Is the central focus of social work justice and social change?
Social work’s mission is to promote social and economic justice for all members of society. Clearly, some segments of society flourish and prosper more than others — and so our particular commitment is those who suffer disproportionately from the fall-out of society’s problems — poverty, racism and violence, for example. Social workers engage in a very wide variety of service and social change roles. They are legislators, policy analysts, community organizers, executive directors of social service agencies, gerontologists, and case managers. The strategies, tactics, and methods they use vary, depending on the settings and populations they work with. But the overall goal is the same: to enhance quality of life, particularly for society’s most vulnerable members — and to do so in ways that support the inherent problem-solving strengths of individuals, families, communities and cultural systems. Q: Isn’t the School of Social Work one of the country’s elite schools? A: It depends on wha
The overall mission of Social Work as a profession does not explain the many areas of specialization which may be the focus of a particular Social Worker.
Clinical Social Workers specialize in diagnosing and treating nervous and mental disorders. Since World War 11, Clinical Social Workers have provided 62% of all mental health services in the United States. Therefore, their mission is more narrowly focused than Social Workers who are Community Organizers or Child Abuse Specialists.
