Overview

Public Health Social Workers are an integral part of the interdisciplinary public health team. With their unique focus on psychosocial factors which impact health, Public Health Social Workers strive to improve the health and well being of individuals, families and their communities. These dedicated professionals can be found in a variety of settings such as schools, hospitals, county health departments, and other agencies that plan and implement programs designed to improve quality of life.

In the Public Health setting, social workers may:

• Work directly with individuals and families or focus on populations.
• Use an epidemiological approach to health and social problems by identifying the association between social factors and the incidence of health.
• Focus on community or policy factors that could impact health.
• Plan and intervene at the five levels of prevention: health promotion, specific protections, early diagnosis and prompt treatment, limitation of disability, and rehabilitation.
• Promote the reduction of the social stressors associated with health problems.
• Emphasize prevention by strengthening social support systems that promote well-being and provide protections against ill health and minimize disability and institutionalization.
• Focus on long-range strategies, systems change, policy, and legislation.

In the Public Health setting, Social Workers perform a variety of activities and functions ranging from direct service to population-based public health planning and program administration. Some examples of Public Health Social Work activities and functions are:

• Psychosocial assessment and counseling
• Family treatment interventions
• Client advocacy and education
• Case management
• Consultation with staff and community organizations
• Community organizing and advocacy
• Professional training
• Legislative analysis
• Administration
• Research
• Coordination of community health assessment and evaluation activities
• Enforcement and policy development
• Program development and evaluation