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Training Social Workers and Human Service Professionals to Address the Complex Financial Needs of Clients
Abstract
ABSRACT
In social work and other community-based human services settings, clients often present with complex financial problems. As a need for more formal training is beginning to be addressed, evaluation of existing training is important, and this study evaluates outcomes from the Financial Stability Pathway (FSP) project. Designed to prepare professionals with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to effectively assess and respond to clients’ financial problems, we evaluated the FSP using a one-group pre-, post-, and follow-up design. Results suggest that with training and ongoing booster sessions including peer support, professionals’ preparedness and confidence increased, which strongly predicted the use of practice behaviors learned during training. Implications for professional education and training are discussed.
... In 2015, an FCAB curriculum was developed and evaluated with 28 faculty in 16 minority-serving institutions, and later with faculty mainstream colleges/universities (Rochelle, et al., 2017;Sherraden, Birkenmaier, McClendon, & Rochelle, 2017). A continuing education curriculum was also developed and evaluated (Frey, Hopkins, Osteen, et al., 2017a), along with other social work curricular models (Birkenmaier, Sherraden, Frey,et al., 2018b ;Horwitz & Briar-Lawson, 2017;Sherraden, Laux, & Kaufman, 2007). In 2017, the Council on Social Work Education published an FCAB curricular guide with support from FCAB network members. ...
... Built on this work, the FCAB network has produced three books for educators and practitioners, including an edited volume for practice (Callahan, Frey, & Imboden, 2019), a textbook for financial capability in human services (Sherraden, Birkenmaier, & Collins, 2018), and an edited volume on FCAB practice with diverse populations (Birkenmaier, Sherraden, Frey,et al., 2018b). Faculty have introduced FCAB content into new and existing courses, field education, and extracurricular and continuing education (Birkenmaier, Kennedy, Kunz et al., 2013a;Birkenmaier, Lane, Callahan, & Hageman, 2021;Frey, Sherraden, Birkenmaier, & Callahan, 2017b;Doran & Avery, 2016;Doran & Bagdasaryan, 2018;Frey et al., 2017a;Sherraden et al., 2007). Online curricular resources currently under development will provide videos and online curricular materials. ...
This chapter on the Grand Challenge to Build Financial Capability and Assets For All conceptualizes and applies a theoretical framework of financial capability for improving financial well-being to social work education, policy, research, and practice. Tackling this challenge is a structural and strategic response by social work to a historical legacy of financial exclusion of women and people of color, rising income and wealth inequality, and the increasing complexity of household finance. These trends, magnified by the 2020–2021 COVID-19 pandemic, have placed growing numbers of households at financial risk. Social work’s core constituents are among the most financially vulnerable members of society. The profession can play a key role in improving financial well-being and therefore has adopted financial capability of vulnerable populations as a core goal.
... To date, some research has highlighted areas where financial and economic content is taught within social work education (Birkenmaier et al., 2020;Frey et al., 2016Frey et al., , 2015Hageman et al., 2019;Loke et al., 2017;Rochelle et al., 2017;Sherraden et al., 2017). If the content is taught at all, it is primarily in formats such as stand-alone elective courses or specifically dedicated modules. ...
Teaching financial well-being (FWB) content in social work education programs is gaining prominence in response to both the needs of the students themselves and the clients they serve. However, the content is usually associated with the macro domain or taught as a stand-alone methods course, and thus is rarely incorporated into generalist or direct practice classes. One area where integrating a financial perspective is important is in behavioral health. This paper reviews the importance of teaching FWB content in social work behavioral health classes and explores the relationship between FWB and behavioral health (as pertaining to mental health, habits and addictions, and physical health). It concludes with a discussion of how students can develop personal and professional competencies and how to engage, assess, and intervene in cases impacted by financial concerns.
... In addition, the University of Maryland School of Social Work has recently added an FSW certificate program to its Continuing Professional Education program (University of Maryland Baltimore, 2021). It is clear that social workers, who traditionally are on the lower spectrum of income earners (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020), need a curriculum that includes the many facets of financial well-being to assist client's navigation of the financial environment and also to help themselves build financial capability and assets (Despard & Chowa, 2013;Frey et al., 2017). ...
Social workers serve individuals and communities experiencing socio-economic and financial exclusion. However, research indicates that social work practitioners often lack the preparation, knowledge, skills, and attitudes to tackle clients’ increasingly complex financial problems. Currently, the Kenyan social work curriculum does not offer content to support financial decision-making, self-sufficiency, and advocacy for financially excluded communities. This lack of knowledge has left graduating social workers with minimal tools to inform clients’ financial decision-making and address their personal financial issues. Focusing on Technical and Vocational Training Institutes in Kenya, this paper provides a critical review of the gaps inherent in the current social work curriculum in equipping certificate and diploma students with the tools required to foster client and personal financial well-being. Informed by the multiple public actors engaged in Kenya’s higher education system, we argue that a renewal of the social work curriculum is needed to incorporate content responsive to the needs of local communities. Guided by the financial capability framework and social development theory, we propose three overarching curricula goals, and recommend learning outcomes and measurable competencies aligned with the lived realities of social work students in middle-level colleges and the clients they serve.
... It is clear that SDOH screening is becoming more commonplace (Andermann, 2016;North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services, 2018); and the potential benefits for clients through screening by human service professionals is immense, especially for underserved populations (Artiga & Hinton, 2019;Frey et al., 2017;Thomas-Henkel & Schulman, 2017;Waitzkin, 2016). To minimize some of the known challenges and barriers with traditional SDOH screening tools innovation in screening methods are needed (Giuse et al., 2017). ...
Human service professionals help people develop skills to become self-sufficient and optimally function. To do so, social health screening tools help in understanding clients’ needs; however, discrepancies can lead to gaps in service. One reason for incomplete screening data is low literacy, which is a barrier to understanding screening items on a self-report questionnaire. Leveraging technology to include pictorial representations and voice-to-text features minimizes barriers. The results from this pilot study of 86 people found technology enhanced features and pictorial representations aided in understanding the social health screening tool questions. Implications for how human service organizations can improve social health screening tools conclude.
... These educational challenges can be remedied with a systematic plan and institutional commitment across social work education programs. Previous pilot work has demonstrated that, with financial capability education, social work students and practitioners gain confidence and learn essential skills needed to address these issues with clients (Frey et al., 2017. The same is true for faculty. ...
This article presents findings from a national online survey of social work faculty (N = 1,039) that examines financial and economic content in the current curriculum, gaps in coverage, and strategies for improving social workers’ academic preparation to work with populations living in extremely financially vulnerable circumstances. We sent the survey to all full- and part-time social work faculty listed on social work degree program websites. We find that nearly all respondents (92%) perceive financial and economic content as useful for their students. However, just more than half (54%) teach it. Faculty with some financial education, and who perceive it to be useful, are more likely to include financial content in the curriculum. Social work faculty are most likely to teach about financial-related public policies and programs, and least likely to teach about financial products and services, and financial management and practice. This article discusses implications for social work research and education, including the importance of rigorous research to understand the gap between coverage and perceived usefulness of financial and economic content. It concludes with suggestions for including more financial and economic content in the curriculum.
... Students are following suit (Eamon & Zhang, 2006;Gillen & Loeffler, 2012;Kindle, 2013;Loke, Birkenmaier, & Hageman, 2017;Loke & Hageman, 2013;Sherraden, Laux, & Kaufman, 2007). Social work education is beginning to grapple with the next steps-those of integrating the needed content into the curriculum (Despard & Chowa, 2013;Frey et al., 2017Frey et al., , 2015. Helping faculty envision potential course models is a first step. ...
The Financial Capability and Asset Building (FCAB) for All Grand Challenge provides an impetus to increase financial content in social work education so that students and practitioners are prepared for practice that includes finances. This teaching note will describe the rationale for including FCAB within social work education and the fit with the profession. To provide guidance on curricular integration, the implementation of 4 course models will be described—online intensive course, stand-alone full course, an infused course, and a continuing education model. Course overviews and detailed FCAB content taught in each is described. Course content is mapped to the Council on Social Work Education’s Education Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Educational implications about EPAS and policy suggestions are discussed.
... HSPs are vital to instilling financial empowerment and capability in their clients (Boehm, 2002). Essentially, HSPs are responsible for enhancing their clients' ability to be self-sufficient; however, many do not have adequate personal finance knowledge to assist their clients with managing their money (Frey at al., 2016;Sherraden et al., 2007). Christy-McMullin (2011) suggested that financial capability training for HSPs should include topics such as coordinating access to financial capability services, providing financial information, connecting with entities that provide financial products and services in the community, and understanding how to protect against frauds and scams. ...
We investigated the effectiveness of an Extension-led training for human services providers on Your Money, Your Goals: A Financial Empowerment Toolkit, a resource developed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Results from pretests, posttests, and focus group research indicate that participants significantly increased confidence in their ability to understand, access, and convey financial information. Recommendations include making adjustments to improve future trainings and addressing the need for additional financial literacy professional development. We offer lessons learned that Extension professionals can use to expand the reach of financial empowerment education and can apply to other trainings for professionals, regardless of discipline.
... With consultation from CSD, the Council on Social Work Education (2017, n.d.) produced a curriculum guide and an online economic well-being clearinghouse for social work educators. Curricula on financial capability have been tested in degree programs (Horwitz & Briar-Lawson, 2017;Rochelle et al., 2017; and in continuing education (Frey et al., 2017). CSD consulted in the adaptation of a curriculum for use at the National University of Singapore and online for the city-state's practicing social workers. ...
Social work and the other applied social science professions aim to marshal evidence to inform beneficial social change. Notwithstanding positive intentions, effective application of research to policy and practice is not always robust in achieving impacts. To do better, we should purposefully connect research to action, including engagement with practitioners and the policy process. We extend the definition of “public impact scholarship” to include this vital connection. Drawing on research from the Brown School’s Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis, and from the center’s partners, we share examples of applied efforts, note successes, and acknowledge instructive losses. We also suggest guidelines for effective applied social research, including strategies to ensure objectivity when research and action are conjoined.
... Today, they are learning how to provide basic financial guidance to vulnerable families. Courses are being launched (Doran and Bagdasaryan 2018;Frey et al. 2017;Sherraden, Laux, and Kaufman 2007), curriculum is being developed (Birkenmaier et al. 2013;Horwitz and Briar-Lawson 2017;Sherraden et al. 2016), and textbooks are being written (Sherraden, Birkenmaier, and Collins 2018a). ...
This essay explores the potential for social workers and other human services professionals to build the financial capability of vulnerable populations. These professionals routinely work with the financially vulnerable and are uniquely positioned to provide basic financial guidance and support. Their education in human development, family dynamics, organizational and community functioning, and social policy prepares them to be key partners in creating solutions to financial vulnerability. However, human service professionals need additional training. Although there has been significant progress in developing curricula, additional resources, such as assessment models and practice tools for serving specific populations would facilitate financial practice. Academic degree programs and continuing education in financial capability must be developed, along with greater clarification about career pathways and credentialing. Building the financial capability of vulnerable families is an ambitious agenda, but one that is essential to well‐being in the 21st century.
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Drawing on 5 years of work and research on simulated learning experiences with actors, this book describes their implementation in social work classes on social work practice, policy, and research in the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign (UIUC). Doctoral (PhD) students took the lead in developing and implementing many simulations, worked with instructors to tie the simulations to learning objectives, and facilitated student discussion and reflection. Emphasis was given to understanding social work competencies in the context of issues of social injustice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Staged in a simulation house, in classrooms, in a library setting, and online, the simulations included a collaboration with the UIUC police and with librarians at UIUC and the University of Washington, Tacoma. The book describes how brave spaces were created to facilitate difficult conversations, sharing, and reflections rather than grading performance. Challenges included resource and time constraints, concerns about retraumatizing students or stereotyping experiences, and reluctance to include simulations in social work classes. It provides an immersive learning experience for students and instructors alike; simulations emerge as a paradigm shift in social work education as it allows them to become more alive and accountable to the multifaceted, complex, and human elements of social work practice. The text includes a wealth of case studies and material to build ethical simulations in practice.
Home and community-based services (HCBS) assist people with disabilities and older adults to remain in their homes. Direct support professionals and care managers who facilitate the development of support plans need to employ person-centered approaches to ensure services are tailored to peoples’ needs and preferences. The aims were to identify the key competencies needed for delivery of person-centered supports and examine the relationship between HCBS and its’ outcomes in the United States. We used the competencies developed by the National Center on advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems as a framework. We conducted a systematic review to identify the skills necessary to deliver person-centered HCBS. We coded 43 articles and identified seven competencies. Most frequently mentioned competencies related to culturally informed practice, cultivating connections, and promoting rights, choice, and control. Policy makers should create training standards for person-centered practices to ensure that people receiving HCBS live the lives they want.
Investigating training effectiveness is one of the key factors for organizational success. The present study focuses on multi-dimensional interrelated investigations. The current study’s aim is twofold. First, it investigates the relationship between trainees’ reaction, leaning and trainees’ behavior, and secondly, it measures the mediating effect of trainees’ learning and moderating effect of self-efficacy upon the relationship of trainees’ reaction and trainees’ learning in social enterprises in Pakistan. The sample was comprised of trainees of skill certification programs of social enterprises conducted in of major cities (Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar) of Pakistan. Using questionnaire survey, data from 394 respondents were collected. The result confirmed the relationships between trainee’s reaction with trainee’s behavior, trainee’s reaction with learning and the relationship of trainees learning with trainee’s behavior in Kirkpatrick. The research also supported the mediating role of trainees learning and moderating role of self-efficacy. Through confirming the moderating role of self-efficacy and mediation of Trainees learning in Kirkpatrick model in social enterprises of Pakistan have also tried to fill the gap in the current literature. Limitations and future research directions were also discussed.
A Financial Social Work Certificate program launched, responding to a need for greater financial knowledge and skill development among social workers. Community leaders who were alumni of a social work school partnered with educators and researchers to plan and organize an intensive 7-day training over the course of 7 months, through the School’s Office of Continuing Professional Education. Content focused on understanding personal finance, learning about interventions to address clients’ financial needs, exploring critical and emerging macro issues, and focusing on how these dovetail with clinical practice. Preliminary results on financial social work self-efficacy indicate greater self-efficacy over three evaluation time points. Next steps will include a more robust evaluation and fostering a network of engaged graduates.
Introduction
Using pediatric social determinants of health screening data from a large medical system, we explored social needs dislosures and identified which needs were associated with resource connection requests.
Method
Data came from records of outpatient pediatric patients (0–18 years) seen between October 2018 and March 2020 (39,251 encounters). We assessed percent of encounters where families (1) indicated a social need, and (2) requested a resource connection. We conducted multivariable logistic regression to identify which needs were associated with resource connection requests.
Results
Among all encounters, 8% indicated a need and 2% requested a resource connection. Among families indicating a need, needs associated with resource requests included: housing (odds ratio [OR], 3.49 [2.42–5.03]), employment (OR, 3.15 [2.21–4.50]), food (OR, 1.89 [1.41–2.52]), and transportation (OR, 1.82 [1.30–2.56]).
Discussion
Families seldom requested resource connections to address social needs. Better understanding families’ interests in receiving assistance is an important next step in pediatric social determinants of health screening system development.
The underlying purpose of Social Work is to promote changes that better people’s quality of life and their environments. This is normally evidenced in social intervention that reacts to an emerging or existing problem affecting individuals, or families, groups and communities. Prevention, however, does not stay within the realm of immediate care. Instead, it relies on forward-looking diagnostics to assess the personal and environmental risk factors of vulnerable individuals to prevent them from suffering their effects or, equally, from aggravating them. In line with these assumptions, the objective of this study has been to analyse the characteristics of social intervention as found in social work journals published between 2000-2019, and to establish the relevance of reactive intervention (responses to problems already present) versus preventive intervention (attempts to prevent problems from ensuing). For this purpose, a review has been performed of 29 papers in published in scientific journals between 2000 and 2019. From the results obtained, it was observed that most studies relate to experiences based on reactive intervention
whilst few are based on preventive intervention. Consequently, the authors propose recommendations for the practice and research of Social Work from a preventive approach.
Resumen
La finalidad del Trabajo Social es promover cambios que mejoren la calidad de vida de las personas y su entorno. Esto se concreta en la intervención social que mayoritariamente reacciona ante un problema emergente o existente que afecta tanto a personas individuales como a familias, grupos y comunidades. En cambio, la prevención va más allá de la atención inmediata y se basa en diagnósticos prospectivos sobre las vulnerabilidades y riesgos de las personas y su entorno para impedir que sufran los efectos de los mismos o que estos se agraven. Con estas premisas, en este estudio se ha perseguido el objetivo de analizar las características de la intervención social según las publicaciones de Trabajo Social, focalizado en distinguir entre los dos tipos de intervención, como respuesta a problemas ya presentes o bien tratando de impedir que surjan. Para ello se ha realizado una revisión de 29 artículos publicados entre los años 2000 y 2019 en revistas científicas. Entre los resultados se ha observado que la mayoría de los estudios están basados en experiencias de intervención reactiva y son pocos los referidos a la prevención. Se plantean recomendaciones para la práctica y la investigación del Trabajo Social con un enfoque preventivo.
Kırılganlaşan para piyasaları, ekonomik krizler ve bununla birlikte ortaya çıkan sosyal refah devletlerinin kemer sıkma politikaları, finansal açıdan dezavantajlı grupların yeni çözümlere yönelmesini gerektirmektedir. Geleneksel sosyal hizmet uygulamaları ise bu ihtiyacı karşılamada yetersiz kalmaktadır. Bütüncül ve sürdürülebilir bir bakış açısına sahip olan finansal sosyal hizmet uygulamaları ise giderek yaygınlaşmaktadır. Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nde ortaya çıkan bu sosyal hizmet müdahalesi kırılgan bireylerin, grupların ve toplulukların finansal olarak güçlendirilmesini amaçlamaktadır. Bu makalenin amacı göreceli olarak yeni ortaya çıkan ve kendini diğer benzer uygulamalardan ayıran bu sosyal hizmet müdahalesi türünü açıklamak ve Türkiye’deki sosyal hizmetler sistemi ve politikalar kapsamında tartışmaktır.
الملخص.
هدفت الدراسة الحالیة استکشاف أبعاد التمکین المالی لدى خریجی الخدمة الاجتماعیة، واهم المقترحات التی تساعد على تمکینهم مالیاً، وذلک من اجل الوصول إلى تصور مقترح من منظور طریقة تنظیم المجتمع لتعزیز التمکین المالی لدى خریجی الخدمة الاجتماعیة، اعتمدت الدراسة الحالیة على منهج المسح الاجتماعی بالعینة لخریجی کلیة الخدمة الاجتماعیة بجامعة حلوان (373 خریج)، وتم جمع البیانات من خلال استبانة الکترونیة لخریجی کلیة الخدمة الاجتماعیة بجامعة حلوان، ودلیل مقابلة شبه مقننة لخبراء تنظیم المجتمع بکلیات ومعاهد الخدمة الاجتماعیة. وأشارت نتائج الدراسة إلى أن مستوى المعارف المالیة والمهارات المالیة لدى خریجی الخدمة الاجتماعیة متوسط، وینخفض مستوى المشارکات والخدمات المالیة التی یستفیدون منها. وأخیرا انتهت الدراسة بوضع تصور مقترح من منظور طریقة تنظیم المجتمع لتدعیم عملیة التمکین المالی لخریجی الخدمة الاجتماعیة بجامعة حلوان.
Abstract
The present study aimed to explore the dimensions of financial empowerment among graduates of social work, and the most important proposals that help them financially, in order to arrive at a proposed vision in term of community practice to promote financial empowerment among graduates of social work. The study used the sample social survey method for the graduates of Faculty of Social Work at Helwan University (373 graduates). The data collected through an electronic questionnaire for graduates of the Faculty of Social Work at Helwan University, and a Semi-structured Interview for community organizing experts at the faculties and institutes of social work. The results of the study indicated that the level of financial knowledge and skills of graduates of social work is medium, and the level of financial participation and s financial services is low. Finally, the study ended with a proposed vision in term of community practice to promote financial empowerment among graduates of social work at Helwan University.
Beginning in the Progressive Era, social workers collaborated with home economists to improve financial wellbeing in US cities swelling with poor rural migrants and immigrants. Today, in the wake of the Recession, there is a resurgence of interest in financial social work (FSW) in an era where finances increasingly shape human wellbeing. With a focus on low-income and financially vulnerable communities, social workers provide financial guidance and education, and access to sound financial supports, services, and wealth building opportunities. Social science theory and key social work principles—including person-in-environment and the strengths perspective—guide FSW practice. Social workers use direct practice, organizational development, community organizing, policy advocacy, and research to help households achieve income sufficiency, financial capability, and asset building. Looking to the future, schools of social work are launching FSW curricula aimed at tackling growing economic challenges affecting financially vulnerable households and communities.
The researchers conducted an evaluation study assessing outcomes among 37 social workers who completed a continuing education course on financial capability and working with clients. Key constructs assessed included participants' attitudes about financial capability, self-efficacy to provide services, organizational barriers, and basic financial knowledge. Social work participants reported that financial problems among their clients were almost unanimous as a reason for seeking services. Organizational barriers, such as lack of time and access to staff with financial knowledge, prevented social workers from providing client financial services. At follow-up, social workers reported improved personal financial knowledge and behaviors. Suggestions for future research and improving social work continuing education and integrating financial capability into the social work curriculum in academic settings are suggested.
The financial literacy of social work students has become the focus of curriculum development and
research, but no study to date has attempted to assess the financial knowledge possessed by social
work students. This study addressed that gap by assessing the level of objective financial knowledge
reported by social work student respondents (N = 1,506) to an Internet-based survey. Results
indicated that the majority of social work student respondents scored more than 70% correct on a
48-item measure of financial literacy. Multiple regression analysis explained 33.7% of the variance
and suggested that the dominant pathway to acquiring objective financial knowledge is through personal
experience. Accordingly, financial education programs for social work students may be most
appropriate for traditional undergraduates.
The continued economic turmoil makes it imperative for the profession of social work, specifically within academic programs, to teach students how to utilize their education, training and skills to promote social and economic justice and to create social change on multiple levels, in numerous setting, and with clients in diverse economic situations. In order to create curricular components that can help social workers to better practice with marginalized populations, we must first better understand what social work students do (or do not) know about financial literacy. The purpose of this exploratory study was to better understand the financial literacy of undergraduate and graduate social work students. Findings suggest that students are not gaining the skills they need to successfully navigate the complexities of the personal finance landscape. Further, it suggests that they will not be well equipped to help clients in this area. Social workers, especially those at the BASW level, work primarily in case management positions wherein they can be called upon to help clients in this area. We, in academia, must create opportunities for education to enhance student competency in this area.
The article reports on the findings of a review of empirical studies examining the implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in the human services. Eleven studies were located that defined EBP as a research-informed, clinical decision-making process and identified barriers and facilitators to EBP implementation. A thematic analysis of the findings of the 11 studies produced a list of barriers to EBP implementation grouped in terms of inadequate agency resources dedicated to EBP; skills and knowledge of practitioners; organizational culture; the research environment; practitioner attitudes; and inadequate supervision. Given the limited and exploratory nature of available research on EBP implementation, tentative findings suggest that to facilitate the uptake of EBP in social work and human services practice, strategically driven, adequately resourced, multifaceted approaches to EBP capacity building in organizations are needed.
This article introduces the reader to the profession of social work and its evolution over time. By simultaneously attending to both the person and the environment, social work has been a more comprehensive profession. Yet, although social work has been inherently striving for a more integrative approach from the beginning, it has lacked a meta-theory that could address people, their environments, and integrate previously competing theories. Integral Theory is that meta-theory. Social workers are invited to consider this meta-theoretical approach to the service they provide.
This article provides an integrative review of the counseling self-efficacy (CSE) literature conducted from 1983 to the present. First, the content, structure, and psychometric properties of the four most common constructs across the 32 studies are reviewed. Second, the findings from the literature are integrated into the larger theory by relating CSE to the major components of social cognitive theory, namely, counselor characteristics, personal agency, counselor performance, and the supervision/counseling/work environment. Third, the intervention studies that have been targeted at increasing either CSE estimations or counselor performance are presented. Fourth, studies that have examined and identified significant predictors of CSE are discussed. Fifth, the practical implications for supervisors are discussed. Finally, conclusions and recommendations for future research are presented.
G*Power is a free power analysis program for a variety of statistical tests. We present extensions and improvements of the version introduced by Faul, Erdfelder, Lang, and Buchner (2007) in the domain of correlation and regression analyses. In the new version, we have added procedures to analyze the power of tests based on (1) single-sample tetrachoric correlations, (2) comparisons of dependent correlations, (3) bivariate linear regression, (4) multiple linear regression based on the random predictor model, (5) logistic regression, and (6) Poisson regression. We describe these new features and provide a brief introduction to their scope and handling.
Social workers currently engage in financial capability practice with low-income and financially vulnerable individuals and families in diverse practice settings, but typically lack professional preparation for this work. In response, several schools of social work have begun adopting financial capability curricula. Using an in-depth interview methodology, this study examines the adoption of a curriculum in financial capability and asset building (FCAB) from the perspectives of faculty and administrators (N = 19) at four historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Findings show that key reasons for curriculum adoption are prior working relationships and trust, relevance of FCAB content to student and community needs, and alignment with program, institutional, and professional goals. Using the diffusion of innovation theory to understand curriculum adoption in HBCUs suggests that perhaps trust and relationship building are particularly important in the case of minority serving institutions.
To prepare students to work competently with financially at-risk individuals, families, and communities, social work schools need to bring economic literacy skills into the curriculum. This article describes an ambitious financial capability education initiative in New York City. It reports on a unique collaborative effort to develop, use, and evaluate online financial capability education among seven schools. Additionally, readiness and capacity for scaling up with upstate schools are explored, as their innovations in economic capacity building with special populations are cited.
The article investigates the importance of financial literacy content for social work students who at some point in their career will encounter financially-excluded clients. Financial literacy content can include understanding how fringe economy businesses operate, including their business model, knowledge of local and national nonpredatory financial services, understanding credit and the credit industry, and knowledge of state and national regulations governing high-cost financial services. This article also examines the financial literacy gap in social work education and provides an overview of some key fringe economy enterprises, such as payday lenders, car title pawns, pawnshops, rent-to-own businesses, buy-here-pay-here used car lots, and debit/credit cards. Last, the article explores ways to integrate financial literacy training with traditional social work skills.
Despite the consensus among practitioners that supervision is a cornerstone of clinical training, comparatively little has
been written about the use of peer supervision—particularly in the context of practicum experiences. This article define three
kinds of peer supervision: (i) facilitated peer supervision, (ii) planned peer supervision and (iii) ad hoc peer supervision,
with an emphasis on the latter. The authors go on to discuss the positive attributes of these practices and their value in
the repertoire of clinical training and continuing professional development. In describing how peer supervision can help beginning
practitioners, the authors, based on their practicum experiences, provide recommendations on how administrators, directors
and supervisors, as well as trainees, can encourage and create opportunities for meaningful peer interaction alongside other,
more well-established forms of supervision.
G*Power (Erdfelder, Faul, & Buchner, 1996) was designed as a general stand-alone power analysis program for statistical tests commonly used in social and behavioral research. G*Power 3 is a major extension of, and improvement over, the previous versions. It runs on widely used computer platforms (i.e., Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Mac OS X 10.4) and covers many different statistical tests of the t, F, and chi2 test families. In addition, it includes power analyses for z tests and some exact tests. G*Power 3 provides improved effect size calculators and graphic options, supports both distribution-based and design-based input modes, and offers all types of power analyses in which users might be interested. Like its predecessors, G*Power 3 is free.
Social workers have opportunities to help individuals and families with their financial problems in a variety of practice settings, yet receive no formal training to do so. Using data from an online survey of social workers and other human service professionals (N = 56) who completed or expressed interest in a financial social work certification program, we found that respondents were able to apply what they learned to help their clients and valued the practical and interactive nature of program content. We also found that respondents were not immune from experiencing some of the same financial problems that confront their clients. Implications for educating BSW and MSW students about household finance are presented and discussed.
Social workers have opportunities to help clients address their financial problems through a variety of practice settings, yet little is known about how they do so. Using qualitative methods and descriptive statistics, we analyzed responses from a survey of social workers and other human service professionals (N = 56). Participants primarily characterized their clients’ financial problems as the result of making poor financial decisions and mostly used financial education techniques in response. Most participants said they faced workplace barriers to helping their clients with financial problems, including lack of expertise and time and inability to bill for services. Social workers who want to address clients’ financial problems should recognize that financial problems stem not just from difficulties in managing money, but in the need for increased income, resources, and assets and an understanding of financial services. Future research with a larger sample of social workers is needed to assess how intervention methods vary by client population and to conduct pilot efficacy evaluations of well-conceptualized interventions to promote financial well-being.
A cultural taboo regarding discussion of money affects psychotherapists as well as the lay public. As a result, the psychological literature regarding money is sparse while issues relating to money are seldom addressed in our training, our self analyses, or the treatment of our patients. This article cites some of the literature that does exist, discusses the reasons for and effects of the money taboo, provides a psychological definition of money, and offers some case material that should help to focus thinking about money through the lens of psychodynamic, object relations, and self psychological theories.
Objective: Assessing the achievement of social work educational outcomes is a requirement of the Council on Social Work Education's Educational Policy and Standards (EPAS). The Evaluation Self-Efficacy Scale (ESE) was created to assess student progress in advanced concentration courses focused on evaluation and thereby provide data regarding attainment of EPAS-related objectives. Method: This social cognitive theory—derived scale was pretested, revised, and then used with a final sample of 85 master's-level students in a single-group, pretest-posttest-retrospective pretest study. Results: Cronbach alphas for the ESE were .94 or greater. Evidence of both content and construct validity was obtained. Conclusion: The results provide evidence that supports the psychometric properties of data obtained using the ESE.
Social workers work with people who are financially vulnerable and who frequently have little financial knowledge and connections to mainstream financial institutions. Unfortunately, social workers often lack the knowledge and skills to help families who are in precarious financial positions to improve household stability and optimize their economic futures. Despite significant advances in financial education, social workers receive little practical training aimed at addressing family finances. We address why financial education is important, describe financial education initiatives, and then analyze an initial application of a course on financial management for social workers. The article concludes with a discussion about future directions for financial education in social work education, practice, policy, and research.
This article examines reasons for social work's abandonment of public discourse, activism and intellectual life. It also explores strategies to encourage the profession to reenter public life and develop a modern cadre of social work identified public intellectuals. Specifically, this process entails professional and academic reform and a renewed vision around the social justice mission of social work.
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