Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat They DoSpecialtiesTreating ClientsTherapies UsedTrainingCSW vs. Other Providers
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What They Do
Specialties
Treating Clients
Therapies Used
Training
CSW vs. Other Providers
Clinical social work is a specialty within social work that focuses on mental health and the prevention and treatment of biological, social, thought, emotional, and behavioral challenges.The term “clinical social worker” is sometimes shortened to “social worker,” but a clinical social worker is actually a specific type of social worker focused on the clinical setting.
This article discusses clinical social work, what it is, and what clinical social workers do. It also goes over how clinical social workers are trained and the differences between clinical social workers and other mental health care providers.
What Does “Psychosocial” Mean?“Psychosocial” means the connection between social, cultural, and environmental factors and their effects on the mind and behaviors.
What Does “Psychosocial” Mean?
“Psychosocial” means the connection between social, cultural, and environmental factors and their effects on the mind and behaviors.
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What Does a Clinical Social Worker Do?
Clinical social work includes advocacy work with local, state, and federal agencies that are client-centered to provide people with information and referrals and guide them through processes. Additionally, clinical social workers work alongside other members of the healthcare team to promote a person’s overall well-being.
Clinical social workers work with a variety of people with many different challenges. They may cater to individuals, couples, families, or groups and adults, teens, or young children.Additionally, they work in different settings, with various populations, and treat many conditions and challenges.
Some work settings or concentrations for clinical social workers include:
When to See a Clinical Social WorkerA clinical social worker can provide counseling and help you access community resources that are available to help you and/or your family. This makes a clinical social worker a good choice if you need assistance that goes beyond basic therapy or counseling.
When to See a Clinical Social Worker
A clinical social worker can provide counseling and help you access community resources that are available to help you and/or your family. This makes a clinical social worker a good choice if you need assistance that goes beyond basic therapy or counseling.
Clinical social work is a specialty within social work. Additionally, clinical social workers may be generalists and work in many different areas, or they may choose to focus in one specific area. Regardless of choosing a specialization or not, some states require courses or training in specific areas.Examples of this include aging or long-term care and the assessment and reporting of child abuse.
Assessing and Treating Clients
Clinical social workers help people with a variety of conditions and challenges, including:
Assessment is the first phase of clinical social work care, and it is important to provide support customized to the individual or group. Social workers use diagnostic assessment tools to learn about the mental and emotional status of their clients and identify any mental health disorders or developmental disabilities they may have.
After clinical social workers complete the initial assessment process and create a plan, they are able to follow through with that plan to treat their clients.This may includetalk therapy, teaching coping techniques, or a combination of approaches. Treatment may be provided one-on-one or in a group setting, online or in person. Additionally, they advocate for their clients and work with other members of the healthcare team and organizations that may be involved in their care.
Types of therapy that a social worker may use include the following:
Training and Certification for Clinical Social Workers
Education
A master’s degree in social work program typically lasts two years and includes at least 900 hours of supervised field experience.
After completing the degree requirements, prospective clinical social workers must spend some additional time gaining supervised work experience in a clinical setting.
Most states require at least 3,000 hours of post-degree supervised work, though the requirement varies from state to state. For example, Florida requires only 1,500 hours of supervised work after graduation, while Washington requires 4,000.
Licensing
Clinical social workers must also pass a licensure exam. Before taking the exam, a prospective social worker must submit an application for licensure from their state or provincial regulatory board to confirm eligibility.
The exam contains 170 multiple-choice questions and is graded as either pass or fail.
Skills
Clinical social workers use a variety of methods when working with clients. Each approach is centered on the needs of the client and considers social dynamics, cultural influences, environmental factors, the mind or thought patterns of the individual, behavioral patterns, or a combination of these to address problems and improve that person’s health and well-being.
Their approach includes assessment, treatment, and collaboration with other members of the healthcare team.
Clinical Social Worker vs. Psychologist, Psychiatrist, and Counselor
There are many similarities among mental health professionals, such as clinical social workers,psychologists,psychiatrists, therapists, and counselors. However, there are also differences that set them apart.
Psychiatrists go to medical school before specializing in mental healthcare and they focus more on medicinal treatments, while psychologists at the master’s or doctorate level focus more on talk therapy or research.Psychologists can also prescribe medications in some states if they receive additional training, but clinical social workers cannot.
Counselors and therapists are similar to clinical social workers in that they cannot prescribe medications, but there are also differences among them. Counselors support people with mental health challenges through goal setting and other methods while therapists treat more with talk therapy.Clinical social workers can provide counseling and therapy, and they provide support through connection with the community and other resources.
Summary
A clinical social worker is a healthcare provider who provides mental health services and may specialize in the social, emotional, and/or behavioral challenges in both adults and children. Clinical social workers may focus on family and child welfare and correction support services.
A clinical social worker differs from a social worker because they can provide direct mental health care services such as therapy and because they work in a clinical setting such as a hospital or rehabilitation center. They can also provide advocacy and help you access community resources. Some clinical social worker specialties include addiction, child welfare, mental health, and trauma.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Clinical social work.American Board of Clinical Social Work.What is clinical social work?.New York State Society for Clinical Social Work.Definition what clinical social workers do.Social Work Guide.How to become a social worker: A quick guide.American Psychological Association.What is cognitive behavioral therapy?Fit AP.Hypnosis and clinical social work practice. In: Turner FJ, et.Social Work Treatment: Interlocking Theoretical Approaches. Oxford University Press; 2017.Posmontier B, Bina R, Glasser S, Cinamon T, Styr B, Sammarco T.Incorporating interpersonal psychotherapy for postpartum depression into social work practice in Israel.Res Soc Work Pract. 2019;29(1):61-8. doi:10.1177/1049731517707057Wang DS.Meditation in social work practice: A systematic review of the literature for applicability and utility.J Soc Work Educ Pract. 2018;3(3) 11-25.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Social workers.Council on Social Work Education.Social work education at a glance.Association of Social Work Boards.Comparison of U.S. clinical social work supervised experience license requirements.Association of Social Work Boards.Examination guidebook.American Psychological Association.What is the difference between psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers?Social Work Licensure.Counseling vs. social work.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Clinical social work.American Board of Clinical Social Work.What is clinical social work?.New York State Society for Clinical Social Work.Definition what clinical social workers do.Social Work Guide.How to become a social worker: A quick guide.American Psychological Association.What is cognitive behavioral therapy?Fit AP.Hypnosis and clinical social work practice. In: Turner FJ, et.Social Work Treatment: Interlocking Theoretical Approaches. Oxford University Press; 2017.Posmontier B, Bina R, Glasser S, Cinamon T, Styr B, Sammarco T.Incorporating interpersonal psychotherapy for postpartum depression into social work practice in Israel.Res Soc Work Pract. 2019;29(1):61-8. doi:10.1177/1049731517707057Wang DS.Meditation in social work practice: A systematic review of the literature for applicability and utility.J Soc Work Educ Pract. 2018;3(3) 11-25.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Social workers.Council on Social Work Education.Social work education at a glance.Association of Social Work Boards.Comparison of U.S. clinical social work supervised experience license requirements.Association of Social Work Boards.Examination guidebook.American Psychological Association.What is the difference between psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers?Social Work Licensure.Counseling vs. social work.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Psychological Association.Clinical social work.American Board of Clinical Social Work.What is clinical social work?.New York State Society for Clinical Social Work.Definition what clinical social workers do.Social Work Guide.How to become a social worker: A quick guide.American Psychological Association.What is cognitive behavioral therapy?Fit AP.Hypnosis and clinical social work practice. In: Turner FJ, et.Social Work Treatment: Interlocking Theoretical Approaches. Oxford University Press; 2017.Posmontier B, Bina R, Glasser S, Cinamon T, Styr B, Sammarco T.Incorporating interpersonal psychotherapy for postpartum depression into social work practice in Israel.Res Soc Work Pract. 2019;29(1):61-8. doi:10.1177/1049731517707057Wang DS.Meditation in social work practice: A systematic review of the literature for applicability and utility.J Soc Work Educ Pract. 2018;3(3) 11-25.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Social workers.Council on Social Work Education.Social work education at a glance.Association of Social Work Boards.Comparison of U.S. clinical social work supervised experience license requirements.Association of Social Work Boards.Examination guidebook.American Psychological Association.What is the difference between psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers?Social Work Licensure.Counseling vs. social work.
American Psychological Association.Clinical social work.
American Board of Clinical Social Work.What is clinical social work?.
New York State Society for Clinical Social Work.Definition what clinical social workers do.
Social Work Guide.How to become a social worker: A quick guide.
American Psychological Association.What is cognitive behavioral therapy?
Fit AP.Hypnosis and clinical social work practice. In: Turner FJ, et.Social Work Treatment: Interlocking Theoretical Approaches. Oxford University Press; 2017.
Posmontier B, Bina R, Glasser S, Cinamon T, Styr B, Sammarco T.Incorporating interpersonal psychotherapy for postpartum depression into social work practice in Israel.Res Soc Work Pract. 2019;29(1):61-8. doi:10.1177/1049731517707057
Wang DS.Meditation in social work practice: A systematic review of the literature for applicability and utility.J Soc Work Educ Pract. 2018;3(3) 11-25.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Social workers.
Council on Social Work Education.Social work education at a glance.
Association of Social Work Boards.Comparison of U.S. clinical social work supervised experience license requirements.
Association of Social Work Boards.Examination guidebook.
American Psychological Association.What is the difference between psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers?
Social Work Licensure.Counseling vs. social work.
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