A. "Social Work
Practice" means the professional activity directed at enhancing, protecting or
restoring people's capacity for social functioning, whether impaired by
physical, environmental, or emotional factors. It is the professional
application of social work values, principles, skills, and knowledge directed
to one or more of the following ends: helping people obtain tangible services;
counseling or psychotherapy with individuals, families, and groups; helping
communities or groups to provide and/or improve social and health services;
engaging in consulting, research, and teaching relating to those ends and
principles; and administering organizations and agencies engaging in such
practice and participating in relevant legislative processes.
Social work practice is based on a specific body of knowledge
and includes, but is not limited to, a special knowledge of social resources,
social systems, human capabilities, and the part that past experiences play in
determining present behavior. Social work practice is focused on the client's
interaction with social systems and directed at helping people to achieve more
adequate, satisfying, productive, and self-realizing social adjustments.
Social work practice includes, but is not restricted to,
casework and the use of social work methodology of a non-medical nature with
individuals, families, and groups and other measures to help people modify
behavior or personal and family adjustment; providing information and referral
services; explaining and interpreting the psycho-social aspects in the
situation of individuals, families, or groups; helping communities to analyze
social problems and human needs and the direct delivery of human services; and
education and research related to the practice of social work. Engaging in
activities which may overlap social work practice does not constitute social
work practice.
B. Clinical
Social Work Practice means the application of social work methods and values in
diagnosis and treatment and prevention of psychosocial dysfunction disability
or impairment including emotional, mental, and behavioral disorders. It is
directed at enhancing, protecting, or restoring people's capacity for social
functioning, whether impaired by physical, environmental, or emotional factors.
Clinical social work has a primary focus on the mental, emotional and
behavioral well-being of individuals, couples, families and groups. It centers
on a holistic approach to psychotherapy and the client's relationship with his
or her environment as essential to treatment planning.
C. "Macro social work practice" focuses on
changing larger systems, such as communities and organizations. It encompasses
a broad spectrum of practice, including planning, program development,
community organizing, policy analysis, legislative advocacy, program
evaluation, task-oriented group work, community education, and human services
management.
D. "Examination" means
that test or other measurement which is endorsed and prescribed by the
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB.)
E. "Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)"
is the national Association of Social Work Boards.
F. "Council on Social Work Education" (CSWE)
is the national entity which accredits schools, departments, and programs of
social work in higher education.
G.
"Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists" (BOE
SW/MFT) is the legislatively authorized regulatory board for practitioners in
the respective disciplines of social work and marriage and family
therapy.
H. "Psychotherapy" is a
specialized, formal interaction between a social worker or other mental health
professional and a client (either individual, couple, family or group) in which
a therapeutic relationship is established to help resolve symptoms of mental
disorder, psychosocial stress, relationship problems and difficulties in coping
in the social environment.
