Clinical Social Work
The Clinical Social Work specialization prepares students for direct practice with individuals, families and small groups. Students develop comprehensive engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation skills to enhance the well-being and empowerment of clients across the lifespan. This specialization equips students with the theoretical and applied learning needed to work effectively with a diverse clientele. Coursework emphasizes culturally-relevant and client-centered evidence-informed interventions while also recognizing the need for flexibility and client self-determination. Students specializing in Clinical Social Work can develop a program of study that deepens their knowledge and skills in aging and multigenerational family practice, community mental health, healthcare, substance use, criminal justice, and child welfare.
Faculty Contacts
Required Courses
- Practice course – students choose one of the following:
- 514 – Clinical Social Work: Practice with Adults
- 515 – Clinical Social Work: Practice with Children, Youth, and Families
- Policy/Services course – students choose one of the following:
- 519 – Health-Mental Health Policy/Services
- 521 – Child and Family Policy/Services
- 526 – Social and Healthcare Policy in an Aging Society
- 571 – Assessment of Mental Disorders
- 598 – Yearlong Integrative Seminar
- Two or three electives
- Specialized Practicum
Recommended Electives
- 531: Child Mental Health
- 532: Practice with Diverse Children, Youth and Families: Focus on Child Welfare
- 533: Practice with Diverse Children, Youth and Families: Focus on Community-Based Advanced Practice
- 538: Critical Empowerment Practice with Multi-Ethnic Communities
- 539: Engaged Practice with Latinas and Latinos
- 541: Social Work Practice in Health Settings
- 542: Recovery-Oriented Social Work Practice in Community Mental Health
- 545: Evidenced-Based Practices for Clinical Social Work
- 546: Addressing Family Trauma, Loss, and Recovery
- 556: Family Healing: A Cross-Generational Approach
- 557: Caring for Persons with Life-Limiting Illness: A Lifespan Approach
- 572: Social Work Practice with Chemically Dependent Adults: Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches
- 576: Contexts of Disability and Anti-Ableist Practice
- 581: Historical Trauma and Healing
- 582: Interpersonal Violence and Trauma
- 584: Multicultural Mental Health Practice
- 588: School Social Work
- 592: Practice with African American Families
- 593: Social Work Practice with Chemically Dependent Adults: Understanding Assessment, Evaluation, and Counseling
- 595: Co-Occurring Addiction and Mental Health Disorders
- 596: Introduction to Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- 596: Social Work Praxis with Trans and Queer Communities
- 596: Social Work with Military Service Members, Veterans and their Families
Practicum Site Examples
- Amara Parenting and Adoption Services
- Asian Counseling and Referral Service
- Atlantic Street Center
- Bellingham School District
- Catholic Community Services
- Center on Human Development and Disability
- City of Seattle Aging and Disability Services
- Communities in Schools
- Community Psychiatry Clinic
- Downtown Emergency Service Center
- Edmonds School District
- ERA Living
- Full Life Adult Day Health Programs
- Harborview Medical Center
- Institute for Family Development
- Jewish Family Service
- King County Superior Court
- Navos
- Powerful Voices
- Providence Hospice
- Renton Area Youth Services
- Ryther Child Center
- Seattle Children’s Hospital
- Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities
- Seattle Public Schools
- Senior Services
- Sound Mental Health
- Stepping Stones Pediatric Palliative Care and Hospice
- Swedish Family Medicine Clinic
- UW Hospital and Medical Center
- VA Medical Center
- Valley Cities
- Vietnamese Friendship Association
- Washington Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation
- Washington State Department of Child and Family Services
- YMCA of Greater Seattle
- YMCA of Greater Snohomish County
- Young Women Empowered
- Youth Eastside Services
Core Specialization Faculty
Nathaniel Amos, Rachel Barrett, Clara Berridge, Shermoin Clardy, Saul Tran Cornwall (Field Education), Angelique Day, Stacey De Fries (Field Education), Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen, Brian Giddens, Zynovia Hetherington, T. Ron Jackson, Shawnti Johnson, David La Fazia, Taryn Lindhorst, Wendy Lustbader, Maureen Marcenko, Megan Moore, Khalfani Mwaba (Field Education), Peter Pecora, Ryan Petros, Tanya Ranchigoda, J’May Rivara (Field Education), Kendra Roberson, Alice Ryan, Charlotte Sanders, Jenn Stuber, Kathy Taylor, Bill Vesneski, Aida Wells (Field Education)