What Do Clinical Social Workers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for clinical social workers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what clinical social workers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Clinical Social Workers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about clinical social workers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Clinical Social Workers provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family caregivers. Provide patients with information and counseling, and make referrals for other services. May also provide case and care management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.
Popular Job Titles For Clinical Social Workers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Licensed Clinical Social Workers
- Medical Social Workers
- Clinical Social Workers
- Caseworkers
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
- Referral Coordinators
- Hospice Medical Social Workers
- Client Advocates
- Long Term Substitutes
- Patient Advocates
- Medicaid Eligibility Advisors
- Licensed Medical Social Workers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for clinical social workers can be found.
Best Industries for Clinical Social Workers
Clinical Social Workers Jobs By Industry
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 20.1%
- Individual and Family Services: 12.6%
- Home Health Care Services: 12.3%
- Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities): 7.8%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 7.2%
- Offices of Physicians: 4.4%
- Other: 35.6%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of clinical social workers can be found working in the General Medical and Surgical Hospitals sector. In 2022, about 20.1% of all jobs for clinical social workers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Individual and Family Services (12.6%), Home Health Care Services (12.3%), Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (7.8%), Outpatient Care Centers (7.2%) and Offices of Physicians (4.4%).
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What Do Clinical Social Workers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what clinical social workers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work clinical social workers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that clinical social workers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for clinical social workers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Clinical Social Workers
Based on 53,892 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Clinical Social Workers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 26,936 | 50% |
| Mental Health | 13,022 | 24% |
| Treatment Planning | 12,269 | 23% |
| Psychology | 10,844 | 20% |
| Case Management | 10,130 | 19% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Clinical Social Workers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 16,635 | 31% |
| Advocacy | 8,981 | 17% |
| Management | 6,944 | 13% |
| Coordinating | 6,495 | 12% |
| Planning | 6,360 | 12% |
Based on 53,892 job postings related to clinical social workers, social work was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 50% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for mental health, treatment planning, psychology, case management and medical social work were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for clinical social workers, followed by advocacy, management, coordinating, planning and problem solving.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 26,936 | 50% |
| Mental Health | 13,022 | 24% |
| Treatment Planning | 12,269 | 23% |
| Psychology | 10,844 | 20% |
| Case Management | 10,130 | 19% |
| Medical Social Work | 8,942 | 17% |
| Behavioral Health | 8,227 | 15% |
| Crisis Intervention | 7,929 | 15% |
| Discharge Planning | 7,197 | 13% |
| Psychiatry | 6,267 | 12% |
| Psychotherapy | 6,122 | 11% |
| Psychosocial Assessments | 5,115 | 9% |
| Family Therapy | 4,827 | 9% |
| Medical Records | 4,694 | 9% |
| Home Health Care | 4,557 | 8% |
| Hospice | 4,427 | 8% |
| Care Coordination | 4,339 | 8% |
| Substance Abuse | 4,240 | 8% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 4,132 | 8% |
| Billing | 4,061 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 16,635 | 31% |
| Advocacy | 8,981 | 17% |
| Management | 6,944 | 13% |
| Coordinating | 6,495 | 12% |
| Planning | 6,360 | 12% |
| Problem Solving | 6,285 | 12% |
| Writing | 6,004 | 11% |
| Leadership | 5,504 | 10% |
| Customer Service | 5,218 | 10% |
| Computer Literacy | 4,035 | 7% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 4,035 | 7% |
| Organizational Skills | 3,652 | 7% |
| Multilingualism | 3,612 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 3,535 | 7% |
| Scheduling | 3,499 | 6% |
| Microsoft Office | 3,313 | 6% |
| Time Management | 3,273 | 6% |
| Research | 3,175 | 6% |
| Detail Oriented | 3,087 | 6% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 3,060 | 6% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Clinical Social Workers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Clinical Social Workers | 49,357 | 39.9% |
| Medical Social Workers | 19,167 | 15.5% |
| Clinical Social Workers | 15,488 | 12.5% |
| Caseworkers | 6,668 | 5.4% |
| Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists | 7,277 | 5.9% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was licensed clinical social workers, with 13,011 unique job postings. Medical social workers were second, with 5,256 postings, followed by clinical social workers, caseworkers and licensed marriage and family therapists.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to clinical social workers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Clinical Social Workers | 49,357 | 39.9% |
| Medical Social Workers | 19,167 | 15.5% |
| Clinical Social Workers | 15,488 | 12.5% |
| Caseworkers | 6,668 | 5.4% |
| Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists | 7,277 | 5.9% |
| Referral Coordinators | 3,416 | 2.8% |
| Hospice Medical Social Workers | 3,204 | 2.6% |
| Client Advocates | 2,214 | 1.8% |
| Long Term Substitutes | 1,255 | 1% |
| Patient Advocates | 2,071 | 1.7% |
| Medicaid Eligibility Advisors | 2,107 | 1.7% |
| Licensed Medical Social Workers | 1,838 | 1.5% |
| Psychotherapists | 2,281 | 1.8% |
| Licensed Mental Health Counselors | 1,303 | 1.1% |
| Home Health Medical Social Workers | 1,282 | 1% |
| Home Health Social Workers | 1,293 | 1% |
| County Caseworkers | 584 | 0.5% |
| Licensed Independent Social Workers | 898 | 0.7% |
| Psychiatric Clinicians | 828 | 0.7% |
| Licensed Therapists | 1,029 | 0.8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for clinical social workers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for clinical social workers.
How much do clinical social workers make?
Clinical Social Workers: How do you become one?
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