The growth of technology innovation in social work practice is currently limited by many factors, including lack of training and lack of access. For example, more than 50% of rural areas in the United States have limited or no access to social work services. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, social work, including the delivery of tele-behavioral health services, is one of the fastest growing and demanded professions in the US, with a job outlook increase of 12% over the next ten years.

The IU Online Graduate Certificate in e-Social Work Practice is uniquely positioned to address these issues by providing an interdisciplinary approach to train social workers to deliver technology-mediated social work practice to client populations in areas where access is currently lacking. This certificate is the first of its kind to be delivered by a school of social work in the US, making the Indiana University School of Social Work a leader in training for the growing field of telehealth practice.

As a student in the program, you explore technology-mediated practice delivery, the role of social work in the field of telehealth practice, populations currently receiving tele-behavioral health services, types of services being delivered, and the strengths and limitations of these services. You prepare to practice e-social work with diverse individuals and groups, including the development of e-social work best practice policies, online assessment and evaluation measurements for individuals, emergency plan, and information and referral resources.  

You prepare to respond to the specific challenges that e-social work poses, including ethical, legal, privacy, and other risk-management issues, in order to protect your clients and practice ethically. You evaluate and analyze secure, HIPAA compliant video conferencing platforms used in e-social work and develop a practice model that includes a plan for managing privacy, information security, and mediating social presence through technology in social work. You also gain familiarity with different online mediums through practice role play, including processing recordings, evaluating recorded sessions, and completing a treatment plan and progress notes.

Your IU Online Graduate Certificate in e-Social Work Practice prepares you to deliver technology-mediated social work practice in such careers as: 

• Geriatric case manager
• Family service worker
• Child protective services (CPS) social worker
• Foster care social worker
• Adult protective services agent
• Youth services specialist
• Developmental disabilities specialist
• Clinical social worker
• Alcohol and drug abuse specialist
• Medical social worker

Certificate Requirements

To earn the Graduate Certificate in e-Social Work Practice, you must complete 12 credit hours.

Requirements are broken down as follows:

• E-Social Work core courses (9 credit hours)
• Informatics elective course (3 credit hours)