Preparing Public Health Social Workers to Lead in Changing Times

Danielle C. Seale, MSW, LCSW

President of Association of State and Territorial Public Health Social Workers

What is Public Health Social Work

Public health social work addresses health from a broad perspective that includes physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being throughout the continuum of the life cycle.

Public Health Social Work

Standards and Competencies

May 2005

History of Public Health Social Work

Overview– Social Security Act of 1935– Edith M. Baker– Martha Eliot– Social Work Services in Maternal and Child

Health– The “visitor” concept

What do Public Health Social Workers Do Today?

Public Health Social Workers address health issues by identifying and implementing strategies/interventions through pivotal times of transition from one phase of individual development to another.

Public Health Social Work

Standards and Competencies

May 2005

Why Do YOU Need To Know What PHSWs Do?

WE SEE THE SAME PEOPLE: Because PHSWs work with such diverse populations they are often seeing people who are also followed by social workers in other setting. Illness exacerbates any of the other problems a person may have and it may limit the possibilities open to the client.

THE WAY PHSWs APPROACH PROBLEMS HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WHERE YOU WORK: What is it that the client should do for himself? What do I as the social worker need to do for him/her? What are the systemic forces at work? How do I bring about change at an organizational, community or societal level?

Public Health Social Work Standards

Public Health Social Work uses social planning, community organizational development, and social marketing principles

Public Health Social Work provides leadership and advocacy Public Health Social Work assures the competency of its practice to

address the issues of public health effectively through a core body of social work knowledge, philosophy, code of ethics, and standards.

Public Health Social Work supports and conducts data collection, research, and evaluation.

Public Health Social Work uses social epidemiology principles

Public Health Social WorkStandards and Competencies

May 2005

Epidemiology and Public Health Social Workers

Social Determinants of Health

The economic and social conditions under which people live which determine their health. They are “societal risk conditions”, rather than individual risk factors that either increase or decrease the risk for a disease.

Social Determinants of Health

– Social Gradient– Stress– Early Life– Social Exclusion– Work– Unemployment– Social Support– Addiction– Food– Transport

Social Workers in Public Health Action

PPOR is about ACTION(each period of risk is associated with a set of possible areas for action)

Maternal Health/

Prematurity

Maternal Care

Newborn Care

Infant Health

Preconception Health Health Behaviors Perinatal Care

Prenatal Care High Risk Referral Obstetric Care

Perinatal Management Neonatal Care Pediatric Surgery

Sleep Position Breast Feeding Injury Prevention

DIME

Family Planning

Back to SleepBreastfeeding

Clinical

PHRM

Car seats

Show video if time permits

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Bpu42LmLo4U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Video: “This is Public Health” (U-tube –by: dbremmer)2minutes 56 seconds

Show video if time permits

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS3-MZZyVNI

Video: “Health Inequality – social determinants of health film (glasgow)” (U-tube

Further information/resources about Public Health Social Work

Association of State and Territorial Public Health Social Workers www.astphsw

Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care www.sswlhc.org

American Public Health Association www.apha.org

Public Health Accreditation Boardwww.phaboard.org

The EndFor Further information we may be reached at:

Danielle Seale, MSW, LCSW

President of Association of State and Territorial

Public Health Social Workers

Email: Danielle.Seale@msdh.state.ms.us