Median annual earnings of social and human service assistants were $23,370 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $18,670 and $29,520. The top 10 percent earned more than $37,550, while the lowest 10 percent earned less than $15,420.
Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of social and human service assistants in 2002 were:
| State government | $31,280 |
| Local government | 26,570 |
| Individual and family services | 22,210 |
| Community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services | 21,840 |
| Residential mental retardation, mental health and substance abuse facilities | 20,010 |
Social and human service assistant is a generic term for people with a wide array of job titles, including human service worker, case management aide, social work assistant, community support worker, mental health aide, community outreach worker, life skill counselor, or gerontology aide. They usually work under the direction of professionals from a variety of fields, such as nursing, psychiatry, psychology, rehabilitative or physical therapy, or social work. The amount of responsibility and supervision they are given varies a great deal. Some have little direct supervision; others work under close direction.
Social and human service assistants provide direct and indirect client services to ensure that individuals in their care reach their maximum level of functioning. They assess clients’ needs, establish their eligibility for benefits and services such as food stamps, Medicaid, or welfare, and help to obtain them. They also arrange for transportation and escorts, if necessary, and provide emotional support. Social and human service assistants monitor and keep case records on clients and report progress to supervisors and case managers.
Social and human service assistants play a variety of roles in a community. They may organize and lead group activities, assist clients in need of counseling or crisis intervention, or administer a food bank or emergency fuel program. In halfway houses, group homes, and government-supported housing programs, they assist adults who need supervision with personal hygiene and daily living skills. They review clients’ records, ensure that they take correct doses of medication, talk with family members, and confer with medical personnel and other caregivers to gain better insight into clients’ backgrounds and needs. Social and human service assistants also provide emotional support and help clients become involved in their own well-being, in community recreation programs, and in other activities.
In psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation programs, and outpatient clinics, social and human service assistants work with professional care providers, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers, to help clients master everyday living skills, communicate more effectively, and get along better with others. They support the client’s participation in a treatment plan, such as individual or group counseling or occupational therapy.
.Job opportunities for social and human service assistants are expected to be excellent, particularly for applicants with appropriate postsecondary education. The number of social and human service assistants is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations between 2002 and 2012—ranking the occupation among the most rapidly growing. Many additional job opportunities will arise from the need to replace workers who advance into new positions, retire, or leave the workforce for other reasons. There will be more competition for jobs in urban areas than in rural areas, but qualified applicants should have little difficulty finding employment. Faced with rapid growth in the demand for social and human services many employers increasingly rely on social and human service assistants to undertake greater responsibility for delivering services to clients.
Opportunities are expected to be good in private social service agencies, which provide such services as adult daycare and meal delivery programs. Employment in private agencies will grow as State and local governments continue to contract out services to the private sector in an effort to cut costs. Demand for social services will expand with the growing elderly population, who are more likely to need these services. In addition, more social and human service assistants will be needed to provide services to pregnant teenagers, the homeless, the mentally disabled and developmentally challenged, and substance abusers. Some private agencies have been employing more social and human service assistants in place of social workers, who are more educated and, thus, more highly paid.
Job training programs also are expected to require additional social and human service assistants. As social welfare policies shift focus from benefit-based programs to work-based initiatives, there will be more demand for people to teach job skills to the people who are new to, or returning to, the workforce.
Residential care establishments should face increased pressures to respond to the needs of the mentally and physically disabled. Many of these patients have been deinstitutionalized and lack the knowledge or the ability to care for themselves. Also, more community-based programs, supported independent-living sites, and group residences are expected to be established to house and assist the homeless and the mentally and physically disabled. As substance abusers are increasingly being sent to treatment programs instead of prison, employment of social and human service assistants in substance abuse treatment programs also will grow.
The number of jobs for social and human service assistants in State and local governments will grow but not as fast as employment for social and human service assistants in other industries. Employment in the public sector may fluctuate with the level of funding provided by State and local governments. Also, some State and local governments are contracting out selected social services to private agencies in order to save money.
.While a bachelor’s degree usually is not required for entry into this occupation, employers increasingly seek individuals with relevant work experience or education beyond high school. Certificates or associate degrees in subjects such as social work, human services, gerontology, or one of the social or behavioral sciences meet most employers’ requirements. Some jobs may require a bachelor’s or master’s degree in human services or a related field such as counseling, rehabilitation, or social work.
Human services degree programs have a core curriculum that trains students to observe patients and record information, conduct patient interviews, implement treatment plans, employ problem-solving techniques, handle crisis intervention matters, and use proper case management and referral procedures. General education courses in liberal arts, sciences, and the humanities also are part of the curriculum. Many degree programs require completion of a supervised internship.
Educational attainment often influences the kind of work employees may be assigned and the degree of responsibility that may be entrusted to them. For example, workers with no more than a high school education are likely to receive extensive on-the-job training to work in direct-care services, while employees with a college degree might be assigned to do supportive counseling, coordinate program activities, or manage a group home. Social and human service assistants with proven leadership ability, either from previous experience or as a volunteer in the field, often have greater autonomy in their work. Regardless of the academic or work background of employees, most employers provide some form of inservice training, such as seminars and workshops, to their employees.
There may be additional hiring requirements in group homes. For example, employers may require employees to have a valid driver’s license or to submit to a criminal background investigation.
Employers try to select applicants who have effective communication skills, a strong sense of responsibility, and the ability to manage time effectively. Many human services jobs involve direct contact with people who are vulnerable to exploitation or mistreatment; therefore, patience, understanding, and a strong desire to help others are highly valued characteristics.
Formal education almost always is necessary for advancement. In general, advancement requires a bachelor’s or master’s degree in human services, counseling, rehabilitation, social work, or a related field.
.Workers in other occupations that require skills similar to those of social and human service assistants include social workers; clergy; counselors; childcare workers; occupational therapist assistants and aides; physical therapist assistants and aides; and nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides.
Information on academic programs in human services may be found in most directories of 2- and 4-year colleges, available at libraries or career counseling centers.
For information on programs and careers in human services, contact:
Information on job openings may be available from State employment service offices or directly from city, county, or State departments of health, mental health and mental retardation, and human resources.
Social workers help people function the best way they can in their environment, deal with their relationships, and solve personal and family problems. Social workers often provide social services in health-related settings that now are governed by managed care organizations. Although some conduct research or are involved in planning or policy development, most social workers prefer an area of practice in which they interact with clients. Through employee assistance programs, they may help workers cope with job-related pressures or with personal problems that affect the quality of their work. Most private sector jobs were in the health care and social assistance industry.
Summary of: http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm
Jobs in social services, social work, counseling, mental health, psychology, employee assistance, developmental disabilities, case management and much more. JOB AGENTS - Registered job seekers can set up a free "Job Agent" which will e-mail you notices of new job postings that match the geographic, educational and keyword criteria that you select. You can modify or stop/restart your Job Agent online at any time. Bragg - NC Clinical Social Worker St. Francis Medical Center Lynwood - CA Clinical Supervisor St.
Summary of: http://www.socialservice.com/
They usually work under the direction of professionals from a variety of fields, such as nursing, psychiatry, psychology, rehabilitative or physical therapy, or social work. Some have little direct supervision; others work under close direction. Social and human service assistants provide direct and indirect client services to ensure that individuals in their care reach their maximum level of functioning. In halfway houses, group homes, and government-supported housing programs, they assist adults who need supervision with personal hygiene and daily living skills. More than half worked in the health care and social assistance industries.
Summary of: http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos059.htm
NASW Press Home Page The NASW Press is a leading scholarly press in the social sciences. Known for attracting expert authors, the NASW Press delivers professional information to more than 250,000 readers through its scholarly journals, books, and reference works. NASW Press Journals Available Online. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. NASW members receive Social Work online as a member benefit.
Summary of: http://www.naswpress.org/
World-Wide Web Resources - Social Work Social Work New Sites Added Since Oct. 15 Social Services Abstracts (1980 - ; updated monthly) Available through Cambridge Scientific Abstracts. Accessible via campus computers. University of Kentucky Libraries' Databases Social Services Abstracts (1980 - ; updated monthly) Available through Cambridge Scientific Abstracts. Code of Ethics, from the National Association of Social Workers.
Summary of: http://www.uky.edu/Subject/socwork.html
Why waste value time on campus when you can take an online social work course in any one of the listed courses on this page. Enroll today and start your online social work courses in the comfort of your home or office.
Summary of: http://www.canyoncollege.edu/cc/listing/bachelor/socwk.htm
With an emphasis on human centeredness and social justice, HUSITA strives to promote international knowledge development, dissemination and transfer of technology within human services.
Summary of: http://www2.uta.edu/cussn/cussn.html
Professional social workers' organisations We hope that you will enjoy this possibility to link to social work globally and to member organisations and colleagues in 80 countries. Friends Individuals and other organisations can connect with and support international social work through our IFSW Friends program. Ethics, Human Rights, Policy Statements Central in the work of IFSW is Ethics of Social Work and Human Rights, with special standing commissions. Links At the top of this page you will find links to General information about IFSW and a Directory to Member organisations, the IFSW Executive Committee and IFSW Representatives. In addition you will find links to information about international conferences and seminars under Activities and under Publications we have placed information about various official IFSW documents.
Summary of: http://www.ifsw.org/