EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) -Social workers have had to change how they go about their jobs during this pandemic and the needs of their clients all has changed in the past ten months.
As the outbreak continues to exacerbate social isolation, unemployment, food and housing insecurity, mental illness, social workers are there.
“What we’ve seen is an affirmation that the work that social workers do, with the most vulnerable populations is absolutely needed in a pandemic,” says Leah Olson-McBride, UW Eau Claire Department of Social Work Chair and Professor.
Olson-McBride says faculty have made changes to make sure their students are prepared to work in a COVID-environment.
In social policy classes students are taught to focus on ten ways in which the virus has impacted the clients they serve.
“Individuals who are incarcerated, children in the child welfare system, elderly individuals in long-term care facilities and then thinking about how changes in income increases in isolation might be impacting those individuals,” Olson-McBride says.
The department has also incorporated a virtual Teletherapy model; where students who may be quarantined are still able to participate in skills-based classes.
That also allows the faculty to be there while they’re learning the skills, providing feedback, the students can go back and watch it and critique their own experiences,” adds Olson-McBride.
Senior Megan Rose Milroy, set to graduated next with a degree in social work from UW Eau Claire, interned this semester with The Community Table.
“Right now it’s very short interactions of, ‘have you been tested? Do you know where you can get tested? Do you need a mask do you need hand sanitizer?’ and so I think we’re more reactive than proactive right now, just trying to keep everyone afloat, get them meals that they need, get everyone as many services as we can,” Milroy says.
Entering the workforce in a few short weeks, Milroy says if she’s learned anything from being in a helping profession, it’s how to roll with the punches.
“One of my professors told me, ‘you graduated; you did social work in a pandemic, if anything can prepare you for the real world, that has prepared you,’” Milroy exclaims.
Working with clients virtually and on the front-lines, social workers will be a crucial part of the long-term COVID-19 solution.
“While the pandemic has impacted everyone it’s impacted certain groups of individuals differently and often times those are the groups that social workers are most closely connected with,” says Olson-McBride.
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December 14, 2020 at 07:45AM
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UW Eau Claire prepares future social workers for COVID-19 environment - WEAU
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