Contributions of Public Health Social Work Students to Their Professions and Communities. Issue 1 (January 2020) - Forster-Cox, Sue
In the contemporary public health workforce environment, public health social workers (PHSW) bring integrated skills, from both fields, to meet the needs of vulnerable and underserved populations. They receive training in their Master of Public Health/Master of Social Work dual-degree programs, such as the one at New Mexico State University, which serves the U.S./Mexico border region. During their studies, dual-degree students are equipped to address health and human service issues at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels and complete field experience and practicum hours in their communities. Along with practical skills, these students learn culturally responsive/humble ways of being with communities of color and marginalized individuals. After graduation, these emerging career PHSWs enter the workforce in a variety of settings: nonprofit, educational, government, primary care, and more. In this article, the field of public health social work is described in its historic and present forms, followed by PHSWs' utility to the U.S./Mexico border region, in particular. Finally, we make the call to action for future career PHSWs to engage with this integrated, dynamic, innovative field, and its unique combination of community- and individual-based services and rewards.