Being a case worker is an excellent choice if you like diversity in terms of professional settings and working with various types of clients. There are several settings you might enjoy, and many of them overlap.

Medical

Case workers often work in a hospital setting because they can be critical for addressing the unique needs of patients. A case worker may become involved in instances of suspected abuse of both children and adults. Serious injuries or health issues that are expected to result in death may warrant the intervention of a case worker to help the family understand what is happening and start the grieving process. Sometimes, case workers discuss the option of donating the loved one's organs. Case workers can help patients that need help beyond the hospital setting, such as those that might be discharged to a rehabilitation or long-term care facility. They can help families find the appropriate facility and deal with insurance concerns.

Child And Family

Child Protective Services employs a lot of case workers. Case workers will visit the residence of a family if there is suspected abuse or neglect. It is their job to evaluate the situation and determine if there is an immediate need for intervention, if the family needs to be closely monitored, or if there are no problems at all. Case workers can be involved in connecting families with resources if there is a need for food or shelter. In cases of abuse or neglect, children are removed from the home and sent to live with another family member or a foster family. It is the responsibility of the case worker to routinely check on the child to ensure the new environment is safe for them.

Mental Health

Mental health settings have clients with various issues beyond mental illnesses. Clients might have developmental challenges or substance abuse issues. It is common for case workers to help their clients remain consistent with their treatment plans, such as therapy and medications. Some case workers are more involved with helping clients with routine needs. They may drive their clients to appointments or help them go to a store and shop for groceries if they have limited transportation or special needs. Sometimes people with mental illnesses or developmental challenges may do better in supportive housing. Case workers often connect clients with these resources and monitor the results to determine if a different environment would be better.

Case workers may be found in most settings that connect a person with resources to help them mentally, physically, or financially. Being a case worker allows you to work in various settings that are meant to support various clients' needs.

Check out local job boards to find case worker jobs.