Ethics and the Essentiality of Social Work

by Allan Barsky, PhD, JD, MSW

   If someone asks whether social workers are essential, we might respond, “Of course social workers are essential. When people are suicidal or homicidal, we provide crisis intervention. When individuals experience stress, fear, depression, or anxiety, we provide supportive counseling and psychotherapeutic services. When families experience child abuse, elder neglect, divorce, and other challenges, we assess needs, connect people with services, develop safety plans, and facilitate problem-solving. When communities experience discrimination, oppression, and poverty, we advocate, empower communities, and initiate policy reform.” And the list of our valuable life-saving and life-enhancing services can go on and on.

     When we are asked about the essentiality of social work, however, we should consider, “What is the purpose of defining certain services or professions as essential or nonessential?” If we are defining ourselves as essential for the purpose of self-pride, then there may be no downside in identifying ourselves as essential. Still, essentiality is sometimes used to determine social policies and prioritization, particularly in times of crisis. During lockdowns for the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, people who provide essential services are permitted to continue working, whereas those considered nonessential must abide by the lockdown. Doctors, nurses, police, firefighters, and grocery workers may be deemed essential, because we need healthcare, safety, and food to meet our basic needs. And social work services? Some social work services are essential; others are not. This does not mean that certain social worker services are not valuable, but rather, we need to make difficult decisions about how to weigh the benefits, costs, and risks of allowing certain social workers to continue to work in light of the pandemic (particularly, in regions where rates of infection and hospitalization become so high that healthcare services are overwhelmed).

     Consider the rationing of vaccinations. Eventually, all people should be able to access vaccinations against COVID-19. In the early stages of making vaccinations available, we needed to prioritize who should be vaccinated first. The Centers for Disease Control identified healthcare workers as a group to be prioritized. Healthcare includes mental health; mental health includes many social workers. So, should all social workers rush to the beginning of the line for vaccinations? In setting priorities, we should consider who is most essential in relation to receiving vaccinations. We could prioritize social workers in residential addictions treatment centers, hospitals, and child protection investigation units. They are frontline workers providing in-person services to clients who are particularly vulnerable. We may need to suspend certain social work services for the greater good. We might not give priority to social workers who can effectively provide their services through videoconferencing or other distance technology. Many forms of psychotherapy, social support, advocacy, and recreation can be provided through technology without putting social workers at risk of contracting COVID-19. In addition to not prioritizing all social workers, we can also advocate for those with the greatest needs, including the most vulnerable populations.

     So, yes, social workers provide many valuable services. And yes, it is important to help our communities and public policy makers to be aware of the importance of social work services. And at the same time, we need to promote the value, needs, and interests of others. Social work values social justice and respect for the dignity and worth of all people. These values represent the essence of social work. They make us essential. They also help us understand the importance of advocating for others, recognizing their essentiality and vulnerability.

Allan Barsky, PhD, JD, MSW, is Professor of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University and author of  Social Work Values and Ethics (Oxford University Press). He writes the Ethics Alive column for The New Social Worker.