Provide persons, families, or vulnerable populations with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses, such as Alzheimer's, cancer, or AIDS. Services include advising family care givers, providing patient education and counseling, and making necessary referrals for other social services.

Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs. Investigate child abuse or neglect cases and take authorized protective action when necessary. Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education. Counsel clients and patients in individual and group sessions to help them overcome dependencies, recover from illness, and adjust to life. Organize support groups or counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, and supporting the client or patient. Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises. Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records. Utilize consultation data and social work experience to plan and coordinate client or patient care and rehabilitation, following through to ensure service efficacy. Modify treatment plans to comply with changes in clients' status. Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan. Supervise and direct other workers providing services to clients or patients. Develop or advise on social policy and assist in community development. Oversee Medicaid- and Medicare-related paperwork and recordkeeping in hospitals. Conduct social research to advance knowledge in the social work field. Plan and conduct programs to combat social problems, prevent substance abuse, or improve community health and counseling services.

Psychology -- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. Customer and Personal Service -- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. Therapy and Counseling -- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance. English Language -- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. Sociology and Anthropology -- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins. Education and Training -- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Active Listening -- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Writing -- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. Reading Comprehension -- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Social Perceptiveness -- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. Speaking -- Talking to others to convey information effectively. Critical Thinking -- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Coordination -- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. Time Management -- Managing one's own time and the time of others. Service Orientation -- Actively looking for ways to help people. Active Learning -- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Oral Comprehension -- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Problem Sensitivity -- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. Oral Expression -- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Inductive Reasoning -- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). Deductive Reasoning -- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. Speech Clarity -- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. Speech Recognition -- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. Written Comprehension -- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Written Expression -- The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. Near Vision -- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Getting Information -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. Making Decisions and Solving Problems -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships -- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events -- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. Assisting and Caring for Others -- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. Documenting/Recording Information -- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates -- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge -- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. Performing for or Working Directly with the Public -- Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work -- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.