The fifth edition of Segal, Gerdes, and Steiner's AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PROFESSION OF SOCIAL WORK provides a balanced introduction to the social work profession and helps students to understand the role that the profession plays in the social welfare system. The authors' supportive tone and experiential approach inspires interest in and enthusiasm toward future careers in social work. Case studies, personal stories, and exercises help students apply the concepts and truly understand what it means to be a social worker. The book is designed to encourage both knowledge building and self-exploration-skills that are essential in developing good social work practice. Part of the Brooks/Cole Empowerment Series, the fifth edition is completely up to date and thoroughly integrates the core competencies and recommended practice behaviors outlined in the most recent Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) set by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

1. What Is Social Work?
2. The History Of The Social Welfare System and The Social Work Profession.
3. Poverty and Economic Disparity.
4. Human Rights and Social and Economic Justice.
5. Dimensions of Diversity.
6. Generalist Social Work Practice.
7. Child Welfare: Working with Children and Their Families.
8. Gerontology: Working with People Who Are Older.
9. Health Care Services.
10. Mental Health Services.
11. School Social Work.
12. Substance Abuse.
13. Violence, Victims, and Criminal Justice.
14. Crisis, Trauma, And Disasters.
Appendix A: NASW Code of Ethics.
Appendix B: Web Resources.
Glossary.

The fifth edition of Segal, Gerdes, and Steiner's AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PROFESSION OF SOCIAL WORK provides a balanced introduction to the social work profession and helps students to understand the role that the profession plays in the social welfare system. The authors' supportive tone and experiential approach inspires interest in and enthusiasm toward future careers in social work. Case studies, personal stories, and exercises help students apply the concepts and truly understand what it means to be a social worker. The book is designed to encourage both knowledge building and self-exploration-skills that are essential in developing good social work practice. Part of the Brooks/Cole Empowerment Series, the fifth edition is completely up to date and thoroughly integrates the core competencies and recommended practice behaviors outlined in the most recent Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) set by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Topics relevant to current social work practice have been added or updated. This edition includes discussion of gender identity issues, an increased focus on cultural humility and mental health recovery, the latest information on empathy, material on the growing income inequality in the U.S. (which has reached its highest level since 1928), and coverage of many other topics. The authors discuss new controversial topics including the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington, the growing privatization of American prisons, and ramifications of the ongoing shortage of lethal injection drugs in the U.S. The fifth edition addresses the most recent EPAS requirements. Helping Hands icons within the chapters and end-of-chapter Competency Notes spotlight text coverage of the required Core Competencies and recommended Practice Behaviors detailed by the Council on Social Work Education. Material on values and ethics appears throughout the book. The chapter on poverty appears early in the text (in Chapter 3) to provide a foundation for the rest of the content. The chapter on modes of intervention (Generalist Social Work Practice appearing as Chapter 6) reflects a generalist approach, which is more accessible and meaningful to introductory students. “Personal Stories” provide practitioners' first-hand accounts and experiences taken from their lives as social workers. “What Do You Think,” “More About,” “Point of View,” and “From the Field” inserts invite readers to think more deeply about the content at hand. Brief questions interspersed in chapters, end-of-chapter discussion questions, and experiential/self-exploration exercises make this a combination workbook and textbook that provides students with ample tools to apply the text concepts.