Handbook of Health Social Work

Provides a comprehensive foundation for advancing social work practice in today’s complex health care systems

Health social work stands at the intersection of healthcare delivery, social justice, and human well-being—fields that are increasingly interconnected as global health systems confront deep structural inequities. Handbook for Health Social Work, Fourth Edition, provides the theoretical grounding, practical tools, and interdisciplinary insights needed to address these urgent challenges. Reflecting the latest developments in health policy, integrated care, and social determinants of health, the book offers a wellness-oriented, evidence-based framework for practice across a range of settings and populations.

Authored by leading experts, this fully updated edition expands on previous work to reflect the evolving realities of today's health landscape. New material explores the implications of technologies such as AI and machine learning for social work ethics and practice, health policy reforms, climate-related health impacts, and the role of social workers in responding to pandemics, political conflicts, and climate-related health crises. The Handbook also introduces critical updates on Medicaid expansion, the Child Tax Credit, and other key policy shifts, while offering fresh insights into transdisciplinary collaboration and the integration of genetic knowledge in client care.

The definitive guide to promoting health equity and improving outcomes through leadership and innovation, Handbook for Health Social Work:

• Explores social work’s expanding role within transdisciplinary health care teams
• Emphasizes a wellness-based, strengths-oriented approach grounded in evidence-based models
• Discusses the interface between genetics, health, and social work practice
• Includes learning exercises, research recommendations, and life-course perspectives in every chapter

Supporting advanced study within social work, public health, and health policy programs, Handbook for Health Social Work, Fourth Edition, is ideal for master’s- and doctoral-level courses such as Social Work in Health and Mental Health, Clinical Practice in Illness & Healthcare, and Social Welfare Policy and Services. It is also an essential reference for social workers, clinicians, and interdisciplinary health professionals engaged in direct practice, administration, or policy development.

Teri Browne is a faculty member at the University of South Carolina College of Social Work and a Co-Investigator on a five-year PCORI research trial aimed at improving healthcare systems. She co-led a PCORI conference on kidney disease research.

Sarah Gehlert [bio not found]