This occupation is part of the Community and Social Services cluster
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About the Job
Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family care givers, providing patient education and counseling, and making referrals for other services. May also provide care and case management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.
It is also Called
- AIDS Social Worker
- Bereavement Counselor
- Case Managers
- Certified Social Workers In Health Care
- Clinical Social Worker
- Community Advocate
- Director of Social Services
- Director of Social Work
- Disability Advocate
- Disability Coordinator
What They Do
- Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises.
- Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs.
- Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.
- Counsel clients and patients in individual and group sessions to help them overcome dependencies, recover from illness, and adjust to life.
- Utilize consultation data and social work experience to plan and coordinate client or patient care and rehabilitation, following through to ensure service efficacy.
- Plan discharge from care facility to home or other care facility.
- Organize support groups or counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, and supporting the client or patient.
- Modify treatment plans to comply with changes in clients' status.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan.
- Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records.
Interests
People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: SI.
This means people who work in this occupation generally have Social interests, but also prefer Investigative environments.
Work Values
People who work in this occupation generally prize Relationships, but also value Achievement and Independence in their jobs.
Things They Need to Know
- Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
- Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Things They Need to Be Able to Do
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Education Required
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Wages
In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $63,480.00 with most people making between $35,960.00 and $90,970.00
Outlook
During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 12,600 people in California. It is projected that there will be 16,500 employed in 2020.
This occupation will have about 390 openings due to growth and about 300 replacement openings for approximately 690 total annual openings.
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- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
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