This special issue of the journal Advances in Social Work captures the vision of 21 different social work scholars looking ahead to the future in their area of practice. Areas include Futures of: Social Work as a profession, Social Work Education, Social Work Values and Ethics, Global Social Work, Multicultural Social Work, Macro Social Work, Social Welfare Policy, Evidence-based Social Work, Strengths-based Social Work, Technology and Social Work, Spirituality and Social Work, Disabilities and Social Work, Aging and Social Work, Rural Social Work, Families and Social Work, Child Welfare and Social Work, Schools and Social Work, Health Care and Social Work, Mental Health and Social Work, Addictions and Social Work, Criminal Justice and Social Work. This insightful special issue offers a grand view of a very diverse profession and the many areas of practice that social workers serve in. This special issue will be highly useful in all levels of social work education within introductory, policy, and practice classes as an invaluable teaching tool. It will also be informative reading for professionals in the practice who are interested in seeing cutting edge visions of our future as a profession. Every social worker should read this fascinating issue of Advances in Social Work!

The author combines 36 years experience as a front line Chief Medical Social Worker and Child Welfare Worker with 24 years as a consumer of many of the programs described in the book. The publication includes primarily factual reference material that is used daily by all Social Workers... employed in a medical or psychiatric setting.

Chapters include Social Security, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, Home Health and Hospice, Nursing Home Placement, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Utility Assistance Programs, Talking Book, State Medicaid Programs, Ethics, Congress and the Supreme Court, Veterans Benefits and the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

A separate section on Ethics is included that contains the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics as well as Federal Employee Code of Ethics. There are several State by State comparisons of programs not found in any other Social Work Publication. Most of the information is current, including the 2002 Federal Poverty Guidelines. A listing of key Federal Government Officials, Congressmen and U.S. Senators. Throughout the book the author challenges Social Workers to be informed, creative and able.