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Term Research Paper: Licensed Clinical Social Worker

BUS 1010/Introduction to Business

Katie A. Covieo

I chose the career path of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Social workers help

people deal with problems in their everyday lives. They are also responsible for treating

substance abuse issues, mental health problems, behavioral and emotional issues (U.S.

Bureau of Labor Statistics). Some of the day to day responsibilities are: Maintaining case

files for each client; find people and community members that are in need of assistance;

assess clients needs and find support networks to help determine their goals; assist

clients for community resources such as food stamps, childcare and healthcare; and be

available to respond to crisis situations such as mental health emergencies and other

emergencies (U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pg

2). Mental health and Substance Abuse Social Workers help clients with mental illness

and their addictions.

During my interview with Stephanie Young, the supervisor over all of the Social

Workers at Odyssey House of Utah, I asked her what some of her main responsibilities

are. She stated that she works an average of 50 plus hours each week, including on call

responsibilities. Her interaction with clients involves crisis management and case

management. She meets with each client for individual therapy once a week. She

conducts group therapy once a week, and holds staff meeting three times a week to

discuss the progress and concerns of all of the clients at Odyssey House. She also runs a

family group therapy once a week, as one of her main goals is to facilitate mending
relationships between the recovering addict and their families (Young, Stephanie;

interview).

The career path of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker is to first get a Master or

Doctorate of Social Work degree from a Social Work Education accredited University or

College, such as the University of Utah. Upon completing that, the individual must

provide verification of at least 4,000 hours of clinical professional social work and mental

health therapy. This can take place over a period of two years. 1,000 hours of the 4,000

hours must include supervised practice in providing mental health therapy. This can take

place in a hospital or drug and alcohol treatment center. Once these hours have been

completed, the student may then apply with the Association of Social Work Boards

(ASWB) in order to take their Clinical Level test or the Clinical Social Workers

Examination for the State of Utah. Upon completion of that test, the individual will be

eligible to receive the title of Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Human Services EDU,

2015).

The average salary for a Licensed Clinical Social Worker is between $39K a year

and $74K a years, depending on experience. I looked up current job openings on

www.glassdoor.com and found the top three companies hiring for Licensed Clinical

Social Workers. It was interesting to me that the University of Utah was hiring for two

positions, but the salaries were very different. One job position was for a Licensed

Clinical Social Worker at University of Utah Health Care, and the salary ranged from

$40K-$56K a year. The second position was at University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics,

and the salary ranged from $53K-$74K a year. The higher paying job is at the Hospital

and Clinics. This information is all based on experience (www.glassdoor.com). According


to the salaries by state archives, in 2015 the statistics show that Social Workers in Utah

receive a 22% lower salary than the national average (Salary by State Archives, pg 4).

According to my interview with Stephanie Young, she said there is a growing

need for Licensed Clinical Social Workers in Utah. The are a number of Drug and

Alcohol Treatment Centers opening up because of the rise in drug use and abuse among

teenagers and adults. The Social Worker Occupational Handbook shows that in 2016,

there were 682,100 Social Workers and there is a projected 784,000 social workers in

2026. In the Mental Health and Substance Abuse field, there were 123,900 in 2016 and a

projected 146,100 in 2026. That is a 15% and 18% increase in Social Workers in a ten

year time frame (Occupational Outlook Handbook, Occupational Employment Statistics,

pg 8).

I read the biography of Brene Brown, who is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a

best selling author, public speaker, and research professor. I have read several of her

books, and listened to numerous TED Talks that she has done. Brene was born in San

Antonio, Texas and that is where she began her education. She studied at the University

of Texas at Austin, and completed her Bachelors of Social Work in 1996. In 2002, Brene

received her PhD from the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of

Houston. She began her career teaching at the University Of Houston Graduate College

Of Social Work. Her focus is on leadership, and vulnerability. Brenes TED talk The

Power of Vulnerability is one of the top five viewed TED talks (Wikipedia, Brene

Brown).

It is important to view the pros and cons of the career I am pursuing because I

need to make sure this is something I would like to do the rest of my life. Stephanie
Young, with Odyssey House of Utah, said that the pros definitely outweigh the cons in

her opinion. She said that the most rewarding part of her job is to watch the light bulb

click on for her clients. She enjoys watching her clients finish the program, and come

back years later to talk about how their lives have changed, and share their stories with

clients that are new in recovery. Some of the other rewards of her job have been watching

her clients go back to school, become reunited with their children and families, and

celebrate milestones. The biggest challenge for her has been bureaucracy and red tape,

such as answering to state, county or even agency directors. A lot of work that a social

worker does goes unnoticed, and there is a high burn out rate which can be detrimental.

Some of the other pros are as follows: there is the ability to find employment in a

wide range of settings. Social workers can work in schools, clinics, hospitals, non-profit

organizations and government agencies. There are also job opportunities in the

correctional facilities such as jails and prisons (Health and Research Funding, pg 2). The

pro in this line of work that stuck out to me the most is the ability to make a difference in

the lives of people. You have the chance to make a difference every day. For me, that

would be the most rewarding. The salary may not be the best, but helping people change

their lives would be priceless.

The cons that I discovered are: the fact that some jobs call for working with

inmates, and that can be dangerous. Social Workers put themselves at risk daily if they

are working in corrections, or with individuals that are coming off of drugs and alcohol

and may be violent. Social work can be draining, and there may be situations where they

cant help, and that can be disappointing. The emotional toll it takes on a person can

cause high burnout (Health and Research Funding, pg 3).


In determining how fit I would be for this job, I feel that the pros far outweigh

the cons. First of all, I am a woman in recovery. I have been on the other side of the fence

and there were so many Licensed Clinical Social Workers that I had interaction with on a

daily basis that showed me how to change my life. Stephanie Young, for example, was

my therapist when I went through Odyssey House of Utah. She invested a lot of time into

helping me, and I know her job was not easy. I have empathy for people that are

struggling with mental health issues, and substance abuse problems. I believe that I know

how to reach people and relate to them on a level that other people cant. I have the

ability to listen and understand the needs of clients. I have patience, compassion and

empathy. I know that social workers need to be able to work with different groups of

people, and I have the skills that it takes to foster healthy and productive relationships

with clients.

Stephanie Young said that the skill that is most important in her opinion is the

ability to establish and hold strong boundaries with clients and colleagues. She said that

having a lot of patience and empathy for people is something that takes practice, and is

absolutely necessary in this line of work.

I confided in her when deciding what career to pursue and her advice to me was to

ask a lot of questions, and seek help if needed. She said that there are a lot of different

routes to take in the counseling / social work field, so explore all of my options before I

make a decision whether it is: Substance Abuse Counselor, Correctional Facility Social

Worker, Health Care Social Worker, or a Child, Family and School Social Worker. Most

importantly she said to take good care of myself because burnout is very hard to avoid

and there is nothing wrong with asking for help and practicing self care.
REFERENCES

Demand for Social Workers in my State Archives

http://salarybystate.org/tag/demand-for-social-workers-in-my-state

Glassdoor

https://www.glassdoor.com/Job/salt-lake-city-licensed-clinical-social-worker-jobs-

SRCH_IL.0,14_IC1128289_KO15,46.htm

MSW in Utah / Master of Social Work in Utah

Human Services Guide

https://www.humanservicesedu.org/utah-msw.html

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Social Workers

https://www.bls.gov/

Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bren%C3%A9_Brown

5 Pros and Cons of Being a Social Worker

Health Research Funding

https://healthresearchfunding.org/5-pros-and-cons-of-being-a-social-worker/

E-Portfolio Reflection Business 1010

Katie Covieo
December 5, 2017

What did you learn by creating the signature assignment? Be specific.

I had a lot of fun while working on this Term Research Paper on the career of a

Licensed Clinical Social Worker. This is my first research paper, since enrolling in

college and it was a really good experience for me. The first thing I learned is the

importance of gathering several credible sources of information. It is critical to get

different viewpoints, especially information coming from an interview of someone

currently working in the field. I made certain that I chose someone that would be

completely upfront with me and not sugar coat anything. There are always pros and cons

to every job and I wanted to make sure I explored everything. By choosing someone I

know and trust to interview, I believe that she was thorough with all of the questions I

asked her.

I also learned how to better cite using APA format. Learning how to use APA

format is something I have been teaching myself because this is the first I have had to use

it. I know that I have room for improvement; however this was a really good opportunity

to work on the technique.

I learned different methods of researching salaries for Licensed Clinical Social

Workers in Utah. It was interesting to me that there is such a range of pay for the same

job depending on experience and qualifications.

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