Social Work
independently review and summarize a research-based article from a professional social work journal. Suggested journal titles are located on Canvas. The articles are to help you more fully understand the role of social workers in your chosen field of practice. The reviews are to be 2 pages in length, typed, double-spaced. The review will include:
A summary of the theme of the article,
A summary of the main points, findings or conclusions in the
How this article helped you learn about your field of practice and
What you understand now about specific practice activities of social workers from reading
The article I have chosen to review is titled “A Social Work Perspective on Mental Health Needs in Primary Care” from the Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions. This article discusses how social workers can provide mental health services within primary care settings and their importance to providing quality, holistic patient care.
The authors outline the current challenges facing primary care providers when it comes to adequately addressing mental health needs among patients. These challenges include lack of mental health knowledge, stigma associated with seeking help from a mental health professional, limited resources for connecting patients to appropriate treatments and services, and inefficient use of technology for enhancing access. The authors then propose strategies for integrating social work into primary care practices so that these challenges can be addressed more effectively.
They suggest that social workers should serve as case managers who connect clients with appropriate treatment plans; develop interventions tailored specifically to address issues identified within a given population; collaborate with other healthcare professionals in order to coordinate comprehensive services; advocate on behalf of clients within the healthcare system; emphasize prevention strategies such as wellness promotion and healthy lifestyle behaviors; leverage technology tools such as apps or online platforms to improve access to necessary resources and information; and provide education regarding available services while emphasizing cultural sensitivity when doing so.
This article helped me understand how important it is for social workers to be involved in primary care settings so that they are better able to identify underlying mental health issues early on, recommend appropriate interventions and referrals, link clients up with relevant resources, help them navigate through the healthcare system, ensure adequate support for preventative measures which promote overall positive outcomes, all while advocating on their behalf (Lauritsen & Perrin-Wallace 2020). This article has reaffirmed my desire as a future social worker specializing in Mental Health/Substance Abuse counseling/treatment practice setting: namely being an effective educator/case manager who connects individuals with needed assistance/resources while also advocating on their behalf in this challenging yet rewarding field of helping those most vulnerable amongst us.
