Los Angeles City College Psychology Department

Comprehensive Program Review 2008
social problems impede recovery. They work with doctors to identify
environmental relationships underlying the patient's health problem. They
also help the patient to understand and follow medical recommendations.
School Social Workers counsel children whose social problems hamper their
ability to learn. They consult with parents, teachers, and other school
personnel to help students adjust to school life.
Children's service caseworkers aid parents with child-rearing problems and
children with social and emotional adjustment problems. They investigate
home conditions to protect children from harmful environments. They take
legal action on child abuse, and advise foster and adoptive parents.
Family service caseworkers help clients deal with problems concerning family
relationships, marriages, home management, finances, health, and work
adjustment. Psychiatric Social Workers provide assistance to disturbed
patients and their families. They explain the psychiatrist's diagnosis
and treatment methods to the families of patients. Correctional Social
Workers work with juvenile or adult offenders to determine and correct
the causes of antisocial behavior. They may work with youth groups or
gangs. They conduct pre-hearing and pre-sentence investigations and
present social histories to the courts. They also help parolees and
probationers readjust to society. Social Workers are employed by the state
as consultants and as Licensing Program Analysts.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Social Workers work in a variety of settings. Most are employed by schools,
family service agencies, hospitals, penal institutions, youth service
facilities, and local government agencies. Some Social Workers work
independently of traditional employers. They may open their own office and
rely on referrals and direct contacts, or work as part of a team with other
professionals such as medical doctors and psychiatrists.
Social Workers deal with distraught or hostile people, sordid surroundings,
and distressing situations of all kinds. They must be able to interact with
people from all economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds.
EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
The following information is from the California Projections of Employment
published by the Labor Market Information Division.
These figures represent the occupational group Social Workers, Medical and
Psychiatric. and related social services: From 2004-2014 projected growth is between 15% and 23%.
(These figures do not include self-employment or openings due to turnover.)
WAGES, HOURS, AND FRINGE BENEFITS
Social work positions requiring only a Bachelor's degree are limited. A
wider range of employment is available to a holder of a Master's degree in
Social Work (MSW). According to the California Chapter of the National
Association of Social Workers, Social Workers with Master's degrees with
less than two years experience earn between $2,500 and $3,000 per month.
With two to five years experience, monthly pay increases to a range of
$3,000 to $3,400. Between six years and 20 years of experience, monthly pay
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