Ideally, arrangements can be made so another mechanic services a social worker’s car, or the two can decide in advance the most comfortable way to approach run-ins at restaurants, school functions or parties. It is essential for appropriate boundaries to be set up early in the therapeutic relationship, so awkward scenarios can be scripted or avoided entirely. These dual relationships can potentially jeopardize the client’s confidentiality and the treatment they receive. A brief run-in at the grocery store can be easy to navigate, but having a child in the same class presents more nuanced complications. That means crossing paths outside of a session is a much more common occurrence. One of the other challenges faced by social workers is that they usually live in the same community as their clients. In many small communities where there can be a stigma associated with mental illness, clients are often worried about having their car identified outside of a social worker or therapist’s office and becoming the subject of rumors. Maintaining confidentiality and appropriate boundaries is a very important concern in rural social work. ![]() Privacy experts also worry about the security of personal devices, and many insurers are slow to cover telemedicine. However, some individuals might not feel comfortable with new forms of technology, and many remote areas lack the infrastructure to provide reliable internet service. Traveling these distances with less than reliable transportation can lead to missed appointments, the inability to access necessary medication and complications in finding needed child care.Ĭonducting sessions over telephone or via video calls can be a potential solution to these problems. While this physical distance can be tiring for the social worker, it can also present numerous barriers for the clients to access services: The cost of vehicle maintenance and fuel can be prohibitive, and rural areas often lack the public transportation infrastructure to make cheaper travel a feasible option. In many parts of the U.S., the distance between clients can span as much as 100 miles. One the biggest challenges in rural social work is a logistical one. To better understand the differences, we have detailed some of the major difficulties impacting social work in rural communities. ![]() While there are a number of resources designated specifically for these communities, including from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, these social workers still find themselves challenged in ways those in urban environments do not. Often, rural social work professionals find themselves to be one of the only forms of support available to their clients. While each environment has its own benefits and drawbacks, the challenges faced by social workers in rural communities can have a significant impact on how they work. From working with policymakers to individual families, there are countless career paths a degree in social work can take them. Not every social worker’s day-to-day workload looks the same.
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