Should Training for Private Practice Be a Central Component of Social Work Education? No!

Interests, Activities, and Self-Identification Among Social Work Students

“…Most writers have argued forcefully that a social work identity must include commitment to the traditional mission of social work: ameliorating the social conditions of the disadvantaged through social reform and interest in serving those populations (Falck, 1984;Perlman, 1974;Specht, 1991). As Reamer (1991) stated, "No other human service profession can match the depth of social work's simultaneous commitment to individual well-being, structural change, and social action on behalf of vulnerable populations" (p. 100).…”

“…These students and graduates aspire to serve populations other than the disadvantaged, use therapeutic modalities such as psychotherapy and family therapy, and engage in private practice (Abell & McDonell, 1990 ;Barker, 1991;Butler, 1990Butler, , 1992Rubin & Johnson, 1984;Rubin, Johnson, & DeWeaver, 1986). Concerning use of modalities such as individual and family therapy, concern has been expressed that a predominant interest in psychotherapy represents a loosening of identification with the social workprofession (Falck, 1984;Specht, 1991).…”

What Changes MSW Students' View on the Mission of Social Work?

“…Similar to their professional counterparts, social work students are also influenced by their personal views about the mission of social work and their career choices (Specht, 1991;Specht and Courtney, 1994). However, little is known about how social work students view the primary social work mission and how social work education programs affect and/or change their views.…”

Social Workers in Private Practice: A Descriptive Study of What they do

“…Previous studies have examined such questions as: whether social workers have abandoned their mission and whether there was a place for private practice in the profession (Barker 1991a;Karger 1989;Specht 1991a, b;Specht and Courtney 1994), what the characteristics were of social work private practice (Brown 1990;Levin 1976;Reid 1997;Strom 1994b;Wallace 1982), whether training for private practice should have been a part of graduate social work education (Barker 1991b;Brown and Barker 1995;Green et al 2007;Kayser et al 1997;Specht 1991b), what motivated social workers to enter private practice (Jayaratne et al 1995;van Heugten 2002;van Heugten and Daniels 2001;Vinokur et al 1994), and what effects managed care has had on private practice (Gibelman and Schervish 1996;Keefe and Hall 1998;Strom 1994c).…”

“…Arguments against inclusion had to do with the view that private practice was inconsistent with the values of social work and the fact that social workers who had earned their MSW did not tend to enter private practice immediately upon graduation. They were required, according to state licensing laws, to gain extensive experience, participate in supervision hours, engage in further training, take an examination and become licensed prior to becoming independent private practitioners (Kayser et al 1997;Specht 1991b;Strom 1994a).…”