Image courtesy of Yahoo.

Yahoo said social work is expected to be one of five careers with the hottest potential in 2012.

The profession is expected to grow by 16 percent between 2008 and 2016, Yahoo said in this article.

Other promising career choices for 2012 are teaching, medical  and health services management; accounting and network and computer systems administration.

We encourage readers to use National Association of Social Workers resources to get the most reliable information on the social work profession. To learn more about the social work labor force and social work salaries visit the NASW’s Center for Workforce Studies Website by clicking here. And to get information on how to enter the social work field, click here to visit NASW’s “Be A Social Worker” Website, which offers information on the various kinds of social work and accredited social work schools.

That is because social workers are used to doing surveys and could help advertising and marketing companies better analyze the attitudes and needs of customers and business clients, the article said.

Mother of 9/11 ’20th hijacker’: I was blind to son’s extremism
CNN
Omar regularly battered his wife until she left him in 1972, according to Jan Vogelsang, a clinical social worker who gave evidence during Moussaoui’s trial.

Alabama appeals gives OK to prosecute women who take illegal drugs …
The Republic
Organizations that have filed briefs in some of the cases, including the American Public Health Association and National Association of Social Workers, say it is bad public policy.

Pinon’s mission is to help others
nwitimes.com
Pinon, a second-year Master of Social Work student at Indiana University Northwest and member of National Association of Social Workers, received a Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to MSW candidates who demonstrate a commitment to working with, or who have a special affinity with American Indian/Alaska Native and Hispanic/Latino populations, or in public and voluntary nonprofit agency settings.

Teen enjoys helping others
Cincinnati.com
“My dad is a clinical psychologist, my stepmother is a psychologist and my mom is a licensed clinical social worker and mitigation specialist, so I guess it comes naturally to me,” Katie said.

Preventing suicide, coping with depression
The Virginian-Pilot
[Chris] Gilchrist is a family psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker, and founder and facilitator of Survivors of Suicide, a free support group that meets monthly in Portsmouth.

For Hospice, the family is the patient
Gettysburg Times
“We help find resources, find other agencies, spiritual counseling,” explained Jody Pritt, a social worker with AseraCare for five years. “Discussing ‘whys’ with a patient. Sometimes we help them resolve things or mend a relationship.

Walkabout: Grass-roots efforts feel like uphill fight to preserve city
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Mr. Cunningham mentored a slew of young people at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work after having spent years as a community organizer in Chicago. One of his students, Rick Swartz, went to work in 1980 as the head of an already solid little organization of volunteers called the Bloomfield-Garfield Corp.

Janora McDuffie to Reprise Social Worker Role on Grey’s Anatomy
TV Fanatic
Janora McDuffie will return to Grey’s Anatomy this fall as the social worker we met at the end of the spring. According to TV Line, she’ll appear in the season premiere, then again in October. Could that mean there’s trouble ahead for Meredith, Derek and baby Zola?

How to Recognize an Eating Disorder in Your Child
Patch.com
But as the eating disorder begins to take on a life of its own, they may feel confused, scared, and ashamed,” says Merle Cantor Goldberg, LCSW, DCSW, a psychotherapist in Silver Spring who specializes in treating young people with eating disorders and obesity issues.

EVERYDAY PEOPLE: Helping to make positive changes
Brainerd Daily Dispatch
Barb Parks, a clinical social worker based in Brainerd, has worked to help people cope with depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress and domestic abuse among other needs in 25 years with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.

Talking to children about cancer
Knoxville News Sentinel
Licensed clinical social worker Kathleen Williams offers suggestions for parents talking to children when a loved one has cancer.

Trail: Working with homeless community changes social worker’s life
Fort Worth Star Telegram
By Amy M. Trail Two days a week, I commute from Denton to Fort Worth to satisfy an educational requirement for my graduate program at the University of North Texas. One of the counselors at Recovery Resource Council told me about a local outreach program that addresses the basic needs of homeless individuals. Wanting to gain as much real-life experience as possible, I decided to go a little deeper into the world of homelessness.

Social Worker Website Launched To Guide Aspiring Social Workers To A …
Online PR News (press release)
Becoming A Social Worker 101, a service to a caring profession, was recently launched to educated visitors on how to become a social worker with all the facts needed to find education opportunities in social work.

Knowledge is the key to a healthy pregnancy
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Yang hadn’t been to a dentist in several years. Untreated gum disease can lead to premature birth, so social worker Annie Janisch, who is helping Yang navigate pregnancy, encouraged her to set up a dental appointment.

San Francisco schools work with kids to cut suspensions, expulsions
San Francisco Examiner
When a student at Civic Center Secondary School swore at a teacher, made threats and punched walls last year, faculty members wanted him gone. The boy was suspended, but came back to school just as angry, recalled Ben Kauffman, then the school’s social worker. After the boy’s second suspension, school officials decided to try something different.

Getting help when needed
Press Herald
My father lives in congregate senior housing at the Pines in Ocean Park, where there are services right on the premises such as a social worker, administrator, maintenance people, group meals if desired, a cord located in the bathroom to pull in case of an emergency and other amenities.

West Memphis Three now must learn how to live as free men
The Christian Science Monitor
“It’s disconcerting when an inmate leaves the system so abruptly,” says Dr. Frederic G. Reamer, a professor at the School of Social Work at Rhode Island College in Providence “And it’s extraordinarily unusual. To go from zero to 75 within a matter of hours is likely to be overwhelming for anybody. There hasn’t been enough time to construct the scaffolding that an ex-offender absolutely needs after entering society.”

Social Work Website Helps Aspiring Students Choose a Career in Social Work
Emailwire (press release)
COM, May 10, 2011 ) Coconut Creek, FL — In response to the growing demand for information concerning social work programs, education and careers, Dee Cohen, LCSW, is announcing her informative website that assists aspiring social workers choose the best route for their careers in the industry.

In tornado-stricken Ala., shock yields to grief
BusinessWeek
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM The 7-year-old girl plugged her ears and shook her head as her mother told a Red Cross social worker about their brush with death. Nakarah Britt didn’t want to relive the terror of a tornado bearing down on their Birmingham apartment. A few blocks away, Rosalee Taylor was having trouble eating and sleeping.

Workshop Educates Parents on Emotions of Children
Patch.com
The workshop, led by Ruth Ettenberg Freeman, a licensed clinical social worker, gave a small group of parents the opportunity to learn more about responding to both their children’s emotional cues and their own.

Baby P report: social work journalism ‘one-dimensional’
Press Gazette
Monro cited an analysis on the reporting of social work and child protection issues in England between 1 July, 1997, and 30 June, 1998. During that period almost 2000 articles were produced on social work and social services, 80 per cent of which were negative. She said that common words used by journalists in stories about social workers were ‘incompetent’, ‘negligent’, ‘failed’, ‘ineffective’, ‘misguided’ and ‘bungling’.

Myths about the homeless, Part Two
Bangor Daily News
By Meridith Bolster, LCSW, Penobscot Community Health Care AP photo There are many myths and stereotypes about the homeless. Myths and stereotypes come about due to misconceptions born of ignorance, overgeneralizations from a single experience, and poor access to the real facts.

See something? Say something!
Valencia County News Bulletin
Once a case is referred to CYFD — and Valencia County had almost 800 such cases in 2010 — an investigative social worker teams up with the assigned law enforcement officer and district attorney to conduct a forensic interview, Martinez said.

In Helping Others, Finding What Was Never Truly Lost
New York Times
She turned to John Sullivan, the tall, smiling social worker who had discovered her on a bench in the Broadway median. The woman was a nurse who had lost her grip and had been living in a tent on the Upper West Side, until Mr. Sullivan coaxed her off the street.

Real money, real world
Wapakoneta Daily News
Kylee Sommers, who grew up in the foster care system and feels strongly about the difference she wants to make as a social worker, felt first-hand the impact it could have on her own family if that is the route she continues to pursue.

Taking up for children
Laurel Leader Call
Rosie Donaldson, area social worker supervisor for the local Department of Human Services, said it’s important to spread awareness about the issue of child abuse. “Parents cannot treat their children as personal property as they did in the ’70s,” she said. “We now have laws that protect children against abuse.”

Surge of seniors to lessen tax intake
News & Observer
Lisa Gwyther, a clinical social worker and senior fellow at Duke’s Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, said many boomers hitting retirement age are stuck in homes they can no longer afford. In today’s market, they risk selling it for far less than it is worth or less than they owe.

Expert Advice for WV Parents This Week
Public News Service
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – One big topic this week at the annual conference of the National Association of Social Workers West Virginia Chapter in Charleston is a discussion of ideas that could help both social work professionals and parents in dealing with children.

Social Workers lobby for title protection
Daily 49er
On April 11, county social work supervisors lobbied in Sacramento to push for AB 671. Many people often wonder what title protection is and why is it a big deal. Title protection requires precise positions to require specific academic degrees.

On the record with … Nancy Hiatt
Northwest Herald
Hiatt earned a degree in psychology from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., before heading west to Arizona State University in the mid-1990s to graduate with a master’s degree in social work. After graduation, Hiatt worked in social service in Flagstaff, Ariz.

You are here: News University UT-Arlington School of Social work uses $300000 …
UTA The Shorthorn
The Social Work Innovative Community Academic Partnership will begin five new research projects that involve students and the community using a $300000 grant received by the School of Social Work last fall.

Testimony: Cutting services to disabled, mentally ill will boost homelessness …
The Spokesman Review (blog)
Rick Heikkila of Nampa, a licensed clinical social worker, said if lawmakers cut psycho-social rehabilitation services, “Idaho will see an increase in homelessness, an increase in psychiatric care at inpatient hospitals, an increase in emergency room visits,” and more people landing in jail.

Winnacunnet High School juniors attend career fair
Seacoastonline.com
Social work was a popular field for many students, Thompson said. “They asked us what we do, how much money we make, what skills we need,” explained school clinical social worker Talley Westerberg.

Tiger Mom’s Performance Parenting? There’s More to It
NewsReleaseWire.com
“That’s healthy success—self-worth and resiliency in the making,” confirms forty-year child psychotherapy veteran Gary M. Unruh, MSW, LCSW. “And that’s just part of the story. Amie’s ‘I don’t want to’ drama did not keep her parents from insisting on three hours of grueling practice.”

Help for area veterans returning to civilian life
Journal and Courier
Our office has been in contact lately with Amy Blue, licensed clinical social worker, of the Gary Area Vet Center. She has informed us that the Lafayette area falls under their vet center’s catchment area and that she would like to provide service to our veterans in this area.

Coalition: End the ‘National Media Blackout’ on Child Abuse and …
PR Newswire
Joan Zlotnik, director, Social Work Policy Institute, National Association of Social Workers, said: “Every day, too many children are abused, neglected and and murdered in our communities. The only way to truly protect these vulnerable lives is to address the most serious problems facing families in crisis. Well-trained professionals serving in community-based prevention programs and in adequately funded service agencies are essential, but they are not enough. Our national leaders must decide that vulnerable lives are also valuable lives, and then support policies that make real change possible.”

6 Ways to Ward Off Depression
lifescript.com
When faced with a tough situation, “there’s the sense that you’re no longer in control of your life,” says LeslieBeth Wish, a psychologist and clinical social worker in Sarasota, Florida.

10 Careers with High Rates of Depression
health.com
It’s probably not a huge surprise to find social workers near the top of this list. Dealing with abused children or families on the brink of every imaginable crisis—combined with bureaucratic red tape—can make for a demanding, stressful job that’s often 24-7.

BSU Honors First Graduating Class Of Social Work Program
KMVT
Boise State University officials honored the first graduating class of 28 students from the new bachelor of Social Work program offered in Twin Falls.

Social work rooted in passion and social justice
Hilltop Views
One of the core understandings within the social work profession is that we are social beings who are intricately connected to other people and our environment.

Carcieri chooses DCYF employee as child advocate
Providence Journal
She graduated from Stonehill College in 1981 with a bachelor of arts degree, and earned a master’s degree in social work from Rhode Island College, as well as a Juris Doctor degree from the New England School of Law.

On beekeeping and social work: is City out of touch?
Rochester City Newspaper
The latest Occupational Handbook of the Bureau of Labor Statistics says, “Employment for social workers is expected to grow faster than the average (ie, 14-19 %) for all occupations through 2018.

Social Workers Are Awesome
GeriPal.org
It is often the social worker on the team that understands what is really going on with the patient and identifies the key details that make it possible to effectively care for them.

Home > Moving Beyond Addiction > How a Loved One in R…
Beliefnet.com
by Sherry Gaba, LCSW As I walk this road of recovery with my loved one, I need to remind myself constantly to remember two very important words, “forgiveness” and”compassion”.

Dr. Roberta Greene Named Board Trustee for Barbara Jordan Freedom Foundation
University of Texas at Austin News
AUSTIN, Texas — Roberta Greene, Ph.D., MSW, a professor at The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work, has been named to the Barbara Jordan 2010 Charitable Trust Board of Trustees.

Va. Social Worker Pleads Guilty To Fraud
WJZ
(AP) ― A former Grayson County senior social worker has pleaded guilty to defrauding two elderly patients under her care. US Attorney Timothy Heaphy said 36-year-old Jennifer Edward Hall of Galax pleaded guilty Wednesday to bank fraud, access device fraud and conspiracy to commit access device fraud. Sentencing is set for Jan. 24 in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.

Social worker studying domestic violence finds herself becoming a victim
CultureMap
Melinda was pursuing her master’s degree in social work at the University of Houston and working at the Women’s Center when she began to notice similarities in the abuse cycles she was studying and her own relationship with her boyfriend.

The power of restorative justice
University of Texas at Austin News
The Institute for Restorative Justice and Restorative Dialogue in the Center for Social Work Research is concerned about how we, as a society, respond to the harm that comes from wrongdoing and oppressive social forces.

Fighting for life
Hamilton Spectator
But among organizations working to lower the toll, there’s still the “silo effect” — medical, social work and therapeutic communities work without adequate communication and co-ordination. A suicide-prevention conference in Hamilton this week is working to change that, looking for action strategies to prevent suicides.

Social class may impact treatment for depression
PhysOrg.com
Depression has a profound impact on an individual’s productivity. That’s particularly true among individuals in lower social classes and with lower levels of education, such as many of those in sales and support jobs, says Lydia Falconnier, assistant professor in UIC’s Jane Addams College of Social Work.

Foster Kids Gain From Mentoring, Relationship Skills
BusinessWeek
They studied 156 children, aged 9 to 11, in the Denver area who were maltreated and placed in foster care. The children were randomly assigned to either a control group (77 children) who received usual care or to a nine-month Fostering Healthy Futures intervention group (79 children) who received skills development and one-on-one mentoring by graduate students in social work.

A healthful staycation: One week to a stronger you
Washington Post
Before the week begins, you’ll want to hammer out your itinerary, says Lisa Himmelfarb, a Washington-based social worker who specializes in weight management.

County Program Offers Women Addiction Therapy, Treatment
KSAT
University of Texas — San Antonio School of Social Work students assist in a program helping latina women fight against heroin addictions.

Deportation fears plague locals
Colorado Springs Independent
In past years, Sandra Hernandez, executive director of the Colorado Springs nonprofit Centro de la Familia and a licensed clinical social worker, spent her days helping Hispanic and immigrant families with run-of-the-mill issues: parenting skills, marital problems, children struggling in school.

College financial lesson: The eight lowest-paying majors
New York Daily News
Social work. The median starting pay is $31800 per year and the median mid-career pay is $44900. The job, which involves dealing with homelessness, drug abuse, and poverty, can be draining — both emotionally and financially.

Betsy Clark

Cheers to the Chicago Tribune for this article on social work careers.

The article spells out the benefits of social work, what kind of personalities suit the job, and what education you need to become one.

Maybe the reason the article is so good is because it features Betsy Clark, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers.

Photo courtesy of U.S. News & World Report.

Cheers to U.S. News & World Report for this article that says medical and public health social work will be one of the fastest growing careers  in 2010 and beyond. Here’s an excerpt:

“Medical and public health social workers held 139,000 jobs in 2009. Over the next decade, that figure is expected to climb by 31,000, or more than 22 percent, a rate much faster than average. That’s because of the aging of the baby boomer generation, which is beefing up the need for social workers in nursing homes and in home healthcare settings.”

Q: Are you a social worker who works in a hospital or nursing home? Would you encourage more social work students and professional social workers to pursue this career path?

To find out more about how social workers help provide services to senior citizens and help people maintain their health visit the National Association of Social Workers’ “Help Starts Here” Web pages on Health & Wellness by clicking here and the Seniors & Aging Web pages by clicking here.

Illustration courtesy of the Metro.

Cheers to the Metro for urging readers of its “Career and Wealth” section to pursue a social work career.

“In 2006, the Bureau of Labor Statistics listed job growth for social workers as ‘much faster than the average,’ its highest designation, signaling growth of at least 21 percent,” reporter Bruce Walsh wrote.

The Metro is a free newspaper published in more than 100 cities around the world. To read the full story click here.

T0  find out more about how the National Association of Social Workers is working to promote social work careers read about the  Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act (H.R. 795 and S. 686). NASW supports the legislation, which would help prevent a pending shortage of trained social workers

A CNNMoney.com headline depicts social work and several related careers as “stressful jobs that pay badly.”  However, the actual article highlighted the dedication of social workers and how they provide valuable services to families and their communities. And back in August a CNN article advised readers to pursue a career in patient advocate social work because that line of work is expected to grow 24 percent. Photo of social worker Heather Griffith courtesy of CNNMoney.com.

Social Workers, what do you think?  Leave your comment and join the discussion below.