SF State University’s School of Social Work : Social Media and Social Work

1. SF State University’s School of Social Work: Social Media and Social Work Sonja Lenz-Rashid, PhD, LCSWMSW Coordinator

2. Social Media and Social Work • The mission of social work acknowledges the importance of human relationships as a core value to the field • Social work also values that these relationships are an important vehicle for change – we engage people in partnerships to promote change • We seek to strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful effort to promote, restore, maintain and enhance the well-being of individuals, families, social groups, organizations and communities • But, engaging in social media as social workers can challenge our professional and personal boundary issues, and can lead to potential conflicts of interest with clients

3. SW Ethical Dilemmas with Social Media • Client asking Social Worker/Intern to be their friend/follower on sites while still is working with SW/I • Do you not respond to request or deny it? • Or do you just stay off social networking sites? • Client asking Social Worker/Intern to be their friend/follower after client and SW/I have terminated their relationship • Many times clients are unfamiliar with the boundaries that are essential for effective and ethical social work practice • SW/I wanting to post their experience of their internship or job on a social networking site • SW/I becoming a “voyeur” of clients to see if client is sharing true information with SW/I

4. NASW Code of Ethics & Social Media • 1.06 Conflicts of Interest • SW should be aware of, and avoid, conflicts of interest that interfere with professional discretion and impartial judgment. SW should inform clients when a real or potential conflict of interest arises and take reasonable steps to resolve the issue that protects clients’ interests • Social workers should not engage in dual or multiple relationships with clients or former clients in which there is a risk of harm to the client • 1.07 Privacy and Confidentiality • SW should respect clients right to privacy. SW should not solicit private info from clients unless it is essential in providing services

5. Expectations of SW Students in Field • SW Interns should NOT accept friend or follower requests on social media sites of current or past clients where clientswere served in a social work capacity • SW Interns should NOT post any information or blog about about their internships, agency, clients, or people related to their internships on social media sites • SW Interns (and all SW for that matter) should recognize that social media sites are not private (no matter what privacy settings you have on a site) • ……..as professional misconduct can be a gray area because by doing so, SW may be unwittingly be exposing clients, supervisors, colleagues, agencies to malpractice claims or ethics violations • These expectations of behavior should be held to all social workers

6. Questions to SSW at SF State • Steve Nakajo, MSW Field Director • Sonia Melara, BASW Field Director and BASW Coordinator • Sonja Lenz-Rashid, MSW Coordinator • Kristina Lovato-Hermann, Title IV-E Coordinator • Field Liaisons in your SW Intern’s field seminar course

7. Discussion on SW and Social Media • Questions? • Feedback? • Thank you! • Sonja Lenz-Rashid – srlenz@sfsu.edu