Clinical supervision is essential in promoting novice mental health providers' awareness of systemic and individual-level social injustices. Yet frameworks used by clinical supervisors often fall short of providing the n...Clinical supervision is essential in promoting novice mental health providers' awareness of systemic and individual-level social injustices. Yet frameworks used by clinical supervisors often fall short of providing the needed skills to promote social justice. This is particularly problematic for the social work profession as it is set apart from sister professions by its primary commitment to promoting social change and empowering vulnerable populations. This integrative systematic review explores the extent to which social justice is addressed in clinical supervision and maps the approaches supervisors use to promote a social justice-informed practice paradigm across disciplines. The project included peer-reviewed cross-disciplinary literature published between 2010 and 2024 and followed the PRISMA guide. A SPIDER framework was used to determine the eligibility criteria of papers (N = 26) identified across four databases. Results indicate a scarcity of publications, particularly in social work-specific journals (N = 5), despite encouraging scholarship growth across disciplines. This review also shows that clinical supervision can provide the ideal space for the development of justice-informed praxis and identifies four main themes to guide supervisory approaches: (1) multicultural frames, (2) relational approaches, (3) structural oppression and injustices, and (4) critical/postmodern epistemologies. Recommendations for practice, research, and education are provided.
This qualitative descriptive study was designed to identify case assignment principles and capture the ways supervisors and case managers experience these principles. A total of 59 supervisors and 127 case managers from...This qualitative descriptive study was designed to identify case assignment principles and capture the ways supervisors and case managers experience these principles. A total of 59 supervisors and 127 case managers from the child welfare field responded to two open-ended survey questions about the case assignment principles used in their agencies. The first aim was to provide a description of case assignment principles. Coding of responses revealed eight principles that guided case assignment. These eight principles include rotation, equalization of caseload, equalization of the number of families/children served, equalization of caseload complexity, matching to case manager competence, matching to case manager interest/convenience, respecting case manager safety, and supervisor discretion. The second aim was to provide a description of experiences with these varied case assignment principles. Authors identified three themes of fairness/organizational justice, worker well-being, and casework quality. The results outline the varied ways in which case assignment is conducted and point to the difficulties in simultaneously achieving the three goals of fairness, worker well-being, and casework quality through a single case assignment method.
Implicit social cognition, also known as implicit bias, may impact social work practice. Because social workers commonly work with people with disabilities, it is important to understand more about social service profess...Implicit social cognition, also known as implicit bias, may impact social work practice. Because social workers commonly work with people with disabilities, it is important to understand more about social service professionals' attitudes about physical disability. By using descriptive and inferential statistical tests to quantitatively analyze secondary 2023 data from social service professionals, including social workers and counselors (n = 5,167), this study found that 70.3 percent of respondents reported having no explicit preference for people with or without physical disabilities, 23.7 percent reported preferring people without physical disabilities explicitly, and 6.0 percent reported preferring people with physical disabilities explicitly. For implicit attitudes, most participants had implicit preference for people without physical disabilities (77.8 percent), 13.7 percent had no implicit preference for people with or without physical disabilities, and 8.5 percent implicitly preferred people with physical disabilities. There was a statistically significant relationship between explicit and implicit attitudes, with most people having discordant explicit and implicit attitudes, often with low levels of explicit bias and high levels of implicit bias. This study also found age, gender, disability, having friends/family with disabilities, education, and political orientation correlated with explicit and implicit disability attitudes. The article ends with a discussion of educational interventions to reduce disability-related implicit bias.
Committees are a core component of organizational infrastructure and clinical governance in health and hospital systems and a viable mechanism through which to accomplish goals, facilitate departmental initiatives, produ...Committees are a core component of organizational infrastructure and clinical governance in health and hospital systems and a viable mechanism through which to accomplish goals, facilitate departmental initiatives, produce deliverables, and improve departmental functioning. In this article, authors describe the development, evolution, and activities of a hospital social work department simulation (SW SIM) committee, which culminated in the production and deployment of a simulation-based learning (SBL) course designed specifically for social workers employed in a large, urban, quaternary pediatric hospital. With its focus on suicide risk assessment and treatment competencies, a priority identified through departmental surveys in conjunction with social work (SW) leadership, this course was the first to be developed at the institution specifically for social workers that targeted psychosocial (as opposed to medical or interprofessional) competencies. Using development and production of the SBL suicide risk assessment and management course as a case example, this article illustrates the SW SIM committee's collaboration processes with the SW department, SW leadership, key content experts, and the institution's simulation program. The article concludes with a discussion of lessons learned and factors to consider when engaging in committee-led departmental initiatives such as SBL course development.
Emotional risks are ubiquitous in social work practice and pose significant threats to the health and well-being of practitioners and clients. Emotional skills are recognized as the best practice approach for coping with...Emotional risks are ubiquitous in social work practice and pose significant threats to the health and well-being of practitioners and clients. Emotional skills are recognized as the best practice approach for coping with these risks. However, existing research on emotional skills is almost all from the fields of medicine, education, and psychology, and little attention is paid to it in the social work literature. To address this gap, the study explored Chinese social workers' experiences and perceptions of using emotional skills in practice through semistructured interviews (N = 28). The study suggests that emotion can be used as a practical skill for social workers, who have developed two patterns of practice for emotional skills: "self-directed" emotion management and "other-directed" emotion management. In the practice of coping with emotional risk in oneself and others, social workers navigated three stages of identification, understanding, and management and employed relevant professional skills (such as body scanning, empathy, and communicating emotions to others). The study results are pragmatic, and the action plan model of emotional skills has significant implications for social work practice and education.
Medical social workers in mainland China encounter numerous structural challenges that could adversely affect their professional quality of life (ProQOL). This study seeks to investigate the correlation between ProQOL cl...Medical social workers in mainland China encounter numerous structural challenges that could adversely affect their professional quality of life (ProQOL). This study seeks to investigate the correlation between ProQOL classification, resilience, and perceived health. A total of 319 medical social workers participated by completing questionnaires designed to assess their levels of ProQOL, resilience, and perceived health. The analysis of ProQOL clusters based on perceived health and resilience revealed that the career satisfied group exhibited higher perceived health scores (M = 4.05, SD = 0.99) and resilience scores (M = 6.43, SD = 1.33) compared with the trauma thriving group and the compassion fatigue group. These findings underscore potential risk factors for physical health, resilience, and the three dimensions of ProQOL among various demographic variables.
While extensive research has established a link between food insecurity and adverse health and well-being outcomes, less attention has been given to factors that may moderate this relationship. This study examines whethe...While extensive research has established a link between food insecurity and adverse health and well-being outcomes, less attention has been given to factors that may moderate this relationship. This study examines whether a strong sense of community belonging can buffer the impact of food insecurity on mood and anxiety disorders, poor self-rated mental and general health, and low life satisfaction. Data were drawn from the 2017-2018 Canadian Community Health Survey, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey conducted by Statistics Canada (N = 94,790). Findings from logistic regression models indicate that individuals experiencing food insecurity are more likely to report adverse health and well-being outcomes. A strong sense of community belonging moderates this relationship, reducing the harmful impacts of food insecurity across all measured outcomes. Gender-stratified analyses reveal that this protective effect is particularly pronounced for mental health outcomes-including mood disorder, anxiety disorder, and self-rated mental health-among women. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening community connections as a protective factor, especially in supporting women's mental health in food-insecure settings. For social work practice, these results highlight the need to promote community engagement and implement gender-sensitive interventions to address the unique vulnerabilities associated with food insecurity.
This study investigates the mental health impacts of war in Libya, with a focus on the prevalence and severity of PTSD symptoms. It aims to understand how PTSD manifests across different sociodemographic groups, examinin...This study investigates the mental health impacts of war in Libya, with a focus on the prevalence and severity of PTSD symptoms. It aims to understand how PTSD manifests across different sociodemographic groups, examining symptoms such as re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal. The research sampled 652 individuals aged 18 to 65 from various Libyan cities, using electronic questionnaires over 18 months. Results indicate significant differences in PTSD symptoms by gender, with women reporting more avoidance symptoms than men. Additionally, individuals in major conflict zones exhibited more severe re-experiencing and avoidance symptoms compared with those in less affected areas. The study also found that highly educated individuals showed higher levels of hyperarousal, which suggests a complex relationship between education level and stress responses. The findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive social work interventions in mental health tailored to the diverse needs of different demographic groups. Such interventions should leverage local resources and traditional family institutions to enhance resilience and recovery. The study emphasizes the importance of targeted social work interventions in postconflict scenarios to facilitate long-term societal integration and peace building in regions dealing with the psychological aftermath of conflict.
There is an increasing number of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) individuals who engage in mental health services seeking providers with shared identities. While this has proven beneficial for relationship...There is an increasing number of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) individuals who engage in mental health services seeking providers with shared identities. While this has proven beneficial for relationship building, it has challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic, BIPOC therapists treating clients with shared identities faced increased vulnerability to both direct and secondary trauma. To avoid any implications of injury to the therapeutic process, BIPOC therapists must maintain a low risk of harm and overidentification, and enhance their self-care practices. This article examines the significance of intersectional, racial trauma and shared experiences in the therapeutic relationship. A case study will illustrate how trauma-informed supervision can foster an environment of understanding and empowerment, helping clinicians navigate their own experiences while providing adequate care to their clients. This article aims to highlight the importance of trauma-informed care in providing culturally affirming supervision concerning race-related stress and racial trauma, with strategies to enhance therapeutic effectiveness during the pandemic and beyond.
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted unprecedented public health measures, including lockdowns that forced educational institutions to transition from conventional learning (CL) to online learning (OL). This shift significantl...The COVID-19 pandemic prompted unprecedented public health measures, including lockdowns that forced educational institutions to transition from conventional learning (CL) to online learning (OL). This shift significantly impacted disciplines like social work, which rely heavily on practical and fieldwork experiences. This study aimed to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of OL versus CL for MSW students across 12 states in India. A survey study design was utilized, conducted via online platforms, involving various social work institutes. A total of 391 participants completed the study, providing digital consent. Sociodemographic details and a modified self-assessment questionnaire for OL and CL were used to assess the impact of OL over CL. Results indicated that while MSW students adapted well to new learning technology (referred to in this article as "adaptation of learning new technology" [AT]), both theoretical learning (TL) and practical learning (PL) suffered without adequate direct supervision. Notably, West Bengal students showed the highest adaptability to new learning technologies and performed well in both TL and PL, whereas Karnataka students showed less interest in AT and TL. Kerala students preferred CL, Telangana students leaned toward conventional PL, and Tamil Nadu students showed a strong preference for CL over OL. These findings underscore that, despite the pandemic-driven shift to online platforms, the lack of practical supervision presents a significant challenge for social work education. Addressing this gap is crucial to maintaining the quality and effectiveness of training in the digital era.
Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) is a civil commitment program incorporating intensive case management and other services to support adults with a serious mental illness (SMI) and treatment adherence and ongoing engag...Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) is a civil commitment program incorporating intensive case management and other services to support adults with a serious mental illness (SMI) and treatment adherence and ongoing engagement needs. The overarching goal of AOT programs is to minimize participants' use of emergency psychiatric care, increase their consistent use of community-based care, and reduce their potential for involvement with the legal system resulting from untreated mental health concerns. However, effectively coordinating multiple systems of care to best meet AOT clients' needs can be challenging. Thus, to better support high-need clients with SMI, the Houston AOT Program incorporated the use of multisystem liaisons, some of whom were trained as social workers, to coordinate referral, enrollment, and ongoing service provision within the Houston AOT Program. These liaisons worked closely with behavioral health providers at the local public health authority along with local probate court judges and their staff handling civil mental health commitments. Through the use of these liaisons, provider burden related to hospital and court documentation requirements were significantly reduced. Recommendations for integrating social workers as liaisons into joint mental health and civil commitment programs will be presented to support enhanced levels of client care.
The health of autistic adults has become increasingly researched, but subgroups with intersectional identities like Latinx autistic adults remain largely understudied. In this article authors examine the health dispariti...The health of autistic adults has become increasingly researched, but subgroups with intersectional identities like Latinx autistic adults remain largely understudied. In this article authors examine the health disparities U.S. Latinx autistic adults may experience throughout their lifespan and apply a combined theoretical framework-the ecological systems theory, critical race theory (CRT), and intersectionality-to a study of Latinx autistic young adults. CRT conceptualizes how race, along with the intersectional identity of disability, interact in the socioecological systems of the United States. Together these theories guide the examination of the dynamic interactions impacting the health of Latinx autistic individuals. The proposed integrated theoretical framework supports practitioners' abilities to be culturally humble and responsive to Latinx autistic adults' health experiences. Practitioners engaging with Latinx autistic communities, and specifically social work researchers, practitioners, and educators, can gain awareness of how individuals' social context and positionality contribute to people's experiences of health, discrimination, and wellness in their day-to-day lives. This article provides practical examples and recommendations for implementation. Although this article centers on the intersections of Latinx racial identity and autism disability, the proposed theoretical framework can be useful in identifying and addressing health disparities among other marginalized communities.
Despite extensive research on social worker (SW) roles in Jordan, limited attention has been given to the job's negative effects on SWs' psychological, emotional, and mental health, including its impact on performance an...Despite extensive research on social worker (SW) roles in Jordan, limited attention has been given to the job's negative effects on SWs' psychological, emotional, and mental health, including its impact on performance and service quality. This cross-sectional study explores the relationship between job burnout, workplace bullying (WPB), social capital, and various personal characteristics among Jordanian SWs. Path analysis using SPSS AMOS revealed that SWs, particularly female SWs and those with work experience between one and five years, experienced job burnout, WPB, and low levels of social capital. Job burnout was positively correlated with WPB and negatively correlated with social capital. Social capital mediated the relationship between job burnout and WPB rates. These results highlight the need for greater focus on social work as both a practice and an academic discipline in Jordan. Organizations should adopt policies that promote ethical leadership and empowering them to strengthen social capital.
Workplace-based supervision in human service organizations (HSOs) is essential for promoting frontline worker well-being and enhancing service quality. However, limited research has explored the preparation, support, and...Workplace-based supervision in human service organizations (HSOs) is essential for promoting frontline worker well-being and enhancing service quality. However, limited research has explored the preparation, support, and well-being of HSO supervisors, all of which may influence the quality of supervision they provide. This cross-sectional survey of HSO supervisors in Ontario, Canada (N = 75), examined their preparation, support, and well-being (i.e., using the Professional Quality of Life Health measure). Social workers made up the largest professional group represented in the study. Findings from descriptive statistics and inductive qualitative content analysis reveal that while many supervisors received training and their own supervision, they also felt unprepared for the complex role demands of their positions, with most receiving no onboarding. Participants provided considerations for HSO onboarding, additional training, and their own supervision needs. Though most supervisors reported moderate well-being with few cases of burnout, this study highlights the need for robust supervisory support, enhanced onboarding, and continuous supervisory training in HSOs.
Clinical supervision is a professional expectation across social work and other behavioral health disciplines, but the academic literature on supervision has historically been professionally insular, and little research...Clinical supervision is a professional expectation across social work and other behavioral health disciplines, but the academic literature on supervision has historically been professionally insular, and little research has been conducted in the United States on interprofessional supervision (IPS), or supervision across disciplines. Therefore, authors sought to understand the lived experiences of supervision for behavioral health clinicians from various behavioral health professions in practice settings where multiple professions were present. This qualitative study analyzed data from 20 interviews of clinicians practicing in diverse mental health and/or substance disorder treatment settings. Four main themes emerged: (1) value of IPS, (2) clinical supervision in peer supervision spaces, (3) varied individual supervision experiences, and (4) role of organizational culture in supervision. Results suggest implications for the profession of social work, including the opportunity for the profession to better define its disciplinary competencies and indicate how those competencies are of value in supervision, as well as to prioritize training and research in uniprofessional and interprofessional supervision.
This article explores the development of Indigenous knowledge in relation to the ecosystem and how traditional concepts of planetary well-being can enhance ecosocial work approaches. From an academic point of view, ecoso...This article explores the development of Indigenous knowledge in relation to the ecosystem and how traditional concepts of planetary well-being can enhance ecosocial work approaches. From an academic point of view, ecosocial work is a unique paradigm that seeks to understand a holistic view of human health, social justice, and environmental sustainability. There is a strong focus on community development in ecosocial work, which is why the profession must be equipped with tools to address the disproportionate impacts of climate change on marginalized groups including refugees and First Nations peoples. While these threats to human life and planetary well-being are well documented, little is known about the divergence of Indigenous epistemology in ecosocial work and how cultural strategies can enhance recovery and resilience building with community. Connecting cultural knowledge with contemporary ecosocial work theory and practice can provide effective pathways for communities suffering from grief and loss. This article explores Indigenous perspectives on living symbiotically with the natural world alongside traditional approaches toward enhancing community wellness. As Indigenous academics, the authors tell this story.
Financial assistance programs, such as the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program, provide essential ongoing support for the care of children when reunification with their biological parents or adoption by other familie...Financial assistance programs, such as the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program, provide essential ongoing support for the care of children when reunification with their biological parents or adoption by other families is not feasible. However, these programs are underutilized by relatives who step in to provide stable, permanent homes for these children, partly due to unresolved internal conflicts about accepting financial support for caring for family members. Formative data (N = 178) and Bayesian inferential methods were used to examine whether a tailored training and support program for kinship caregivers could influence the internal conflict and attitudes of these caregivers concerning their acceptance of financial assistance. The study also assessed whether reductions in internal conflicts differed by program delivery mode: in-person versus virtual. Findings indicate that internal conflicts and stigma (a) reduced after participation in the program, (b) reduced with both delivery modes, with greater reductions among the virtual participants, but (c) did not reduce for participants of the standard foster parent training program. Results trending in the desired direction indicate that kin-specific training and programs may have crossover effects on internalized financial stigma, thus highlighting the need for future evaluations to affirm these results and inform intervention planning.