SOCIAL WORK IN THE DIGITAL AGE
In 2015, the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, in conjunction with thirteen universities across the country, developed Practice Innovation through Technology in the Digital Age: A Grand Challenge for Social Work
mental health centers that may be charged with treating people with serious mental illness (Weiner, 2018), as well as children and youth (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Taking the above into account, “harnessing ICT for social good” (Berzin et al., 2015) can have a great positive impact. According to the Census Bureau, in 2015 78% of U.S. households had a desktop or laptop computer, 75% had a handheld device such as a smartphone, and 77% had a broadband Internet subscription (Ryan & Lewis, 2017). Use of ICT can “connect populations previously marginalized by geography, disability, and economics” (Berzin et al., 2015). In addition: Wireless technologies … are removing the economic barriers faced by those previously unable to connect to the Internet or receive online services or support. Such technologies also provide access across rural and urban areas and among populations previously cut off from wired infrastructure. The second fact that Berzin and colleagues point out is that, because what literature there is on the integration of practice and technology comes mostly from psychologists and counselors, a gap exists between social workers’ expertise in direct practice and the growing understanding of “how and when to best integrate technology and practice.” Third, drawing on the work of scholars in the field, Berzin and colleagues explain that social workers face a number of limitations when trying to integrate technology into practice: ● Limited education and training are barriers to social workers’ ability to effectively incorporate ICT (Mishna, Bogo, & Sawyer, 2015). ● Social workers may not understand ICT’s use because their exposure to innovative applications of ICT in therapeutic work has been limited (Freddolino & Blaschke, 2008; Langlois, 2011). ● Evidence of the effectiveness of ICT’s use is limited (Chan & Holosko, 2015), probably because few social work interventions use the technology and little empirical evidence exists concerning the role played by ICT in the interventions. ● Financial resources for adopting and testing ICT in the field are limited. Berzin and colleagues go on to outline the benefits of using ICT. For example, integrating services using technology can provide flexibility and on-demand services, less encumbered by geography, office hours, and even cost. Clients in rural areas and people with limited mobility or other disabilities can profit from the use of ICT in social work practice. Clients may still see a social worker in person but have their contacts augmented through technology. Another benefit is relief from the rigid structures and timeframes of traditional services: For example, clients often wait three weeks for an intake appointment, wait another three weeks to be assigned a therapist, and then have weekly appointments dictated by either treatment manual or agency protocols. Interactive computer-, web-, or app-based programs enable the consumer to get the services they need at their pace and when they want them. Although the use of technology can help to fulfill the ethical requirement of beneficence and the goal of social justice by potentially making clients’ lives better and helping people to overcome geographical and physical barriers, it does raise ethical issues as well. For this reason, the National Association of Social Workers, Association of Social Work
Working Paper Number 12 . The Grand Challenges were:
Designed to focus a world of thought and action on the most compelling and critical social issues of our day. Each grand challenge is a broad but discrete concept where social work expertise and leadership can be brought to bear on bold new ideas, scientific exploration, and surprising innovations. (Coffey, 2016) The Grand Challenges for Social Work include the following: 1. Ensure healthy development of all youth.` 2. Close the health gap. 3. Stop family violence. 4. Eradicate social isolation. 5. End homelessness. 6. Promote smart decarceration. 7. Reduce extreme economic inequality. 8. Build financial capability of all. 9. Harness technology for social good. 10. Create social responses to a changing environment. 11. Achieve equal opportunity and justice. 12. Advance long and productive lives. Working Paper Number 12 addresses harnessing technology for social good. According to Berzin, Singer, and Chan (2015): Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is transformational in its power to connect, create access to, and embolden new opportunities to rethink social work practice. … As the world becomes increasingly reliant on technology, a grand challenge for social work is to harness technological advancements and leverage digital advances for social good. Meeting this challenge would result in more accurate, timelier targeted services. Social service recipients would benefit from improved assessment, intervention, and real-time feedback. Social services would be available to people who traditionally have been excluded because of geography, transportation, and scheduling barriers. Enhanced by innovative integration of ICT, social work would have a broader reach to the benefit of society as a whole. Berzin and colleagues have identified three facts that make the challenge of integrating technology and social work practice a compelling priority for the profession and the general public, including important statistics. First, these authors point out that “the professional reach of social workers is unparalleled in human services delivery,” and that the number of social workers providing services is higher than the numbers of all other mental health professionals combined. In 2016, there were more than 680,000 social workers employed in the United States (Torpey, 2018). By contrast, there were about 140,000 mental health counselors (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were approximately 59,000 marriage and family therapists in 2019, and there were fewer than 182,000 psychologists and 25,630 psychiatrists as of 2018 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019a,b; 2020b). As of May 2019, there were about 296,000 educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020a). It is worth noting that the above statistics represent a shortage in mental health professionals in the United States, especially in rural areas, some urban areas, and community
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Book Code: SWTX1525
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