MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — The U.S. Bureau of Labor projects a 12% growth in the social work career field through 2030.

With the need to replace thousands of social workers, some are going the extra mile to recruit and steer more students to the field.

Jean Ollis, a mental health therapist and assistant professor of social work at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, said the field of social work is in a crucial state.

“We are at a deficit in being able to meet the mental health needs,” Ollis said. “There are a lot of unfilled positions. I think like the rest of the country, we’re seeing a lot of resignations because it’s been a very challenging several years.”

In facing the challenges while still trying to meet the demands, Ollis said they’re being proactive with recruiting students, noting there’s still a need for master-level prepared social workers.

With the mental health crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic, Ollis said they’re seeing “a lot of isolation, a lot of loneliness, increased mental health diagnoses.”

“But I think the missing link has been that social workers have been on the front line in the health care profession and mental health, homelessness in the schools,” she said. “And no matter where we’re working and interfacing, it has been demanding and very challenging for social workers themselves to deal with the increased complexity of cases and just in their own personal lives. They’re dealing with their own health, their family’s health.”

Ollis said to keep up with demand, social workers need to be trained in substance abuse to meet the needs of the opioid epidemic, as well as a close look at telehealth and psychiatry and how that interfaces with social workers needs to be taken to address the needs of the social worker shortage.

Mount Vernon Nazarene continues to offer a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) online to draw students into the field.

“We also are working towards finding certifications like substance abuse certifications for our students,” said Ollis.