Real Social Workers
Re “A Collision Between ‘Doing Things Right’ and ‘Doing the Right Thing’ ” (Commentary, July 4) by Alex J. Norman: The call for leaders in public agencies involved in the practice of social work is long overdue. However, the primary difficulty is that there are very few social workers in these agencies.
The Department of Children’s Services has very few trained social workers. Most are clerks upon whom the county has settled the title of “social worker.”
With only in-service training, limited to the new regulations and the proper way to fill out forms, it is logical for these well-meaning people to await decisions from their supervisors rather than make their own.
Social work is the only profession that allows anyone from church volunteers to “social workers in the Department of Children’s Services” to be granted the title of its profession, regardless of training.
If the county were to hire untrained persons and call them doctors and nurses, the county hospitals would not be practicing medicine.
Just so, when the county hires untrained persons and calls them social workers, don’t be surprised that public agencies don’t practice social work.
HERVEY INSKEEP
Licensed counselor of social work
Laguna Beach
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