Marla Berg-Weger is a professor in the School of Social Work at Saint Louis University, Missouri,where she also serves as the Executive Director, Geriatric Education Center, and is a past Directorof Field Education. Dr. Berg-Weger has been a social worker for four decades and holds social workdegrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Her social work practice experience includespublic social welfare services, domestic violence services, mental health, and gerontological andhealth care social work. Her research and writing focus on social work practice and gerontologicalsocial work, particularly in the areas of family caregiving, dementia care, and older adult mobility.With Julie Birkenmaier, she co-authored the textbook The Practicum Companion for Social Work:Integrating Class and Field Work. With Birkenmaier, she co-authored another book in this series,Contemporary Social Work Practice. She is the past President and Secretary of the Association ofGerontology Education in Social Work and Managing Editor of the Journal of Gerontological SocialWork. She is a Fellow in the Gerontological Society of America.

• Preface; Acknowledgments; About the Authors; 1. A Glimpse into the World of Social Work; 2. History of Social Work and Social Welfare; 3. U.S. Poverty and the Implications for Social Work; 4. Diversity with the Social Work Practice Environment; 5. Values and Ethics in Social Work Practice; 6. Social Work Perspectives and Methods; 7. Fields of Social Work Practice; 8. Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families; 9. Social Work Practice with Groups; 10. Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities, and Public Policy; 11. The Social Work Profession; References; Glossary/Index

Marla Berg-Weger provides a comprehensive overview of the context of social work practice and the history and structure of the social welfare system. Students will develop a rich understanding of the social work profession in the 21st century because this book highlights the challenges and opportunities they will encounter in a rapidly changing world. —Joni Swanson Ernst, Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Wayne State School of Social WorkThe reader expects that each new edition of a textbook will update all the changes that have occurred since the last edition, but this edition does more than that. It has added a glossary to each chapter, includes more activities for students, expanded discussions in various sections, includes the newest social work interventions and current and future employment opportunities. The revision of the previous chapters four and five represents a rethinking of the content of those two chapters into one and it has strengthened the presentation of the content on diversity and cultural competence so that the environment in which social workers now practice and will practice is seen within the context of our changing demographic, social, political and economic environment. This introduction exposes students to the entire world of the social work profession. —E. Aracelis Francis, PhD, ACSW, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of the Virgin Islands

Marla Berg-Weger is a professor in the School of Social Work at Saint Louis University, Missouri,where she also serves as the Executive Director, Geriatric Education Center, and is a past Directorof Field Education. Dr. Berg-Weger has been a social worker for four decades and holds social workdegrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Her social work practice experience includespublic social welfare services, domestic violence services, mental health, and gerontological andhealth care social work. Her research and writing focus on social work practice and gerontologicalsocial work, particularly in the areas of family caregiving, dementia care, and older adult mobility.With Julie Birkenmaier, she co-authored the textbook The Practicum Companion for Social Work:Integrating Class and Field Work. With Birkenmaier, she co-authored another book in this series,Contemporary Social Work Practice. She is the past President and Secretary of the Association ofGerontology Education in Social Work and Managing Editor of the Journal of Gerontological SocialWork. She is a Fellow in the Gerontological Society of America.

• Preface; Acknowledgments; About the Authors; 1. A Glimpse into the World of Social Work; 2. History of Social Work and Social Welfare; 3. U.S. Poverty and the Implications for Social Work; 4. Diversity with the Social Work Practice Environment; 5. Values and Ethics in Social Work Practice; 6. Social Work Perspectives and Methods; 7. Fields of Social Work Practice; 8. Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families; 9. Social Work Practice with Groups; 10. Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities, and Public Policy; 11. The Social Work Profession; References; Glossary/Index

Marla Berg-Weger provides a comprehensive overview of the context of social work practice and the history and structure of the social welfare system. Students will develop a rich understanding of the social work profession in the 21st century because this book highlights the challenges and opportunities they will encounter in a rapidly changing world. —Joni Swanson Ernst, Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Wayne State School of Social WorkThe reader expects that each new edition of a textbook will update all the changes that have occurred since the last edition, but this edition does more than that. It has added a glossary to each chapter, includes more activities for students, expanded discussions in various sections, includes the newest social work interventions and current and future employment opportunities. The revision of the previous chapters four and five represents a rethinking of the content of those two chapters into one and it has strengthened the presentation of the content on diversity and cultural competence so that the environment in which social workers now practice and will practice is seen within the context of our changing demographic, social, political and economic environment. This introduction exposes students to the entire world of the social work profession. —E. Aracelis Francis, PhD, ACSW, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of the Virgin Islands

Marla Berg-Weger is a professor in the School of Social Work at Saint Louis University, Missouri,where she also serves as the Executive Director, Geriatric Education Center, and is a past Directorof Field Education. Dr. Berg-Weger has been a social worker for four decades and holds social workdegrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Her social work practice experience includespublic social welfare services, domestic violence services, mental health, and gerontological andhealth care social work. Her research and writing focus on social work practice and gerontologicalsocial work, particularly in the areas of family caregiving, dementia care, and older adult mobility.With Julie Birkenmaier, she co-authored the textbook The Practicum Companion for Social Work:Integrating Class and Field Work. With Birkenmaier, she co-authored another book in this series,Contemporary Social Work Practice. She is the past President and Secretary of the Association ofGerontology Education in Social Work and Managing Editor of the Journal of Gerontological SocialWork. She is a Fellow in the Gerontological Society of America.

• Preface; Acknowledgments; About the Authors; 1. A Glimpse into the World of Social Work; 2. History of Social Work and Social Welfare; 3. U.S. Poverty and the Implications for Social Work; 4. Diversity with the Social Work Practice Environment; 5. Values and Ethics in Social Work Practice; 6. Social Work Perspectives and Methods; 7. Fields of Social Work Practice; 8. Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families; 9. Social Work Practice with Groups; 10. Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities, and Public Policy; 11. The Social Work Profession; References; Glossary/Index

Marla Berg-Weger provides a comprehensive overview of the context of social work practice and the history and structure of the social welfare system. Students will develop a rich understanding of the social work profession in the 21st century because this book highlights the challenges and opportunities they will encounter in a rapidly changing world. —Joni Swanson Ernst, Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Wayne State School of Social WorkThe reader expects that each new edition of a textbook will update all the changes that have occurred since the last edition, but this edition does more than that. It has added a glossary to each chapter, includes more activities for students, expanded discussions in various sections, includes the newest social work interventions and current and future employment opportunities. The revision of the previous chapters four and five represents a rethinking of the content of those two chapters into one and it has strengthened the presentation of the content on diversity and cultural competence so that the environment in which social workers now practice and will practice is seen within the context of our changing demographic, social, political and economic environment. This introduction exposes students to the entire world of the social work profession. —E. Aracelis Francis, PhD, ACSW, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of the Virgin Islands