The Self-Identified Social Work Workforce From the U.S. Census Bureau's Household Surveys

Abstract

Purpose: Acknowledging the limitations of the widely used Bureau of Labor Statistics’ workforce profile, this study aimed to provide a national profile of the self-identified social work workforce and identify critical knowledge gaps about the workforce. Methods: Descriptive analyses were conducted on samples of self-identified social workers from the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey (CPS), along with data from social work regulatory boards. Results: The self-identified workforce includes many individuals without a college degree, and most of the bachelor's-level social workers without a Bachelor's in Social Work. Comparison of CPS data with regulatory boards’ data suggests that the household survey data do not accurately estimate the size, composition, and fields of practice of the workforce identified by the profession. Conclusions: The results call for a national workforce survey of social workers who hold social work credentials to provide a more accurate profile of the professional workforce.

Keywords

social work workforce workforce survey behavioral healthcare American Community Survey Current Population Survey

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