Professionals in the field of mental health: Social Workers

Social workers

1. The education of social workers differs significantly from that of other mental health professionals in that there is much greater emphasis on the role of social factors and interventions at the social level. Otherwise social workers receive similar education with regards to recognizing and treating mental health problems.
2. The standard for licensing can be either at the bachelor or the master level. Social workers are especially knowledgeable of what mental health services are available in the community and help empower their clients to obtain such services.
3. Generally, they are employed at government run and subsidized community centres. In this way social workers can deliver mental health services at a low cost to make it affordable by all members of the community.
4. Because of their low fees and greater availability, social workers provide the bulk of mental health services throughout the world.

Clinical social workers

Clinical social workers (CSWs) are mental health professionals who have master's degrees in social work and have been licensed to practice psychotherapy after completing at least two years of clinical training.

Like most psychologists, a CSW cannot prescribe drugs, so they refer their therapy patients to psychiatrists to evaluate the need for medication.