There are two issues I do know for certain about social work and public well being:
One: Social work and public well being are naturally complimentary fields, excellent companions in bettering neighborhood well being and wellbeing.
Two: Individuals are simply as confused about what public well being is as they’re social work.
A battle with social work is, as a result of the occupation is so various, most have a slim view of what social staff do. Whereas most solely affiliate social work with social providers, social staff work in many alternative settings, together with faculties, hospitals and clinics psychological well being practices, veteran facilities, youngster welfare businesses, the prison justice system, companies, academia, analysis and coverage, and state, federal and native authorities.
Much like social work, public well being practitioners work in varied settings just like the one’s I’ve talked about. Additionally much like social work, most of the people is unclear about what public well being practitioners do and the way public well being provides worth to their lives and to different professions. This disconnect limits communities’ understanding of what’s required to do social work and public well being work successfully.
March is Social Work Month, and the 2023 theme is “Social Work Breaks Barriers“, underscoring the progressive methods social staff empower communities to beat challenges to allow them to dwell to their fullest potential.
A part of that innovation is highlighting how social staff companion with different professions to advocate for legal guidelines and insurance policies that positively affect on the particular person, neighborhood, and programs stage.
The social work occupation originated and labored alongside public well being within the early twentieth century, partnering with docs to fight sexually transmitted infections and different infectious illnesses and to enhance maternal and youngster well being in settlement homes.
As social work advanced, nonetheless, the occupation skilled (and continues to expertise) an id disaster, emphasizing remedy, case administration, {and professional} licensure as methods to legitimize the occupation in response to the comparability to psychology and psychiatry. I struggled with this as I studied for the LMSW exam, as mezzo-macro social work was my tutorial focus, and nearly all of my examination questions had been micro (scientific).
Additionally, many social staff could also be training public well being with out realizing, as social staff usually lead prevention and well being promotion efforts in area comparable to sexual and reproductive well being/proper/justice, HIV/AIDS, and extra. Actually, my consulting projects are largely public well being centered. Due to this, I’ve began embracing my position as a public well being social employee.
What’s improbable about being a public well being social employee is combining the cultural and communication expertise of a social employee with the the rigorous scientific coaching of a public well being skilled. This benefit lets me method my work from an epidemiological and a social perspective. The power to translate community-based work into group and population-level coverage suggestions helps construct my expertise epidemiology and biostatistics whereas honing my understanding of well being promotion and prevention.
I’m excited for the way forward for strengthening the social work and public well being connection, contributing to the rising dialogue on how these professions will be devoted collaborators.
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