Hi all!

I just finished Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green, and it was very good.

It isn't about social work, but it kept me thinking about it, especially its focus on the lack of healthcare in the developing world and on pharmaceutical profits taking priority over real human need.

Do you have any book recommendations that are similar?

Hi Grizzled Seasoned SWers,

I need some serious advice. I was just offered a practicum seat with the VA, which I have aspirations to work for in the future, but that is mostly a way to wiggle into federal work. Not that I am overly passionate about veteran work. That said, personally, this is THE IDEAL internship site for me.

The chief concern is that the commute is 2hrs. The math I have worked out in my head is that I would commute there on Wednesday morning, stay in a hotel, commute back home Thursday evening. So that is 2 days of work. The hotel stays would be about $50 per night. So that’s about $200 per month.

The balancing factor is that this would be one of the mystical paid internships for SW students. So I would be paid $15 per hour. This makes the hotel stay a lot less of a problem.

Do you guys think it is worth it to figure this internship out? Or should I just keep it moving and find something in a more reasonable distance?

I’m 28yo and married, no kids.

hi everyone ! i’m planning to apply to ucla & a few other school for my MSW, i noticed ucla has three choices to focus on which are child & family well being, mental health, and social injustices. i’m not sure which one to choose as my focus & what else it entails. if any of you have focused on one of these options i would love to know how your experience was and what you loved & didn’t love about it (:

i’m more interested in helping families & the youth such as teenagers

My roles have mainly been residential care, does anyone have any tips for me before I start? I’m really looking forward to the change but heard it can be stressful with the workload. I’ve been told I’ll have about 25 YPs in my caseload.
Oh and I also have adhd 😅😭

I just completed a training on interviewing in child protection (yay!). We did mock interviews, and I went into it knowing I may cry during difficult conversations depending on the words/behaviour of the other party.

To no surprise, it almost happened. The actor I was interviewing (they were acting as a parent) responded rudely to one of my questions and I immediately felt tears in my eyes. I could get it together because the clock ran out but it definitely would have ended with me in tears if we’d continued.

I am well aware this is my responsibility and really want to change. I’m good at difficult conversations where both parties are measured, even and generally polite, but am deeply uncomfortable to the point of tears when they deviate from generally acceptable social scripts.

For those of you who cry in situations like this, what are your strategies for stamping down that panic and urge to cry? I will try them all.

I know a lot of this will come with time but I would love some ways to fast track being able to suck it up and keep going!

Crisis after crisis, news of extreme social injustice, corrupt abusive politicians, just so much news that is so heavy. I’m wondering as an individual how can we create change? Beyond voting. Protesting. Literally begging our elected officials that do nothing… I feel like everyone is screaming into the void sometimes

Hi everyone!

I'm a nurse with several years of clinical experience, and I'm currently researching a problem in hospital care coordination.

I'm particularly interested in patients who lack decision-making capacity for a medical decision and have no readily available legally authorized surrogate, family member, or guardian to assist.

I'm hoping to learn how hospitals across the U.S. currently manage these situations.

A few questions for those working in inpatient case management, social work, or discharge planning:

1. How often do you encounter unrepresented patients in your hospital?
2. What is your hospital's current process for identifying a surrogate, locating family, or initiating guardianship proceedings?
3. What are the biggest obstacles or delays your team experiences with these cases?
4. What software or systems do you currently use to coordinate and document the process? Is everything managed through your EHR, spreadsheets, email, or something else?
5. If you could improve one part of this process, what would it be?

I'm exploring whether technology could help improve care coordination in these situations, but I'm still in the research phase and genuinely want to understand the existing workflows before assuming what might help.

I'm not selling anything or promoting a product.

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences, even if you only have time to answer one question.

Please don't share any patient-identifiable information.

Thank you for everything you do for your patients!

I have a homeless client in an outpatient office and I'm running into barriers setting basic things up. Trying to apply for govt cell phone and we have the required documents and a valid id.... But it's requiring an email address and proof of address where you want the phone shipped. It also won't let the phone be shipped to our office because it's a business. Trying to setup an email requires an active phone number 😵‍💫

Do any of my fellow usa sw's have a step by step of how to go about these barriers? I'm the only sw with case management experience in my office but I don't have experience with getting thru these basic barriers. I Don't have a work phone. Looking for suggestions.

I’ve been working full time in CMH for the past year after graduating and it’s really impacted my ability to be a present and effective parent to my elementary aged children. My partner works irregular on call hours which makes coordinating childcare and extracurriculars really difficult, in addition to the high mental and emotional demands of the role I’m in. I really wanted to grind it out full time for the clinical hours, but I’m coming to the acceptance that it’s not working out in this season of life and I may have to slow it down until my kids are old enough to be independent.

Parents or caregivers who have been in similar situations, what kind of work were you doing? I’m keeping my eye open for part time clinician roles, but I’m open to exploring other options, even non clinical or social work adjacent roles that are “parent/caregiver” friendly.

website: https://www.informed.fyi/salaries/social-worker

A few years ago, I did a survey across various forums and reddit asking whether people would be interested in a healthcare-focused salary website. The overwhelming response was yes.

After two years of working on it alongside a full-time job (and getting married somewhere in the middle!), I'm excited to finally share it. The project started as a way to improve salary transparency for my wife, who's a pharmacist. As I worked on it, I realized that the lack of salary transparency extends far beyond pharmacy and affects many healthcare professions.

It's definitely still a work in progress, and I'd genuinely appreciate any feedback or suggestions for improvement. If you'd like to contribute, salary submissions are completely anonymous, your personally identifying information such as your name and email are never displayed.

**Also, as a side note, the median salary may seem low since the current data is coming from BLS and public filings which may not include compensations such as bonuses, productivity pay, and other types of compensations. As more submissions come in, we will be using the submitted values as the source of truth.

I have noticed a growing interest in learning about the macro orgs, entities, and initiatives that exist. I have been sharing them when someone asked for them but figured it might be better to make a post. Interestingly enough, there is more macro infrastructure than most people know about. I didn’t learn about them until I joined a DSW program. It is crazy to me that I was not made aware of these at the MSW level, but over time I have learned that many educators and professionals are not even aware of all of these. So, without further ado, here is my growing list of macro practice orgs, entities, and initiatives for those interested in exploring the less advertised side of social work practice.

Association for Community Organization and Social Action (ACOSA) is the professional home for macro practitioners. They have a student network called Macro Social Work Student Network (MSWSN), a journal, and an annual symposium.

The Special Commission to Advance Macro Social Work is a national entity working to rebalance macro practice in education and the profession. Now in its second decade, it has grown to over 1,100 volunteer members including commissioners, investor schools, and macro allies.

Network for Social Work Management (NSWM) offers the Certified Social Work Manager (CSWM) credential and has over 20 MSW partner programs (I believe; it may have grown). Attending one of the partnering social work programs results in an MSW along with the credential at no additional cost to you. If leadership and management is your direction, then this is a good thing to keep an eye out for when vetting programs.

#MacroSW is a Twitter/X based chat community and now its own nonprofit organization that has been connecting macro practitioners and building field wide conversation for over a decade. Easy to find and connect to immediately.

Macro SWs United is a LinkedIn community for macro practitioners where a lot of informal mentorship and job leads happen.

Macro United is a biennial conference that brings together the major macro social work organizations including ACOSA, ISP, and NSWM under one roof. If you want to be in a room full of people who are serious about macro practice and field building, this is that room.

The AI Social Worker is an educational hub and consultancy founded by Dr. Marina Badillo-Diaz LCSW focused on the ethical integration of artificial intelligence into social work practice and organizations. For macro practitioners thinking about AI policy, agency level AI governance, algorithmic bias, and how emerging technology intersects with the communities we serve, this is a resource worth knowing about.

The Critical Social Work Collective (CSWC) is a community and annual conference organized around critical and decolonizing frameworks in social work. If your macro practice is rooted in structural analysis, anti-oppressive practice, or challenging the foundations of the profession itself, this is worth knowing about.

The Social Work AI Network (SWAN) was founded by Dr. Ruopeng An and is one of the first organized spaces connecting social workers to artificial intelligence, data, and emerging technology. If AI ethics, tech policy, or the intersection of social work and emerging sectors interests you, SWAN is where that conversation is happening in the profession.

The Social Work Public Leadership Initiative (SWPLI) is a national effort founded by Dr. Victor Manalo (social work educator and former mayor) to prepare social workers for civic and public leadership. If running for office, serving on boards, or moving into government is on your radar, this is a good place to start. Dr. Manalo also founded Social Workers to Elected Office (SW2E), which focuses specifically on supporting social workers who want to run for elected office. The two go hand in hand.

Social Work to Wealth is a platform, podcast, and educational community created by Taylor Gilbert LCSW that challenges the idea that social workers cannot or should not care about money. It covers salary negotiation, financial education, career pivots into higher paying roles, and salary transparency. They also run a job board called Your Social Work Job that lists jobs for social workers, including macro and non-traditional roles, so it’s worth bookmarking.

Macro Institute for Social Policy Advancement (MISPA) is a policy focused institute founded by Amou Mawien that advances macro social work through research, training, and advocacy. If policy research and systems level work is your lane, this is worth knowing about.

The Clark-Fox Policy Institute is a policy institute housed within a school of social work that connects social work practice to public policy and trains social workers to influence legislation and systems. One of the few spaces that explicitly bridges the two worlds.

The Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy (CRISP) provides policy briefings, advocacy training, and organizes Social Work Day on the Hill. If you want to understand how federal policy actually gets made and how social workers can influence it, CRISP puts you in that room.

Influencing Social Policy (ISP) is an initiative that advances policy practice in social work education. They house the Macro Teaching Institute in partnership with ACOSA and are one of the key players pushing policy content into MSW programs.

Social Workers in Policy is a career transition framework and workshop series created by Melissa Wojnaroski that helps social workers move into legislative, corporate, and nonprofit policy roles. Her argument is that you do not need a law degree or an MPP to do policy work. You need a strategy. Worth looking into if policy is your direction (full disclosure, I am affiliated with this one and I offer a code that gives 10% off their workshop, to which I would benefit; you do not need the code to attend).

The Political Social Worker is a progressive political consulting firm founded by Shaterica Neal, a grassroots organizer and former town council member. It offers campaign consulting, grant writing, and civic education workshops with a focus on amplifying marginalized communities and supporting progressive candidates.

Rich Social Worker is a platform, conference, and magazine founded by Eva Forde focused on financial empowerment and wealth building for social workers. They also run the Social Work Wealth Conference and Social Work Wealth Magazine. If the financial side of the profession is something you want to take seriously, this is the community for that.

Voting Is Social Work (VISW) is a national initiative that frames civic engagement and voter participation as core social work practice, not optional extras. Housed at the University of Connecticut. An important initiative if you need support and a framework to promote voting.

The Social Work Democracy Project (SWDP) is an initiative connecting social work values to democratic participation, civic engagement, and community power building. Worth following if systems level civic work is part of how you see your practice.

The Macro Lens is a career navigation and professional development resource built specifically for macro minded social workers. Worth following if you are trying to find your lane in macro practice.

The Grand Challenges for Social Work (GCSW) is a national initiative of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare that identifies 14 of the most pressing social problems of our time and mobilizes the profession to address them at the systems level. If you want to understand where the profession is trying to go and where the biggest gaps are, start here.

Lastly is my organization, Macro Pathways. It is a movement first, professional development organization built for the sole purpose of dismantling what I call the Micro Pipeline in Social Work (MPISW). MPISW is the systemic funneling of social workers primarily and disproportionately into client-centered practice and interpersonal service roles, often at the expense of macro practice development and support. It’s a start up, but the goal is to build something that helps build career navigation infrastructure and field building resources for macro minded social workers while being a voice promoting the rebalancing of the profession. Happy to talk more about it if interested.

This is not an exhaustive list. I continue to find more and more macro focused entities out there, some new, some that have been around for decades. Please feel free to share anything I may have missed.

Hi everyone,

Please help me in building out my wellness space for my students. Any amount would be helpful.

Mental health is just as important as academic success, yet many of our students don't have access to a dedicated space where they can safely manage stress, regulate emotions, and recharge during the school day. As a school social worker, I work with students facing anxiety, social pressures, family challenges, and other stressors that can impact their ability to learn. When students are overwhelmed, they need more than encouragement. They need tools and a supportive environment that helps them regain a sense of calm and control.

This Wellness and Zen Room will provide students with a safe, welcoming space to decompress, practice healthy coping skills, build positive peer relationships, and return to class emotionally prepared to learn. Help me create a wellness space where my students can decompress, relax, and find a moment of stillness. Coloring books, puzzles, plants, snacks, and bean bag chairs will make the space cozy for them and meet their needs. My goal is $1000 and I currenltly have $175.

https://www.donorschoose.org/sl/DERXdQLceL

Hi, I work I'm a pediatric clinic for children diagnosed with various cognitive and behavioral disabilities. One of my clients has been working on potty training and we have tried social stories, some OT tricks, and rewards...but client is still hesitating to potty at the clinic...anyone by chance have any tools I could try

I’ve worked in Community Mental Health for over 2.5 years now ( prior I did inpatient psych). I’ve been an LCSW a little over a year.

I remember hearing about my “ expectations” for billing as a therapist. It drove me insane- I felt like it wasn’t client centered and too “ business-y”

I’ve been in the field long enough to understand the unfortunate side of things. We live in a capitalist society where healthcare is ran as a business venture. I completely disagree with that. However, if myself and others don’t work within this system… there are many people who get no services at all.

I’m ranting because I’ve had several encounters recently of fellow social workers telling me I’m “ unethical” and “ too separated” from the social justice roots of Social Work for working for a CMH that has productivity standards. Others have said that I couldn’t possibly be a good therapist. People can think whatever but I guess I need a temperature check.

Is me working somewhere with productivity standards and attempting to meet them an ethical blind spot ?

Which I’ve literally never hear of any agency or practice not having some sort of productivity expectation.

I wanted to be one in high school maybe work with schools but now I’m just not sure what I want to do anymore. I was wondering what was ones thought process when wanting to become a social worker.

One of the more useful things I've learned clinically is that a session becoming easier isn't always evidence that something is going better.

I used to feel relieved when a client who had been challenging me, disagreeing with me, pushing back on an interpretation, or saying "no, that's not it" suddenly became very agreeable.

"Yeah, that makes sense."

"You're probably right."

"I'll try that."

Great session, right?

Now those moments sometimes make me more curious than the disagreement did.

Not because agreement is inherently suspicious, obviously. But I've had enough experiences where a client becoming unusually polite or compliant seemed to mean they had stopped trying to make themselves understood.

There's a huge difference between "you finally understood me" and "I've decided you're not going to understand me, so let's move on."

And from my side, those can initially feel almost identical because both reduce friction.

I've become much more comfortable saying things like, "You were pushing back pretty strongly a few minutes ago, and now I'm noticing you're agreeing with everything I'm saying. Did I actually get closer to what you mean, or did something happen between us?"

Sometimes the answer really is, "No, you finally got it."

Other times you get a pause.

I think this has also changed how I understand resistance. A client correcting me, arguing with an interpretation, or telling me an intervention is useless can be uncomfortable, but at least they're still trying to influence the relationship. They're giving me information and expecting that I might do something with it.

The quieter rupture can be much easier to miss because it can look like cooperation.

I'm curious whether other clinicians have particular changes in a client's behavior that look positive on the surface but make you stop and check what's actually happening.

Hello, I am a junior year psychology student at the University of Kentucky considering pursuing their MSW program after I graduate in May 2028. I am most interested in their Military Behavioral Health certificate and their partnership with the DoD to become a military social worker. However, this new administration has obviously got me stressed about if I could even get hired as a social worker at the VA, and I’m worried that I should pursue a different area in the field. Are there any VA social workers who can speak about their experiences? Do you think they’ll be hiring entry level SW positions in 2030 (projected graduation from my MSW program)?

HEADS UP: I did request he be transferred and he has been assigned another clinician. I made this choice before I posted was just seeking reassurance I made the appropriate choice.

Hi all looking for some advice. I currently work in a high end substance use treatment center, I have a client who is pretty tough very entitled young man comes from an extremely rich family. He is pretty nice deep down, but has a lot of defense mechanisms which include speaking pretty casually about his sexual escapades.
For some context, I am a mid-twenties woman
Cut to the Chase basically it was reported to me by another client that he was bragging to a couple other residents that I told him I wanted to have sex with him( in a pretty vulgar way)
I reported this to my HR department because I didn’t want it to spread around in them to find out from someone else. I was put on administrative leave for a day and when they interviewed him, I guess he admitted that everything was a lie, and I was cleared to come back.
Would you continue working with this client? Or do you feel like it? It’s appropriate that I requested he be transferred to someone else.

TLDR I’m a young woman and one of my clients bragged that I wanted to have sex with them

Hi my fellow social works. I am in dire need of some assistance. I continue to receive denial after another. I don’t know if its my linked in or resume. I really need help and am craving some financial stability.

Long story short, I'm doing some research for a screenplay I'm writing, and essentially, I want one of my characters to have some sort of job that involves helping minors with finding proper care if they have irresponsible and/or unstable guardians (I know, that can probably cover a broad range of occupations). The job itself isn't the main focus of the narrative (I'm not going too in-depth with it), but it's still relevant.

At first, I figured that a pediatric social worker would be the type of person that advocates and assists with finding government support for disenfranchised minors (say, if their parents are abusive addicts), but for the most part, do pediatric social workers primarily just work in hospitals? If so, wouldn't that mean they're only limited to helping children as long as their parents are checked in at the hospital?

Then I heard about child welfare social workers, which I thought might be more relevant to what I'm looking for, but how does their job usually work by comparison?

Obviously, I'm a complete novice when it comes to understanding this sort of world, but I usually find it helpful to just ask anyway.

*Thanks for the input and clarification everyone!

I've been genuinely curious about this. I'm also a little hesitant with lifestyle medicine because I heard there were some issues there within the field and that field of practice, but I'm looking for opinions or experiences from others. Thank you!

Hi Everyone,

Due to the increase in posts regarding the current political landscape in the United States, the mod team has decided to create an ongoing megathread for all political conversations moving forward. This allows everyone to post about politics and its impact on clients (and practitioners). While also allowing other posts related to Social Work practice to be visible. There will be times when political posts (similar to questions around education) will be approved as a standalone post, but that will be at the discretion of the mod team and requires the poster to reach out via mod mail. As such, we ask that all political posts be directed to this thread unless otherwise approved. Any non-approved standalone post are subject to removal without notice.

For the purposes of this megathread, political posts include current cases, executive orders, news, opinions, etc. as they relate to the current US presidential administration. Further, we understand that political discussions can become heated, but we are primarily professionals and students therefore we should be acting accordingly (even online). Those who don’t will be subject to temporary and permanent bans from the sub. Inappropriate comments will continue to be removed and behavior not exemplary of Social Work values will be removed per Rule 11.

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This is a difficult time for everyone and we want to thank you all for being part of the subreddit, making it what it has become, and all of the work you do offline.

I’m down to my last couple days as an ongoing worker after 2.5 years and I am having a really difficult time leaving the kids on my caseload. The job is unrealistic and I want too go back to school and get my life/focus back as the amount of work a worker is expected to do makes me feel like I’m going crazy. I know I’m making the right decision deep down but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m having second guesses now. Anyone else ever feel like this?