Collaboration at its best! Two years ago, NASW partnered with ASWB, CSWE, and CSWA. They created the Task Force for Technology Standards in Social Work Practice which produced a thorough set of standards on the use of technology in the practice of social work. In 2016 the task force released a draft to the public for comments. After careful review of the comments received and many other sources of best practices, they released the NASW, ASWB, CSWE, & CSWA Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice.

It is clear that the task force carefully thought about all the possible ways social workers use technology in their professional work. A wide range of standards are provided, such as: ethics, law, informed consent, competence and training, electronic security, boundaries, payments, designing and delivering services, social media, dealing with technology issues, records, electronic devices, distance education and supervision, and using search engines.

One of my favorite aspects of the standards document is that the task force included their interpretation of the standards!

You can view and download the document here.

Standard 2.23: Current Knowledge and Competence
"Social workers practicing with communities, organizations, and in policy positions shall strive to maintain knowledge of current technology, adhere to best practices for its use, and periodically update their knowledge and skills.”

I hope you view the Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC as a valuable resource for your training and consultation needs. It is my goal to help you understand the ever-changing technology available to you and how to put all of these standards into practice.
One great way to become truly competent in the use of technology in the practice of social work is to get credentialed in TeleMental Health.