Social workers dedicate their careers to helping children and adults live healthier lives in communities the world over. There are many types of social workers, and you’ll find them working with dedication in homes, schools, hospitals, prisons, government, social service agencies, mental health facilities, nonprofit organizations, corporations, and more.¹

If a social worker has helped you or a loved one, you know how vital their work is. Read on to learn how social workers are making essential contributions to these seven areas of social work practice:²

1. Aging
   In social work careers, these professionals address issues affecting America’s rapidly aging population. They help connect Americans 65 and older with Medicare and Medicaid. They offer services to clients who have chronic illnesses and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. They help safeguard older adults from abuse.
2. Behavioral Health
   This type of social work practice combines knowledge of human behavior, sociology, psychiatry, psychology, and other social sciences.³ In behavioral health social work jobs, professionals work with people experiencing mental health conditions, substance use disorders and other addictions, and other challenges.
3. Child Welfare
   Social workers help safeguard children and provide services to promote their growth and well-being. They are voices for children in the courtroom and intervene to protect children from abuse and neglect. They work with families to help create healthier homes, as well as connect children with disabilities with support services.
4. Clinical Social Work
   The National Association of Social workers (NASW) classifies clinical social work as a specialty practice area focused on assessing, diagnosing, treating, and preventing mental health, emotional, and behavioral conditions.⁴ Licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), who must have at least a master’s in social work (MSW) and proper licensure, provide individual, family, and group therapy.
5. Ethnicity and Race
   Social work careers in this vital practice area focus on social change and racial equity. “Our members understand cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice,” NASW says. Essential social work job opportunities lie in areas such as community organizing, government and nonprofit administration, advocacy, social and political action, policy development and implementation, education, and research.⁵
6. Health
   Social workers also work in healthcare settings to improve the health of patients and communities. They help clients understand their diagnosis and provide information and resources to help clients manage their condition. “Social workers play a critical role in advocating for policies that reduce health disparities and improve access to health care, especially for vulnerable populations,” the NASW says.⁶
7. LGBTQ+ Community
   Social workers provide services that support LGBTQ+ individuals, and they work to help families, organizations, and communities embrace inclusion. They provide these essential services through counseling and many other efforts that “ensure wellness, safety, and equity” for all LGBTQ+ individuals, says NASW. “Social workers have a shared commitment to promoting laws, policies, and programming that affirm, support, and value LGBT individuals, families, and communities.”⁷
8. School Social Work
   School social workers help support and nurture children throughout their educational journey. In their social work careers, these professionals use tools like counseling, crisis intervention, and parent education to help children achieve their academic and social potential. During the COVID-19 pandemic, school social workers are addressing additional challenges relating to safety, isolation, mental health, hunger, and housing insecurity.⁸

How to Become a Social Worker

If you’re an empathetic problem-solver with a commitment to social change, a social work career may be a solid choice. And with the demand for social work professionals expected to increase 6% through 2034,⁹ there may be no better time for you to earn a master’s degree in social work.

Walden University offers a Master of Social Work (MSW) online degree program that gives you the education and skills you need while allowing you to continue working and managing personal commitments. In Walden’s Council on Social Work Education–accredited MSW online program, you’ll benefit from a cutting-edge curriculum that includes award-winning case studies, virtual reality simulations, and online MSW Skills Labs that help you prepare for your licensing exam.

Walden offers other online social work degree programs to help meet your career goals as well. Prepare for your social work career by earning a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. Or advance your study in Walden’s Doctor of Social Work or PhD in Social Work degree programs. When you’re ready to join the more than 713,0008 social workers providing the essential services that strengthen lives and communities, there’s an online social work degree program that can prepare you to join their ranks.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering an online Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient online format that fits your busy life.

¹Source: www.socialworkers.org/News/Facts/Social-Workers#:~:text=More%20than%2040%25%20of%20all,senators%20and%20four%20U.S.%20Representatives.3
²Source: www.socialworkers.org/Practice
³Source: www.socialworkers.org/Practice/Behavioral-Health
⁴Source: www.socialworkers.org/Practice/Clinical-Social-Work
⁵Source: www.socialworkers.org/Practice/Ethnicity-Race/Racial-Justice
⁶Source: www.socialworkers.org/Practice/Health
⁷Source: www.socialworkers.org/Practice/LGBT
⁸Source: www.socialworkers.org/Practice/School-Social-Work/School-Social-Work-Tools/COVID-19-Resources-for-School-Social-Workers
⁹Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm#tab-1

Accreditation
Walden’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Master of Social Work (MSW), and Doctor of Social Work (DSW) programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Accreditation of a baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral social work program by the BOA indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals and the BOA has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

Note on Licensure
The Walden University Master of Social Work (MSW) program is designed to prepare graduates to practice as licensed social workers in many states. However, the requirements for licensure as a social worker vary greatly from state to state. Each state board that is responsible for regulating the practice of social work has its own academic requirements and issues its own license to practice as a social worker in that state. Additionally, students should be advised that the Walden MSW program is not designed or intended to prepare graduates for licensure as a school social worker; however, graduates might be eligible for licensure as a school social worker in their particular state of residence.

While Walden Enrollment Specialists can provide general information relating to the state-by-state educational requirements for social work licensure or certification, it remains the student’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to field education experiences, licensing or certification, authorization, or endorsement for the state in which she or he resides. Walden makes no representations or guarantee that completion of its coursework or programs will permit an individual to obtain state licensure, certification, authorization, endorsement, or other state credential. Licensure eligibility determinations are ultimately determined by the appropriate state board that issues the credential to practice.

Prospective students enrolling in licensure-leading programs are advised that relocation to another state may impact the student’s ability to complete field experiences and/or to obtain professional licensure, certification, or other credential in another state. Prospective students are advised to carefully review, evaluate, and understand the requirements of the applicable licensure board in the state in which they intend to relocate.

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission www.hlcommission.org, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education..