ASU hosts conference examining ways to bridge social work workforce supply, demand gap

Annual Council on Social Work Education surveys suggest an enrollment decline among social work undergraduates. Yet demand for social workers continues to expand.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects 6% employment growth in the field between 2024–2034 — twice the predicted average growth rate for all occupations.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an average of 74,000 openings for social workers each year through 2034, with many openings the result of retirements or social workers choosing to leave the field.

In response to these opportunities and challenges, the School of Social Work at Arizona State University hosted “Shaping the Social Work Workforce in Health and Behavioral Health,” a one-day conference in early April examining the preparation, deployment and sustainability of the social work workforce. 

The conversation was viewed as so critical that registration filled within days. After the event was moved to a larger location, it quickly sold out again, said Elizabeth Lightfoot, director of the School of Social Work and distinguished professor of social policy.

The appeal of the conference was its broad scope, Lightfoot said. This was the first meeting of its type to bring together top scholars from across the country to address the varied and overlapping issues impacting the social work profession, she said.

“While there has been a lot of attention on workforce issues, these conversations often happen in pieces, such as focusing only on recruitment into social work programs, the social work curriculum, the licensing process as a barrier, or pay and working conditions,” Lightfoot said. “This conference brought those pieces together to examine the social work workforce more systematically.”

ASU was a natural fit for the conference as one of the largest social work schools in the country. However, Lightfoot said that education is only one piece of the puzzle discussed by experts. Scholars who presented at the conference will contribute chapters to a comprehensive book on the social work workforce, which will be published with open access to allow social work practitioners and interested stakeholders to review the recommendations to improve conditions within the profession.

Read on to learn more about the conference.

Note: Answers may have been edited for length and clarity.

Question: What was the purpose of the National Conference on Child and Family Health and Behavioral Health held at ASU in early April?

Answer: The purpose of the conference was to bring together top scholars from across the country to take a comprehensive look at the social work workforce. There is a significant need for highly trained social workers in health and behavioral health in Arizona and across the country, with many unfilled positions and growing demand for professionals with advanced skills.

Social work is a high-demand profession that requires extensive training and commitment. Many are drawn to the field because of the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, even as compensation and working conditions vary widely across roles.

Q: What is ASU’s role in addressing the challenges facing the social work profession?

A: The ASU Charter includes responsibility for the communities we serve, and that’s a big part of why we hosted this conference. We see ourselves as an important lever in addressing social work workforce issues. We are one of the largest schools of social work in the country. We have more than 3,000 students and are still growing. We recently launched an online undergraduate social work program, which grew to 800 students almost overnight. We are making our programs as accessible as possible through online options and in-person classes across multiple campuses, including Yuma and Tucson.

Just as important, we develop the evidence base for high-quality social work practice. Our faculty conducts research to ensure we aren't only increasing the number of social workers but also providing practitioners the evidence necessary to meet the needs of the community.

Q: The conference focused on training opportunities and career pathways for social workers. Why is it critical to examine these issues?

A: Social workers are essential in society and are the largest providers of mental health services in the country. The social work workforce challenges require comprehensive, system-level solutions rather than a piecemeal approach. We are currently facing a significant shortage of licensed social workers, and we need to examine the entire pipeline to understand why.

By looking at training and career pathways comprehensively, we can identify where to intervene, whether that is recruiting more students into social work, increasing scholarship funding, improving knowledge and skill-building while in schools of social work, supporting graduates through licensure or likely all of the above. We cannot address the workforce gap without a focused, national look at how these pathways are structured and where they fall short.

Q: What policies can help improve conditions and bolster recruitment into the social work workforce?

A: To sustain the social work workforce, we have to look at the structural supports that allow for a lifelong career. Several types of policies were discussed at the conference. These included state and federal policies that provide direct support to bachelor’s and master’s degree social work students during their education and practicum training through scholarships and stipends. Federal loan forgiveness programs can also help reduce the financial burden after graduation and support retention in the field. There have also been policy changes in some states related to licensing and professional regulation aimed at removing barriers that prevent qualified individuals from entering the field. Other important opportunities include workforce investments in high-need settings and increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates, which play a key role in shaping salaries and the overall sustainability of the social work workforce.