TO:House Heath, Education & Welfare Committee

220 West Exchange Street, Suite 007
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
Telephone: 401-274-4940
Facsimile: 401-274-4941

DATE:March 23, 2016

RE:In Support of H - 7519. Public Education Staffing - School Social Workers

“When we tug on a single thread in nature, we find it attached to everything else.”

John Muir (1838 – 1914)

(John Muir’s quote describes perfectly the parameters that School Social Workers operate within. The nature of School Social Work is about community connections, individualized professional services and application of “Systems” theory to benefit the student.)

The main goal of School Social Workers is to assist students to meet their educational goals through the provision of a cadre of mental health, emotional, cognitive development and other professional support services. School Social Workers are the only Licensed Mental Health professionals employed directly within public schools. Besides having six years of college education, school social workers also are requiredto partake ina rigorous and continuous professional education progam through their career.

The best description of what school social workers do that I have read is contained in the 1992 Federal Dictionary of Occupational Titles.

School Social Workers counsel students whose behavior, school progress, or mental or physical disabilty or condition indicates need for assistance. Consults with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to determine causes of problems and effect solutions. Arranges for medical, psychiatric, and other tests and examinations that may disclose causes of difficulties and indicate remedial measures. Attempts to alter attitudes and behavior of parents and teachers that cause or aggravate problems. Recommends change of class or school, special tutoring, or other treatment to effect remedy. Serves as liaison between student, home, school, and community resources, such as family service agencies, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and clergy members. Serves as consultant to school personnel regarding students or situations which are not referred for direct service. May lead group counseling sessions to enhance social development of individual members and provide peer support in areas such as grief, stress, or chemical dependency. Usually required to have knowledge and skill in casework methods acquired through degree program at school of social work and certification by state department of education.

The above description has been greatly added to since 1992 of course. This piece of legislation will greatly enhance our understanding of how each district utilizes this very important resource within the school districts and give us a global picture of the needs of students. Following is additional information regarding the profession of School Social Work.

The School Social Work profession is over 112 years old and was originally referred to as “Home Visitors” among other titles. During these many years of development, social workers have continuously added to the profession’s knowledge and skill base in order to provide effective services. We live in a complex and fast paced world and students face a myriad of problems, many of which negatively impact students while in school. The unique preparation that social workers receive in their education and the ongoing training emphasizes both clinical and systems theory. This attention to working from “micro” and “macro” perspectives allows every school social worker to operate simultaneously within individual, classroom, school and community parameters. School social workers provide effective services to students, families and school personnel while helping to improve the whole educational system through policy analysis while nurturing the growth and linkage of community partners and resources.

Mental health assessment, crisis intervention on a daily basis, mental health services, resource development, and services to students, families and school personal are simultaneous provided in each intervention. School social workers are often the first professional requested by the Principal or Special Education Director when a child and/or family are experiencing severe trauma in or out of school. School social workers also complementarily work in cooperation with School Psychologists, School Counselors (Guidance Counselors), School Nurses and other school professionals in developing and implementing Individual Education Plans. (IEP)

Throughout Rhode Island communities, school social workers work closely with law enforcement personnel, community support systems, state department personnel and community based professional mental health and substance abuse providers to help ensure the necessary linkages and coordination of services to maximize the success of educational goals.

The differential of school social work availability and student need is woefully demonstrated by the low number school social workers employed throughout the state. Most school social workers servetwoto four schools and many are part-time. When a crisis is being responded to at one school, it is not uncommon for another to erupt at a different location. The resulting outcomes are then negatively affected and much more effective solutions and outcomes would result with better staffing ratios. Caseloads have little meaning when looking at staffing of school social workers. Every school social worker carries specifically identified students who need ongoing support to meet educational goals, however school social workers also respond to and work with many students who need shorter term work or “on the spot” intervention to be successful in school. These interventions free teachers up to do what they do best...teach! School social workers also work with whole classrooms to improve understanding of racial and disability diversity, anti-bullying venues, social skill development, integration and many other areas therefore preventing more serious situations from ever arising.

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK OVERALL PREPARATION AND PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE

Basic Qualificationsof Public School Social Worker

1)Master of Social Work (MSW) from an accredited school of social work.

2)Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) or Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Rhode Island.

3)Certification by the Rhode Island Department of Education.

4)Continuing Education required to maintain Social Work licensure with includes Cross Cultural Practice and Professional Ethics.

5) Continuing Education required to maintain School Social Work Certification as outlined by the Rhode Island Department of Education.

Preparation and Professional Guidance

School social workers are held to high standards of cultural competence, ethical delivery of services, and clinical standards of practice. At the same time these workers are also held to high expectations regarding the overall “good of the community”. This is accomplished through rigorous education and continuing education requirements. Schools of social work integrate cultural competence, generic and specialized ethics education; systems change theory, clinical theory, clinical practice, policy analysis, and research. These elements are reflected in following selected school social work practice standards developed by the National Association of Social Workers. (NASW)

NASW Standards for School Social Work Services

Standard 1. Ethics and Values:

School Social Workers shall adhere to the ethics and values of the social work profession and shall use the NASW Code of Ethics as a guide to ethical decision-making, while understanding the unique aspects of school social work practice and the needs of the students, parents, and communities they serve.

The school social worker demonstrates a recognition of basic human rights, including the right of students to human services; a willingness to act on professional judgment and convictions, and be informed by the NASW Code of Ethics; and the recognition that change is constant and requires school social workers to remain current by continuously scrutinizing and improving theory, policy, and practice.

Rhode Island State Law Requires three Continuing Education Hours per licensing cycle in Professional Ethics practice.

Standard 2. Qualifications: School Social Workers shall meet the provisions for professional practice set byNASW and their respective state Department of Education and possesses knowledge and understanding basic to the social work profession as well as a local education system.

Standard 3. Assessment: School Social Workers shall conduct assessments of individuals, families and systems/organizations (namely, classroom, school, neighborhood, district, state) with the goal of empowering student social, emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes.

Assessments take an ecological perspective, focusing on the students, as well as their interactions in the school environment, at home, and in community settings. A functional approach to assessment enhances understanding of the purpose and effect of problematic behaviors and provides information for developing interventions.

Standard 4. Intervention: School Social Workers shall understand and use evidence informed practices in their interventions.

Standard 5. Decision Making and Practice Evaluation: School Social Workers shall use data to guide service delivery and to evaluate their practice regularly to improve and expand services.

Standard 6. RecordKeeping: School Social Workers shell maintain accurate data and records that are relevant to planning, implementation, and evaluating the school social work services.

Standard 7. Workload Management: School Social Workers shall organize their workloads to fulfill their responsibilities and clarify their critical roles within the educational mission of the school or district in which they work.

Standard 8. Professional Development: School Social Workers shall pursue continuous enhancement of knowledge and skills to provide the most current, beneficial, and currently appropriate services to students and their families.

Standard 9. Cultural Competence: School Social Workers shall ensure that students and their families are provided services within the context of multicultural understanding and competence.

Increasing diversity in U.S. classrooms requires that school social workers increase their awareness and appreciation of cultural differences. School social workers must develop competencies that include heightened self-awareness, knowledge, and practice skills consistent with the Indicattors for the Achievement of theNASW Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Wrok Practice.* They must also recognize racial and ethnic barriers within the local education agency and develop strategies to lessen and overcome these barriers on students and improve the climate of the local education agency.

Rhode Island State Law Requires three Continuing Education Hours per licensing cycle in Cross-Cultural Practice.

Standard 10. Interdisciplinary Leadership and Collaboration: School Social Workers shall provide leadership in developing a positive school climate and work collaboratively with school administration, school personnel, family members, and community professionals as appropriate to increase accessibility and effectiveness of services.

School social workers provide training programs for parents, teachers, other local education agency personnel, and the staff of community agencies. These programs may involve teamwork and collaboration with other disciplines. Content should address the prevention, intervention, and remedial factors that affect students’ success in school.

School social workers support the academic standards of their school districts. This is accomplished through services to prepare students for learning and the actual teaching of social and behavioral skills.

Standard 11. Advocacy: School Social Workers shall engage in advocacy that seeks to ensure that all students have equal access to education and services to enhance their academic progress.

NASW Standards for Professional Preparation and Development

Standard 16. School social workers shall meet the provisions for practice set by NASW.

School social workers have a graduate degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE). As a distinct specialty within the social work profession, school social work requires specialized knowledge and understanding of educational systems. The school social worker should actively seek this specialized training when the CSWE accredited program does not provide it.

Standards 20. School social workers shall possess knowledge and understanding of the reciprocal influences of home, school and community.

School social workers are knowledgeable about how family dynamics, health, wellness, mental health; social welfare policies, programs, and resources in the community affect students’ success in the school environment.

NASW Standards for Administrative Structure and Support

An effective school social work program must have adequate administrative structure support. NASW recommends that the local agency use the following standards, along with state and federal guidelines, to develop a school social work program.

Standard 29. State departments of education or other state entities that license or certify educational personnel shall regulate school social work practice.

Standard 30. State department of education or other state entities that license or certify educational personnel shall employ a state school social work consultant who is a credentialed and experienced school social worker.

Standard 31. School social work services shall be provided by credentialed school social workers employed by the local education agency.

Standard 33. Social workers in schools shall be designated “school social workers”.

“School social workers” is the position title that correctly identifies the educational backgrounds, profession, and function of a social worker employed by the local education agency. Other titles, such as “attendance officer,” “pupil personnel worker,” “home and school visitor,” “home-school coordinator,” “visiting teacher,” “family collaborative worker,” “family specialist,” or “home-family specialist,” project incomplete and misleading notions of the school social worker’s qualifications and functions.

NASW Code of Ethics: Summary of Ethical Principles

Value: Service

Ethical Principle: Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems.

Value: Social Justice

Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.

Value: Dignity and Work of the Person

Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.

Value: Integrity

Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.

Value: Competence

Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise.

The above clearly demonstrates the commitment of the social work profession to the ideals espoused within educational philosophy that “all children” deserve the most effective and absolute best education possible regardless of need. We whole heartily support H-7591 to help all students in Rhode Island public schools achievetheir individualized educational goals.

If you have any questions regarding this written testimony, please feel free to contact me at 401-274-4940 or

Respectively Submitted,

Rick Harris, LICSW
Executive Director