Social Worker Shortage

GROWING CRISIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND RIGHT HERE IN FLORIDA, A SIGNIFICANT LACK OF SOCIAL WORKERS. EXPERTS SAY HIGH BURNOUT AND RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTING TO THE SHORTAGE MADE WORSE BY INCREASING DEMANDS FOR PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD. THERE ARE MORE THAN 800,000 SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE COUNTRY HELPING CHILDREN AND ADULTS OVERCOME LIFE CHALLENGES LIKE POVERTY, ABUSE OR ADDICTION WHILE THE NEED FOR MORE SOCIAL WORKERS IS HIGH. THE NUMBER OF GRADUATES ENTERING THE FIELD IS NOT MEETING THE DEMANDS. DOCTOR TOM SELLECK, HE IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM AT FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY AND JOINS US TO DISCUSS THE CRITICAL NEED FOR SOCIAL WORKERS. HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS FIELD? >> IT'S HUGELY IMPORTANT. SOCIAL WORKERS TOUCH EVERY ASPECT OF DAILY LIFE. EVERYTHING FROM CHILDREN. WE TALK A LOT ABOUT CHILD WELFARE ALL THE WAY UP TO OUR OLDER ADULT POPULATION, PARTICULARLY HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF OLDER ADULTS. AND SO THE NEED FOR SOCIAL WORKERS HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER. AND AS THE ONLY BRICK AND MORTAR SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, WE TAKE OUR DEDICATION OF THAT PROFESSION VERY SERIOUSLY. NOW WE ARE DISCUSSING THE PROJECTED GROWTH FOR THE SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE UNITED STATES. >> WHY IS THERE SUCH A NEED AND WHAT ARE THE AREAS THAT OUR ARE CRITICAL? >> SO I THINK ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS LOOK AT THE NEWS AND SEE WHAT EXACTLY IS HAPPENING IN SOCIETY. AGAIN, NOT JUST HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE. WE ARE SEEING AN EXACERBATION OF A LOT OF THESE SOCIAL ISSUES HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. OBVIOUSLY, THE BIG THING WE TALKED ABOUT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BUT I ALSO LOOK A LOT AT FOOD INSECURITY. ONE OF THE STATISTICS I BRING OUT QUITE OFTEN IS THE FACT THAT THE MAJORITY OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT RECEIVE SNAP BENEFITS, WHAT WE USED TO CALL FOOD STAMPS OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS ARE ACTUALLY ABOVE THE POVERTY LINE. AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM HAD AT LEAST ONE, IF NOT 2 WORKING HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD. SO WHILE A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT PROGRAMS LIKE SNAP AS A SO-CALLED POOR PERSON PROGRAM, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE CASE HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WHERE THAT BECOMES PROBLEMATIC IS WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS AND WHAT IS THAT AFFECTED PROGRAMS LIKE SNAP. SO IT'S OUR WORKING CLASS FAMILIES THAT ARE REALLY STRUGGLING JUST IN THAT ARENA. I'VE MENTIONED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OLDER ADULTS HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEANS BOTH IN TERMS OF THEIR PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE AS WELL AS THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. AND WE DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF GERIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. AND THEN YOU GET INTO SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL ISSUES AS WELL. THOSE THINGS WE SEE AROUND CHILD WELFARE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SUBSTANCE USE, THANKFULLY, WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT NETWORK OF SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THOSE THINGS. BUT THEY NEED THE STAFF IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND SOCIAL WORK. IF YOU COULD DEFINE THAT FORCE, THAT IS A BROAD TERM. >> AND IT REALLY TOUCHES MANY OF OUR LIVES. AND WE MAY NOT EVEN BE AWARE THAT WE ARE BEING IMPACTED BY SOCIAL WORKERS. >> SOCIAL WORKER. WHEN WE LOOK AT IT INTERNALLY, WE TALK ABOUT IT IN OVER ARCING PERSPECTIVE CALLED THE PERSON AND ENVIRONMENT AND SO JUST FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH WE TOUCH EVERY ASPECT OF SARAH LEE LIFE. SO THE SOCIAL WORKERS, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE THE LARGEST PROVIDERS OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN THE NATION. THE NUMBER ONE EMPLOYER OF GRADUATE TRAINED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS IS ACTUALLY THE U.S. MILITARY. SO YOU'LL FIND SOCIAL WORKERS IN THOSE TRADITIONAL LOCATIONS LIKE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. BUT YOU ALSO FIND THEM IN A LOT OF PRIVATE BUSINESSES NOWADAYS. I'VE RECENTLY RECEIVED A JOB NOTICE FROM A MAJOR CRUISE LINE WHO IS LOOKING TO RECRUIT SOCIAL WORKERS TO WORK WITH THE STAFF THAT ARE ON THOSE CRUISE SHIPS WHO OFTEN SPEND MONTHS AT A TIME AWAY FROM THEIR HOMES AND AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES. SO THE SOCIAL WORKERS ARE THERE TO HELP THEM DEAL WITH A LOT OF THAT STRESS, ANXIETY AND HELP COORDINATE SOME OF THEIR NEEDS. >> IF THERE IS A STUDENT LISTENING WHO IS INTERESTED IN DOING A CAREER IN SOCIAL WORK, WHAT WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE? SO MY ADVICE IS DEFINITELY PURSUE SOCIAL WORK AS A CAREER. I IN MY 15 YEARS HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, IT HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO BE A SOCIAL WORKER. >> THE JOB MARKET IS WIDE OPEN PAY HAS INCREASED INCENTIVES TO DRAW INDIVIDUALS INTO SOCIAL WORK. BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY HAVE INCREASED. AND THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS THAT COME ALONG, ESPECIALLY AT THE UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL. I MENTIONED BEFORE FGCU IS THE ONLY ACADEMIC BRICK AND MORTAR SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. YOU HAVE TO GO TO MIAMI OR OVER TAMPA TO FIND THE NEXT ONES. SO FOR US, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THAT EDUCATION. AND THEN AT THE NEXT LEVEL FOR THE MASTER'S DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK, THE BENEFIT OF GETTING THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE IS THAT YOU GET THAT MASTER'S DEGREE IN JUST ONE YEAR VERSUS 2 YEARS, WHICH IS THE NORM FOR A LOT OF OTHER PROGRAMS. AND THEN THAT ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS WITHIN ANOTHER 2 YEARS TO BE ABLE TO THEN BE THERAPIST CLINICIANS. HOWEVER, THEY DECIDE TO DEFINE THEMSELVES IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT WE NEED. WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, WE HAVE A RATIO ON AVERAGE OF ABOUT ONE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL FOR EVERY 880 RESIDENTS, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THAT IS MORE THAN DOUBLE THE STATE AND NATIONAL AVERAGE US FOR THAT RATIO. THAT IS NOT ENOUGH. IT'S DEFINITELY NOT ENOUGH. AND IT GETS WORSE WHEN WE GO TO WAR, RURAL COMMUNITIES, HENDRY COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S ABOUT ONE TO 13,000. >> ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE OUR VIEWERS TO TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL WORK? >> I THINK IT'S JUST THE TO LOOK AT SOCIAL WORKERS THE WAY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT HERE. I THINK VERY OFTEN THE STEREOTYPE OF A SOCIAL WORKER IS WHAT WE SEE IN TV SHOWS OR IN MOVIES, WHICH OFTEN SHOWS A VERY NEGATIVE PERSPECTIVE OF THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION. FACT OF THE SOCIAL WORKERS ARE, AGAIN, ALL ACROSS EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT WE DO. THERE ARE A LOT OF POSITIVES OF WHAT SOCIAL WORKERS TO EVEN IN SOME OF THOSE NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, REMOVING CHILDREN FROM HOMES WHEN THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. NO ONE IS GOING IN THERE AND DOING IT BECAUSE THEY ENJOY DOING THAT TYPE OF WORK. OUR FOCUS IS ON FAMILY PRESERVATION. IT IS ON, YOU KNOW, WELL, BEING BOTH EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO SEE. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO THAT WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL INDIVIDUALS IN OUR SOCIETY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. DOCTOR TOM FELT THE FGCU PROFESSOR PERCENT OF