Are you considering becoming a social worker? It’s a noble calling, and not everyone in life is drawn to altruistic pursuits like social work. Some people are happy to make money, clock off each day and not worry about making a difference. But if you’re reading this, you are obviously invested in improving society and considering working with some of the most vulnerable people in the community.
As a Clinical Social Worker, you’ll be proud of the work that you do and won’t be ashamed to disclose what you do for a living in a social setting. You’ll enjoy a rewarding, fulfilling and enriching career, safe in the knowledge that you’re helping people each day at work.
But you might be wondering what is in a clinical social worker job description so that you’re fully prepared for this career. Well, don’t fret – because this informative article is going to share what you need to know about a career in clinical social work. We’ll share what this role does on a daily basis and how to become one. Continue reading to learn more.
What is a Clinical Social Worker?
A Clinical Social Worker is a specialized social worker who focuses on the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of certain types of disorders and illnesses. Primarily, a Clinical Social Worker focuses on those experiencing mental illness, behavioral disturbances or issues, and other emotional problems. Typically, a Clinical Social Worker is required to hold a specific license and be certified at a clinical level, depending on the state they practice in.
What Does a Clinical Social Worker Do?
A Clinical Social Worker will have a range of duties to perform as they support specific cohorts of people. Their tasks and responsibilities may include some or all of the following, depending on where they work:
- Meeting with clients to perform assessments based on their history and needs
- Interviewing clients’ doctors, families and other professionals to better support them
- Developing treatment modalities and strategies using various methods
- Using therapies such as behavioral therapy or psychotherapy
- Collaborating with other health care providers such as doctors, psychologists and support groups
- Monitoring and evaluating clients’ responses to treatment and therapy
- Providing individual and group therapy
- Undertaking administrative and record-keeping duties
- Reporting to various bodies, including the police, child protection services and social services
Where Do Clinical Social Workers Work?
As a Clinical Social Worker, you may wind up working in a diverse array of employment settings. For instance, you might work in a hospital setting, such as an inpatient mental health ward, where you’ll provide support, assessment, therapy and counseling to patients experiencing acute mental health episodes. You could also work in the wider hospital, seeing patients referred to you due to various disadvantages and other issues.
Some Clinical Social Workers work in community health centers located in the wider community, where they see patients in an outpatient capacity. Others may work in a purely outreach capacity, traveling around the community to visit people in their homes, where they will treat patients.
Some Clinical Social Workers may even work in private practice, running their clinics and employing other social workers or various healthcare professionals to support people who can afford private treatment or whose insurance covers the therapy.
What Areas of Specialization Are There?
As a Clinical Social Worker, you might choose to specialize further in a particular sector. For instance, you might forge a career in the mental health sector, prioritizing working with patients experiencing psychosis or severe mental health disorders. Or, you might choose to work in the domestic and family violence space, working with either victim-survivors of family violence or perpetrators to support them in changing their behavior and amending their past wrongs.
Other areas of specialization include working with veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, having physical disabilities due to war injuries, or working with people experiencing homelessness in a shelter. You might choose to work with disadvantaged and troubled young people, performing assessments and interventions with youth offenders or those at risk of interactions with the criminal justice system.
As you can see, there is a wide range of areas of practice for a Clinical Social Worker to work in. Try several before choosing one. Some Social Workers work in a specific field their whole careers, while others change and gain new experience and skills by switching it up. The choice is yours.
How to Become a Clinical Social Worker
You’ll first need to obtain an entry-level social work qualification, such as a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. You can also obtain an undergraduate degree in psychology, sociology or a related social sciences field.
Depending on if you study part or full-time, this can take four to eight years, depending on how quickly you complete the course. In order to become a licenced and registered Clinical Social Worker, you’ll need to undertake further postgraduate study. This is an MSW, or Masters of Social Work and takes two years of full-time study to obtain.
This qualification is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Most master’s programs will require you to complete unpaid internships, gain supervised experience and take various specialized coursework subjects such as assessment, social work policy, clinical practice, intervention and evaluation, and behavioral health policy.
Once you have completed this rigorous amount of study, you’ll be a fully qualified Clinical Social Worker, ready to embark on your career.