Daniel E. O’Keefe, Ph. D. (1914 - 1971) pioneered several areas of the social work profession, including within the United States military, National Institute of Mental Health, and the University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work. Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, O’Keefe earned a bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Dayton, and from Catholic University of America, a master’s of science in social work. He worked both with the Catholic Guidance Clinic in Cincinnati, Ohio and then with the Loyola University School of Social Work. The US Public Health Service Hospital in Lexington, KY—a hospital for drug addicts and general psychiatric patients—named O’Keefe director in 1940 (NASW, 2004). After the United States entered World War II, Six enlisted men who were professionally qualified psychiatric social workers were assigned to the newly formed Mental Hygiene Consultation Service at Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey. This event was the first time that military personnel who were professionally trained social workers were assigned and utilized as psychiatric social workers in a military unit. (Daley, 2009, p. 4) This is significant, because generally, the enlisted are considered skilled trade, while officers are professionals (Military.com & Henry, n.d.). In a September, 1943 memorandum, Elizabeth H. Ross, secretary of the War Service Office, stated that enlisted men in the ranks of private or noncommissioned officer in the Army could apply to be a psychiatric social worker. Army commissioned officers could not apply to be psychiatric social workers (Daley, 2009), which means that the military did not recognize psychiatric social workers as professionals. In 1945, commissioned status—the military equivalent of professional st... ... middle of paper ... ...ne of interior. Washington, DC: Office of the Surgeon General. Ehrenreich, J. H. (1985). The altruistic imagination: A history of social work and social policy in the United States. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Military.com (Interviewer) & Henry, B. (Interviewee). (n.d.). Officers: Making the transition to a civilian job [Interview Transcript]. Retrieved from Military.com website: http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/content/career-advice/job-hunting/orion-veteran-officer-job-recruiting.html NASW Foundation. (2004). NASW Social Work Pioneers: Daniel O'Keefe (1914-1971). In NASW Foundation. Retrieved February 15, 2012, from http://www.naswfoundation.org/pioneers/o/okeefe.htm. University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work. (2008). Doctoral student handbook: Ph. D. program. Retrieved from www.uh.edu/socialwork/_docs/phdprogram/DoctoralHandbook.doc
Sheafor, B. W., & Horejsi, C. R. (2012). Techniques and guidelines for social work practice (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Allyn & Bacon. (Sheafor & Horejsi, 2011)
Career counselors fill extremely demanding positions requiring an unusual amount of effort to accomplish their mission. The Table of Distribution (TDA) only allows one career counselor position, in every Battalion. The amount of personnel fluctuates between 300-800 Soldiers. As identified above MOS 79S, is currently experiencing a shortage causing an additional workload within a small team of NCOs adding additional stress to an already demanding position. The unique skill set a career counselor possesses are different from any other MOS. Career counselors utilize an automated system called RETAIN. Once a career counselor successfully graduates from the basic career counselor course, they receive access to RETAIN. HQDA and HRC both monitor this system. Only those authorized personnel career counselors have access to this automated system. While a unit can assign an additional duty reenlistment, Noncommissioned officer (NCO) to fill the position they will not have access to
Social work pursues to meet the demands and addresses the changing profession of fighting for human rights, improving social policies, and practice. I agree with the Abramovitz article that we have to know and understand the history of the social work profession. If people go without learning and comprehending the past, people cannot make accommodations for the future. Knowledge of the past will keep history alive, it will guide workers and their efforts to reform. The past also helps society in understanding programs that did not work. Society needs to understand the values that historical knowledge can bring positive changes in the future. Advocates for early social workers and their issues and concerns are still relevant in today's
PBS’ Frontline film “The Wounded Platoon” reviews the effects the Iraq war has had on soldiers as they return home and transition back into civilian life, focusing particularly on the rise in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among American military members from Fort Carson Army base (Edge, 2010). Incidents of PTSD have risen dramatically in the military since the beginning of the Iraq war and military mental health policies and treatment procedures have adapted to manage this increase (Edge, 2010). In “The Wounded Platoon,” many military personnel discuss how PTSD, and other mental health struggles, have been inadequately treated (if at all) by military mental health services. Reasons and Perdue’s definition of a social problem allows us to see inadequate treatment of PTSD among returning United States military members as a social problem because it is a condition affecting a significant number of people in undesirable ways that can be remedied through collective action (Reasons & Perdue, 1981).
Sowers, K. M. and Dulmus, C. N. 2008. Comprehensive handbook of social work and social welfare. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons
National Association of Social Workers- Texas. (n.d) Retrieved Feb 09 2014, from NASW/TX 83rd Texas Legislature Wrap Up Web Site: http://naswtx.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=348
Webster’s dictionary defines the word profession as a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill. Many Soldiers would not consider the Army as a profession but a way of life. Some think the word profession belongs to everyday jobs like a plumber, mechanic, or doctor. Dr. Don M. Snider stated “the Army is a profession because of the expert work it produces, because the people in the Army develop themselves to be professionals, and because the Army certifies them as such” (Snider, D. M. 2008). In October 2010, the Secretary of the Army directed the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) to lead an Army wide assessment of the state of the Army Profession. We have been at war as a Country for over a decade and the Army wanted to know how to shape the future of the Army as a profession and the effects the past decade had on our profession.
NASMHPD. (2014, Accessed April 27). Retrieved from NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM DIRECTORS: http://www.nasmhpd.org/About/AOMultiStateDisaster.aspx
Social workers in all branches of the military are helping families and military personnel prepare for, and cope with, the hardships of war. They do so through a range of preventive and clinical services provided by the Veteran Administration with many different types of programs, including family-support and mental-health counseling. The mission statement of the VA Social Workers is to eliminate significant barriers to clients in need and offer interventions for veterans and families. It is accomplished by developing and maintaining integrated, in-depth programs in patient care, research, and education.
Tallant, S. H., & Ryberg, R. A. (1999). Common and Unique Ethical Dilemmas Encountered by Military Social Workers. In J. G. Daley, Social Work Practice In the Military (pp. 179-204). Binghamton: Haworth Press Inc.
There is many concerns about the mechanisms for and responsibilities of social workers in effectively creating a global environment consistent with social work ethics and values, especially those concerned with social and economic justice and well-being for all people. The international policies affect the movement of individuals across boarders because social work is a Western invention and a product of modernity (Shriver, 2011). We, the United States, make assumptions for best models of practice. We believe by creating these international policies we are experts of the individuals across borders.
Rubin, A. & Babbie, E.R. (2008). Research Methods for Social Work. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/cole
Wilson, K. et. al., 2011. Social Work ' Introduction to Contemporary Practice'. 2nd ed. Essex, England.: Pearson Education Ltd .
Sheafor, BW & Horejsi, CR 2012, Techniques and guidelines for social work practice, 9th edn, Pearson Allyn & Bacon, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
The social work profession is defined as “a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people (ISFW, ‘Global Definition of Social Work’, 2016).” The definition may be true about the profession but it is more in depth than just that. To me, the profession’s primary focus is to help others through life as much as we can while letting them make their own choices and guiding them. In society, social workers are utilized in many different nonprofit and government roles. They serve the community in many different ways from monitoring parent visits to helping people through mental illnesses. Human beings are so complex and things that happen