The purpose of the presentation is to inform participants about a graduate-level internship program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital which addresses three key challenges to social work interventions with domestic violence: (1) Data show that most graduate-level social work programs do not include clinical training in nor content on domestic violence – yet, prevalence rates predict that social workers encounter domestic violence in all areas of practice; (2) It is critical to understand the impact of macro-level systems (e.g., policies and programs) on the lives of women experiencing violence in order to be effective clinicians; (3) Macro-level social workers must understand the realities of women’s daily lives in order to design systems that effectively promote safety and well-being. Therefore, the internship program is intentionally designed to provide students with knowledge and skills in three integrated practice areas: clinical, macro and research. Students learn about the role of social workers in addressing this major public health issue for women. The presentation will define the program’s overall objectives and describe the process by which students develop individual objectives using a skills-evaluation tool developed by the presenters. At the conclusion of the session, participants will understand the need to integrate clinical and macro practice in addressing domestic violence, key strategies for enhancing field education, and the mutual benefit of such an internship program for students and field placement sites.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will understand how to design a field placement that integrates clinical and macro practice methods and how to teach students about domestic violence as a public health issue
Keywords: Social Work, Education
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
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.