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NASW Center for Workforce Studies
The NASW Center for Workforce Studies is established to conduct
studies of the current social work labor force in order to
determine trends in employment, training needs, barriers to
quality service delivery, and to advance the role of the profession
in multiple systems of care. The Center will also collect information
from other data sources about social work employment, and serve
as a unique clearinghouse and dissemination point for the profession.
Data about the professional social work labor force are important
for several audiences: educators, policy makers at all levels
of government, and public and private work force planners.
In addition, the Center will design training programs to advance
the knowledge and skill of social workers in areas of emerging
practice, and build NASW's role in the "science to service" arena
by communicating the emerging knowledge of evidence-based practices
to social workers.
NASW has received funding support for the establishment of
the Center from The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John A.
Hartford Foundations. As the Center is established, NASW is
conducting a benchmark national study of licensed social workers
in partnership with the Center for Workforce Studies, University
at Albany , School of Public Health . The study is designed
to provide comprehensive data and analysis on the characteristics
of the current professional social work labor force, as well
as information on services provided and client populations
served by social workers. Other funding partners for the national
study of licensed social workers include the Annie E. Casey
Foundation whose interest is in services to families, and the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation whose interest in the health
and behavioral health frontline workforce.
NASW has conducted three previous studies among members of
the Association through a Practice Research Network project,
funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. In addition,
a special study of social workers practicing in child welfare
settings was recently completed. Data from these projects as
well as the new national study will be used in establishing
a clearinghouse and dissemination center for information about
professional social workers and the nature of their practice.
For workforce studies questions,
please contact:
The NASW Center for Workforce Studies
750 First Street NE Ste 700
Washington, DC 20002
Workforce@naswdc.org
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About
NASW