Integrity for the 21st Century Social Worker

by Rachel Golden, Julia Swidzinski, Maris Baylor, Danielle Broyles, and J.D. Deloney

     Integrity is one value that is difficult to appreciate until it is not there. We tend to take it for granted and minimize its importance by associating it with synonyms like “trustworthy,” “moral,” and “honest.” We often expect others to have integrity without having a clear concept of what it really means. Even in the NASW Code of Ethics, the definition of integrity is only a starting point. However, we must go beyond the foundation of the Code of Ethics to fully embody the true meaning of integrity.

     Consider former U..S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, who brought together racially diverse community members to fight against the construction of a multi-lane highway through a marginalized, low-income African American community. She is an excellent example of integrity because she stood up for the right thing , regardless of the possible consequences for her future career. In other words, integrity means choosing the right thing rather than the easy thing. That includes standing up against other powerful people or agencies who may disagree. It is easy for social workers to say they are going to advocate for the marginalized; however, integrity exists when these social workers stand up and actually do something about it.

     In a way, integrity is as simple as doing what you say you are going to do; however, that is not always as easy as it sounds in practice. For example, consider one Indiana school superintendent who was charged with using her son’s insurance to help a sick student. In cases such as these, it can be difficult to determine the best course of action while maintaining integrity. On one hand, she demonstrated commitment to the well-being of her student. However, simultaneously, she failed to maintain integrity with the law and set a poor example for her students. Although Smitherman clearly had the right intentions, she made a poor professional decision. To have integrity, one must not only have the right intentions but be able to follow laws and abide by ethical standards. Having integrity also means considering all of the consequences of each possible course of action, rather than choosing the fastest or easiest course of action.

     In maintaining integrity, it is imperative to abide by laws and policies and follow the NASW Code of Ethics. For the 21st century social worker, integrity has an impact not only on the decisions that you make and on your image as a social worker, but integrity also influences the relationships you have and the work you do with organizations. Having integrity involves being trustworthy and having insight into your own personal and professional values. With insight comes authenticity and the foundation for rapport and decision-making. A high level of integrity is the intersection of why and how social workers should serve their clients, communities, and the profession.

Rachel Golden is an MSW candidate at Winthrop University with a passion for social justice and service.

Julia Swidzinski - A MSW candidate at Winthrop University and student intern at Growing Home Southeast who has a special interest in working with children and families and the LGBTQ community.

Maris Baylor is a driven MSW candidate at Winthrop University with a passion to serve Veterans and those who are incarcerated.

Danielle Broyles is an MSW candidate at Winthrop University with a passion to serve children and families.

J.D. Deloney is an MSW candidate at Winthrop University with a focus on providing trauma-informed care