Social Work Policies and Services for Military Veterans
This paper examines how current U.S. social work policies address issues of inequality, oppression, and social justice for military veterans. Drawing on relevant literature, it reviews the history of VA social work, the scope of mental health and physical disability challenges facing veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan—including PTSD and severe traumatic brain injuries—and the capacity of both VA and civilian social workers to meet those needs. The paper analyzes alternative advocacy approaches, comparing the Haynes and Mickelson model with Jansson's policy-intervention framework, and concludes that the VA's current service model most closely aligns with Jansson's advocacy approach. A growing need for civilian social worker involvement is identified as a critical gap.
- Introduction: Scope, purpose, and overview of paper
- History and Scope of Social Work Services for Veterans: VA social work history and workforce growth
- Mental Health and Physical Disability Challenges: PTSD, TBI, and combat-related conditions
- VA and Community-Based Social Work Services: VA programs and civilian service gaps
- Advocacy Models and Policy Implications: Jansson vs. Haynes and Mickelson frameworks
- Conclusion: Summary of findings and civilian social work need
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its argument in concrete historical data — tracing VA social work from 36 hospital-based workers in 1926 to thousands today — which establishes credibility before addressing current shortfalls.
- It uses specific quantitative evidence (e.g., 37% PTSD prevalence, 2.5 million combat deployments) to substantiate the scale of need rather than relying solely on general claims.
- The comparison of two named advocacy models (Jansson vs. Haynes & Mickelson) gives the policy analysis a clear analytical framework, and the paper makes a reasoned judgment about which better fits the veteran population.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates applied policy analysis: it moves from descriptive literature review to normative evaluation by testing existing services against a named theoretical framework (Jansson's policy-intervention model). This technique — matching a real-world program to an academic model and explaining the fit — is a core skill in social work and public policy writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a scoped introduction that signals all topics to be covered, then moves through a single extended "Review and Analysis" section covering history, current challenges, specific VA services, and advocacy models in sequence. A brief conclusion synthesizes key findings. The structure is appropriate for a literature-based policy paper at the undergraduate level, though consolidating the review into one labeled section limits navigability.
Introduction
Throughout their careers, many social workers will encounter individuals who are veterans of active-duty military service. Like other client populations, veterans may experience issues with their day-to-day living that require assistance, but these individuals may also experience a wide range of problems unique to service in the armed forces. This paper reviews the relevant literature to determine how current social work policies in the United States address issues of inequality, oppression, and social justice for military veterans, the ability of social work staff to provide quality services, and the ethical issues that affect social work values and practice in this area. An analysis of alternative approaches that social workers and others could advocate or organize on behalf of veterans is followed by an assessment of which models of advocacy — Jansson's or Haynes and Mickelson's — are currently being used with this client population. Finally, a summary of the research and important findings concerning social work policies and veterans is provided in the conclusion.
History and Scope of Social Work Services for Veterans
Irrespective of their primary area of practice, many social workers will encounter individuals who are either actively serving in the U.S. military or who are veterans of service in the armed forces (NASW Standards for Social Work Practice with Service Members, Veterans and Their Families, 2012). Social workers are in a good position to assist members of this client population deal with the challenges in their lives by drawing on their professional expertise in assisting other individuals and families across the lifespan from diverse cultural backgrounds (NASW Standards, 2012). Moreover, social workers have a long history of providing services to veterans that dates back to 1926, when the original social work program was developed by the then-Veterans Bureau with 36 hospital-based social workers (Franklin, 2009). By 1930, the number of social workers serving the veteran population had more than tripled to 97 (Franklin, 2009). At the time the VA was designated a cabinet-level agency in 1989, it employed more than 3,000 social workers in 175 VA medical centers across the country (Franklin, 2009).
Currently, more than 500 social workers serve in the U.S. military, and hundreds more work with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide social work services to this client population (NASW Standards, 2012). According to the National Association of Social Workers, "Service members [and] veterans sacrifice much and have earned [the] respect and resources necessary to help them live productive and healthy lives. They have great strengths, including resilience, perseverance, courage, and critical problem-solving skills, yet they may also face significant challenges" (2012, p. 8).
References
Adams, C. (2013, March 13). Millions went to war in Iraq, Afghanistan, leaving many with lifelong scars. McClatchy Newspapers. Retrieved from http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/03/14/185880/millions-went-to-war-in-iraq-afghanistan.html
Franklin, E. (2009, August). The emerging needs of veterans: A call to action for the social work profession. Health and Social Work, 34(3), 163–169.
Haynes, K. S., & Mickelson, J. S. (2000). The debate. In Affecting social change: Social workers in the political arena (pp. 23–39). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Jansson, B. (2007). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice. New York: Cengage Learning.
Mendoza, S. (2012, June 4). Serving those who have served us: USC School of Social Work reaching military vets and families. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, 22(17), 24–29.
NASW standards for social work practice with service members, veterans and their families. (2012). National Association of Social Workers. Retrieved from
OKC VAMC social work. (2014). Oklahoma City VA Medical Center. Retrieved from http://www.oklahoma.va.gov/services/Social_Work.asp
Rubin, A. (2012, October). Civilian social work with veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan: A call to action. Social Work, 57(4), 293–299.
Rubin, A., Weiss, E. L., & Coll, J. E. (2013). Handbook of military social work. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons.
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