For many people, the fields of public health and social work are one and the same. Both areas have shared interests and frequently work in tandem to benefit their communities. While the two fields are separate, social work is an important part of the healthcare system in the United States, and social workers perform an essential role in endorsing programs that improve access to healthcare and reduce health disparities.
Access to medical care and navigating the healthcare system are often connected to a patient’s socioeconomic status and financial stability. Because of this, social work and healthcare are linked together in the fight for health equity.
An online Advanced Standing Master of Social Work from Northern Kentucky University (NKU) can prepare graduates with the training and experience needed to obtain social work licensure in order to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients from a therapeutic and psychological standpoint. Graduates of this online degree program can advocate for populations that experience health disparities based on socioeconomic status.
What Do Social Work and Public Health Have in Common?
The fields of social work and public health share the mission to improve social functioning and the well-being of their communities. Since social workers who work in public health have various skills, they can use their expertise to serve as policy analysts, program directors and service administrators in areas such as child health, disaster response, substance abuse, outreach services and trauma intervention. In addition, social workers who receive training in public health can speak the language of both fields and advocate for policy development that serves everyone in their communities.
Prevention and health promotion are goals for both social work and public health, as are safety and community health. Providing intervention services for individuals and groups is just one example of how both fields collaborate for the greater good. For instance, setting up community programs to educate at-risk groups about the science of diabetes and its impacts on certain groups more than others can improve the quality of life for specific community members. Creating improved access to mental health screening and treatment services for inner-city children and using a public health approach to domestic violence by using empowerment-based prevention and intervention are other ways social work and public health can complement each other.
Social workers also apply the public health effort to use trauma-informed care practices. Advanced programs prepare clinical and social work professionals to address, understand and treat the underlying causes of a person’s behavior instead of simply attending to and treating their symptoms and behaviors. Examining the neuroscience of trauma and understanding how to engage with someone experiencing trauma can inform how to best support them. Since trauma can happen at any age, it’s important to help people heal and grow from traumatic experiences.
How a Degree From Northern Kentucky University Can Help
Students enrolled in an online Advanced Standing Master of Social Work program can strengthen their skills to meet their clients’ needs. Tailored for those with a bachelor’s degree in social work, NKU’s program features a trauma-informed curriculum taught by faculty with diverse areas of expertise.
Students in NKU’s social work program engage in a competency-based curriculum that includes coursework in policy, research, human behavior theory, community organization, practice, ethics, diversity/inclusion and field education. Students learn to apply social work knowledge and practice to individuals, families, groups and communities.
Learn more about Northern Kentucky University’s online Advanced Standing Master of Social Work program.
