Preparing Master of Social Work Students for Interprofessional Practice.

Area of Science:

• Social Work Education
• Interprofessional Practice
• Behavioral Health Workforce Development

Background:

• The demand for interprofessional collaboration in behavioral health is increasing.
• Social work students require specialized training to effectively serve children, adolescents, and transition-age youth.
• Existing training models need evaluation for their impact on student attitudes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure the growth in interprofessional knowledge, skills, and values among Master of Social Work (MSW) students.
• To assess the impact of a Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training program on student development.
• To evaluate student changes in attitudes toward interprofessional practice.

Main Methods:

• MSW students from three universities participated in an interprofessional field placement and educational sessions.
• Training focused on team-based care, engaging at-risk youth and families, and working with vulnerable populations.
• The Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS) was administered pre- and post-training.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant increases were observed in the ISVS total score and subscale scores post-training.
• Pretest scores on the ISVS were significant predictors of posttest scores.
• The training effectively enhanced students' interprofessional socialization and valuing.

Conclusions:

• Social work programs can foster positive attitudes toward interprofessional practice through dedicated education and training.
• Interprofessional training is a viable strategy for developing a competent behavioral health workforce.
• These findings support the integration of interprofessional experiences in social work curricula.