The following information is available from the Career Center, California Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) (http://naswca.org/)
What Social Workers Do:
- Help individuals, couples, and families to overcome social and health problems such as poverty, mental illness, abuse and neglect, illness, domestic violence, addictions, eating disorders, etc.
- Offer an unique approach because SW focuses on people’s problems in the context of their social environments
Common Work Activities:
- Providing services to address social, emotional, and economic needs
- Referring clients for appropriate professional or community services
- Developing resources, programs, and social policies to address unmet needs
- Coordinating and working with governmental, private, civic, religious, and business organizations to combat social problems
- Assessing, diagnosing, and treating mental health and emotional problems
- Researching, planning, and developing social and health policies and programs
Social Work Employers
- Government and Public Agencies
- Private Non-Profit Agencies
- Mental Health Clinics
- Hospitals
- Military
- Private Practice
- Associations, Civic and Social Organizations
- Court, Jails and Prisons
- Private For-Profit Agencies
- Senior Centers/Homes
- Hospice
- Business
- Corporations
- Universities
- Elected Office
- Schools
Largest Social Work Employers in California
1. California Counties. In 2006-2007 (April to April), 50% of counties had social work positions available accounting for 664 positions
2. California State. One reason is the need for additional social workers in the correctional system and the mental health system (due to the Mental Health Services Act, MHSA)