Career Focus: Public Health Social Workers
The Degrees in Healthcare Blog did a Career Focus on Massage Therapists last week and an extensive list of Fifty Jobs Available in the Healthcare Industry the week prior. This week, Degrees in Healthcare is going to look at public health social workers, a backbone of health support in the community.
What is a Public Health Social Worker?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes a public health social worker as someone who provides persons, families, or vulnerable populations with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, or AIDS. The Public Health Social Worker will advise family care givers, provide counseling and education on patient illnesses, and make referrals to all the social services available to the patient. They uphold the health of the public whole and face a plethora of physical and mental conditions.
How much does a Public Health Social Worker make?
The mean annual wage of a Public Health Social Worker is $47,000, or $23/hour; not nearly as high as many entry-level engineering jobs, but still a decent income from a college degree. Employment is found through general medical facilities, individual and family services, home health care services, nursing care facilities, and government agencies. Of these employers, elementary and secondary schools pay the highest average wage, followed by psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, other specialty hospitals, and agencies and insurance brokers.
Is there a demand for Public Health Social Workers?
Employment opportunities for Public Health Social Workers is high as the baby boomer generation continues to grow older. Employment security, like most professions in the health care industry, is also higher than average. This job title only makes up about 1% of employment in the industry though, so while the demand is there, it is still considered a highly specialized and smaller field. It also involves exposure to an often depressing job environment and is thus not considered appropriate for anyone.
Interested in a career as a Public Health Social Worker? Look into Public Health college degrees today.
