CSWE Competencies & Behaviors

Competency #1

Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

Foundation

Behaviors

1.1

Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context.

1.2

Demonstrate professional behavior; appearance; and oral, written, and electronic communication.

1.3

Use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes.

1.4

Use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior.

Advanced Clinical Behavior

1.1 CL

Accurately document client interactions, interventions, and progress in a clear, concise, strengths-based, and ethical manner.

1.2 CL

Apply professional social work ethics and laws to address ethical dilemmas arising in the context of clinical practice.

Advanced LPSC Behaviors

1.1 LPSC

Conduct one’s self professionally while engaging in a variety of LPSC professional roles (e.g., facilitator, leader, broker, organizer, negotiator, educator, researcher or manager) as appropriate for the practice setting.

1.2 LPSC

Employ strategies of ethical reasoning and problem solving in assessment, intervention, and evaluation of organization, community, and policy practice.

1.3 LPSC

Communicate information in a manner that is appropriate for the target audience and for the medium of choice (e.g., advocacy brief, social media, budget, grant proposal, presentation, etc.)

Competency #2

Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice

Foundation

Behaviors

2.1

Advocate for human rights at the individual, family, group, organizational, and community system levels.

2.2

Engage in practices that advance human rights to promote social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.

Advanced Clinical Behavior

2.1 CL

Identify the impact of diversity factors upon practitioner-client transactions and the role and responsibilities of the clinician to address systems and structures in practice.

Advanced LPSC Behavior

2.1 LPSC

Establish effective and collaborative working relationships with people of various cultural backgrounds and identities, especially with marginalized populations.

Competency #3

Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice

Foundation

Behaviors

3.1

Demonstrate anti-racist and anti-oppressive social work practice at the individual, family, group, organizational, community, research, and policy levels.

3.2

Demonstrate cultural humility by applying critical reflection, self-awareness, and self-regulation to manage the influence of bias, power, privilege, and values in working with clients and constituencies, acknowledging them as experts of their own lived experiences.

Advanced Clinical Behavior

3.1 CL

Engage in self-assessment and structural analysis to understand the effects of current and historical oppression, discrimination, power dynamics and trauma on client and client systems.

Advanced LPSC Behavior

3.1 LPSC

Demonstrate an understanding of structural systems of inequality and apply this understanding to one’s organization, community, or policy work.

Competency #4

Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice

Foundation

Behaviors

4.1

Apply research findings to inform and improve practice, policy, and programs.

4.2

Identify ethical, culturally informed, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive strategies that address inherent biases for use in quantitative and qualitative research methods to advance the purposes of social work.

Advanced Clinical Behaviors

4.1 CL

Identify and assess the appropriateness of evidence-based bio-psycho-social approaches that can be used in clinical assessment and intervention with clients.

4.2 CL

Develop a research question that can inform policy, programs, or practice.

4.3 CL

Conduct quantitative and/or qualitative data analysis and use findings to inform policy, program, or practice.

Advanced LPSC Behaviors

4.1 LPSC

Construct and utilize best practices and evidence to develop and implement community, organizational, or policy interventions.

4.2 LPSC

Develop a research question that can inform policy, programs, or practice.

4.3 LPSC

Conduct quantitative and/or qualitative data analysis and use findings to inform policy, program, or practice.

Competency #5

Engage in Policy Practice

Foundation

Behaviors

5.1

Use social justice, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive lenses to assess how social welfare policies affect the delivery of and access to social services.

5.2

Apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.

Advanced Clinical Behaviors

5.1 CL

Be able to articulate the factors that shape the development of legislation, policies, program services and/or funding at all system levels and the effect of public policy on client services and/or programming in an area of practice.

5.2 CL

Communicate to stakeholders, administrators, legislators and/or colleagues the implications of policies and programs, and implications of policy and program changes in the lives of clients, communities, organizations, or society.

Advanced LPSC Behaviors

5.1 LPSC

Be able to articulate the factors that shape the development of legislation, policies, program services and/or funding at all system levels and the effect of public policy on client services and or programming in an area of practice.

5.2 LPSC

Communicate to stakeholders, administrators, legislators and/or colleagues the implications of policies and programs, and implications of policy and program changes in the lives of clients, communities, organizations, or society.

Competency #6

Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Foundation

Behaviors

6.1

Apply knowledge of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as interprofessional conceptual frameworks, to engage with clients and constituencies.

6.2

Use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to engage in culturally responsive practice with clients and constituencies.

Advanced Clinical Behaviors

6.1 CL

Recognize and manage personal biases as they affect the therapeutic relationship in the service of clients' wellbeing.

Advanced LPSC Behaviors

6.1 LPSC

Use strategies collaboratively with people from diverse economic, political, social, and cultural backgrounds, and/ or from marginalized communities to promote sustainable change and equity for oppressed client groups, communities, organizations, institutions, or society.

Competency #7

Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Foundation

Behaviors

7.1

Apply theories of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as other culturally responsive and interprofessional conceptual frameworks, when assessing clients and constituencies.

7.2

Demonstrate respect for client self-determination during the assessment process by collaborating with clients and constituencies in developing a mutually agreed-upon plan.

Advanced Clinical Behaviors

7.1 CL

Formulate culturally informed client assessments that integrate information from all relevant sources.

7.2 CL

Synthesize and differentially apply clinical frameworks to guide assessment of cases.

Advanced LPSC Behaviors

7.1 LPSC

Assess and analyze social systems (e.g., communities, organizations, political systems) using multiple frameworks and synthesis to inform intervention.

7.2 LPSC

Synthesize and differentially apply theories, constructs, frameworks and models of human behavior and the social environment to guide assessments and planning LPSC practice.

Competency #8

Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Foundation

Behaviors

8.1

Engage with clients and constituencies to critically choose and implement culturally responsive, evidence-informed interventions to achieve client and constituency goals.

8.2

Incorporate culturally responsive methods to negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of clients and constituencies.

Advanced Clinical Behaviors

8.1 CL

Demonstrate the application of context appropriate, evidence-informed clinical techniques for a range of skills/strengths and challenges identified in the assessment. 

Advanced LPSC Behaviors

8.1 LPSC

Identify appropriate intervention and how it is relevant to client/constituent system.

8.2 LPSC

Implement a problem-solving sequence when intervening in an organizational, community, or policy practice setting.

8.3 LPSC

Make use of changing technology or innovations that contribute to understanding and addressing problems affecting organizations, communities, or policy.

Competency #9

Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Foundation

Behaviors

9.1

Select and use culturally responsive methods for evaluation of outcomes.

9.2

Critically analyze outcomes and apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Advanced Clinical Behavior

9.1 CL

Assess the effectiveness of interventions with clients.

Advanced LPSC Behavior

9.1 LPSC

Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions or best practice with programs, organizations, communities, or policy.