Local organizations supporting social workers in the Hoosier state

Indiana social work leaders say that while the need for more professionals isn’t dire, additional work still needs to be done to keep the profession well-staffed and supported.

Between 2023 and 2033, the social work field is expected to grow by 7%, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As the field continues to evolve, organizations across Indiana are making sure both students pursuing their degrees and social workers seeking professional growth have the resources they need to thrive in the community.

Since 2006, the Indiana Department of Child Services has been investing in future social workers in the Hoosier state as part of its Bachelor of Social Work Scholars Program.

Under the program, students pursuing their bachelor’s degrees in social work receive financial assistance from DCS as they work through child welfare courses.

The number of years a student is required to work for DCS depends on how long it takes them to complete their degree, said Sarah Sailors, chief deputy director for DCS and a former student of the department’s Master of Social Work Scholars Program.

Where a student completes their practicum and eventual employment depends on their preferences and the number of staff at local DCS offices.

“Traditionally, Marion County always has a higher need for family case managers. One, our caseloads are higher, just metropolitan area, right? The population is higher, so we have a larger number of children and families that we serve,” Sailors said.

Scholars in the program can receive up to a full scholarship and a $4,000 stipend to cover their education.

In addition to the scholarship, students complete their senior practicum at a local DCS office and work for the department after graduation.

Indiana DCS supporting students entering social work field

DCS offices in counties surrounding Marion County also tend to need more staff, Sailors said, while other counties, like Lake County, are consistently better staffed.

The need for social workers ultimately depends on the needs of residents.

“The caseloads can kind of fluctuate depending on different things that are happening in communities,” she said.

Right now, DCS partners with nine social work degree programs at universities across Indiana, including Ball State University, the University of Southern Indiana, Indiana State University, and Indiana University and its campuses in Bloomington, Indianapolis, South
Bend, Fort Wayne and Gary.

The program also recently added IU’s online program to its partnership as well.

Kalea Benner, first-year dean of the Indiana University School of Social Work, is already strategizing how to encourage more students to study social work at one of IU’s campuses.

She was drawn to the university because its many campuses make getting a degree in social work accessible to residents across the state.

“There’s a lot of different interests in being a social worker, and the populations of practice arenas that people might be interested in. So, we know that looks vastly different across multiple communities,” Benner said.

Another goal Benner has in making social work accessible for future professionals is by making education affordable for students.

The school currently provides scholarships to candidates studying social work and is working to implement more practicum opportunities that pay students for their work.

“Social work students are required to do an internship, but that can take time away from important life initiatives like a job, right? So being able to seek paid practicum sites is another initiative of the school’s to hopefully make that more financially affordable,” she said.

Support for social workers post-grad

The National Association of Social Workers provides support to social workers in different specializations in the field.

Beryl Cohen, executive director of NASW’s Indiana chapter, wants to ensure working professionals have the resources they need to continue practicing in the field and grow their professional skills.

“Our focus is really on providing
support and training and education for our members, as well as doing advocacy around both licensing issues and then other issues that impact the clients that we serve,” she said.

One way the NASW has advocated for better access to work requirements across Indiana is through its support of House Enrolled Act 1138, which was signed into law in March and allows licensed social workers pursuing licensed clinical social worker credentials to be supervised 100% virtually.

Previously, licensed social workers could only have up to 50% of their supervision requirements completed virtually.

Cohen praised this change as offering more accessibility to education for social workers who may not have the time or resources to travel for in-person supervision.

Another route the NASW is taking to sustain social workers in the field is securing the state in a Social Work Licensure Compact.

Under the compact, social workers practicing in a participating state can more easily obtain additional licensing to practice in other states that are also part of the compact.

Without a compact, social workers pay for multiple separate licenses on top of continuing education programs each state requires.

Being part of the compact would streamline requirements, making it more accessible for professionals in the field.

On top of helping social workers, the compact also creates a continuity of care for clients, Cohen said.

Cohen believes that while it’s important to look at how to bring students into the profession, it’s just as important to make sure current professionals are compensated, supported and valued in their work.

That’s one of the NASW’s goals.

“How do we make sure that people are feeling supported and are able to do the jobs that they’re hired to do and aren’t pulled in a bunch of different directions where they can’t be successful. Well, they can be successful, but it’s a challenge,” she said.•