The vulnerable, oppressed, and those living in poverty are disproportionately impacted by complex health and social issues. To address such issues, social work often focuses on treatment and intervention. Resource and time constraints pull social workers away from the critical work of prevention. However, systematic prevention methods are emerging to effectively prevent these problems on a community level. Concerted attention to prevention will enhance social work's impact by complimenting intervention and treatment efforts and reducing the need for them over time.
This presentation will discuss the critical role that social work has played in prevention such as through community empowerment, coalition building, and advocacy through policy change. A comprehensive model for effective prevention, the Spectrum of Prevention, will be presented with examples of its application on a community level in such areas as chronic disease, violence and injury, and lead. This and other methodologies and solutions that address multiple issues will be emphasized and examples will show how such tools promote community empowerment.
Participants will be able to: 1) describe the necessity of primary prevention in social work in light of diminishing resources and increasing social problems such as the widening gap between the wealthy and the poor; 2) list the six levels of a comprehensive prevention approach and strategies at each level; 3) recognize social work's contributions to the field of prevention and identify the ways in which this role can be expanded; 4) and identify 4 specific tools that can be used to develop comprehensive prevention strategy.
Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to: 1) describe the necessity of primary prevention in social work in light of diminishing resources and increasing social problems such as the widening gap between the wealthy and the poor; 2) list the six levels of a comprehensive prevention approach and strategies at each level; 3) recognize social work's contributions to the field of prevention and identify the ways in which this role can be expanded; 4) and identify 4 specific tools that can be used to develop comprehensive prevention strategy
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: The Spectrum of Prevention
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.