neighborhood system or social environment. The focal system interacts with and is affected by all the subsystems in the social environment of the
neighborhood, including the families of Jane’s neighbors, the local school, and
the family service agency. The neighborhood is a subsystem within an even larger
social environment, the public social service system. If Jane is participating in
such social service programs as TANF, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP), and Medicaid, those national programs are part of her social system.
The focal system is determined by the social worker’s point of focus. If the
social worker’s macro intervention is focused on encouraging the passage of
legislation that will make it easier for women like Jane to get unemployment
insurance, then the unemployment insurance program is the focal system. If
the social worker is developing an after-school program that could benefit
Jane’s children, the school is the focal system.
Changes in the focal system or in a related subsystem or social environment will affect the systems and subsystems with which it interacts. For example, if Jane completes a job-training program at the local family service agency
and secures new employment, her children will be affected by her new job
and the additional income. The children’s school will be affected by any positive or negative changes in the children. Likewise, any change in the school
system will affect the children, which in turn will affect their mother.
Because of the fluidity and mutuality of the relationships between systems
and subsystems, systems theory explains a person’s behavior in terms of circular or mutual causality. In other words, Jane influences her environment, and
Jane’s environment influences her. Closely related to mutual causality is the
concept of wholeness: “Every part of a system is so related to its fellow parts
that a change in one part will cause a change in all of them and in the total
system” (Watzlawick, Bavelas, & Jackson, 1967, p. 123).
All systems have boundaries, which make it possible to distinguish the
parts that belong in the system from those that do not belong. The boundaries
of some systems are very clear; for example, the physical boundary of a human
being—the skin—clearly separates that person from other people. Boundaries
of social systems are often less clear. For example, the boundaries of Jane’s
family might depend on the situation. If a social worker were working with
Jane’s daughter, who was struggling in school, the relevant system members
might include only Jane and her son.
Yet if Jane’s family were trying to care for an aging grandparent, relevant system
members might include Jane’s parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins as well.
Using a systems perspective means looking at people in relation to all
the systems in their environment that affect them. For example, a 77-year-old
woman asks a social worker in a senior center for help. She lives alone, and
she is concerned about her physical abilities and financial situation. The systems perspective dictates first gaining an understanding of all the elements
that make up the woman’s social system. A social worker would assess her
physical and mental health, her financial situation, her support system, and
her living situation. He or she would also explore the larger systems in the
woman’s life: the area in which she lives, the social services with which she
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What Is Social Work?   11
may interact, and whether she is connected to a religious institution. Without
examining the entire system, areas for effective intervention might be missed.
The ecological systems framework builds on general systems theory and integrates the person-in-environment perspective. It goes beyond looking at the
systems that make up a client’s sphere to focus on the intersection of client
systems and the larger environmental context. The ecological framework rests
on the life model, which views people and their environments as reacting to
and changing in response to each other (Germain & Gitterman, 1980). This
view requires an understanding of the nature of interactions and transactions
between people and their surroundings. The focus is on the interface, which is
what happens between people and the environment.
For example, as a result of Jane’s job loss and her residence in a neighborhood with few employment opportunities, her life is out of balance, and the
environment is not supportive of her needs. The ecological life model emphasizes examining the fit (or lack of fit) between Jane and her environment.
The intervention goals become trying to help Jane adapt to this situation and
changing the environment to be more supportive. One of the concerns about
this approach is that adaptation of the individual is much more manageable,
so environmental change is often ignored. However, adherence to the full ecological perspective includes addressing both the fit of the client to the environment, and the extent of support from the environment.
The strengths perspective is a third framework used to guide social work
practice. This perspective dictates building on clients’ strengths to create positive change. It is the opposite of frameworks that encourage social workers to
approach clients from a deficit or problem base. “Social work, like so many
other helping professions, has constructed much of its theory and practice
around the supposition that clients become clients because they have deficits,
problems, pathologies, and diseases; that they are, in some critical way, flawed
or weak” (Saleebey, 1992, p. 3). The problem-based orientation of social work
is not surprising given that social workers help solve so many problems. But
although problems cannot be ignored, the strengths perspective asserts that a
problem-based approach is not the most effective way to help clients change
and grow. Focusing primarily on problems can reinforce the negative views
that clients may have of themselves and their communities.
The strengths perspective suggests that all individuals, groups, and communities have strengths that often go unnoticed and unappreciated by the individuals, groups, and communities themselves, as well as by the outside world. The
strengths perspective means recognizing the strengths that are inherent in individuals, groups, and communities, and using these strengths as building blocks
for change. Saleebey urges social workers to make this shift in focus:
A strengths perspective assumes that when people’s positive capacities are
supported, they are more likely to act on their strengths. Thus, a belief in
people’s inherent capacity for growth and well-being requires an intense
attention to people’s own resources: their talents, experiences, and aspirations. Through this active attention, the probability for positive growth is
significantly enhanced. (1992, p. 25)
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12   CHAPTER 1
When social workers first go into a neighborhood to begin bringing the residents together to work for change—a process called community organizing—
they often begin by noting all the things that are wrong. They might note
run-down houses, gangs, abandoned cars, and a lack of needed services. Approaching the area with a strengths perspective, social workers might instead
start by creating an asset map of the area, pointing out all of its strengths. They
might note two active neighborhood associations, a well-attended community
center, several religious institutions, and residents who themselves have innumerable strengths. Although the problems cannot be ignored, they do not have
to be the first and only thing to receive social work attention.
Individuals, even those experiencing significant stress and challenges,
have strengths. Those strengths may be internal abilities that have gotten them
through difficult times before or external resources such as family, friends,
and other social networks. As previously discussed, when people are in crisis,
they often forget that they have abilities to overcome problems. Social work’s
focus on people’s strengths helps them to reframe their situation and draw
on their own abilities to successfully make changes. Langer and Lietz (2015)
identify strengths factors that can be drawn upon. These include resilience
developed from prior experience overcoming adversity; having hope that there
can be positive outcomes; drawing on culture and one’s cultural identity that
gives a person a sense of belonging to a larger group; and using those relationships that involve collaboration, the sharing of making decisions. As social
workers, we can support people to think about their strengths even in difficult
situations. See Box 1.4.
Focusing on client strengths is one way to achieve the guiding principle of
client empowerment. Academics, politicians, and other people use the term empowerment to describe very different things. In relation to social work practice,
it means helping clients gain power over their lives (Lee, 2001). Mondros and
Wilson describe empowerment as “a psychological state—a sense of competence, control, and entitlement—that allows one to pursue concrete activities
aimed at becoming powerful” (1994, p. 5). To be empowered, people must
believe that they are capable of doing things for themselves, gaining increased
control over their lives, and influencing events and situations that affect their
lives. Many people served by social workers often feel relatively powerless.
They have little control over their own lives and even less over outside events
that affect them. Approaching social work practice from an empowerment perspective means finding ways to help clients take control by making their own
decisions and determining the best course of action for themselves.
Box 1.4 What Do You Think?
Identify a friend or family member who is struggling
with a problem. What strengths might help this
person overcome the problem? What strengths are
inherent in his or her personality? Does this per-
son have family or friends to turn to for support or
assistance? How has this person dealt with adversity
in the past? Can he or she draw on those past efforts
to help now?
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What Is Social Work?   13

EP 2c
The diversity perspective is a theoretical framework that emphasizes the
incredible diversity of social workers and their clients. Social workers and the
people with whom they work come from a wide range of ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds; are of different ages, genders, sexual orientations, and classes; and have different physical and mental abilities. Social
workers must understand cultural differences to work effectively with diverse
client populations. This means understanding themselves and their biases, as
well as knowing a great deal about those with whom they are working. It also
means understanding the dynamics of oppression and discrimination. Social
work with diverse populations requires practitioners to be sensitive to differences between people and to develop interventions that are appropriate for
specific client groups. The topics of oppression, discrimination, and work with
diverse populations are discussed throughout the book and are covered in detail in Chapters 4 and 5.
To guide effective social work practice with diverse populations, NASW
developed the Standards and Indicators for Cultural Competence in Social Work
Practice (NASW, 2015). Cultural competence refers to the behaviors, knowledge, skills, and attitudes that allow social workers to respond effectively
across cultures. The 10 standards aim to provide clear guidelines about what is
necessary to achieve cultural competence. They include practicing in accordance with social work values and ethics, development of self-awareness about
issues of diversity, development of cross-cultural knowledge and skills, a focus
on empowerment and advocacy, and the encouragement of cross-cultural
leadership. Box 1.5 outlines the 10 standards.
Box 1.5 More About…NASW Standards and Indicators
for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice
Standard 1—Ethics and Values
Social workers function in accordance with the values,
ethics, and standards of the profession, recognizing the
importance of self-awareness, cultural humility and understanding that culture is central to our practice.
Standard 2—Self-Awareness
Standard 4—Cross-Cultural Skills
Social workers use a broad range of skills and techniques
that reflect understanding of and respect for the importance of culture throughout social work practice.
Standard 5—Service Delivery
Social workers need to understand their own cultural identities and those of others, as well as their own privilege
and power and how that impacts their work.
Social workers develop knowledge about and skills in the
use of services available in the community and broader
society and should be able to make culturally appropriate
referrals for their diverse client groups.
Standard 3—Cross-Cultural Knowledge
Standard 6—Empowerment and Advocacy
Social workers should have and continue to develop specialized knowledge and understanding about the history,
traditions, values, family systems, and artistic expressions
of major client groups that they serve.
Social workers develop awareness of the impact of social
systems, policies, and programs on diverse client populations, advocating for and with client groups whenever
appropriate in ways that empower and advocate for
marginalized and oppressed groups.
(continued )
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14   CHAPTER 1
Box 1.5 (continued)
Standard 7—Diverse Workforce
Social workers advocate for recruitment, admissions and
hiring, and retention efforts in social work programs and
agencies that ensure diversity within the profession.
Standard 8—Professional Education
Social workers advocate for, develop, and participate in
educational and training programs that help advance
cultural competence within the profession.
Standard 9—Language and
Communication
Social workers provide or advocate for effective communication with clients of all cultural groups, which
The Power of Language
may include the provision of information, referrals, and
services in language appropriate to the client or client
groups.
Standard 10—Leadership to Advance
Cultural Competence
Social workers are change agents who can demonstrate
skills for effective work with multicultural groups and
serve as leaders in advancing cultural competency across
institutions and communities.
(For a full explanation and application of the Standards,
see NASW, 2015).
LO 3
Language is extremely powerful. Words reveal values, attitudes, and beliefs about
other people. They can harm and degrade, or they can demonstrate respect and support. Because language not only expresses people’s thoughts but also shapes them, it
is important to make careful word choices. Using certain terms can offend others and
therefore hinder open communication. Using the wrong term can send a message
that the speaker is not intending to send. Fear of using the wrong words and offending
others can keep people from developing relationships with members of other groups.
An open discussion of language can help build bridges between groups.
Debate over language has been a central component of a number of civil
rights struggles in the United States. Activists in the women’s movement worked
to teach people about the importance of saying woman rather than girl or babe.
African American civil rights activists pointed out that adult males are men, not
boys. Referring to adult females as girls and to adult African American men as boys
communicates attitudes and values that members of these groups are inferior to
and less important than adult women or adult white men. The appropriate use
or misuse of words by social workers can convey powerful attitudes and values.
A variety of words refer to the diverse groups that make up US society, and
it is often challenging to decide which to use. Some of the challenge comes
from not knowing enough about the group. Lack of agreement between outsiders and members of the group about which term is best increases the difficulty. Also, terminology changes over time. Following is an explanation of
why the authors of this book have chosen to use certain terms.
People who are members of oppressed groups are often referred to as
minorities. One problem with this term is that not all oppressed populations
make up less than half the population. In particular, women make up more
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What Is Social Work?   15
than 50 percent of the population. Additionally, the word minority often implies “less than,” which can reinforce the misconception that members of oppressed populations are somehow inferior to other groups. Other terms that
can be used to refer to ways that people fit into the societal structure include
oppressed and oppressor groups and dominant and subordinate or nondominant
groups. Members of dominant groups have control over many societal resources and a strong influence on societal norms. The words oppressed, dominant, subordinate, and nondominant are used throughout this book.
The term minority is also used to describe the many populations whose
skin color is not “white.” When referring to these groups collectively, we prefer
to use people of color and whenever possible to refer to the specific population.
For example, instead of using minority to mean African American, we prefer to
be clear and use African American. We do not use the term nonwhite because
it is Eurocentric; that is, it places the dominant population at the center and
defines people of color on the basis of how they differ.
Just as we use African American to refer to people of African descent, we use
Asian American and Pacific Islander to refer to people whose heritage is from an
Asian country or a Pacific island respectively. We refer to people whose ancestry
is from South and Central America and other Spanish-speaking areas as Latino/a.
Some within the Latino/a community prefer to use Hispanic, which is most often
used by the Census Bureau and other government entities. The term Hispanic was
coined by Europeans, and it excludes people from non-Spanish-speaking countries in Spanish-speaking regions, such as Brazil, a Portuguese-speaking nation.
The terms Native American and American Indian are commonly used to refer to the Indigenous Peoples of North America. Even though these are the
most commonly used terms, both are misleading and inaccurate. Indian blurs
the distinction between Indigenous Peoples and people from India, and in
fact the term is based on Christopher Columbus’s mistaken belief that he had
arrived in India. Native American can refer to anyone who was born in North,
Central, or South America. There is great diversity among indigenous nations
and tribes in the United States, and tribal members use a number of terms to
refer to themselves. We use First Nations (Yellow Bird, 1999). Since the Indigenous Peoples were the first populations to settle North America, the term is
accurate. We also use Indigenous Peoples, an internationally accepted term describing the descendants of the original inhabitants of a land.
We use the word disability rather than handicap throughout the book. A
handicap is an obstacle in someone’s path; disability refers to a way in which
a person’s body functions differently than the norm. We attempt to use
people-first language throughout the book when referring to people with
disabilities—language that refers to what a person has, not what he or she is.
Saying “disabled person” suggests that the disability is the individual’s primary
characteristic. If we instead say “person with a disability,” we are acknowledging
that the disability is just one aspect of the total person, not all that he or she is.
We use the term sexual orientation rather than sexual preference. Sexual preference
suggests that people decide to be heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual. Research has
demonstrated that sexuality is not a choice, but is rather a deeply imbedded part of
who a person is (see Chapter 5). We also use the words gay and lesbian rather than
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