Approximately seven years ago the U.S. Bureau of Labor released a report indicating the Social Work profession was expected to grow by 25% by the year 2020. During this time many of us working in Social Work higher education saw consistent year-over-year increases in student applications for admission to BSW and MSW programs, resulting in healthy enrollment growth. In addition to increased student enrollment in older established programs, there was also an increase in the number of new Social Work programs. While the profession continues to grow, many new and mid-career Social Workers have expressed concern that training in contemporary issues and new treatment techniques rooted in technology use/abuse have not kept pace. I have written previously on this Blog and Twitter about the need to expose and formally train Social Work students about issues related to technology and new technology based practice modalities; nearly everyday I am astonished by the growing body of research related to the impact of technology on social functioning. Although there is growing interest in the area of the influence of technology and social media on the Social Work profession, there continues to be a dearth of continuing education (CE) training opportunities related to these areas for licensed Social Workers.
The NASW Code of Ethics reminds us to practice in areas in which we are qualified; however, there are not adequate technology-focused CE programs, content in BSW/MSW programs, or post-degree certificate programs to adequately prepare social workers to practice in our ever-increasing technology infused culture. I have been a regular user of Twitter, Google+, Podcasts and other social media platforms for several years. There are now several technology communities of Social Workers using these media and I have found their posts educational, thought provoking, and even inspirational. Many of these tech-savvy Social Workers are employed by colleges/universities as faculty and administrators, a few are in direct practice. These Social Workers are scattered across the United States (and abroad) and share their knowledge through regular e-posts.
I often find myself thinking how wonderful it would be to learn more about the information these trailblazing Social Workers share, and that I would be even willing to travel out-state to attend interesting CE trainings delivered by these amazing Social Workers. As we enter 2014, I would like to issue a personal challenge my fellow techie Social Workers to organize and create opportunities to share their knowledge with others through the development of quality, NASW approved CE workshops/conferences for Social Workers, by Social Workers. Given the quickly evolving world of technology and social media and its impact on mental health and social functioning, Social Workers are Needed to Deliver Tech-Focused CEUs! Let's get on-board!
