Social workers are charged to work with vulnerable populations and often encounter those experiencing homelessness. Despite this fact, social workers do not typically learn about homelessness in degree programs even though the topic aligns with the educational competencies set forth by the Council on Social Work Education. This teaching note…

The miracle question (MQ) is a technique for assessing clients' ability to discover their potential in search of solutions. Educators can train students to use the classic MQ (What would life be without this problem?) to develop solution-focused skills in social work and counseling. This article describes the MQ Variations tool derived from the…

To fill a gap in research on the incorporation of neuroscience in social work education, this article describes Master of Social Work (MSW) student and alumni experiences learning a neuroscience-informed model for practice with clients who have endured developmental trauma. The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) is a clinical…

Systematic inquiry is an inherent part of social work practice. Despite this fact, social work students and practitioners continue to view research as difficult, intimidating and irrelevant. This disconnect is compounded by a lack of rigorous study on how best to teach research concepts to social work students. One way to bridge this gap is to…

The purpose of this article is to describe student perceptions of their experiences around social justice discussions in the social work classroom through a qualitative, grounded theory framework. Student responses from a qualitative section of a survey were analyzed and sorted into three categories: perceived discrimination, heightened…

Factors external and internal to social work practice have caused our profession to question its role and identity. The emergence of evidence-based or evidenced informed practices forces the profession to reexamine its unique identity and its historical roots. This article addresses the problems in the dominant paradigm guiding our profession, the…

Social work is increasingly embracing evidence-based practice (EBP) as a decision-making process that incorporates the best available evidence about effective treatments given client values and preferences, in addition to social worker expertise. Yet, social work practitioners have typically encountered challenges with the application of…

This article presents data from a study of an intergroup dialogue (IGD) course in an urban Midwest MSW program guided by Derald Wing Sue's multicultural education model. IGD was used as an innovative pedagogy to meet the Council on Social Work Education mandate for cultural competence and social justice education. Results showed significant gains…

This article examines the dynamic between expressions of care--that is, simple acts of kindness and consideration that make up friendly relations--and professional expertise. During the 20th century, social work based its expertise on a solid scientific foundation. Within the embrace of scientific expertise, expressions of care are assigned the…

The purpose of this action research was to explore and describe the relationship between middle school teachers' reports of their empathy and their reports of their likelihood of intervening in a bullying situation. Teacher volunteers from a single middle school within a suburban school district in a northeastern state were asked to complete…

This article provides a pedagogical approach to presenting alternatives along with the traditional medical model in the context of mental health treatment and service provision. Given the current influence of the medical model in community mental health, this article outlines a rationale for challenging the model and considering alternative models…

Suggests that strategies and skills commonly used in political processes would help social workers balance the multiplicity of clients' problems. Reviews some deficiencies in current problem-solving theory and discusses a conceptual framework for a political approach. (Author/JAC)

The development of cultural competency skills is important for a clinician in any cross-cultural setting where a working knowledge of the client's culture is important to the delivery of services. This paper suggests that incorporating attendance at Twelve Step recovery programs may begin to facilitate cultural competency for students, or at the…

A curriculum model for training minorities to work specifically with predominantly Black clients of mental health agencies is reviewed. Focus is on the University of Georgia Community Mental Health Practice with Minorities Project, in which Black students are educated to work with urban Black populations. (Author/MH)

A curriculum model for rural social work practice is presented that takes into account rural diversity and the universe of social work practice. Regionalization of preparation and practice, which will allow services to be more broadly distributed, is recommended. (MSE)