SOCIAL WORK ACROSS HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS.

Catalog description

The course examines the roles of social workers in clinical, interprofessional, and organizational contexts, emphasizing ethical and culturally responsive engagement, assessment, intervention, evaluation, and professional communication with individuals and families across the lifespan. Grounded in human behavior in the social environment, students analyze social determinants of health, health equity, access to care, health literacy, and the psychological and social impacts of illness, disability, trauma, and aging. The course addresses interdisciplinary team practice, self-care and professional resilience, health and social policies, organizational and integrated care models, and advocacy strategies to address structural inequities and service gaps. Students strengthen research-informed and evidence-based practice skills to improve health outcomes and advance equitable health care systems.