Nearly 5% of the US population suffers from depression or anxiety.

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Clinical Social Work 

Core Competencies

 

Skills & Abilities     Characteristics & Values   Knowledge   Methods   Approaches   Theories   Concepts

For my dissertation research, I needed a comprehensive listing of Clinical Social Work's core competencies.  After discovering that one did not exist, I spent several years reviewing the literature and conducting formal research in an effort to develop such a listing. The following is the product of those efforts: 

 A COMPETENCY-BASED NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION FOR NORTH CAROLINA CERTIFIED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS.       April 1996.  

Mark R. Marquez, LCSW, MSW, EdD

 

Skills or Abilities 

1.     Assessment                           

2.     Diagnosis                                

3.     Differential Diagnosis                

4.     Diagnostic Methods               

5.     Engagement                             

6.     Gaining trust                           

7.     Interviewing                            

8.     Sensing                                   

9.     Responding                              

10.   Clarifying                                 

11.   Clarifying role                           

12.   Clarifying purpose                     

13.   Goal-setting                              

14.   Exploration                               

15.  Sustainment                              

16.   Ventilation                                

17.   Confrontation                            

18.   Insight                                     

19.   Listening                                    

20.   Holding the focus                        

21.   Working in taboo areas

22.   Stimulating cooperation

23.   Stimulating hope 

24.   Testing of perceptions

25.     Enhancing ego functioning   

26.    Maintaining confidentiality

27.    Interpersonal interaction   

28.    Functioning under stress

29.   High tolerance for ambiguity    

30.   Respecting the client 

31.   Supporting the client's strengths    

32.   Problem need identification

33.   Relating theory to practice

34.   Engaging alienated clients

35.   Seeing things in shades of gray   

 

 

Skills or Abilities 

36.   Understanding the client's feelings

37.   Putting client's feelings into words

38.   Connecting feelings to Treatment work

39.   Identifying affective obstacles

40.   Determining differential Treatment needs

41.    Ordering and integrating information

42.   Working with varying degrees of resistance

43.   Creating innovative solutions to client's needs

44.   Effectively terminating therapeutic relationships

45.   Displaying belief in the potential of the work

46.   Working with transference and counter-transference

47.   Listening to others with understanding and purpose

48.   Using the client's personal and cultural perspectives

49.   Using oneself in professional helping relationship

50.   Serving as a role model in a professional relationship

51.   Interpreting complex psychosocial phenomena

52.   Assessing one's own performance and feelings

53.   Discussing sensitive subjects in a supportive manner

54.   Helping clients develop the ability to help themselves

55.   Therapeutically sharing personal thoughts/feelings

56.  Separating personal from professional issues

57.   Adhering to a professional code of ethics

58.   Persisting on behalf of the client despite frustration

59.   Perceiving the variables as interacting in complex systems

60.   Identifying  the information necessary to solve a problem

61.   Dealing with conflict situations or contentious personalities

62.   Mediating and negotiating between conflicted parties

63.   Engaging the client in defining problem and desired outcomes

64.   Observing and interpreting verbal and nonverbal behavior

65.   Acting professionally on his or her own judgment

66.   Obtaining and using supervision/consultation as needed

67.   Helping client to stop being a severe risk to self or others

68.   Recognizing and responding to complex dysfunctions of clients

69.   Responding supportively in emotionally-laden or crisis situations

70.   Providing treatment involving significant growth/change

 

 

Knowledge 

Methods

1.    Individual treatment processes

2.    Communication and inter-actional processes

3.    Eclectic counseling 

4.    Eclectic therapy

Approaches

5.    Psychosocial approaches

6.    Cognitive approaches

7.    Systems approaches

8.    Short term or brief oriented approaches

Theories

9.    Psychosocial Casework theory

10.  Family theory

11.  Systems theory

12.  Stress theory

13.  Diagnostic theory

14.  Practice theory

15.  Theories of psychosocial assessment

16.  Theories of psychosocial intervention

17.  Theories of psychosocial differential diagnosis

18.  Theories of family interaction

19.  Theories of crisis intervention

Developmental Theories

20.  Biological

21.  Sexual

22.  Psychosocial

23.  Personality

24.  Cognitive

 

 

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In addition to core competencies, I also researched the areas of characteristics and values of competent clinical social workers.

Characteristics

1.   Competence                 

2.   Intelligent                   

3.   Sensitivity                    

4.   Open-mindedness        

5.   Objectivity                  

6.   Well-read                    

7.   Trustworthiness

8.   Empathetic

9.   Genuine

10. Good psychological health

11. Self awareness and understanding

12. Fulfilled in personal life outside practice

Knowledge (understanding of)

Concepts

25.  DSM                                    

26.  Suicide                               

27.  Abuse                                  

28.  Neglect                                

29.  Values                                 

30.  Prioritizing                               

31.  Human behavior                 

32.  Life cycle                           

33.  Child issues                        

34.  Adolescent issues                

35.  Adult issues                        

36.  Family life cycle                  

37.  Family dynamics                

38.  Gender issues                   

39.  Sexuality

40.  Frequent types of maladaptation    

41.  Chemical Dependency

42.  Different types of clients    

43.  Cross cultural helping

44.  Intra-psychic dynamics

45.  Interpersonal communications

  46.  Resolving interpersonal conflict

47.  Importance of early life experience 

48.  Techniques of crisis intervention

49.  Laws and regulations related to practice

50.  Insurance company practices

  51.  Professional social work practices

  52.  Social work values and professional ethics

53.  Social/environmental factors affecting clients

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Values

1.   SW mission is to enhance the interaction between individuals and environment

2.   The primary importance of the individual in society

3.   Concept of the client's right to self-determination

4.   Concept of person-in-situation

5.   Confidentiality of relationships with clients

6.   Social change to meet socially recognized needs

7.   Keeping personal feelings and needs separate from professional relationships

8.   Respect and appreciation for individual and group difference

9.   The economic, physical, and mental well-being of all

10. A high standard of personal and professional conduct

11. Honesty

12. Integrity

13. Commitment

 

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