What Does a Clinical Social Worker Do?

Clinical social workers are social work professionals who have an advanced level of education and training. This allows them to provide assessments, psychotherapy, and support in a clinical setting.

These types of social workers may work with a variety of clients in a variety of settings. Keep reading to learn more about what a clinical social worker does.

What Is a Clinical Social Worker?

A clinical social worker is a healthcare professional who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness, behavioral health conditions, and substance abuse. They may have a specialization in a specific field, such as:

• child and family
• criminal justice
• education
• medical and healthcare
• substance abuse

Clinical social workers usually need advanced training and education. They are typically required to hold a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and a social work license.

Skills Required of a Clinical Social Worker

Clinical social workers need to have a range of skills to succeed in their career field. These skills include:

• advocacy
• communication
• compassion and empathy
• interpersonal skills
• organization
• problem-solving
• risk assessment

Benefits of Being a Clinical Social Worker

For many in the field of work, the largest benefit of being a clinical social worker is the ability to help people. This is a great career for those who are compassionate and passionate about social justice advocacy.

It's also a career with a lot of variety. Clinical social workers can choose from several social work specializations and can work for many different types of employers.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Clinical Social Worker?

Clinical social workers have many responsibilities in order to provide the best mental health and social work services possible. We've listed some key responsibilities of clinical social workers below.

Assess Patient's Needs and Mental Health

As mental health professionals, clinical social workers are responsible for assessing their patient's needs and their mental health. They do this by:

• meeting with clients in a clinical setting to determine their health history, conditions, and current mental health
• speaking with clients' families and doctors to get a more holistic view of their client
• determining what their clients' needs are based on the assessment
• monitoring their clients' progress

Provide Therapy

To help their clients, licensed clinical social workers may provide psychotherapy services. There are many different forms of psychotherapy, and a clinical social worker will need to determine which one is best for each client.

Clinical social workers also need to monitor their clients' progress through psychotherapy. They may also need to transition to different types of psychotherapy based on their clients' needs.

Implement Treatment Plans

Psychotherapy is an important part of mental health treatment, but it isn't the only part. Other types of treatment may include:

• medication
• inpatient treatment
• support groups

Clinical social workers need to develop a comprehensive treatment plan for each client. They need to work to enact this treatment plan or connect their client to resources for their treatment plan.

Document Patient Interactions

Documentation is an incredibly important part of a clinical social worker's job and is vital for proper case management. Clinical social workers need to document their interactions with clients, especially assessments and psychotherapy sessions.

These records help clinical social workers stay organized, but they're important in other ways as well. They provide information for both the client and any other doctors, therapists, or social workers they may see.

Connect Patients and Their Families To Community Services

In many cases, mental health conditions, substance abuse disorders, and behavioral disorders are caused by or exacerbated by a lack of access to resources. Part of a clinical social worker's job is to connect clients to these resources.

Clinical social workers provide referrals to:

• meal programs like SNAP or WIC
• housing assistance
• community organizations
• support groups
• treatment centers
• doctors or physicians

How to Become a Clinical Social Worker

To become a licensed clinical social worker, you'll need both a master's degree in social work and to obtain a state license. Below, we've broken down each step in more detail.

Get a Relevant Bachelor's Degree

The first step to becoming a clinical social worker is to earn a bachelor's degree so you can develop the core competencies required for a career in social work. Bachelor's degrees usually take four years to earn.

Many social workers earn a social work degree, but this isn't the only option. Other degrees that will prepare you for a master's in social work include:

• counseling
• psychology
• social science

A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) will qualify you for an entry-level social work job, but a higher level of degree is required for clinical social work.

Earn an Advanced Degree in Social Work

Once you hold a bachelor's degree, you'll need to earn an advanced degree in social work. Often, this is a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree.

MSW degrees usually take about two years of full-time study to complete and require clinical practice. The School of Social Work you choose for your MSW program must be accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in order for you to qualify for licensure.

Doctoral degrees in social work are available as a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in social work. DSWs are more focused on clinical care and PhDs are more focused on research.

Acquire Clinical Social Worker Licensure

All states require clinical social workers to hold a license, but specific licensing requirements can vary by state. Generally, you'll need:

• a master's degree or higher from a CSWE-accredited program
• a certain amount of supervised clinical experience
• to pass a social work clinical exam established by your state

To learn more about the credential requirements in your state, visit the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) website.

Gain Experience Working with Patients and Their Families

Once you're officially a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), you'll be able to start working in social work practice. However, you may need to gain some work experience first.

Often, you can gain this experience while in your degree program, as clinical experience is an education requirement for MSW programs and licensure in many states. You can also gain experience by working with community programs and other social work programs.

FAQs About Clinical Social Workers

Below, we've answered some frequently asked questions about clinical social workers.

How Long Does It Take To Become a Clinical Social Worker?

To earn both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in social work typically takes six years of schooling. However, some schools of social work offer joint programs that allow you to graduate with both in five years.

Then you will need to complete the amount of clinical hours established by your state and take your clinical exam. This time frame depends on the state you're in and how long it takes you to take and pass the exam.

What Is the Difference Between a Medical Social Worker and a Clinical Social Worker?

Clinical social workers are social workers focused on providing mental health care in a clinical setting, while medical social workers help patients navigate the medical system.

Medical social workers, sometimes called healthcare social workers, work with patients as well as doctors, nurses, and other members of a healthcare team to ensure their clients are getting the best care. While clinical social workers may also work with a client's healthcare providers, their focus is mental health.

Can You Become a Clinical Social Worker Completely Online?

You cannot become a clinical social worker completely online, as many social work programs require clinical experiences.

However, there are many social work degrees that offer most coursework online. Many BSW programs are available online as well.

In What Settings Do Clinical Social Workers Typically Work in?

Clinical social workers can work in a variety of clinical settings, such as:

• community services and nonprofits
• hospitals
• inpatient centers
• private practice