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Special service; Social workers pinpoint assistance to offer complete care

By Tribune Media Services, Source: Tribune Media Services

Today's social workers usually specialize in one of three areas:

Medical and public health – Medical social workers provide individuals and families with support and services needed to cope with chronic or terminal illness, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer or AIDS. They typically work for hospitals, nursing homes, local governments or family services agencies.

Child, family and school – These social workers offer assistance and services to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families to help maximize the family’s well-being. In schools, they address such problems as teenage pregnancy and misbehavior and advise teachers on how to cope with problem students.

Mental health and substance abuse – Known as clinical social workers, they assess and treat mental illness or substance abuse problems, such as alcoholism. Services include individual or group therapy, crisis intervention and social rehabilitation.

A few facts about social work

_Professional social workers are the nation’s largest providers of mental health services. According to government sources, more than 60 percent of mental health treatment is delivered by social workers.

_More than 600,000 people in the United States hold social work degrees.

_The Veteran’s Administration employs more than 3,800 social workers to assist veterans and their families with family counseling, end of life planning, substance abuse treatment, crisis intervention and other services.

_Forty percent of mental health professionals working with the Red Cross Disaster Services system are social workers.

Source: National Association of Social Workers

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For more information on careers in social work, visit the National Association of Social Workers’ Web site at www.socialworkers.org.

© 2009, Tribune Media Services