The University of Southern California's School of Social Work has joined the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) to launch an advanced practice in military social work education initiative to bridge the gap between the number of available prepared practitioners and the demand for social services with military personnel and their families. The initiative began Feb. 4 with a meeting of 35 experts from various social work higher education, professional association and military backgrounds.

The end result will be an educators' guide to advanced social work practice competencies in military social work. This manual of specialized knowledge and skills necessary to practice military social work will broadly address practice with military personnel, veterans and their families. Scholars and other audiences who provide support to veterans and their families will review the guide over the next several months. By June, the information obtained during this research period will be translated into a user-friendly reference accessible both online and in print.

"Today, the need for prepared social workers is greater than in any previous war. A new approach to the preparation of social workers and mental health professionals is essential," said USC Clinical Associate Professor Anthony Hassan, who chairs CSWE's military social work education initiative. "Social workers bring a unique clinical and organizational systems perspective that can help military personnel, veterans and their families with the complex challenges they face. This initiative is vital to generate a rapid ramp-up of capacity and competence focused expressly on the unique treatment requirements of today's wounded warriors and their families."

The participants in this initiative hope the advanced practice guide for military social work will lead to increased concentration offerings at social work programs that address military cultural awareness and combat-related mental disorders, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. For practicing social workers who have already earned their Master of Social Work degree, the goal is to create courses or certificate programs in the same areas. Enhanced training in military social work will help improve the health and well-being of veterans, their families and the community.

CSWE's Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) is the statement that baccalaureate and master of social work programs are required to follow to attain and maintain accreditation with CSWE. The 2008 EPAS identifies 10 competencies that compose social work practice at the generalist practice level. CSWE's military social work education initiative will directly address the 2008 EPAS by outlining what a social worker must know and be able to do to work effectively at the advanced practice level with military personnel, veterans and their families.

Additional USC School of Social Work participants include Dean Marilyn Flynn and Assistant Dean of Field Education Marleen Wong.

The Council on Social Work Education is a nonprofit national association representing more than 3,000 individual members, as well as graduate and undergraduate programs of professional social work education. Founded in 1952, this partnership of educational and professional institutions, social welfare agencies, and private citizens is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education.