Essentials Of Social Work Policy Practice

A concise overview of the policy practice information social workers need to advocate for policy changes within an organization and at local, state, and national levels Given the nature of their work, social workers must understand social problems and the ways social welfare policies are established. Written by a leading expert in social work policy, Essentials of Social Work Policy Practice presents specific tactics for policy practice as well as instructions on how to implement it at several different organizational and government levels. Focusing on developing skills, Essentials of Social Work Policy Practice is a practical resource that includes step-by-step guidelines for putting a plan into action and working efficiently within a system. Techniques are presented for handling a number of related topics including effective interpersonal communication and participation, utilizing technology and the media in policy practice, creating change within organizations, and many more. As part of the Essentials of Social Work Practice series, this book is an indispensable resource that offers a concise yet thorough overview of policy practice, numerous tips for best practices, and valuable advice that must be at one's fingertips to practice knowledgeably, effectively, and ethically. Each chapter features numerous callout boxes highlighting key concepts, bulleted points, case examples, and extensive illustrative material, as well as vignettes that promote critical thinking around policy practice planning.

Essentials of Social Work Practice: A Concise Guide to Knowledge and Skill Development introduces readers to core concepts and skills that are vital to cultivating a successful social work practice. Unique in approach, the book clearly connects human behavior theories to engagement, assessment, goal-setting, intervention, and evaluation, while also illustrating the fluidity between micro, mezzo, and macro level activities. Over the course of eleven engaging chapters, students are introduced to the helping process, ethical standards, and strategies for working with individuals, groups, and families. They learn about contemporary service delivery models and cutting-edge programs that exemplify strength-based, ethically-oriented, and culturally relevant practice. Narratives and dialogues throughout provide detailed depictions of the use of core skills to bridge the gap between concepts and practice. A variety of creative tools and techniques are offered for use with diverse clients. Every chapter features self-care strategies to facilitate coping with common stressors in social work. The final chapter emphasizes lifelong learning and informs readers of vital resources for on-going professional development. Essentials of Social Work Practice prepares future social workers to employ strategic interventions, reflect upon their strengths and needs as a practitioner, and maintain personal health and wellness throughout their career. The book is an exemplary resource for foundational courses in social work. For a look at the specific features and benefits of Essentials of Social Work Practice, visit cognella.com/essentials-of-social-work-practice-features-and-benefits.

The second edition of Social Work Policy Practice: Changing Our Community, Nation, and the World demystifies policymaking for social work students and demonstrates why policy practice is a critical dimension of social work. The text provides a comprehensive introduction to political advocacy, the political process, and how laws are enacted to inspire social work students to enter the field with a mind for political advocacy and social justice. The book is divided into three parts. In Part I, students learn a brief history of social welfare legislation in the United States and the role of social workers in policy development. Part II provides concrete information on how policies become law. It includes an overview of the levels and branches of government, in-depth descriptions of the policy change process, and various strategies advocates employ to enact change. Part III consists of real-world stories of advocates and advocacy organizations that have attempted to change policies on behalf of vulnerable populations. This edition includes up-to-date information regarding policy issues in child welfare, aging, healthcare, mental health, poverty and income equality, rights for racial minorities, and immigration. New material addresses policy issues pertaining to gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter social movements. Engaging and accessible, Social Work Policy Practice is an ideal resource for courses that introduce policymaking to students of social work.

This gateway text lays the foundations for a thorough knowledge of the theory and methods that social workers need. Pulling together the work of a team of experts, this book uses the innovative “theorizing practice” approach, rather than the traditional “applying theory to practice” approach, thereby providing a much more satisfactory basis for understanding the relationship between theory and practice and making it easier for practitioners to employ theory in practice. Part I sets the scene by examining the relationship between theory and practice, how research can be used to inform practice and the important role of policy and organizational factors. Part II provides 14 chapters, each exploring a different theoretical approach. All in all, this book provides the ideal introduction to using social work theory and methods in practice.

A brief text presenting conflicts and controversies surrounding social welfare policy. This book is part of the Connecting Core Competencies Series. This series helps students understand and master CSWE's core competencies with a variety of pedagogy highlighted competency content and critical thinking questions for the competencies throughout. Essentials of Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy (a briefer version of Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy, 7/e) introduces the major social welfare policies and programs in the United States and encourages readers to think about conflicts in social welfare today. It emphasizes the current political aspects of policymaking and major social welfare programs. In this book, social welfare policy is portrayed as the ever-evolving result of public conflict over social problems, the resources Americans choose to allocate to those problems, the debate over whether these problems can best be solved through government, and the political choices involved in reaching even tentative consensus. Teaching & Learning Experience Improve Critical Thinking -- Includes critical thinking questions in margins and end of chapter review questions that 'build' on each other. Explore Current Issues -- Includes the most recent data on healthcare reform, the midterm elections, and public policy changes, and more. Apply CSWE Core Competencies -- Integrates the 2008 CSWE EPAS throughout -- highlights competencies and practice behaviors and includes expensive pedagogy. Support Instructors -- An Instructor's Manual and Test Bank, Computerized Test Bank (MyTest), Blackboard Test Item File, and PowerPoint presentations are included in the outstanding supplements package.

Essentials of Social Work Management and Leadership: A Competency-Based Approach helps students not only build critical knowledge but also cultivate the unique skills that will help them develop into competent and successful managers and leaders. Experiential exercises, informative case studies, and carefully crafted assignments based on the 2015 Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) Educational Policy Accreditation Standards (EPAS) show students how to apply key concepts to gain career success. Each chapter of the text combines knowledge with competency-building exercises that fit into a newly refined conceptual model of the material. The model places the 2015 CSWE EPAS into strategic categories according to orientation, helping readers better understand how each skill functions within the discipline and how collectively, they can support a thriving and effective social work practice. The text delivers excellent insight, opportunities for action, and material that inspires students to become effective, confident, and capable leaders. Essentials of Social Work Management and Leadership is well suited for courses in social work and nonprofit leadership and management at a specialized or advanced level. The text is co-sponsored by The Network for Social Work Management, an international organization focused on strengthening and advancing social work management within health and human services. Richard Hoefer is the Roy E. Dulak Professor for Community Practice Research in the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Arlington. He holds a Ph.D. in social work and political science and a M.A. in political science from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. He also has a B.S.W. and M.S.W. from the University of Kansas. Larry D. Watson is a licensed clinical social worker in private practice in Arlington, Texas, providing individual and family therapy with an emphasis in marital and relationship therapy. He holds a Ph.D. in urban and public administration and a master's degree in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington.

This book presents a broad view of contemporary social work, exploring its roots and its possible future. It dispels myths surrounding social work, addresses media debates, and offers a balanced account of what social workers do. The book argues for a social work that is partisan in support of social justice.

Focusing on what students really need to know, this book breaks down all of the key social work theory covered across a students' training, demystifying complex concepts by demonstrating their application to real-life practice. Multiple case studies highlight applied theory in different practice settings and across issues and challenges that students might face, while self-assessment exercises, practice notes, concise chapter summaries and discussion points help to consolidate their understanding. New chapters bring the book right up to date and include Relationship-based Work, The Importance of Language, Political Perspectives and Environmental Intervention. Written by two well-established and expert authors, this is the 'must-have' theory text for all social work students.