101 Careers in Social Work

316 Pages·2014·1.598 MB·English

by  Jessica A. Ritter, Halaevalu F.O. Vakalahi

1CSW“mhteasatpWdctitistN“s1NwennohohhaoTtTeadc oooe1frfitc a eeaewchohstvuclslo•••••mmeowifht two lteioseccri0r -rnbP DPDI Aerl Waiwseape anmiac n cn iuagodoitrrloa s eidieidrn c.aosiissraeohht.dYnlouawan rseeusd ity si cls loaestatgut4e,co kucto tlc, tr e iaopsea uihE erhnotaina noo eewndaogrr2l cyetrasg senol rfldiincmsink vdetnkotausqbfstoctonlsoi irtrhs iisiiiheaSoso.tan,nusmes1zemneoosrttt oede oV erah lnkeet dlies sp msnngN dusmsedsdros o so elicd ridce av ,Ss npa tentootnnmaYaar p ohns aahfiaiiwtoabneedttc a?tr dsnc,ninpoal neeetr rcnneedps wacucnii 1 d.tdedTwondensnr c iiugdan htmuid uatdn ehs A 0 trametdaAeiElno t te eos eotltkissreoesebrd drs0wdiutepfxcssptrrwidnntp,yebnnf lc hdii.n uc nepckla3aoseieg rethec stjsoiinaiadeliisoieeapccrsp,rts i6c,atroto rtrfsd ti elstr cc-rlsiatc eakroleisiebnoieeft- typmeo,afinnosottor rs run 8 n:mon pshiblannebhoeaactmr vfadnfiaosp ,r0 e eClatudlmsprr e olni aiiel c lkary y nneetmtljmcih0llpscuo nocit s yoa nci ndseCfnaaeo,go2vm,r,bitasaoyr daon usPiaa nataataiumecuc nmcr ti dePrac o cgtl —orrhnc nifwoece etuouuenpedokiofa ershnHeoddlamah,r erfrs ete efa itren sfS a r Ane iill enairce spsranstlp aoyebrtas sduw avetssdwtca veotalclsinWonoori,aod esel,runs s nitrctfes ol ajacatc eiontuiu er ottcnoctt satstnrreeoslnessinhhkditd hri edabkoaioroarelaaloooo ds g eiaioyeeeoert&-nlcnnnfisvsn tcn ciaht nroe crfnwiaffli uas g,hh oddoisoiaftsa urcaDrkaogadiSoaplhs ei. osncsr l tn gslllmra mllefnmcedhatiua ,n wttr,ao uctfwh a ch kadkaietctfi nodemsilt daemn r oo n reean t otcofir deckltdoenlegahrruFhi irn,o erorse soscuke—s e.wmssds nnikeeWd dnttoes l,nn,ennisr ro idd O un rpoaietto tcEcahnocis Ctathe uyo q tgpfhlnr,oroiidiptlsmohiotf a aensrclukuiog depodif sieDerarmzeyrulhn r c deirh orea r b hwpamcnsm wPse,legaslhencp sqomttioruct,,Lcx,alig eece e seaoeoo uponreacdhCtpmoothitd fnensturtfi kgliiniro iaierSnreksee tace sqn toenJ cee eeeOdr dnjentnsfrW,leruogdnogtehc mrase e ddrrrcsdot.wpSiuo i,bnaos tydrabc, seiiiePftsio atmeciosev-.pm oePh cazeld tfnhuhrlodTimehnsstu rrirecl rso mHtetiiu ohvkhstri,o.oersgiio tmesb to sric, nkteeae oeTces fs coh fneh ine as tna nnroetcldhniVihcsaatIseei yneenosl9dldosnctaedie oi ,tsrr:egisflSs abcca ,rh figotsve ca o aAl odh,eieuoaillwBi aSbcn kda cionsclcaerecmrdttlw r7 roN,oeol nkhde.oeaeana dw tliiru Wpooacb ndoes lonesrdn 8catRrllcotu k,etige rnr.,silfa9d ro aeu e”ec skaaeer Mss0 setcii c drrwl k7 ners hhddt Aors t oarhefieaWlieite8Sargni8ueuctatoifindetfaesptnrinf ieeWo,cnciohrn-s rer2ooo,lalpr dtc idlsrectnan e,.Bfihrrnrre0ala n m, es 6seqtd,s tk nQreewawnnKorrDe -i S s ,eeauo eoteot lsdB ugfawe i Spo8eYodsbi n,ufcncff 1 treen n et rroebS W.phl2 .reMtadupch ekoo”ssdthssaFrs2oimrsWu6rl hes ,ptf ,hhaeocieraC lte miSct roi 1p9ciAoheiiprr aecsecsnaespvp,k oohWo-enno Crporyets sras0q,yorMssierse r etp np,2aocciSo Ptuwseoa eo leUrU,c5 uueaacfeiciW9 Asiaa cdS naeernoMernlnnanihi,ii,m a50ti nvreclsa cttrSiac,iid ri a nnetaromc vvkecs-wdtl5plEiLilu .dWueiseei tscgiaan l ppelwCnwteo-hnrdcWooe dslrraurrtreapgnnSorssor 5ere rao,,psoeietiefijn nkdiet.isiemWreeorttrnePP tetiagtun rIheegdehndnkksynyrrrt lpihhpc sissppgetnDDnltroeptrraseie ieimgceevgtnrcnnnipispcseiseappge101tnfenoltroeprlriaseuiediceCareers in soCial Workcmgeeevgt jnrnninriispluispcRitter · VakalahiaisesvadppgestnSecond Editiontfeonlstroeplrehlrriasseuieditcemmggceeeeevveerrggt jnnrriiiinnnnwwiinnrriiiipplluuiippsppccnsaseisv1adpppgestnfenoleostrijoepglrehlriaosseetuieditcercmgecetevyrgt jnbrriinnwiksnriilhuoipspccsaisessv-adpgetstnfemonehostsirjopprlrehlrifssomtuisditcer CugceceoeevyrgjnbmiiwSiksnriilunospprcncisasiev-adpgtssefmonuheeostirjgotrleehlfeosimtsuid ctneirnugcteecovyrrjmbiniiwiksnrhiiusnolcopsrcinisssaev-adtsotgsfeismounheeos ijppgtrlyacelhifomtsso udctnirnueeestce oyrtjmbiniipwiksrhipluccsnooprciinisnave-dtspegtsittlsmuneehosigtjnrlycaeherfsiimtss o tdnirnuvvsteco yrstmntminiipbwkshpsnopeorrciinpisCe ntpteg-slismueeneeoijghestnrEycaerfo0rmt iss drpnirnocstec onuystmntmbbinpgksihrpdtscnoorriipignve-ntpegtiiesiilsmueenehhgvse nnreyctaaerfimisns rpnnuuocsiteeoirnststmngtlmipgnehrptscnsorriionnpiigednpetuiiesigjilisueenecgfevs ttnnoyutcaaeriinss reirpniiiHnoyvcste nsstaemngslainpstgehrpntsceorioplgtielhdntieggauiedjiilpsreenicfvsennyucaaewriciin fffsrirspislovcse pnosstegmntesalipsgaeorptceritorplgtelhdnpeuiisreydejilreeeicfeve jjnnucaaekrwiociinsoosrirspnislvcpenosstemngeslavcisbbgfffeotrstermtompolgtilhdnr-uiireiydajraeeicfrhhevsjncucekwiciiinmosr irspilseovcepnslouusnegesaisb1gfffeontrrutcsemtomoulgtnnjlghdr ui-ireyediiursicfrvhjn cnotaetkwiciinnmoisr isisesvFipehsou nscnegelaiisbffftneot.ntWstemtom oulssn rlghdriu-ryydijgrscecfrhO jeucnotetkwiiimoris isiinseevipphsou necnepsaaitisbnfffpontftsetsmtrmm iuolstnslllghr -rarypydiegrseaier hjcnotetekwwciiesmiosr ssnnenihphsouencnppeirttisbfffnpoonetsJtmtmm nroiusgsnrlgep -rrrypyuigesaeerh esjiiocnoettkeeiemori srnnnnsennonihsou necpp cirtsbsnfffsptngtgsctmmemgniougstgnsrlphr-rypigeisaiuesrt hseiinotfeaeeviieamirshnnnenionirpssuencnippcilrteesinpnsgtsoscgtuc m eniutgnsrllgp ryhpjigeiccsdairue seiidunoafffteateeveriiicsinnnsninroishencaaipppscliretespon vsgtogctemnitstgns rllllVApmeryhpjgijecdaiiueesiciduofffaewwecvreisrinnnasnionmrsoeb.aipppessclretespovs gtogcmemni-tptg k rllliurkhhRprjeijcedaiiutseiicdueofaewcvmeknariusyrsinnsninorsocbaipp esilreesstinovsgogcmlutent-tmtg rllrpiahhrjiitjecdyiuttneesicieudvofafecwimkiuyrsinin esionnrshoonnibaipeescslesttnvosgogcmruee-gmttgs rllryiihhrjitjcedeiiuut nidceutof afwcvimkoiuyrsinisihrrsoonniibapessleenstvt nossosmrus-gmtgsllryihhsrej itjcdeit niceudtco fcwwimmkkroiuuyyssinnisshhoooonnnniibbaaiippeessssssnnttnovsmrus-gmtgslriyhsritjeeti nicetco fwcimkyoursnihoonnibesnsttnosmrus-gmgsryihsritet nietc fimkouysnihonnisnttnsrusgmgsrysite nietc fionihonnisntssrgsgysie it conhnsssic
Find Your Career With Springer
Publishing Company
101 Careers in Public Health
Beth Seltzer
101 Careers in Counseling
Shannon Hodges
101+ Careers in Gerontology, Second Edition
C. Joanne Grabinski
101 Careers in Social Work, Second Edition
Jessica A. Ritter and Halaevalu F. Ofahengaue Vakalahi
101 Careers in Psychology
Tracey E. Ryan
101 Careers in Education
John S. Carlson and Richard L. Carlson
101 Careers in Healthcare Management
Leonard H. Friedman and Anthony R. Kovner
Careers in Health Information Technology
Brian T. Malec
201 Careers in Nursing
Joyce J. Fitzpatrick and Emerson E. Ea
To learn more and order, visit www.springerpub.com

101 Careers in
Social Work
Jessica A. Ritter, BSW, MSSW, PhD, is associate professor and director of
the BSW program at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. Jessica has
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 chil-
dren’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 stu-
dents excited about social policy, demystifying the political process, increasing
students’ levels of political efficacy, and inspiring students to be engaged politi-
cally. She is a Fulbright scholar and serves on the board of directors of Children
First for Oregon.
Halaevalu F. Ofahengaue Vakalahi, BS, MSW, MEd, PhD, is professor
and associate dean in the School of Social Work at Morgan State University
in Baltimore, Maryland. She is a Pacific Islander, born in Tonga and raised
in Hawaii. Her areas of teaching include human behavior and the social envi-
ronment and social policy. Her research interests include Pacific Islander cul-
ture and community, and the experiences of women of color in academia. She
received a PhD in social work from the University of Utah, an MSW from
the University of Hawaii, a master’s in educational administration from the
University of Utah, and a BS in business management from Brigham Young
University–Hawaii. Prior to Morgan State University, she was an accreditation
specialist at the Council on Social Work Education and served on the faculty
at San Francisco State University, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, George
Mason University, and New Mexico State University.
101 Careers in
Social Work
Second Edition
JESSICA A. RITTER, BSW, MSSW, PhD
HAlAEvAlu F. OFAHE ngAuE vA kAlAHI,
BS, MSW, MEd, PhD
Copyright © 2015 Springer Publishing Company, LLC
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Springer
Publishing Company, LLC, or authorization through payment of the appropriate fees to the Copyright Clearance
Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax [phone], [email protected] or
on the Web at www.copyright.com.
Springer Publishing Company, LLC
11 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
www.springerpub.com
Acquisitions Editor: Stephanie Drew
Composition: Amnet
ISBN: 978-0-8261-2905-5
e-book ISBN: 978-0-8261-2906-2
14 15 16 17 / 5 4 3 2 1
The author and the publisher of this Work have made every effort to use sources believed to be reliable to provide
information that is accurate and compatible with the standards generally accepted at the time of publication. The
author and publisher shall not be liable for any special, consequential, or exemplary damages resulting, in whole or
in part, from the readers’ use of, or reliance on, the information contained in this book. The publisher has no re-
sponsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet websites referred to in this
publication and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ritter, Jessica A.
101 careers in social work / Jessica A. Ritter, BSW, MSSW, PhD, Halaevalu F. Ofahengaue Vakalahi, BS,
MSW, MEd, PhD. — Second Edition.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-0-8261-2905-5 (print : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8261-2906-2 (e-book)
1. Social service—Vocational guidance—United States. 2. Vocational guidance—United States. 3. Job
hunting—United States. I. Vakalahi, Halaevalu F. Ofahengaue. II. Title. III. Title: One hundred one
careers in social work.
HV10.5.R58 2015
361.3023'73—dc23
2014029367
Special discounts on bulk quantities of our books are available to corporations, professional associations, phar-
maceutical companies, health care organizations, and other qualifying groups. If you are interested in a custom
book, including chapters from more than one of our titles, we can provide that service as well.
For details, please contact:
Special Sales Department, Springer Publishing Company, LLC
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY  10036-8002
Phone:  [phone] or 212-431-4370; Fax:  [phone]
E-mail:  [email protected]
Printed in the United States of America by Gasch Printing.
This book is dedicated to my wonderful and amazing family who never stop
believing in me: my mother, Christina Ritter, for teaching me the meaning of
love and compassion and the art of listening; my father, Clinton Ritter, for
inspiring my love of politics and the fight for the underdog; and my sister,
Alissa Ritter, for being my best friend in this life.
—JAR
To my son Tuihakavalu, the light of my life; and my parents Moana and
Faleola Ofahengaue, who inspired me to think and live outside the box in order
to achieve my passion in social work.
—HFOV

CoNTENTS
Preface xvii
Acknowledgments xix
Share 101 Careers in Social Work: Second Edition
I THE PROFESSION OF SOCIAL WORK 1
1 ■ What Is Social Work? 3
Separating the Facts From the Fiction 4
Top 7 Myths About the Social Work Profession 5
How Is Social Work Different From Other Related Professions/
Disciplines? 6
How Did Social Work Begin? 8
What Is the Future Outlook for Social Workers? 9
A Brief History of the Social Work Profession in the United States 10
2 ■ Got Social Work? 13
Is Social Work for You? 13
Benefits of a Career in Social Work 14
Challenges of a Career in Social Work 15
The Social Work Oath 16
An Invitation to You 17
3 ■ Follow the Yellow Brick Road: Education and Licensure for Social
Workers 19
What Steps Are Involved in Becoming a Professional Social Worker? 20
What Degree Do I Need to Become a Social Worker? 20
What Are the Prerequisites for Being Accepted to a Social Work Program? 21
Who Qualifies as a Social Worker? 22
What Is the Purpose of Licensing? 23
What Do I Need to Know About Social Work Licensing? 23
ix