As far back as the late 19th century, social workers have been an essential part of American society. They helped integrate immigrants and were a vital cog in maintaining public health and helping families overcome poverty. Today, social workers provide more than 60% of the country’s mental health services. It is one of the fastest-growing careers and by 2019, it employed more than 700,000 professionals.
As future social workers chart their route in the field, they may want to think about what they would like to specialize in. Knowing what they want to do will help them enroll in the right classes at university, and make it easier to secure employment after they graduate.
Jobs growth projections show that there is much to be hopeful for. The more education one attains, the higher they go. Careers for MSW graduates, for example, are likely to pay better and allow practitioners to participate in policy formulation. With the knowledge that they gain, they can shape the social welfare of their communities, participating directly in improving the living standards of all they serve.
An MSW, or Master of Social Work, prepares students for careers in profit and non-profit organizations, outpatient facilities and government agencies. They learn how to evaluate the need for services and resources, consult with stakeholders on behalf of their clients, and interact with the necessary organizations to provide the services that their clients require.
Even as one considers whether or not an MSW is right for them, they should think about whether they want to be a traditional social worker or a clinical social worker. There are differences between the two. One requires higher education and pays more, and practitioners tend to have more flexible careers.
We will explore the general differences between the two and look more closely at how the roles of a clinical social worker differ from those of a direct social worker.
What is the difference between clinical social work and direct social work?
The easiest way to differentiate these two careers is to look at how they are defined.
A direct social worker is involved in the initial screening of clients to determine what services they need. Their roles vary depending on the clients in their caseload, and apart from screening, involve case management, determining eligibility, counseling and mediation, and making referrals as necessary.
In short, a direct social worker is the one who usually travels from home to home visiting their clients to assess how they are doing, guiding them to resources that they can access to improve their daily lives, and helping them come up with solutions to problems that hold them back from full participation in society.
A clinical social worker is a step above a direct social worker. To qualify, one needs a master’s degree in social work. These professionals are clinical, which means that they deal with medical issues. Their main focus is on mental health, and they assess, diagnose and treat mental issues in their clients. They are also involved in preventing mental health problems whenever possible.
Clinical social workers provide therapy to individuals, families and groups within their communities, in hospitals, mental health facilities, social service centers and rehabilitation centers. Because of their higher education and mental health medical expertise, these professionals earn more, and if they do not wish to be employed they can set up a private practice and provide mental health services directly to their clients.
The roles of a direct social worker
Direct social work practice is about helping individuals, families and communities improve the quality of their lives using resources that are available through various institutions. Social workers’ roles vary depending on where they serve and their clients, but they usually involve the following:
- They identify those who need assistance
In every community, certain people cannot participate fully in society because of a whole host of reasons including illness, disability, age, family situation and poverty. It is the job of the direct social worker to identify these people and enroll them as clients.
A direct social worker often gets clients through referrals. Recommendations may come from the police, the courts or hospitals and treatment centers. They may also receive clients through direct reports from the public, public officials or others within the community who are concerned for an individual or a family.
- They conduct client assessments
After identifying a client, a social worker will sit down with them, their family and friends to assess their situation. They establish the need, the cause of the problem, the current situation of the client and whether any factors can be exploited to provide help.
The client’s input is very important, as they are best placed to provide insights about their lives, the factors that have led to their situation, and how they would like to be helped. In cases where the client is not able to participate in their assessment, the social worker involves those who are closest to them to get a good understanding of their client’s life and the challenges they face.
- Make recommendations on suitable interventions
After they make an assessment, direct social workers, using available resources, make recommendations on the best course of action. These recommendations are based on the current life situation of the client, their ability to access help, and even their family situation. If, for example, a handicapped person needs assistance getting to therapy, the social worker will talk with family and friends to determine whether any of them can commit to helping with the commute.
Recommendations are also based on the available resources, and how easily accessible they are. The social worker is familiar with the various institutions and the assistance they provide as well as how to navigate red tape and bureaucracy to access services as fast as possible.
- They create a plan to provide assistance
After they discuss the recommendations with their client, the direct social worker comes up with a tangible plan on how assistance will be provided, including timelines and desirable outcomes.
The plan is aimed at helping the client adjust to the problems that they face, improve their lives and participate more fully in society. Although it has a timeline, the plan can be adjusted accordingly depending on how well the client is progressing.
- Respond to issues as they arise
During treatment, clients encounter obstacles, and it is the job of the direct social worker to help them overcome them. The crisis may be internal, where there is a lack of will or effort, in which case the social worker intervenes, counsels and encourages the client.
In many cases obstacles are external, and the social worker will use the resources at their disposal to help their client. A good example is a family that suffers violence from one of the members. The social worker can help the victim get a restraining order, but if the offender turns up at the home the social worker can involve the police in getting them removed and even arrested.
- Providing therapy
Many social workers are required to provide different forms of therapy for their clients. They can do it themselves if they have the necessary qualifications, or they can refer the client to a professional therapist.
- Providing counseling
For many, a negative psychological state stands in the way of living a full life. The social worker is equipped with the skills necessary to counsel and encourage them to overcome whatever mental obstacles stop them from being productive and happy individuals. They can provide counseling to individuals, families and groups.
- Keep complete client documentation
For every visit, the social worker must go back to the office and complete the necessary paperwork. They must document the problem and recommended solutions, the plan and expected outcomes. They must also keep a clear record of the client’s progress, noting any obstacles and issues that stand in the way of improvement. If they escalate a matter to their superiors or another professional, they must note it on file and make sure that all concerned parties have the necessary paperwork.
- Follow-up
A direct social worker must follow up with their clients to ensure that the recommended interventions meet their goals. They schedule visits and interview the client about their progress and how effectively they are meeting their intended goals.
If further interventions are required, the social worker makes the necessary arrangements.
- They are advocates
This is one of the biggest roles of direct social workers. They are advocates for their clients and ensure that their voices are represented. Social workers make sure that those who are less fortunate are not forgotten, by continually advocating their cause with relevant organizations.
The roles of a clinical social worker
As mentioned earlier, clinical social work involves making diagnoses and providing treatments to those who suffer mental health problems. The roles of a clinical social worker may involve, but are not limited to, the following:
- Observe client behavior and create profiles
This forms the basis for whatever treatment and therapy plan the clinical social worker may recommend. They will spend time with their client and talk to them about what difficulties they face and their causes.
They also talk to friends, family and other professionals to try and build as complete a picture as possible.
- Make a diagnosis
Based on the information that they have collected and their knowledge of mental disorders, the clinical social worker makes a diagnosis of the client. A clear diagnosis makes it easier to come up with the right treatment regimen.
Clinical social workers often loop in other professionals to help them diagnose their clients.
- Create a treatment plan
A diagnosis indicates the path that should be followed to help a client. The clinical social worker is in charge of creating a plan that can help their client overcome their mental illness. The plan can be created in consultation with other professionals and it can be adjusted along the way to reflect the client’s progress.
- Put clients in touch with whatever resources they need
Just like direct social workers, clinical social workers also help access resources their clients need to recover, get jobs, integrate into their communities and participate more fully in their lives.
If, for example, a clinical social worker detects addiction in their client, they can recommend a rehabilitation clinic and help them get placement. They will work with the professionals within the facility to get their clients the help that they need, keeping a close eye on their progress and any lapses that may occur along the way.
They also help clients negotiate the red tape that is often present in organizations that provide the kind of help that is required.
- Help people with behavioral problems
As we have come to understand mental illness better, our knowledge of behavioral problems has increased. Today’s clinical social worker is equipped to diagnose and treat those who suffer from these problems, helping them adjust their behaviors so that they can better integrate into society.
- Counseling
Counseling is designed to help clients sort through their thoughts, feelings and conflicts in a safe environment. The clinical social worker provides this environment, helping their clients talk through issues that may be difficult to discuss.
- Crisis intervention
The road to recovery is not easy, and many clients will experience one or more crises in the process. The job of the social worker is to intervene and help them get back on track. They establish the reason the client has suffered a fallback, and if the treatment plan needs to be adjusted, they do it right away.
In some cases, clinical social workers may have to escalate matters to their superiors, more experienced professionals or even law enforcement. They may still maintain contact with their client, but they will get assistance from others who have more experience.
- Monitoring clients’ response to treatment plans
The goal of every intervention is to help the client overcome whatever mental issues stand between them and wellness. The clinical social worker creates and implements a plan to help them based on their diagnosis, and it is also their job to track progress and monitor how their clients respond to treatments.
If certain treatments do not work or are not working fast enough, the social worker makes adjustments and continues to monitor for markers of progress.
- Helping families cope with members who suffer from mental illness
Families are deeply affected when one of their own has a mental illness. It affects the way they interact, it can introduce violence and discord into the home, and often, the problems begin to hamper the ability of other family members to live satisfactory lives.
While providing treatment to the client, the clinical social worker also comes up with ways to help their family. They teach them how to communicate, explain medications and their effects, and even what type of home atmosphere is most helpful to help them get better. They also let the family know what to do in case there is an escalation in behavior.
What type of social work is best?
It depends on what one wants to do on a day-to-day basis and how far up they plan to climb in their social work career.
Some social work students feel that they would rather avoid dealing with people who suffer from mental illness, and therefore focus on direct social work. This means that they spend their days visiting individuals, families and groups, helping them overcome whatever challenges face.
This type of social worker tends to be very involved in the community they serve, forming relationships with many people. They are often regarded as a lifeline and are trusted with problems that those within the community encounter.
Those who envision this life for themselves will be better served by a degree in social work. They will gain all the requisite skills to be a case worker and a community leader.
On the other hand, their dream may be to help those who suffer from mental health and addiction issues. Maybe they grew up in a community that is deeply affected by drugs and would like to help people overcome addiction. Or it could be that they have experienced mental health issues at home and feel compassionate enough to want to help others. If that is the case, they need a master’s degree so that they can pursue careers for MSW.
Depending on where a social worker serves and who their clients are, they may not have a lot of contact with the community. They may be confined to a mental health institution, a hospital or health facility or a rehabilitation clinic. However, they may still be required to go and visit clients in their homes for follow-up and monitoring.
Whatever specialty of social work a social worker chooses depends on what they are passionate about. Some people are guided by income, and they choose careers for MSW because they pay more.
Conclusion
Social work is a lucrative profession that allows the social worker to give back to their community. They work with those in need to help them make better lives for themselves. They can choose direct social work or clinical social work, and if they choose clinical social work they will need to enroll in a master’s degree program to qualify.
