Most universities offer PhD, Master's, Bachelor's, and certificate courses in social work without answering specific questions to this discipline.
Can a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) or a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) reach a correct diagnosis and establish a current management plan as per international standards and recent advances regarding preventive and curative concepts of medicine without knowing about medical subjects?
No.
Do we need social workers?
Yes.
Can incompetent social workers inflict more harm than bringing solutions?
Yes.
Is there any work-related difference between a social worker, psychologist, and counselor?
What is the work-related difference between social worker, psychologist, and counselor?
What is the difference between a nurse and a social worker?
What is the difference between a medical doctor and a social worker?
Counseling is effective if the counselor has legal, medical, and social work expertise.
Do you have such counselors?
What is the difference between a conflict and a dispute?
What is a provocation?
What are the types of provocations?
What is the difference between thought and mind?
What is mood?
What influences the mood?
What will a normal person do if subjected to deprivation of rights under the color of law, discrimination, provocation, harassment, physical torture, psychological torture, abuse, neglect, disruption, or exclusion?
How can you defend people who have unfairly grabbed responsible positions with highest remuneration, yet are involved in obvious repeated crimes?
This brings your character, behavior, and competence into question.
What is the plan of action?
What is good human character?
What is good human behavior?
Character
Honesty
Trustworthy
Integrity
Is there a difference between trustworthy, honesty, and character?
What is the difference between trustworthy, honesty, and character?
What is the difference between the Mafia and a civilized, competent administration?
Social Work
Is there any work-related difference between a social worker, psychologist, and counselor?
What is the work-related difference between social worker, psychologist, and counselor?
What is the difference between a nurse and a social worker?
What is the difference between a medical doctor and a social worker?
What's the difference between the masters degree (MSW) and the doctoral degree (DSW or PhD) in social work?
What are my recommendations?
Credit hours aren't the real measure of a quality education.
The number of questions answered correctly in a specific subject is the real measure of a quality education. This doesn't include questions answered during the enrollment process.
Counseling is effective if the counselor has legal, medical, and social work expertise.
Do you have such counselors?
Is there a difference between trustworthy, honesty, and character?
What is the difference between trustworthy, honesty, and character?
What is the difference between the Mafia and a civilized, competent administration?
* Have you read the job description? Do you have any questions?
* Tell me about a case you worked on where you felt you were particularly effective.
* Tell me about the toughest case you ever worked on.
* What types of clients are difficult for you to work with? What are your thoughts on why that might be?
* How and when do you use supervision?
What type of supervision do you prefer?
* What is it about supervisors, clients and co-workers that can frustrate you? How do you handle your frustrations?
* What is your work style? What do you do to seek balance in your life?
* What do you do when you are faced with an ethical conflict? Have you experienced this in your work? What can you tell me about how you handled this?
* What are your career goals?
* Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
* What is your availability?
* What questions can I answer for you?
What do social workers do?
Social workers help individuals, families and groups in dealing with relationships, solving problems, and coping with the many social and environmental concerns which affect and control daily life.
Are you genuinely interested in people of all kinds?
Do you believe in human potential for growth and change?
Do you have patience, perseverance, and the ability to follow through?
Do you work well with people?
Are you interested in your own personal growth and well-being?
Are you interested in developing your problem-solving abilities?
Are you interested in the larger picture?
Are you interested in using scientific methods to work with people?
Social workers are committed to helping people regardless of racial, economic, cultural, and other differences. Prejudice does not fit with the values of the profession.
It is important to have faith that everybody has some inner strength and that people can change, given the chance.
The social worker should be hard to discourage, always resourceful in seeking new ways to help clients.
Social workers need to get along with clients, colleagues and other professional workers. The ability to resolve conflicts constructively is essential for effective social work practice.
Social workers must be aware of themselves and their own struggles so they do not get ?mixed up? with the clients troubles. Social workers must be willing to know themselves and take care of themselves.
An interest in what makes people tick, in keeping posted on what's happening in the world each day, picking out key facts in a stack of data, and taking responsibility and making important decisions are important criteria for social workers.
A social worker bases his/her practice on established social work methods and uses scientific studies when possible.
What is your work style?
Who are social workers and what do they do?
When would I want to see a social worker?
Why choose a social worker?
Who does the social worker collaborate with?
Are social work services confidential?
When are social workers available?
Who are social workers and what do they do?
Clinical Social Workers are licensed mental health professionals trained to help people find solutions to many emotional problems from daily crises to life’s most difficult situations. We accomplish this through a unique combination of psychotherapy, active problem solving and direct connection with the network of community resources.
When would I want to see a social worker?
You may want to speak with a social worker when you or your family are dealing with an illness and having difficulty coping. Talking with a social worker can offer an objective perspective. Social workers share knowledge gained by helping other patients and families in similar situations. MGH social workers are accessible to you on all of the patient care floors of the hospital, in the emergency department, transplant, dialysis,oncology, inpatient psychiatry, outpatient psychiatry, substance abuse, pediatrics, obstetrics, infertility, in some outpatient medical practices, and the employee assistance program. Social work services are available to you and your family throughout your care at MGH.
Why choose a social worker?
Clinical social workers are trained in individual, couple, family, and group counseling. Our training is unique in that it focuses on the environment as well as the individual. Social workers are skilled in mobilizing family, friends and community resources to help solve problems.
Who does the social worker collaborate with?
We work with you and your family to help address your concerns. Clinical social workers also collaborate with your physicians, members of your health care team, and community care providers to address the psychosocial problems which can affect your health and well-being.
Are social work services confidential?
As professionals we respect patient confidentiality and adhere to the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics. Social work services are confidential, with some very limited exceptions your social worker will discuss with you. Social workers at MGH work as part of the medical care team. After discussion with you, we will share with the team only the information that is relevant to your medical care.
When are social workers available?
# What licenses are available in the social work profession?
The Education Law establishes the requirements for licensure as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and for the "R" psychotherapy privilege available to certain Licensed Clinical Social Workers. For more information on the requirements for licensure or the psychotherapy privilege, please see the links on the left of this page.
# What is the difference between the LMSW and the LCSW?
The Education Law defines the practice as a Licensed Master Social Worker and as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. A licensee may only engage in those activities that are within the scope of practice and in which the licensee is competent. The major difference between the two is that the LMSW may only provide "clinical social work" services (diagnosis, psychotherapy, and assessment-based treatment planning) under supervision; the LCSW may provide those services without supervision.
# Who may practice licensed master social work or licensed clinical social work?
The Education Law restricts the practice of licensed master social work and licensed clinical social work and the titles LMSW and LCSW to individuals who are licensed and registered to practice in New York. Individuals who are licensed in other professions or defined as exempt (see question #20) may provide services that are defined as the practice of LMSW or LCSW but may not use the titles LMSW or LCSW to imply licensure.
# Are there activities that can be performed by an unlicensed person?
The Education Law defines certain activities that are within the scope of practice of the Licensed Master Social Worker, but may also be performed by an individual who is not licensed. The unlicensed person could not imply that he or she is licensed under Title 8 of the Education Law. If the services are provided by an LMSW or LCSW, the licensee can only engage in those activities in which he or she is competent.
Services that are defined as not requiring licensure include but are not limited to:
1. Serve as a community organizer, planner, or administrator for social service programs in any setting.
2. Provide supervision and/or consultation to individuals, groups, institutions and agencies, other than the supervision of the practice of a profession established under Title VIII of the Education Law.
3. Serve as a faculty member or instructor in an educational setting, although a faculty member may not practice a profession that requires licensure.
4. Plan and/or conduct research projects and program evaluation studies.
5. Maintain familiarity with both professional and self-help systems in the community in order to assist the client in those services when necessary.
6. Assist individuals or groups with difficult day to day problems such as finding employment, locating sources of assistance, organizing community groups to work on a specific problem.
7. Consult with other agencies on problems and cases served in common and coordinating services among agencies or providing case management.
8. Conduct data gathering on social problems.
9. Serve as an advocate for those clients or groups of clients whose needs are not being met by available programs or by a specific agency.
10. Assess, evaluate and formulate a plan of action based on client need.
11. Provide training to community groups, agencies, and other professionals.
12. Provide administrative supervision but not supervise or direct professional practice of an LMSW, LCSW or other individual licensed under Title VIII of the Education Law.
# Do I have to be licensed as an LMSW in order to become an LCSW in New York?
Yes, in order to complete the supervised experience in diagnosis and psychotherapy required for licensure as an LCSW you must be licensed and registered to practice as a LMSW, or hold a limited permit to practice under supervision, or be practicing in an exempt setting, as defined in the Education Law.
# Can a Licensed Master Social Worker operate a private practice?
A Licensed Master Social Worker who is registered to practice may form any legal business entity, including a private practice. The LMSW may provide any services defined as within the scope of practice of Licensed Master Social Work, so long as the licensee is competent. However, Education Law Section 7701 restricts Licensed Master Social Workers from providing clinical services in settings other than "facility settings or other supervised settings." Accordingly, New York law does not allow an LMSW to establish a private practice or professional entity (e.g., professional corporation or professional limited liability partnership) for the purpose of providing "clinical social work services".
An LMSW may establish a professional service corporation, professional limited liability corporation or professional limited liability partnership, subject to the requirements of the Education and the Business Corporation laws. You should consult with your attorney and accountant to determine if the creation of a professional entity is appropriate. In most cases, your attorney will file an application with the Department of State and the Education Department must consent to the title and purpose of a professional entity. You can access more information about establishing professional corporations on our web site: www.op.nysed.gov/pcorp.htm.
# If I am licensed in another jurisdiction can I practice licensed master social work or licensed clinical social work in New York under that license?
In order to provide professional services in New York, you must be licensed and registered to practice in New York, unless exempt under the Education Law. Licensure in another jurisdiction does not authorize you to practice in New York whether services are provided in-person, by telephone, over the Internet, or any other format.
# I have many years of experience in social work, including credentials and licensure in other jurisdictions. Is there reciprocity or any way my qualifications can substitute for the requirements in New York?
There is no reciprocity for a professional license as an LMSW or LCSW. An applicant must meet the requirements for graduate education, including specific course work and internship, examination, be of good moral character as determined by the Department, and, for the LCSW the requirements for supervised experience in diagnosis and psychotherapy, as established in the Education Law and Commissioner's Regulations.
# If I am a LMSW and providing clinical social work services under supervision, does the supervisor have to be on-site?
The Education Law and Commissioner's Regulations require appropriate supervision, which in some instances may require direct or on-site supervision, in the opinion of the supervisor. Whether or not the supervisor is on-site, the supervisor shares with the LMSW responsibility for the professional services provided to each client. Therefore, the supervisor may need to be on-site to conduct joint client intakes and directly observe the LMSW practicing clinical social work.
# If my employer does not provide a qualified supervisor can I contract with a qualified supervisor outside the agency for private supervision?
Arrangements where an individual hires or contracts with a licensee to provide supervision are problematic and, as a general rule, unacceptable. Supervision of your practice requires the supervisor to independently direct your practice; this is not possible when the supervisor is employed by you or acts as a paid contractor to supervise the person who can only practice under supervision. Additionally, you should not accept employment in any setting where you are not supervised by a qualified supervisor. The agency or employer is responsible for the services provided to each client, and clinical social work services may only be provided by an individual licensed and authorized to practice clinical social work. If the agency does not have a qualified supervisor on staff, it is their responsibility to hire a qualified supervisor who is responsible for the clinical practice of an LMSW or other person who is only authorized to practice under supervision. In such cases, we would suggest that there be a three-way agreement between you, the proposed supervisor, and your employer. The minimum information in such a letter of agreement would include:
* Acknowledgement that the supervisor will be employed to provide services and to supervise the applicant to develop skills and abilities in the practice of the profession;
* Acknowledgement that the supervisor will be provided with access to patient records and, if appropriate, to patients to conduct joint intake or treatment sessions;
* Acknowledgement that the patient will be informed that the applicant is authorized to practice only under supervision and that patient-specific information is shared with a third-party supervisor;
* Acknowledgement that the patient will be informed of the supervisor's name and contact information or an agency contact to whom questions about the applicant's practice may be addressed;
* Assurance that supervision will be of the duration and frequency specified in regulations and continue until the applicant is licensed or ceases practice; and
* Arrangements for the employer or agency to employ the supervisor including billing for services that does not constitute fee-splitting or other arrangement prohibited by Education Law and Regents Rules.
If you make arrangements for third-party supervision on your own or consult with a third-party by sharing information about the agency's patients, including but not limited to patient records, diagnosis and treatment of the patient, you could be charged with unprofessional conduct under Part 29 of the Regents Rules.
# Am I required to inform my clients that I am being supervised?
Before providing any professional services, you should review with the client the policies of your agency or employer regarding payment for services, third-party reimbursement (if appropriate), limits on confidentiality and the limits of privileged communication (e.g., intent to commit a harmful act), and how client information is shared within the agency or other setting. The client should know the qualifications of the supervisor and how to contact the supervisor with any questions or concerns about your practice and the services being provided.
# If I am licensed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in another jurisdiction, how can I become an LCSW in New York?
You must apply for licensure in New York and meet all requirements for clinical education, supervised post-MSW experience in diagnosis and psychotherapy acceptable to the Department, moral character, clinical social work examination, and New York-approved course work in the identification and reporting of suspected child abuse and maltreatment.
Even if you are licensed in another jurisdiction you may not practice licensed clinical social work in New York until you are licensed in New York State.
If it is determined that you do not meet the requirements for clinical education or supervised clinical experience in diagnosis and psychotherapy, you may not practice social work in New York. You must apply for licensure as an LMSW and meet all requirements for licensure, including education and examination. You can then practice as an LMSW under supervision acceptable to the Department, while meeting the requirements for licensure as an LCSW.
# How can I receive a limited permit to practice in New York?
The Education Law authorizes the Department to issue a limited permit to practice under supervision acceptable to the Department to an individual who has met all requirements for licensure except the examination. The permit is issued for a specific employment setting, which may not be a practice owned or operated by the permit holder. An individual holding an LMSW permit must be under the supervision of an LMSW or LCSW; the LCSW permit holder must be under the supervision of an LCSW.
If you will practice in more than one setting, you must file a permit application (Form 5) for each setting, although only one fee is required. The limited permit must be displayed in each setting and the permit holder may not practice in any location other than for which a permit has been issued. If you change employers, settings, or supervisors you must file a new Form 5.
The permit is valid for one year and may not be renewed. Once you have exhausted the limited permit you may not receive another limited permit. An individual who has not met all requirements for licensure when the permit expires may only engage in those activities that do not require licensure in New York.
# What is acceptable clinical social work experience for licensure as an LCSW?
The Education Law requires an applicant for licensure as an LCSW to complete three years of full-time (or the part-time equivalent in no more than six years) supervised, post-degree experience in diagnosis, psychotherapy, and assessment-based treatment plans, acceptable to the Department.
Full-time experience is defined as no more than 20 client contact hours in psychotherapy each week; part time experience must not be less than 10 client contact hours in each setting per week. Part-time experience is pro-rated (e.g., 15/20 = 0.75) so that the applicant will require more than three years to complete the equivalent of 36 months of supervised experience. Experience of less than 10 client contact hours per week is not acceptable for licensure. A client contact hour is a session of at least 45 minutes using verbal methods in interpersonal relationships to assist a person or persons to modify attitudes and behavior which are intellectually, socially, or emotionally maladaptive.
# If I provide case management, school social work, discharge planning, counseling, and client advocacy can I qualify for licensure as an LCSW?
No. These services constitute direct practice with clients but do not meet the experience requirements for the LCSW. Only experience in diagnosis, psychotherapy, and assessment-based planning are acceptable under the Education Law. Typically diagnosis, psychotherapy and assessment based treatment planning are performed in mental health settings and not in general hospitals, schools, and community-based organizations.
# What is acceptable supervision in the practice of clinical social work?
The Education Law defines qualified supervisors as licensed clinical social workers, licensed psychologists and psychiatrists; no other professions are allowed to supervise. The supervisor must have been licensed before starting to supervise you. The supervising psychologist must be qualified in psychotherapy as determined by the State Board; the psychologist must submit Form 4Q to verify experience and training.
The supervisor must provide one hour per week or two hours every other week of individual or group supervision in diagnosis, psychotherapy and assessment-based treatment planning. At least two hours per month must be individual supervision. The supervisor must be apprised of the diagnosis and treatment of each client, discuss the applicant's cases, provide the applicant with oversight and guidance in diagnosing and treating clients, and regularly review and evaluate the applicant's professional work.
If the applicant is practicing less than full-time (e.g., 10 client contact hours per week), the applicant must still receive one hour of supervision every week or two hours of supervision every other week for the entire period.
# How can I verify my supervised experience in diagnosis and psychotherapy?
All post-degree experience must be submitted on Department forms and include:
* The beginning and ending dates of the supervised experience;
* The average weekly client contact hours in diagnosis and psychotherapy;
* The supervisor's qualifications to practice diagnosis and psychotherapy;
* The duration and frequency of individual and group supervision; and
* Notarized signature of the supervisor.
The forms must bear original signatures and must be submitted by the supervisor, not the applicant, directly to the Department. If you are changing supervisors or leaving an agency, you may wish to have the experience documented and submitted at that time.
If your supervisor is deceased or unavailable, you, a licensed colleague or the agency may provide the required information (beginning and ending dates; weekly client contact hours; supervisor's qualifications; and duration and frequency of supervision). A licensed colleague who is familiar with your supervised experience may attest that you met the requirements; the form must bear original signatures, be notarized and submitted to the Department by the licensed colleague.
# How can I become a school social worker in New York?
An individual practicing licensed master social work in a public school or pre-school must be certified by the Office of Teaching (OT) in the Department. OT will issue a provisional school social worker certificate to an individual who has an acceptable MSW degree. The provisional certificate is valid for five years by which time the certificate holder must be licensed as an LMSW or LCSW to receive the permanent school social worker certificate. You can access more information about the school social worker certificate on-line at: www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/contact.htm and can file an on-line application for the school certificate.
An individual holding a permanent school social work certificate must maintain the LMSW or LCSW registration in order to practice school social work. An individual with a provisional or permanent school social work credential may only practice licensed master social work outside the school if licensed and registered as an LMSW or practice licensed clinical social work outside the school if licensed and registered as an LCSW.
# If I have a BSW degree, can I be licensed or practice in New York?
The Education Law does not authorize the Department to license an individual with a bachelor's of social work (BSW) degree. However, an individual with a BSW degree from a program acceptable to the Department, such as a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), may practice licensed master social work under the supervision of an LMSW or LCSW. The Commissioner's Regulations do not require on-site supervision, but the supervision should be appropriate to the abilities of the BSW and the tasks delegated by the supervising LMSW or LCSW.
The BSW may not practice clinical social work, including diagnosis and psychotherapy, even under the supervision of an LCSW. An LMSW or LCSW who delegates activities that are beyond the competence of the BSW may be charged with unprofessional conduct under Part 29 of the Regents Rules.
# How do I know if I am exempt or practicing in an exempt setting?
The Education Law defines exempt persons as those who meet certain requirements. In such cases, an exempt person can engage in activities that would ordinarily require licensure. An exempt person may not use a professional title (e.g., LMSW or LCSW) restricted to a licensee nor may the person practice outside the exempt setting.
An exempt person who wishes to qualify for licensure must meet all requirements for licensing, including education, supervision, examination, and moral character, acceptable to the Department.
The exemptions provided in the Education Law allow activities including:
* BSW or MSW students in a supervised internship under the supervision of an LMSW or LCSW;
* Licensees in other professions licensed under Title 8 of the Education Law whose practice includes similar services;
* Attorneys, rape crisis counselors and other credentialed individuals who function within the authority of those credentials;
* Public and private employees providing clinical social work services on or before September 1, 2004, for as long as they provide those services in that job; and
* Employees of agencies operated, regulated or financed by the New York State Office of Mental Health, Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, Office of Children and Family Services or local social service districts until June 1, 2010, so long as the person does not use the titles LMSW or LCSW.
If you have questions about your employment setting, you should consult with your employer.
# I have never done well on multiple-choice tests and want to know if I can be licensed without having to pass an examination?
No. The Education Law requires an applicant for the LMSW or the LCSW to pass an examination acceptable to the Department. It has been determined that an applicant can meet these requirements by passing the appropriate examination offered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). A candidate for the LMSW must pass the ASWB Masters (formerly "Intermediate") examination and a candidate for the LCSW must pass the ASWB Clinical examination. New York does not recognize the ASWB Advanced Generalist examination for licensure as an LMSW or LCSW.
After you apply to the Department for licensure, your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the requirements for education, moral character, and New York-approved course work in the identification and reporting of suspected child abuse and maltreatment. For the LCSW, supervised post-MSW experience in diagnosis and psychotherapy acceptable to the Department and clinical coursework is also required. When you have met the requirements for entry to the examination, the Department will notify you and ASWB. It is then your responsibility to contact ASWB to register for an examination appointment. The examination is offered six days a week throughout the United States but you must be approved by the Department to register with ASWB. You can access information about the content areas for the Masters and Clinical examinations on-line at: www.aswb.org.
# I have attempted and failed the ASWB examination; is it possible my score would qualify for licensure in another jurisdiction?
No. When you attempt the examination, your score is based on the number of questions you answer correctly in order to meet the minimum passing score for that form of the examination. The raw score is then converted to an equated score. In order to pass you must have an equated score that is equal to or higher than the minimum passing score. Regardless of the equated score required in a jurisdiction a failing score cannot be calculated as a passing score.
# I am licensed as an LMSW and as an LCSW. I received a renewal notice for my LMSW but my LCSW is still valid, what should I do?
If you were licensed as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) on or after September 1, 2004 and were later licensed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), you hold separate licenses with different registration dates. Since the practice of Licensed Clinical Social Work encompasses the practice of Licensed Master Social Work, you do not need to maintain your registration as an LMSW. When you receive the LMSW registration form, you can respond "NO" on Question 1, which asks if you would like to register the LMSW license to practice for the upcoming period. You should then answer all other questions, sign and date the form, and return it with no fee to the Department in the envelope provided. The registration of your LMSW license will then be put in "Inactive" status and the Office of the Professions online license verification will reflect that status. For more information about registration and practice, including how to change your address, see OP's Frequently Asked Questions.
# How can I qualify for the psychotherapy privilege?
The Education and Insurance laws authorize the Department to issue the "R" privilege to an individual who is an LCSW in New York and who completes at least 36 months of supervised experience in psychotherapy acceptable to the Department, after the experience that qualified for licensure as an LCSW. You must have at least 400 client contact hours per year in psychotherapy under the supervision of a qualified supervisor. Your experience must be supervised for at least two hours per month of individual supervision or four hours per month of group supervision or peer supervision or case seminars in a psychotherapy institute acceptable to the Department.
You must submit the application for the privilege and fee and your supervisor(s) must provide his or her qualifications to supervise the practice of psychotherapy and document your supervised experience including the duration and frequency of supervision, the beginning and ending dates of practice, and client contact hours. If you meet the requirement through peer supervision, you will be required to demonstrate competency through the completion of case narratives acceptable to the Department.
The psychotherapy privilege is not available to an LMSW or an individual licensed in any other profession. There is no requirement to maintain registration of the privilege.
* What kind of supervision do you expect?
* How has your education/work experience prepared you for this position?
* What do you hope to accomplish at this agency?
* What would you like to learn here?
* Have you done this type of work in the past?
* What issues might you have with [adoption, for example]?
* What schedule will work for you?
* What are your career goals? For the next 3 years?
The next 5 years? The next 10 years?
* What are some of your strengths? Some of your weaknesses?
* How do you define success for yourself?
* How do you plan?
* What is your work style?
* How do you work with others?
* Tell me about a time when you had to juggle your regular responsibilities and deal with a sudden priority?
* Are you a leader ... a follower?
* Describe the process you go through in developing a [case plan, budget, workshop, contract, or marketing plan, for example].
* Describe your supervision experience? Supervision style?
* What is your ideal position and career path?
* Is there anything you would like to say to close the interview?
* Do you have any questions? YES–You should always have questions.
Sample Direct Practice Interview Questions
* What is your understanding of service delivery in [a particular field or region]?
* Tell me about a time you were in a disagreement over a treatment plan.
* What has been your experience with agency paperwork and how do you feel about it?
* How will you deal with the dual-relationship issues of working in a small community?
Sample Community Administration & Leadership Interview Questions
* What type of research skills/computer skills do you have?
* What specific policy issues are you interested in?
Sample Policy Interview Questions
* How do you handle shifting priorities and working in a fast-paced, pressured environment?
* What is your experience with writing quickly, under pressure?
* What do you do to keep track of a lot of information at once?
Program Development Interview Questions
* How would you go about locating community resources in a neighborhood in which you have no relationship?
Sample Questions for You to Ask an Interviewer
* What do you like best about working here?
* How often, and by whom will I be supervised? What types of supervision are available? Is case consultation available?
* Are there opportunities for professional development within and beyond the agency itself?
* What can I count on from the agency to assist me in my professional development?
* With what other staff members will the person in this position work [for example, marketing department director]?
* What are the opportunities for advancement?
* Is the staff on call, and how is that handled?
* What are the agency's service delivery strengths and weaknesses?
* How many social workers do you employ? What is the average length of time social workers have worked for this agency?
* What is the typical career path of social workers within this field/agency?
* To what extent will I have the opportunity to network with other agencies, or other professionals in the field?
* How would you describe the organizational culture?
Sample Questions for You to Ask as a Social Work Intern
* What do you think would be the most challenging experiences for a social work intern in your agency?
* What do you think would be the most rewarding experiences for a social work intern in your agency?
* How are expectations for students different from those for agency staff?
* To what extent do students have an opportunity to offer input into administration and planning?
Conflict
Who is involved?
How did the conflict arise?
How are the main and secondary issues described?
Can negative issues be reframed positively?
Are the issues negotiable?
Have positions been taken and, if so, are there common interests?
What information is available and what other information is needed?
What values or interests are challenged?
Possible strategies
Would consensus serve all interests?
Are there external constraints or other influences that must
be accommodated?
What are the past experiences (if any) of the groups working
together?
What is the timeline for a decision?
How will the public and the media be involved and informed?
Will an outside negotiator be needed?
Step 3: Pre-negotiation.
To set the stage for effective negotiation, the groundwork must be laid. The following should occur prior to negotiation.
Initiation - One partner raises the possibility of negotiation and begins the process. If no one is willing to approach the others to encourage them to reach an agreement, a trusted outsider could be brought in as a facilitator.
Assessment - Conditions must be right for negotiation to be successful. Key players must be identified and invited. Each side must be willing to collaborate with the others. Reasonable deadlines and sufficient resources to support the effort must exist. Spokespersons for each group must be identified and involved. Parties need to determine which issues are negotiable and which are not.
Ground rules and agenda - The groups must agree on ground rules for communication, negotiation and decision making. They should agree on the objectives of the negotiation process. An agenda of issues to be covered needs to be developed.
Organization - Meeting logistics must be established, including agreed upon times and places. People must be contacted and encouraged to attend. Minutes must be taken so that information can be distributed before and after meetings.
Joint fact-finding - The groups must agree on what information is relevant to the conflict. This should include what is known and not known about social and technical issues. Agreement is also needed on methods for generating answers to questions.
Step 4: Negotiation.
Interests - When negotiating be sure to openly discuss interests, rather than stated positions. Interests include the reasons, needs, concerns and motivations underlying positions. Satisfaction of interests should be the common goal.
Options - To resolve conflicts, concentrate on inventing options for satisfying interests. Do not judge ideas or favor any of the options suggested. Encourage creativity, not commitment.
Evaluation - Only after the partners have finished listing options, should the options be discussed. Determine together which ideas are best for satisfying various interests.
Written agreement - Document areas of agreement and disagreement to ensure common understanding. This helps ensure that agreements can be remembered and communicated clearly.
Commitment - Every partner must be confident that the others will carry out their parts of the agreement. Discuss and agree upon methods to ensure partners understand and honor their commitments.
When evaluating options...
Use objective criteria for ranking ideas
Make trade-offs among different issues
Combine different options to form acceptable agreements
Step 5: Post-negotiation.
Once negotiation is complete, the group will need to implement the decisions made. Some key steps include:
Ratification - The partners must get support for the agreement from organizations that have a role to play in the agreement. These organizations should be partners and should have been involved in the previous steps. Each organization will need to follow its own procedures to review and adopt the agreement.
Implementation - You and your partners' jobs are not done when you've reached agreement. Communication and collaboration should continue as the agreement is carried out. The partnership will need to have a plan to monitor progress, document success, resolve problems, renegotiate terms and celebrate success.
Negotiation skills.
Negotiation is an important skill for coming to an agreement when conflicts develop at home, at work and when dealing with issues like those related to watershed management. When negotiating...
Separate people from the problem.
When negotiating, remember you're dealing with people who have their own unique needs, emotions and perceptions.
Some conflicts are based on differences in thinking and perceptions. These conflicts may exist mainly in peoples' minds. It helps for each party to put themselves into the other's shoes so they can understand each other's point of view.
Identify and openly discuss differences in perceptions, being careful not to place blame. In addition, recognize and understand the other side's emotions as well as your own.
Interest vs. Position
People often confuse interests with positions. An interest may be reducing litter in roadside ditches. There are many possible ways of addressing this interest. One might be the position of mandatory recycling. Another position might be a deposit on bottles and cans. Still another could be organizing a clean-up day.
Focus on interests, not positions.
Focusing on interests, rather than positions, makes it possible to come up with better agreements. Even when people stand on opposite positions, they usually have a few shared interests.
It takes time and effort to identify interests. Groups may not even be clear about their own interests. It helps to write down each group's interests as they are discovered. It helps to ask why others take the positions or make the decisions they do. Partners will have multiple interests. Interests involving important human needs (such as security, economic well-being, a sense of belonging, recognition and control over one's life) are difficult to negotiate.
Develop optional solutions.
When developing optional solutions that meet the interests of all sides, try to meet as many of each side's interests as possible. Start by inviting all sides to brainstorm ideas (before reaching a decision). Brainstorming is discussed in the Leading & Communicating guide.
Some obstacles to developing innovative options are:
Judging and rejecting prematurely
Searching for a single best answer
Putting limits on scope or vision
Considering only your own interests
To overcome these obstacles, view the situation through the eyes of different partners. Focus on shared interests to make the process smoother for all involved. Look for meaningful opportunities, not simple solutions.
Developing objective criteria.
When developing criteria for selecting or combining possible alternatives, revisit the conflicting interests. These can't be ignored or "wished" away. Instead discuss them as you begin developing criteria for judging alternatives. Also keep in mind principles such as fairness, efficiency and scientific merit.
Strive for criteria that are legitimate, practical and unbiased. You may also find it helps to explore the criteria used in making past decisions and discuss criteria with your partners or outside experts.
http://www.op.nysed.gov/swfaqlicapp.htm
Here are some questions to ask after the first visit:
* What is the diagnosis and the practitioner's understanding of the problem?
* What is the best treatment? What are the pros and cons of the chosen treatment approach?
* Is there a mutual agreement as to the treatment goals and timeframe?
* How will you know it's time to stop treatment?
* Are there alternative treatments?
Ask your doctor these questions about medication:
* Will the new medications have any effect on your current medications?
* Have tests eliminated other medical conditions such as thyroid disorders, which can mimic symptoms of mental illness?
* If there are manic or depressive symptoms, will the doctor provide a thyroid screening?
* Are regular blood tests necessary?
* If you are over 45 years of age, what effect might medication have on heart function?
* What are the possible side effects of medication?
* Is there a plan for stopping the medication?
* How accessible is the psychiatrist if there are problems with the medication?
* Will the medication affect sexual function or appetite for food?
1. How do you know when you can trust someone?
2. How important is trust in your relationships with friends and family? How would these relationships be affected if you found out someone was lying to you?
3. Once trust has been broken, what can you do to get it back? Have you ever lost someone's trust? Has someone lost your trust? Explain.
4. If your friends were here right now, would they say you were trustworthy? What would your parents say? Are you more trustworthy with your friends or with your parents? Do you think your parents should trust you automatically? Why or why not?
5. If you want someone to trust you, who has most of the responsibility you or the other person? Why?
6. What does being trustworthy have to do with the quality of your character?
7. What are the benefits of being a trustworthy person? How do you benefit from the trustworthiness of others?
8. What is trust?
9. How can you become untrustworthy?
10. What are the benefits of being trusted?
11. How would you feel about a person who always did as promised?
Trusting that you could count on the person
12. Why would a person be untrustworthy?
The person does not think of the effect actions have on others
13. What is a benefit of being trusted?
You become more valued in the eyes of others
http://www.clepexampracticetests.com/intro-soc.html