Social Work Practice Research for the Twenty-first Century

Social work professionals must demonstrate their effectiveness to legislators and governments, not to mention clients and incoming practitioners. A thorough evaluation of the activities, ethics, and outcomes of social work practice is critical to maintaining investment and interest in the profession and improving the lives of underserved populations.

Incorporating the concerns of a new century into a consideration of models for practice research, this volume builds on the visionary work of William J. Reid (1928-2003) who transformed social work research through empirically based and task-centered approaches-and, more recently, synthesized intervention knowledge for framing future study. This collection reviews the task-centered model and other contemporary Evidence-Based Practice models for working with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations. Essays demonstrate the value of these pragmatic approaches in the United States and international settings. Contributors summarize state-of-the-art methods in several key fields of service, including children and families, aging, substance abuse, and mental health. They also evaluate the research movement itself, outlining an agenda for today's sociopolitical landscape and the profession. This volume inspires practice research to prioritize evidence as a base for the profession.

Anne E. Fortune is professor and associate dean for academic affairs at the School of Social Welfare, University at Albany, State University of New York. With William J. Reid, she is the author of Research in Social Work.

Philip McCallion is professor at the University at Albany's School of Social Welfare, director of the Center for Excellence in Aging and Community Wellness, and a Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholar and Mentor. He is the author of Housing for the Elderly: Policy and Practice Issues.

Katharine Briar-Lawson is dean and professor at the University at Albany's School of Social Welfare. She is the coeditor of Globalization, Social Justice, and the Helping Professions and coauthor of Family-Centered Policies and Practices.