Intro to Social Work: Generalist Social Work Practice

Advocacy

pleading the cause of another or speaking up and supporting what one believes in

Assessment

Determination of the presenting concerns in the context of the person’s environment, personal history, and background in order to identify appropriate services

Case management

coordination and referral of services for a client

cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBTs)

Practice interventions designed to weaken or lessen habitual reactions to troublesome situations to calm the mind and body so the person can think more clearly and make better decisions

community change

working toward outcomes that improve social and economic conditions

community development

process of helping individuals improve the conditions of their lives by increased involvement in the social and economic conditions of their communities

community organizing

Bringing people together to work for a needed change

community planning

collecting data, analyzing a situation, and developing strategies to move from a problem or solution

crisis intervention

Short-term social work practice is designed to assist victims and survivors to return to their precise level of functioning

direct services

social services provided by the social workers

empathy

the automatic or unconscious affective process that allows us to recognize another’s emotional state, coupled with the top-down conscious cognitive processes that enable us to explain and predict not only our own behaviors but the behaviors of others as well

engagement

process of establishing relationships with a client

evaluation

the result of critically analyzing, monitoring, and assessing interventions

generalist social work practice

social work practice backed with a broad range of training and primarily used to guide and coordinate service

global perspective

drawing on the knowledge and practice of other social workers across international boundaries

Information and referral

Providing information on availability, location, and eligibility to clients to enhance their access to services

intervention

actions taken by social workers to enhance client capacities

NASW Code of Ethics (2008) Ethical Standards 5.02 9

Network linkages

connections between social service systems for a client

Problem-solving method

Pragmatic approach to social work direct practice that emphasizes identifying the client’s present difficulties, which are a natural part of life, and providing knowledge and resources to help with them

Psychosocial treatment

A form of direct practice that emphasizes explanation of the internal determinants of people’s behaviors, with focus on early life experiences and childhood memories

task-centered casework

short-term treatment focused on client-acknowledged problems