Students learn a variety of interventive strategies, and they practice the techniques appropriate to the populations and problems encountered in their field settings. Students learn to evaluate their practice through a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods, including single-unit designs and program evaluation. The goal of each field of practice is to strengthen families using appropriate assessment, intervention, and evaluation methods. The Aging field of practice prepares social workers to labor on behalf of the growing population of older adults. The focus of social work practice with older adults is to help attain and maintain a better quality of life.
Social workers provide preventive initiatives.
They seek to mitigate functional and personal losses through social support and compensatory services, and they link older adults and their families to services and programs designed to assist them. Special emphasis is placed on family preservation, family-centered practice, and couples practice. Students learn to serve individuals and families in a variety of family-based settings, including child welfare, developmental disabilities, juvenile justice, schools, and nonprofit agencies. This field of practice emphasizes a holistic approach to the continuum of physical and mental health and illness through services such as individual and family counseling, group therapy, case management, prevention, managed care, and psychoeducational training. Students learn to develop and implement social interventions with individuals and families affected by illness and disability.