Preparing Public Health Social
Workers to Lead in Changing Times
Danielle C. Seale, MSW, LCSW
President of Association of State
and Territorial Public Health
Social Workers
What is Public Health Social Work
Public health social work addresses
health from a broad perspective that
includes physical, social, emotional,
and spiritual well-being throughout the
continuum of the life cycle.
Public Health Social Work
Standards and Competencies
May 2005
History of Public Health Social Work
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Overview
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Social Security Act of 1935
Edith M. Baker
Martha Eliot
Social Work Services in Maternal and Child
Health
The “visitor” concept
What do Public Health Social Workers
Do Today?
Public Health Social Workers address health
issues by identifying and implementing
strategies/interventions through pivotal times
of transition from one phase of individual
development to another.
Public Health Social Work
Standards and Competencies
May 2005
Why Do YOU Need To Know What
PHSWs Do?
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WE SEE THE SAME
PEOPLE: Because PHSWs
work with such diverse
populations they are often
seeing people who are also
followed by social workers
in other setting. Illness
exacerbates any of the
other problems a person
may have and it may limit
the possibilities open to
the client.
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THE WAY PHSWs
APPROACH PROBLEMS
HAS IMPLICATIONS
FOR SOCIAL WORK
PRACTICE WHERE YOU
WORK: What is it that the
client should do for himself?
What do I as the social worker
need to do for him/her? What
are the systemic forces at work?
How do I bring about change at
an organizational, community or
societal level?
Public Health Social Work Standards
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Public Health Social Work uses social planning, community
organizational development, and social marketing principles
Public Health Social Work provides leadership and advocacy
Public Health Social Work assures the competency of its
practice to address the issues of public health effectively
through a core body of social work knowledge, philosophy,
code of ethics, and standards.
Public Health Social Work supports and conducts data
collection, research, and evaluation.
Public Health Social Work uses social epidemiology principles
Public Health Social Work
Standards and Competencies
May 2005
Epidemiology and Public Health
Social Workers
Social Determinants of Health
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The economic and social conditions under
which people live which determine their
health. They are “societal risk conditions”,
rather than individual risk factors that either
increase or decrease the risk for a disease.
Social Determinants of Health
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Social Gradient
Stress
Early Life
Social Exclusion
Work
Unemployment
Social Support
Addiction
Food
Transport
Social Workers in Public Health Action
PPOR is about ACTION
Family Planning
(each period of risk is associated with a set of possible areas for action)
Maternal
Health/
Prematurity
DIME
Preconception Health
Health Behaviors
Perinatal Care
PHRM
Maternal
Care
Prenatal Care
High Risk Referral
Obstetric Care
Newborn
Care
Perinatal Management
Neonatal Care
Pediatric Surgery
Clinical
Breastfeeding
Infant
Health
Back to Sleep
Sleep Position
Breast Feeding
Injury Prevention
Car seats
Show video if time permits

<iframe title="YouTube video player"
width="640" height="390"
src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Bpu42L
mLo4U" frameborder="0"
allowfullscreen></iframe>

Video: “This is Public Health” (U-tube –by:
dbremmer)2minutes 56 seconds
Show video if time permits

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS3MZZyVNI

Video: “Health Inequality – social
determinants of health film (glasgow)” (Utube
Further information/resources about
Public Health Social Work
Association of State and Territorial Public Health Social Workers
www.astphsw
Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care
www.sswlhc.org
American Public Health Association
www.apha.org
Public Health Accreditation Board
www.phaboard.org
The End
For Further information we may be reached at:
Danielle Seale, MSW, LCSW
President of Association of State and Territorial
Public Health Social Workers
Email: Danielle.Seale@msdh.state.ms.us