Social Work Fields of Practice: Historical Trends, Professional Issues, and Future Opportunities

A contemporary look at social work practice and the many career possibilities with detailed coverage of important new and emerging trends

As the practice of social work continues to diversify, students need a clear picture of the current state of the field and an up-to-date source of information and guidance on emerging career opportunities. Social Work Fields of Practice provides both.

Written by a team of experts in their respective specialties, this book features a comprehensive overview of contemporary social work practice, discussing historical trends and demographics, professional issues, ethics, and diversity for each practice area. Both traditional areas and new fields are considered from a variety of perspectives, including the clinical, ethical, cultural, legal, theoretical, and technological.

Addressing the Council on Social Work Education's required competencies for accreditation (EPAS), Social Work Fields of Practice contains pedagogical features such as Key Terms, Review Questions for Critical Thinking, and Online Resources. It is the most timely, all-encompassing resource of its kind, covering:

• Child welfare
• Family-centered practice
• School social work
• Substance abuse
• Mental health
• Social work disability practice
• Gerontological social work
• Forensic social work
• Veterinary social work
• Military social work
• International social work
• Social work practice with immigrant and indigenous populations

With expert, in-depth discussions of the most important specialties and practice environments for today's social worker, Social Work Fields of Practice is an invaluable resource for undergraduate and graduate students preparing to enter this noble profession, as well as social workers seeking to expand their professional horizons.

CATHERINE N. DULMUS, PhD, is Professor, Associate Dean for Research, and Director of the Buffalo Center for Social Research in the School of Social Work at the University at Buffalo, SUNY, and Research Director at Hillside Family of Agencies in Rochester, New York.

KAREN M. SOWERS, PhD, is Dean and Beaman Professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her research interests include juvenile justice, sexuality, social work education, child welfare, evidence-based practice, and international social work practice.