Next week marks the mid point of this term in graduate school. I’m putting in hours at a local day center for homeless persons. It’s sort of a social work triage center. The case workers there have to be prepared for almost anything on any given day- mental health issues, employment needs, access to medical treatment, veteran’s and disability benefits referrals and assistance, substance use, abuse, and dependence, clothing, food, emergency and transitional housing, etc. – you name it, they’ve probably seen it. It’s rather exciting and challenges one’s resourcefulness. I’m awed by the contact lists of the full time caseworkers and their networking capabilities. It’s really giving me a new appreciation for the amount of non-profit and public agencies that exist in this community. I guess that’s the point of a practicum…..to give one a broad and realistic view of life as a social worker/counselor.
