Over the years, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been applied to a variety of client populations in a range of treatment settings and to the range of clinical problems. This chapter provides a general overview of the cognitive behavior history, model, and techniques and their application to clinical social work practice. It begins with a brief history and description, provides a basic conceptual framework for the approach, highlights the empirical base of the model, and then discusses the use of cognitive, behavior, and emotive/affective interventions. Cognitive behavior therapy is based on several principles namely cognitions affect behavior and emotion; certain experiences can evoke cognitions, explanation, and attributions about that situation; cognitions may be made aware, monitored, and altered; desired emotional and behavioral change can be achieved through cognitive change. CBT employs a number of distinct and unique therapeutic strategies in its practice.

The treatment of the suicidal individual is perhaps the most weighty and difficult of any of the problems confronted by the clinical social worker. Some frequent comorbid pathology with suicidal behavior includes alcoholism, panic attacks, drug abuse, chronic schizophrenia, conduct disorder in children and adolescents, impulse control deficits, schizophrenia, and problem-solving deficits. Suicidal harmful behavior appears in all ages and characterizes clients in a large spectrum of life. There are four types of suicidal behavior namely rational suicider, psychotic suicider, hopeless suicider and impulsive or histrionic suicider. This chapter presents some primarily cognitive techniques for challenging suicidal automatic thoughts. Recent reports suggest that individuals suffering from alcohol or substance abuse are at an increased risk both for attempting, and for successfully completing, a suicidal act. The therapist must develop an armamentarium of cognitive techniques, and the skills to use these effectively in ways that are appropriate for each individual client.

This chapter introduces the field of school social work, exploring the history of public education in the United States as well as the development of school social work as a field of practice. It provides a description of the school environment as a host setting, which requires a clarity of roles, an ability to describe one’s roles and function to others in the school, and collaboration across disciplines. The chapter introduces how school social workers operate across multiple system levels, including direct practice with students and their families, work with small groups or entire classrooms, consultation or collaboration with teachers and other school staff, participation in district and schoolwide matters, and connecting the school with community resources. The chapter also presents information on school social work models. Finally, it introduces both the Council on Social Work Education’s competencies for practice, growing out of its Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) as well as the Grand Challenges for Social Work.

This chapter begins with a review of constitutional amendments that pertain to student rights and demonstrates how public schools operate as governmental agencies. The authors also provide an overview of policy practice in social work before reviewing specific policies related to education, such as the Individuals with Disability Education Act, the Every Student Succeeds Act, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, Erin’s law, McKinney-Vento, and policy related to immigration and undocumented status of students, and give attention to the topic of bullying and LGBTQ+ students and policy.

This chapter introduces the engagement phase of social work practice as it is applied to the school setting. The authors highlight the importance of school practice, the tasks of engagement, and the preparatory work completed by the social worker that can make this phase more effective. The chapter also includes content on initial meetings with students and families, as well as adaptations for working with children and adolescents. Additionally, a basic review of interviewing skills used in the engagement phase is provided. Included in this chapter is a focus on working with client systems of different sizes, including classrooms, schools, and communities. Finally, the chapter introduces motivational interviewing skills and the techniques and applications of motivational interviewing with children, youth, parents, and teachers.

This chapter discusses the critical stage of social work practice, evaluation of services. It reviews the rationale for evaluation, as well as different types of evaluations from a social work perspective. As progress monitoring and evaluation are also essential components of the multitiered system of supports, it further introduces tools for evaluation at multiple tiers within the school setting and covers the importance of collecting data and using data to inform decisions about practice. It makes connections between evaluation and other phases and processes of practice, including assessment, goal setting, and intervention planning. The chapter also explains measurements often utilized within the schools. It discusses the importance of sharing findings with colleagues as well as reflecting on outcomes as a means for reflecting upon one’s own practice.

This chapter focuses on emerging professional behavior and development. The authors present information on professionalism, professional identity, and professional standards. Specifically, this chapter discusses issues related to professional boundaries, effective communication, and clinical skills for assessing, intervening, and evaluating client progress. Furthermore, the chapter discusses ethical standards and some of the most common ethical issues that may arise in a school setting, including a timely focus on the technology standards found in the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics. Additional aspects of professionalism, such as the use of supervision, the benefits of professional organizations, and the importance of self-reflection are also discussed.

This chapter explores different ways of understanding the school system, including viewing the school as an institution as well as an organization. It considers politics and power dynamics within schools, including the power differential between social worker and student or family client systems. It also provides information on the basics of getting started in the schools, including learning about the organizational structure of the school and district, what to do in an emergency, how to manage confidentiality and the limits of confidentiality, special issues such as mandated reporting and the duty to warn, and developing a positive relationship with supervisory staff. It also discusses the many roles that school social workers assume. The chapter further lays out the need for professional advocacy as well as strategies for educating others about the importance of school social work.