Social Workers in Missouri Provide Expert Care While Maintaining High Ethical Standards

Social workers provide an invaluable service to the community. Social work has been described as a “calling” rather than a “career.” Social workers provide care to those who are most in need of service. Many social workers dedicate their professional lives to serving the impoverished, the addicted, the helpless—such as children and the elderly—while fighting for “social justice.” The social worker toils at the intersection of an individual’s private matters and public welfare. Thus, social workers find themselves in a unique position and provide an invaluable service to our communities. Notwithstanding, social workers must adhere to the high standards of ethical behavior. Professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger understands the invaluable role social workers play in society and is ready to fight for those who fight for justice.

Social workers serve a vulnerable community. They are healthcare providers in terms of mental health counseling and addiction treatment. Social workers fill vital roles in the prison system as well. They assist incarcerated individuals in obtaining treatment, meeting educational requirements, and helping prepare prisoners for reintegration into society upon release. Social workers also fill a critical need at the family level by administering care to children in need and helping to protect them. They also play a similar role for the elderly.

In Missouri, social workers must adhere to high personal moral standards and competence. Social workers must adhere to Missouri’s licensing requirements. These are enumerated by statute. Missouri’s regulations for social workers mandate that social workers have an obligation to protect the public from incompetence, educational deficiency, lack of experience, or low moral standards by people attempting to practice social work. To protect the vulnerable from abuse and mistreatment, social workers must obey promulgated ethical rules, and be truthful. Failure to obey the rules and regulations will subject the social worker to disciplinary action against their license.

Social workers must be vigilant against developing personal relationships with their clients. Social workers are deeply involved in their patients’ lives. It is understandable if the patient develops personal feelings for their social worker. It is incumbent upon the social worker to maintain the highest degree of professionalism and not engage a patient in a personal relationship. Accordingly, a social worker is prohibited from sexually exploiting their clients. Furthermore, social workers may not enter into a personal relationship with a client and remain the client’s social worker in situations where the social worker has provided treatment or services for mental illness or emotional problems. Business relationships are also prohibited between social worker and patient. These prohibitions are in place to protect the patient and also to ensure that the patient receives the highest degree of care from the social worker. A social worker cannot provide competent care when the social worker cannot remain objective about the client.

A social worker must also maintain objectivity about the services they are asked to provide. A social worker must refer a matter to a colleague if they are not competent to handle the client or subject matter. Although it might be financially advantageous to serve clients outside of their main competency, social workers must be objective about their services and make referrals that are in the best interest of the patient. Furthermore, the social worker must terminate treatment when the patient has achieved their treatment goal or is no longer benefitting from services.

Call for Immediate Assistance if You Are Facing Disciplinary Action

Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger is a zealous advocate for professional licensees. Call attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation. Attorney Sanger will thoroughly analyze your case and provide you with the best defense against allegations of social worker misconduct in Missouri and Kansas. She will fight for those who dedicate their lives to fighting for others.

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