# 4 Veteran's Affairs Social Worker
By David Lasuertmer
Average Salary: $69,454
Job Outlook: Excellent (20% growth rate within the next decade)
The 2014 Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Service members compared service members to the general population and found that the rate of major depression is five times higher among soldiers, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is nearly 15 times as high, and intermittent explosive disorder is six times as high. VA social workers are responsible for ensuring continuity of care through the admission, evaluation, treatment, and follow-up processes. This includes coordinating discharge planning and providing case management services based on the patients clinical and community health and social services resources. Social workers often provide long-term case management services to veterans who are at high risk of being admitted to a hospital, those who have very complex medical problems, and those who need additional help and support. They are available when needed to provide and coordinate a variety of services including counseling and support services. Social workers can advocate and go to bat for those who have a hard time doing it by themselves.
The U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs employs approximately 12,000 social workers. You will find social workers in all program areas in VA medical centers. Social workers can help educate veterans and their families about health care; what services and programs are available to them; how to live a more healthy life; how to deal with stress and loss; and how to find support groups and other self-help programs in their community. Social workers also educate other staff in the medical center and in the community about VA programs and services and about how problems veterans may be having in their personal lives can impact their health. Clinical social workers provide individual therapy, group therapy, and family therapy to address emotional, behavioral and mental health. There continues to be a significant and growing need for social workers to provide services to our veterans, their families, and their communities.
This article originally appeared on https://www.bestmswprograms.com/