Healthcare Social Workers Go Back to List Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family care givers, providing patient education and counseling, and making referrals for other services. May also provide care and case management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.

Technology used in this occupation:
	Desktop publishing software

Tasks
	Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs.
	Investigate child abuse or neglect cases and take authorized protective action when necessary.
	Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.
	Counsel clients and patients in individual and group sessions to help them overcome dependencies, recover from illness, and adjust to life.
	Organize support groups or counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, and supporting the client or patient.
	Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises.
	Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records.
	Utilize consultation data and social work experience to plan and coordinate client or patient care and rehabilitation, following through to ensure service efficacy.
	Modify treatment plans to comply with changes in clients' status.
	Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan.

Skills
	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Knowledge
	Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
	Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
	English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
	Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
	Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
	Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
	Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
	Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
	Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
	Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

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Education & Training   Education:   Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).   Related Experience:   Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

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Wage Information
	Region Average Entry Level  Mid-Range  Annual  Hourly  Statewide $76,553.00 $36.80  $27.39  $30.49 - $40.33  Bridgeport/Stamford $81,112.00 $38.99  $32.55  $38.00 - $39.44  Danbury $83,698.00 $40.24  $32.50  $36.74 - $41.36  Hartford $72,452.00 $34.83  $25.25  $25.29 - $40.74  New Haven $78,693.00 $37.83  $28.52  $31.34 - $40.70  New London/Norwich $77,685.00 $37.35  $26.56  $29.92 - $42.15  Waterbury $67,789.00 $32.59  $23.79  $24.31 - $36.38  Torrington $73,552.00 $35.36  $27.98  $29.99 - $40.17

Occupation Outlook ( 2016 - 2026 ) Average Annual Job Openings:   213   Employment in this occupation is expected to grow more slowly than average, but the number of annual openings will offer very good job opportunities.

Related Occupations
	Counseling Psychologists
	Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors
	Educational, Guidance, School, and Vocational Counselors
	Patient Representatives
	Marriage and Family Therapists
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	Child, Family, and School Social Workers
	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

	Some of the occupational information on this page is formulated from O*NETTM v17.0 data. O*NETTM is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.