Working Together to Promote Spiritual and Religious Competency in the Profession
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Leaders of four major professional social work associations, NASW, CSWE, NACSW, and the Society for Spirituality and Social Work, discuss ways that each of their associations work to equip their members to provide services that are sensitive to and respectful of the religious and spiritual beliefs and values of their clients. This included addressing questions such as: a) Is religiosity and spirituality a natural fit for social workers? If so, what do our associations do to highlight and encourage this fit?; b) What do our organizations do to support the development of knowledge, values, and skills in the area of spirituality?; c) What changes have our organizations seen in the evolution of attention to religion and spirituality in social work, and what key issues appear on the horizon?
The workshop concludes with a discussion about the ways these four associations could work together more fully to support spiritual and religious humility, sensitivity, and competency in the social work profession.
As a result of this training, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the potential fit between religion/spirituality on the one hand, and social work on the other
2. Articulate 2-3 strategies for developing of knowledge, values, and skills of social workers in the areas of supporting clients' spirituality and religion
3. Describe 2-3 examples of ways that social work associations could work together to support spiritual and religious humility, sensitivity, and competency in the social work profession
Angelo McClain, PhD, LICSW is the Chief Executive Officer of NASW. Dr. McClain joined NASW in 2013 NASW after serving six years as Commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. While there, he oversaw a budget of $850 million and a workforce of 3,500 employees to address reports of abuse and neglect for the state's most vulnerable children, partnering with families to help them better nurture and protect their children. Prior to that position, Dr. McClain was Vice President and Executive Director of Value Options New Jersey where he built and oversaw administrative, clinical and quality management program infrastructures that increased access to behavioral health services for children and youth, including those in the juvenile justice system.
Dr. McClain grew up in Texas, and is a distinguished alumnus of Cal Farley's Boys Ranch. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from West Texas State University, a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a PhD in Social Work from Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. He is also an adjunct faculty member in the Urban Leadership Program at Simmons College Graduate School of Social Work.
Darla Spence Coffey, PhD, MSW, is the president and chief executive officer of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). CSWE is a nonprofit national association representing more than 2,500 individual members, as well as nearly 750 graduate and undergraduate programs of professional social work education. Prior to her appointment at CSWE, Dr. Coffey was a professor of social work and the associate provost and dean of graduate studies at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. In that capacity Dr. Coffey provided leadership for academic program development at the graduate and undergraduate levels, curriculum and academic policies, assessment of student learning, transfer articulation, accreditation, and faculty development. Preceding this administrative role Dr. Coffey taught for several years in the baccalaureate and graduate social work programs at West Chester University.
Rick Chamiec-Case, PhD, MSW, MAR, has been the executive director of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work since 1997. A graduate of Fordham University, the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, Yale Divinity School, and Wheaton College, Dr. Chamiec-Case's research and scholarship are in the areas of spirituality in the workplace, the ethical integration of Christian faith and social work practice, and faith-based social services. He has been the managing editor of Social Work and Christianity since 1997. Dr. Chamiec-Case taught from 2008 - 2011 as an adjunct professor of social work at Nyack College, and prior to that, was as an assistant professor of social work at Calvin College from 2006-2008. Before working for NACSW, he was Senior Vice President at ARI of Connecticut, whose mission it is to provide homes, jobs, and opportunities for people with disabilities and their families.