Contemporary Trends in Psychiatric Social Work Education

Social workersSocial workers have made substantial contributions to the delivery of psychiatric services, and psychiatrists are aware of the potential value of social workers in the usual psychiatric services (Swift, 1934). Hence, psychiatric social workers have often seen themselves as leaders in social work, and much evidence supports their claims (Timms, 1964). Social workers must develop the specialized knowledge and skills necessary for practice in psychiatric services after completing their social work training (Walsh, 1985). Psychiatric social work is at a crossroads. Its unique contribution to mental health services has been eroded and may become expendable due to the uniqueness of the course structure of both theory and practice. Evidence-based practice in psychiatric social work will enrich the profession and create its own identity. The psychiatric social worker will get equal footing in multidisciplinary professional teams such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychiatric nurses.