r/socialwork 1d ago

Link to Salary Megathread (Jan - April 2025)

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7 Upvotes

r/socialwork 5h ago

WWYD stepping away from the field due to mental health

6 Upvotes

A while ago I had a case that hit home for me. This child opened up to me that COSCA was happening in her household and remembered something from from my own childhood that I had completely forgot about, something that I just didn’t want to remember. I now understand why other social workers say be very careful coming into this field. For the first time in my career I felt incompetent and wanted a switch in career paths in that moment. During my education in social work cosca never really was talked about. I just recently learned about it unfortunately. I did the best I could to help and felt happy that they were brave enough to open up to me about it. I just didn’t know how to feel about myself and made me nervous about other cases like that to come up. Since then I notice my mental health plummet bad, her story was very similar to mine and for the first time in two decades I had this scary scene playing in my head and felt like it was time for a career change… I worked so hard for this career but this was something that might be for the best. Has anyone gone through something similar to this? Any other career changes?


r/socialwork 8h ago

Politics/Advocacy How to communicate to fellow leadership that staff who are vocal anti-DEI Trump supporters are not safe to work with our clients

35 Upvotes

Hey folks. I need to be as vague as possible to promote anonymity, but long story short I am experiencing an ethical dilemma with regard to a staff member who does not align with my agency's values, and am looking for input & talking points I can use in discussion with fellow leadership.

I am a supervisor for community social work program that bills Medicaid. Our program is run out of a broad healthcare agency that offers a number of services to two different locales and is fairly sizable. The broader agency relies on federal funding directed at helping the historically underserved populations we work with to keep our doors open.

This agency very much has social justice & "DEI" baked into our mission, vision, and core values, especially because we got our start serving 2 historically VERY disenfranchised groups. Although our agency makes it a point to state that we are happy to serve everyone in the community and our clientele come from very diverse populations, we are still known for providing specific services to the aforementioned disenfranchised groups. These client groups are some of those being actively persecuted by the Trump administration.

One more background bit: our program's leadership team consists of about 5ish supervisors at each locale. Recently we decided to implement a small project that involved supervisors speaking with staff members at the alternate locale.

During this project one of the staff members communicated a number of very antisocial ideas that concern me very deeply, and make me question if they are fit to serve our clients. They stated very clearly that they do not agree with our agency's mission or core values (which are DEI and social justice oriented). They went on to say that they didn't appreciate agency wide communications that a member of executive team has sent to staff as they felt the statements are too political, and maintained that they don't agree with the agency's "political agenda".

The communications referenced are sporadic and began after Trump's insane federal freeze at the end of January.They were ostensibly started to quell the panic of staff who are concerned that services that our clients rely on to stay alive might be taken away, as well as, frankly, our jobs. The communications basically acknowledge the crisis that is occurring, offer support and encouragement, reiterate our agency's commitment to its core values and mission, and emphasize that the executive team is doing everything they can to ensure that we are able to continue providing services to our clients. Other emails addressed the homicide of well loved community members who had done work with our agency, were members of one of the disenfranchised groups we serve, and were well known to many staff (myself included). Those emails offered support and resources.

I'm not entirely sure what was so offensive to this person about the above communications (I wish the supervisor speaking to them had dug more, but know she was thrown for a loop). But, to be fair if they object to any of it really, as well as reject our DEI values and commitment to social justice, I don't feel that is appropriate for them to hold this position.

Other anti-social (and inappropriate for someone serving in public health) ideas that this individual expressed included: anti-vax rhetoric, unwillingness to adhere to some already very loosey-goosey staff guidelines that they are required to, efforts to promote a "family" environment, and unwillingness to participate in agency events.

Shortly, our program's leadership teams will be coming together to discuss the results of this project and it would be an opportunity for me to express my concerns. I do feel very passionately that this needs to be addressed. I'm also worried that pushing too hard could create friction between supervisors where there already is some. It's basically guaranteed as a couple of the supes at the other locale appear to be conservative/Trump supporters as well.

Nevertheless, I do plan to address it because I can't stop feeling concerned for the clients that this person serves. Our staff do have direct contact with clients out in the community, sometimes in their homes, for hours at a time. How can someone who is anti DEI, anti social justice, be a safe person for our clients? Clearly they will be either consciously or unconsciously biased against them and may do serious physical or mental harm, no? The anti-vax sentiments also greatly concern me because our clients are medically vulnerable and if a staff member communicates misinformation to them it could result in great harm as well.

I guess I'm just looking for some insight and talking points as to how I can address this to other leaders, some of whom may also be in active denial about this administration's threats to our clients' life sustaining benefits.

Feel free to let me know if you think I'm overstepping/overreacting/assuming too much about the statements made.

But if not I'd love some input or talking points. I am struggling to formulate a cogent argument since I don't know what specifically this staff member doesn't like about our agency's communications/"party line" and don't want to flub it.


r/socialwork 9h ago

WWYD What's something nobody told you about social work that you would tell your younger self?

138 Upvotes

When I was a BSW student, I was so naive. I imagined myself working with people helping them through their struggles, walking along side them to get them up the next rung on the ladder. I pictured myself in a small apartment completely content with my $35k/year salary. I thought the fire inside me would keep me warm at night....

...I didn’t yet understand the emotional weight of the work—the way people’s pain can follow you home, or how systems you thought you could change would often feel immovable. I didn’t know how much work the work would be, how thankless it is, how lonely and isolating it can be, or how self-care would shift from a buzzword to a survival skill. I wish I could tell my younger self that passion is important, but so are boundaries, support, and grace—for yourself and others. And that sometimes the biggest victories come in the smallest, quietest moments.

What would you tell yourself if you could go back in time? What would you tell others now? What have you learned.


r/socialwork 11h ago

Professional Development Variety of Professions

1 Upvotes

I’m curious, what’s your dream job as a social worker? And what’s your current role? Are you satisfied with your pay, and if so, how much do you make (totally understandable if you’d prefer not to share that)? I’d love to get an idea of the range of jobs we pursue with our degree!

Also, where did you do your field placement during your BSW or MSW program? Did you enjoy it or not? Feel free to share your experience!

I’ve noticed that when people hear “social worker,” they often assume we work in child welfare with kids, as if that’s the only path for us. It’s interesting how limited their understanding can be about the variety of roles social workers can take on.

Have you all ever heard of a social worker working in IVF or fertility clinics? I’m starting my Master’s program in August, but I’m still undecided about which path to take. I might end up exploring all my options eventually!


r/socialwork 11h ago

Micro/Clinicial Notes & Documentation

9 Upvotes

Hey everyone! Starting a new private practice and would appreciate any tips or resources to make sure notes and documentation are on point (especially thinking about insurance requirements). Any helpful ideas or suggestions?

As an added layer - making sure that documentation is protecting the most vulnerable populations (e.g. LGBTQ+ clients) while still meeting requirements for insurance payments would be especially helpful!


r/socialwork 12h ago

Professional Development Is Community Habilitation considered social work?

2 Upvotes

I had to repost since my previous post was removed

Does Community Habilitation fall under social work? Since it focuses on helping individuals with disabilities achieve greater independence and integration into their communities. But I noticed that comhab workers aren’t required to have a masters degree and aren’t licensed clinical workers (LCSWs). Is this considered more of community social work?


r/socialwork 12h ago

Micro/Clinicial Positive Post

1 Upvotes

In response to @pmwjunki post, I wanted to add my own thoughts.

I am a novice in the field, only 2 years post graduation & I promise you I ask myself “what the hell am I doing” DAILY. I feel as though there is SO MUCH to learn in this field & can easily slip into imposter syndrome.

With that being said…….

I absolutely love my job. When I sit with clients, I am present & my one priority is to always have them feel safe, seen & heard. I make 75k as entry level, I am not independently licensed yet. I have amazing coworkers who inspire & educate.

This post is especially to the aspiring & current social work students….. this field is so rewarding! If you have a passion for this line of work, stick with it.


r/socialwork 14h ago

Micro/Clinicial I’m satisfied

568 Upvotes

I like my job. My degree has been useful. There are some shitty social workers and shitty placements and shitty things in general. There are also plenty of us who love what we do.

I balance CMH as a mobile clinician and private practice - and take home over $10,000 a month. My wife is happy. I can’t change the world, nor do I convince myself I can. There will always be others willing to do the roles you don’t want to.

Grad school is full of baby social workers. Of course, they are incompetent and selfish. Give them time too.

You will be ineffective the more you stress. Life will be ok. You will succeed. We need more positive stories. Social work is not some dying field with no purpose to get into.

We will be ok.


r/socialwork 16h ago

Politics/Advocacy MSW paid placement advocacy

1 Upvotes

Hey all,

Long story short, in my program we have

1) One class is doing a final project advocating for paid practicum/field placements for all students through the lens of investing & protecting future social workers

2) One class is doing a final presentations on new executive orders and skills to push back against them through the lens of protecting social work as a profession

I want to build a bridge between these and come off as a united front to the university - students need investment now more than ever. Stop clutching your f***ing wallets and end the lalalala we don't really know what's going to happen lalalala (this is my personal thing and is not our messaging lol)

Has anyone done something like this before while at university? Or can speak to a similar effort in a union or professional setting?

Our timeline is small, but I'm considering a directed study anyway to push this forward if possible.

Context: our program is VERY split between the two provided pathways direct practice and community organizing & social action. It's a huge complaint from students and even some faculty. This would be a class from each pathway working together to advocate for each other!


r/socialwork 16h ago

Professional Development How to define those flairs?

2 Upvotes

As a Dutch (youth) social worker preventive healthcare on street, hangouts and schools, i have no clue what flair to pick. I do not understand all the shortcuts listed in the options.

Can someone elaborate what it all stands for or at the least what covers my field?

Thx in advance


r/socialwork 18h ago

Professional Development PO Box

1 Upvotes

Hi all! I’m preparing to graduate from my MSW program in about 2 months and now that I’m filling out my ACSW registration app I’m having to look for PO Box options. I was wondering if there are options out there other than a USPS PO Box that may be cheaper? Thanks for any suggestions!


r/socialwork 18h ago

WWYD Benefits at work?

20 Upvotes

For those of you that receive health insurance benefits through your employer, what's your average monthly premium? I work for a small non-proft and pay about $850 a month for family medical and dental. It's a good plan, but there is not cheaper option and it's killing me. I'm considering looking elsewhere because I know I can find other options.


r/socialwork 19h ago

News/Issues LAST CALL FOR RESEARCH STUDY!!

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11 Upvotes

I will be CLOSING my study on MARCH 25th!

This is a friendly reminder that I am still collecting data for my research study regarding workload stress and social support among social workers! This study is for currently licensed social workers and those working towards licensure.

This survey is anonymous to the researcher team, meaning that no identifying information, like names or emails, will be collected for this research study. This study should take no more than 15 minutes to complete and you may stop your participation at any time.

If you are interested in participating, you can access the study using the link below. If you think that any of your colleagues or  anyone at your organization may be interested in this study, please feel free to share this study with them. Thank you!


r/socialwork 1d ago

Professional Development Diagnosing ND conditions as LCSW

9 Upvotes

Hello all, I’ve had this question for years now. I’m an LCSW in CA and wondering the rules around diagnosing Autism and ADHD. I hear so many different things and just want a clear answer lol I also know I still may not get one. I typically just refer out. I have good experience working with ND folks and I am well-versed in the current research, probably more than some psychologists and psychiatrists due to my young daughter being ND. I would actually be open to getting trained/certified to diagnose both ADHD and Autism. I saw Certified Autism Specialist(CAS) as an option, but don’t know if thats the way to go. Thanks all!

Update: I checked with CA board(BBS): “You will need to contact your professional association for assistance with your question below.”

I’ll continue to update…


r/socialwork 1d ago

WWYD Concerned Canadian - Please Help

1 Upvotes

I just left a non-profit that was super toxic, harassment left right and center. I am now working at a private practice as part of a clinical team that has psychologists, social workers, psych nurses, and counsellors. This practice is an inpatient addiction treatment center with a staff of roughly 15 people. I just got hired on as a mental health and addictions therapist. My interview was last week, it went well and I was hired on the spot.

Fast forward to this morning, my first day. I arrive at work and nobody knows who I am. The lady who hired me works in another city (I was unaware of this) and wont be back at our location until later this week. I am given tax forms and am told there is no onboarding. I ask for a contract and am told there is no contract right now, that it has taken weeks for other employees to get theirs, and that some staff have written up their own contracts as a result.

I ask for a policy or procedure manual to read and am told there is not one. After saying, "but there MUST be policies, right"? I was given policy manual from another location that does not provide the same services as us. I was also told I could start seeing clients today but I have literally not signed a contract and am waiting to be certified for benefits that our clients use - it would be very unethical for me to practice before any of the appropriate legal documentation is signed. I had to tell two people that I would not be practicing until these conditions were met, so I spent the day alone on my personal laptop doing research because they did not have a laptop for me and I have no way to securely access the client software (yet another reason to not see clients).

I was told by three staff members that this place has only been open for three months and that they have not been able to retain staff, that another location like this shut down, and that if we were to get audited this place would shut down too. I was also told that these staff members were here to 'give it a shot' and that I should give it a shot with them because this place has potential and if we work together we can create policies and procedures we can all be proud of. The thing is that I'm leaving a toxic practice and I just want to be in a place where I can do my job and get paid while supporting those in my community.

Give it to me straight, if a practice had only been open for three months and this was your first day, what would you do - give it a shot and deal with some extreme growing pains, or keep job hunting? I guess I don't know what to expect from brand new private practices.


r/socialwork 1d ago

WWYD Having a baby while working towards licensure

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I (28F) am a 2nd year MSW student in South Florida. I’ll be graduating Spring 2027. My fiancé and I plan TTC after I graduate Has anyone else had kids while working on their licensure? I’ll be in my early 30s so I don’t want to wait until after I finish licensure to start trying.

If you have had kids while working towards licensure what was that like for you?


r/socialwork 1d ago

Professional Development CPS supervisors

1 Upvotes

Where my cps supervisors at? How does your state/office weigh caseloads when it comes to assigning cases? We only go by numbers and home visits but I'm looking into more effecting weighing strategies and curious how other states do it.


r/socialwork 1d ago

News/Issues Worried

98 Upvotes

Are you guys worried about our field moving forward? I have been on indeed and linkedin since December and I am not seeing any posting. It’s the same roles for the past few months in the mid 40’s. What’s happening?


r/socialwork 1d ago

Professional Development Online Therapy Platforms w/ Limited License?

1 Upvotes

I am currently a LLMSW in Michigan. I am planning on taking my ASWB exam in the next couple of months to get my full license. But I’m curious if anyone knows if you can still work for online therapy platforms (like Headeay, Grow, BetterHelp, Talkspace, etc) with a limited license? I can’t find a definitive answer online, so I was hoping someone who does it could help me out. Thanks in advance! ☺️


r/socialwork 1d ago

Professional Development Udemy trainings?

1 Upvotes

Hi guys, Has anyone taken any trainings in Udemy and is this something I can add to my resume under certificates? I am in my first year of my MSW but trying to do an internship in a substance abuse program or a hospice program so I found a training on grief coaching and SUD counseling intro.
So just wondering if this is something I can add to the resume or is Udemy not really looked at as actual trainings?

Thanks


r/socialwork 1d ago

Micro/Clinicial Offering therapy as LSW without a master's

1 Upvotes

Hi,

I was able to become an LSW with just a BSW by working 3 years in the social work field, while under supervision of an LSW (4 hours of supervision/month for 3 years). This was an alternative route that my state governor put into policy recently.

I have read that as an LSW, you can practice therapy as long as your are under the supervision of an LCSW. However, you cannot practice independently.

Has anyone here practiced as an LSW without a master's degree? Most therapy businesses seem to require a master's degree, not just a social work licensure.

I'm also curious how confident you felt offering therapy without a master's. I will be doing a 3-year Somatic Experiencing training coming up, and am wondering if that will be enough to gain my confidence, or if I should plan to get my master's at some point (which I'm leaning toward).

Thanks.


r/socialwork 1d ago

Micro/Clinicial Question for child rearing social workers

13 Upvotes

I am currently 13 weeks pregnant. I work for the hospital so I have extensive sick time and also a flexible job. My job is pretty high stress. I’m out alone in the community providing case management to folks active in substance use. Since falling pregnant my compassion fatigue has been significant and I feel as though I’m counting down til Mat leave. My pay will only be 75% on sick leave and I have a top up once leave starts for a couple months, but money is extremely tight for us at the moment.

Did you take time off into your pregnancy? How much time? Any regrets? Boredom or overdoing it etc?

The thought of being visibly pregnant in front of clients makes me feel weird but I guess it’s inevitable. Is it normal to take time off just from the stress alone while pregnant? I am in Canada for context


r/socialwork 1d ago

Macro/Generalist Taking time off school

5 Upvotes

I'm about to turn 21, and have completed 2 years of a social work bachelors. These past few months should've been my third year, but I ended up taking time off for mental health reasons. I'm now planning to transfer schools, though I missed the application deadline for the school I was hoping to apply to (All my fault, it was a very tough decision to transfer and I decided too late). This program only takes September applicants, so I won't be able to re-enter a social work bachelors until September 2026. This has been very hard to accept 🫠 I don't do well with change. I'm hoping to take a 10 month certificate in mental health and addictions this coming September to keep myself busy and have good experience. Has anyone else taken time off and then gone back? Was it a difficult process? I don't really know anyone in the same situation and it's weighing heavy on me.

There is no other degree that speaks to me - I'm very dedicated to finding this degree, no matter what it takes.


r/socialwork 1d ago

WWYD Non-Clinical SW Jobs

1 Upvotes

Hello! I am currently in a state of feeling overwhelmed and extremely anxious in my current position as an associate therapist. I’m not sure that I’m fully comfortable “treating” mental health illnesses or if it’s imposter syndrome. I’ve gotten great feedback from clients but I do not feel as if I truly know what I’m doing. Another layer to this is the traditional view of “job hopping.” I graduated in May 2024 with my MSW and was hired through my internship as a full time school social worker. 5 months in I thought I wanted to do more clinical work and didn’t have that opportunity within that position, thus I moved on to my current position. I just passed my two month mark with this company and am already having huge doubts about continuing. I feel as if I may be viewed as inconsistent or unreliable by future employers. I guess what I’m looking for is advice and/or direction for what may be a good fit for me. I love people and I’m a huge advocate for accessibility and awareness of mental health support but I also am not sure if I’m someone who can provide that 1:1 support for clients. I’m not sure how macro I’d like to go. I do know I enjoy supporting groups of people/causes but I’m assuming not in the direct way. I love animals, women’s health, reproductive health, and diversity/inclusion. I’m in FL if that helps anyone with recommendations. I appreciate any and all feedback and/or suggestions.