Essentials of Social Work Practice


Book Description

Essentials of Social Work Practice: A Concise Guide to Knowledge and Skill Development introduces readers to core concepts and skills that are vital to cultivating a successful social work practice. Unique in approach, the book clearly connects human behavior theories to engagement, assessment, goal-setting, intervention, and evaluation, while also illustrating the fluidity between micro, mezzo, and macro level activities. Over the course of eleven engaging chapters, students are introduced to the helping process, ethical standards, and strategies for working with individuals, groups, and families. They learn about contemporary service delivery models and cutting-edge programs that exemplify strength-based, ethically-oriented, and culturally relevant practice. Narratives and dialogues throughout provide detailed depictions of the use of core skills to bridge the gap between concepts and practice. A variety of creative tools and techniques are offered for use with diverse clients. Every chapter features self-care strategies to facilitate coping with common stressors in social work. The final chapter emphasizes lifelong learning and informs readers of vital resources for on-going professional development. Essentials of Social Work Practice prepares future social workers to employ strategic interventions, reflect upon their strengths and needs as a practitioner, and maintain personal health and wellness throughout their career. The book is an exemplary resource for foundational courses in social work. For a look at the specific features and benefits of Essentials of Social Work Practice, visit cognella.com/essentials-of-social-work-practice-features-and-benefits.




Essential Skills of Social Work Practice


Book Description

Essential Skills of Social Work Practice, Third Edition presents the basics of effective social work practice and helps students develop competence in assessment, intervention, and evaluation. Its broad coverage explores the counseling, case management, and research skills necessary to implement evidence-based practice in contemporary social work. Part I of the text includes three chapters that address the core foundations of social work practice: how assessment, intervention and evaluation are linked; the role of theory and research in practice; and a chapter on ethics. Part II, in addition to explaining how to conduct sound assessments and treatment planning, also examines client supportive/engagement skills, cognitive-behavioral skills, and case management skills. Part III focuses on integrating these skills into evidence-based practices with common mental health disorders and problems-in-living with adults, children, and families. Case studies, inspired by real clients, are accompanied by a psychosocial assessment, intervention, and evaluation plan. Appendix B, "The Comprehensive Service Plan," is incorporated throughout the text.




Theory & Practice in Clinical Social Work


Book Description

This thoroughly updated resource is the only comprehensive anthology addressing frameworks for treatment, therapeutic modalities, and specialized clinical issues, themes, and dilemmas encountered in clinical social work practice. Editor Jerrold R. Brandell and other leading figures in the field present carefully devised methods, models, and techniques for responding to the needs of an increasingly diverse clientele. Key Features Coverage of the most commonly used theoretical frameworks and systems in social work practice Entirely new chapters devoted to clinical responses to terrorism and natural disasters, clinical case management, neurobiological theory, cross-cultural clinical practice, and research on clinical practice Completely revised chapters on psychopharmacology, dynamic approaches to brief and time-limited clinical social work, and clinical practice with gay men Content on the evidentiary base for clinical practice New, detailed clinical illustrations in many chapters offering valuable information about therapeutic process dimensions and the use of specialized methods and clinical techniques Accompanied by Robust Ancillaries. The password-protected Instructor Teaching Site of the companion site includes a test bank, recommended readings, and relevant Internet websites. The open-access Student Study Site offers chapter summaries, keywords, recommended Web sites, and recommended readings. The extensive breadth of coverage makes this book an essential source of information for students in advanced practice courses and practicing social workers alike.




Essentials of Social Work Policy Practice


Book Description

A concise overview of the policy practice information social workers need to advocate for policy changes within an organization and at local, state, and national levels Given the nature of their work, social workers must understand social problems and the ways social welfare policies are established. Written by a leading expert in social work policy, Essentials of Social Work Policy Practice presents specific tactics for policy practice as well as instructions on how to implement it at several different organizational and government levels. Focusing on developing skills, Essentials of Social Work Policy Practice is a practical resource that includes step-by-step guidelines for putting a plan into action and working efficiently within a system. Techniques are presented for handling a number of related topics including effective interpersonal communication and participation, utilizing technology and the media in policy practice, creating change within organizations, and many more. As part of the Essentials of Social Work Practice series, this book is an indispensable resource that offers a concise yet thorough overview of policy practice, numerous tips for best practices, and valuable advice that must be at one's fingertips to practice knowledgeably, effectively, and ethically. Each chapter features numerous callout boxes highlighting key concepts, bulleted points, case examples, and extensive illustrative material, as well as vignettes that promote critical thinking around policy practice planning.




Essential Theory for Social Work Practice


Book Description

Presenting a different approach to the realities of everyday social work practice, this text includes exercises, case examples, chapter summaries, and practice notes, enabling students to apply theory to practice as they progress.




Social Work Methods and Skills


Book Description

This brilliantly systematic and comprehensive textbook provides an integrated approach to social work theory, methods and skills as the bedrock of all social work practice. Recognizing social work as a diverse activity that is rooted in common foundations, it explains how practice both shapes and is shaped by professional purpose. The text also explores the diverse range of social work practice methods available and aims to equip the reader with a foundation in the history and application of these varied approaches. Offering a step-by-step discussion that will empower readers to critically develop and refine their professional toolkit for purposeful and innovative intervention, this original rationale is an essential resource for any social work student or practitioner looking to build, or consolidate, their understanding of the range of methods and skills available for effective professional practice.




Social Work: The Basics


Book Description

Social Work: The Basics is an insightful introduction to the often misrepresented world of social work. This accessible book presents a broad view of contemporary social work, exploring its roots and its possible future. It dispels myths surrounding social work, addresses media debates, and offers a balanced account of what social workers do. The book argues for a social work that is partisan in support of social justice. Questions covered include: How did social work arise? How and why do people come into contact with social workers? What are the true aims of social work - to help or to control? What is the relationship between social work and social policy? How and why do people become social workers? What’s it like to be a social worker? Can social work cross borders? Drawing examples from the full range of social work practice, this book is valuable reading for all individuals interested in the field of social work. It will provide a helpful introduction for students considering a career in social work, those beginning social work courses, and other professionals whose work brings them into contact with social workers and who want to find out more about what social work is.




Creating Change in Social Work Practice


Book Description

Creating Change in Social Work Practice: Four Essential Tools is strategically designed to help readers hone their ability to understand and create change within their social work practice. The text employs the Knowledge, Ability, and Skill model to assist readers in conceptualizing, envisioning, and creating change. Readers learn to identify the various stages in the process of creating change, as well as how to handle the challenges of change and plan appropriate treatment for change. Each chapter explores the history and efficacy of a featured tool, underscores its unique components and characteristics, provides readers with activities to develop their ability to use the tool, and offers assessments to ensure they know how to effectively exercise all of the pieces of the tool. The specific tools introduced throughout the text include: the conceptualization of change using the Transtheoretical Model to understand behavioral change; creating change using the Solution-Focused Approach; combating challenges to change through Motivational Interviewing; and finally, treatment planning for change. The closing chapter consists of advanced case studies and activities designed to build upon the ability gained from each chapter and foster mastery of the tools. Creating Change in Social Work Practice is an ideal supplementary text for undergraduate and graduate-level courses in the discipline. Practitioners in the field can also utilize this text to enhance and strengthen their personal practice. Philip Mongan is an associate professor of social work and the graduate coordinator of the Master of Social Work Program at Radford University.




Social Work Theory and Methods


Book Description

This gateway text lays the foundations for a thorough knowledge of the theory and methods that social workers need. Pulling together the work of a team of experts, this book uses the innovative “theorizing practice” approach, rather than the traditional “applying theory to practice” approach, thereby providing a much more satisfactory basis for understanding the relationship between theory and practice and making it easier for practitioners to employ theory in practice. Part I sets the scene by examining the relationship between theory and practice, how research can be used to inform practice and the important role of policy and organizational factors. Part II provides 14 chapters, each exploring a different theoretical approach. All in all, this book provides the ideal introduction to using social work theory and methods in practice.




Essentials of Social Welfare


Book Description

A brief text presenting conflicts and controversies surrounding social welfare policy. This book is part of the Connecting Core Competencies Series. This series helps students understand and master CSWE's core competencies with a variety of pedagogy highlighted competency content and critical thinking questions for the competencies throughout. Essentials of Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy (a briefer version of Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy, 7/e) introduces the major social welfare policies and programs in the United States and encourages readers to think about conflicts in social welfare today. It emphasizes the current political aspects of policymaking and major social welfare programs. In this book, social welfare policy is portrayed as the ever-evolving result of public conflict over social problems, the resources Americans choose to allocate to those problems, the debate over whether these problems can best be solved through government, and the political choices involved in reaching even tentative consensus. Teaching & Learning Experience Improve Critical Thinking -- Includes critical thinking questions in margins and end of chapter review questions that 'build' on each other. Explore Current Issues -- Includes the most recent data on healthcare reform, the midterm elections, and public policy changes, and more. Apply CSWE Core Competencies -- Integrates the 2008 CSWE EPAS throughout -- highlights competencies and practice behaviors and includes expensive pedagogy. Support Instructors -- An Instructor's Manual and Test Bank, Computerized Test Bank (MyTest), Blackboard Test Item File, and PowerPoint presentations are included in the outstanding supplements package.