SOCIAL WORK

Field Placement Agencies

Welcome

What you will find in this presentation: Local and Regional Social Work Field Placement Options Agency contacts Helpful Web Sites Student Testimonials

Areas of Social Work Concentration

• Child Welfare • Aging • Mental Health • Medical • Substance Abuse • School • Military and VA Hospitals • International • Government/Policy Practice • Research • Other

Child Welfare

Social work professionals continue to have a key role in all areas of child welfare including direct practice, supervision, administration, training, and policy and program development. Currently in this area of practice there are varying state initiatives aimed at providing financial support and additional training to both BSW and MSW students who are interested in a career in child welfare. Currently in the state of Pennsylvania, the United States Administration for Children and Families, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and fourteen undergraduate and graduate social work degree programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) offer the Child Welfare Education for Baccalaureates (CWEB) and the Child Welfare Education for Leadership (CWEL). The goal of these programs is to provide extensive training and employment opportunities for students while strengthening public child welfare services in the state of Pennsylvania. For more information, visit the link below: Child Welfare Education for Baccalaureates (CWEB)

Local and Regional Child Welfare Placements

• • • • • • • • Past Placements Montour County Children and Youth Northumberland County Children and Youth Lycoming County Children and Youth Snyder County Children and Youth Union County Children and Youth Mifflin County Children and Youth Pike County Children and Youth • You can also use the following link to find child welfare agencies and other Pennsylvania agencies supported by the Department of Public Welfare. Just place the zip code of the area in which you would like to do your internship placement.

• Department of Public Welfare Agency Link

Past placement involving work with youth

Additional Placements working with Youth

• Diversified Treatment Alternatives : working with at risk adolescent males. Lewisburg, PA 570-523-3457 • Clearvision Residential Treatment Services : working with at risk adolescent females. Montgomery, PA 570-547 2810 • North Central Secure Treatment Unit : Provides secure treatment programs for adjudicated delinquent males and females. 570-271-4710 • Geisinger Medical Center Outpatient Clinics: Provides behavioral health support to youth. Contact is Shelly Hosterman (Speak with Dr. Erdley)

Aging

The growing population of adults over the next decade is expected to create an extraordinary demand for aging programs, initiatives, services and policies in this field of practice. The Administration on Aging reports that by 2030, there will be over 72 million older adults residing in the United States. Social workers in this area of practice are often employed in community area on aging centers, community mental health centers, health care settings, and residential living facilities. Social workers who work in this area of practice engage in initiatives at both direct and indirect levels of practice to provide supportive services and interventions to older adults and their caregivers to address personal, social and environmental challenges to aging.

Local and Regional Aging Placements

• All Area Agency on Aging Programs in and out of the state • Adult Day Care Centers • Hospitals • Nursing Homes • The PA Department of Aging

Past Placements with Aging Adults

PA DEPARTMENT OF AGING

***Use this link to find Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging Programs, Senior Centers and other Disability resources.

Mental Health

Social workers who work in mental health can provide services in a variety of settings including hospitals, residential living facilities, schools, rehabilitation programs, employee assistance programs, community mental health programs, military and veteran services and in private practice. According to the NASW, clinically trained social workers are the lead mental health providers in the country, making up 60% of the work force. Social worker’s training and focus on problem-solving, systems, empowerment and person in environment enables them to assist individuals with alleviating major daily life stresses.

Ideas for Mental Health Placements

• Danville State Hospital, Danville PA: 570-271-4568 • Columbia Montour Snyder Union Counties of Central PA Service System : Various opportunities to work with a range of mental health services including also intellectual disability, and drug and alcohol.

Drug and Alcohol

Substance abuse social workers are employed throughout the community in social service agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and various community based programs that are aimed at serving populations who suffer from alcohol or drug abuse. Although according to the NASW, most substance abuse social workers have a master’s degree (MSW) in social work, bachelor’s level (BSW) social workers are able to find entry-level positions and can obtain credentials to become a certified addictions counselor (CAC).

Ideas of Drug and Alcohol Placements

• Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania • Clearbrook Treatment Centers : Located in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Offers adult and adolescent treatment centers. 800 582-6241 • Treatment Center Directory

Additional Areas of Practice

Corrections • Social workers in this area of practice can work in prison settings in mental health, D&A, and in re-entry programs. Many social workers also work with ex-offenders once they have been released from prison to ensure that they continue to find adequate housing and work with programs to remain out of prison and to have continued quality of life. Domestic Violence • Social workers in this area of practice often work in shelters and with YWCA programs to help women remain safe. Social Workers who specialize in this area of practice are responsible for recognizing the signs of physical and mental abuse and must determine the needs of the victim, including their immediate safety. Homelessness • Social Workers who work in this area of practice often provide case management services to adults who are in need of tools and resources to obtain housing and often times mental health services. Social Workers who work in this area of practice often help get residents government benefits and other services that will help them find sustainable employment and housing. Social workers have a long-standing history of working in careers that influence social policy. In this area of practice social workers find themselves working as lobbyist, policy and program analyst and community organizers. Social work policy practitioners often work with other policy professionals to engage in the development, implementation, reformation or assessment of social policies in an effort to ensure social justice. Social worker’s focus on person-in-environment and skills in advocacy and communication provide them with a unique skill set that is needed to be effective in the area of policy practice.

Military Social Work •Social workers work in all branches of the military to help families and military personnel prepare for a cope with the aftermath of war and have been working with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) since 1926. Areas of practice for military professionals often include working in Veteran’s Hospitals, on military bases and in various mental health settings. Social workers have the training and skills that help soldiers and their families reconnect with each other and society after they return from war. They often work side by side with other professions including chaplains to provide preventative and clinical services particularly for individuals who may be prone to domestic violence, child abuse and neglect. To learn more about Military Social Work and the recent “Joining Forces to Support Veterans and Military Families” launched last year by Dr. Jill Biden and the NASW Medical Social Work and Hospice •A medical social worker can work in various health care settings including hospitals, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and hospice centers. Their job is to assess the needs of patients and families during hospitalization and to address resources to help patients and families cope with medical conditions. Many medical social workers provide case management and discharge planning services however there are social workers in outpatient clinics who provide long-term mental and behavioral health services to patients and families. International Social Work •The International Federation of Social Workers is a global group that works for social justice, human rights and social development through the promotion of social work. Social Workers who work in this area of practice work in the US and globally to ensure that social systems are addressed to promote social justice. They are often educators, social development practitioners who work at the direct and policy levels to overcome social injustices.

Previous internships in all areas of practice

• • • • • • • • • • • YWCA of Williamsport, PA Geisinger Medical Center Maternal Fetal Medicine Geisinger Medical Center Case Management Services Columbia County Victim Witness Unit, Bloomsburg PA Muncy Women’s Prison Serento Gardens (D&A and Mental Health) Hazleton, PA Tobyhanna Army Depot : Military personnel and families; Tobyhanna, PA Center for Community Research, Bloomsburg University PA: research Veteran’s Affairs, Bloomsburg University PA Allenwood Federal Prison Human Resources THIS (The Harrisburg Internship Semester) : This is a macro level internship and a great opportunity for students who are interested in policy. You are selected for this after applying. • • Collaborating for Youth, Gettysburg PA: A macro level placement The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education: HIV case management

Also….

• Please use the Bloomsburg University Internship Site to find out whether or not agencies you are interested in have an Affiliation Agreement. This site will also give you more ideas about where you can complete your senior internship as well as numerous other resources. • Bloomsburg University Professional U

Student Testimonials

• YWCA • Bloomsburg Health Care Center

WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE HOW MUCH I ENJOYED MY TIME AT SUNRISE SENIOR LIVING. NOT ONLY DID THE STAFF MEMBERS AND RESIDENTS MAKE ME FEEL WELCOMED, BUT THEY MADE ME FEEL AS THOUGH THE SUNRISE COMMUNITY WAS MY SECOND HOME. I FEEL THANKFUL TO HAVE MET THE PEOPLE I DID, AND TO LEARN MORE OF THE MANAGEMENT ASPECT TO SOCIAL WORK. EVERYDAY WAS A NEW LEARNING EXPERIENCE, IN WHICH I WILL USE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF MY CAREER, AND FOR THAT I AM TRULY GRATEFUL FOR. AFTER A COUPLE MONTHS OF BEING AT SUNRISE SENIOR LIVING, I CAN SEE WHY THE STAFF MEMBERS ARE SO DEDICATED TO THEIR WORK AND TO THE RESIDENTS.

-BRIELLE STEFANELLI

What to do next…

• Identify an area of interest • Search around and see what you can find locally and regionally • Set up a meeting with the BU Field Coordinator and have 3 top options ready to present along with a completed pre-internship form completed. You can find this on the social work website. • Do not procrastinate • Know that this does not have to be your “dream job”. You are looking to learn and to have an excellent experience.