Abstract
The University of Arkansas School of Social Work was selected as one of three universities to receive funds to develop MSW internships in primary care settings. Although the award was provided in 2021, the school decided to spend the first year creating an individualized program curriculum, developing internship sites, and selecting students. The uniqueness of this internship was the emphasis placed on supporting students who represent the Northwest Arkansas Community, which includes a large number of Spanish-speaking individuals and a significant Pacific Islander population. This focus is due to the recognized need in these underrepresented communities, which is particularly stark in the medical and mental health professions. Through primary care internship opportunities, the School of Social Work hopes to train and build a network of social workers, who represent the community’s needs. A qualitative study completed the first semester is presented. This includes strategies, challenges, and successes during on-boarding and embedding social workers in this unique environment. Social work students have the potential to become leaders in the field of primary care and can provide the needed supervision to future social work practitioners and social work students. One of the primary goals of the evaluation of this program would be a commitment by the clinics to create permanent social work positions. It is our hope that an evaluation of the first year of the program would provide the evidence that social workers are a vital component of the health care team in primary care settings.
Presenters
Ananda RosaField Education Program Director, Social Work, University of Arkansas School of Social Work, Arkansas, United States Kimberly Stauss
Professor, School of Social Work, University of Arkansas, Arkansas, United States La Shawnda Fields
Assistant Professor, Social Work, University of Arkansas, Arkansas, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Social Work, Primary Care, Field Education
