Field Placements in For-Profit Organizations

The recent explosion of proprietary social services suggests that growing numbers of social work students may be placed for field work in organizations whose primary goal is the realization of profits. Information on the extent to which social work programs collaborate with proprietary agencies for field education purposes is unavailable. This article describes the results of a national survey to determine the use patterns and policies of master of social work programs regarding field placements in for-profit settings. Findings indicate that social work education is incorporating proprietary sites for field training at an unparalleled rate. Proprietary sites used most often are hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient health care agencies. Furthermore, the study links different policy positions on for-profit placements to geographical location. The author suggests, among other recommendations, that programs provide positive role models to help students apply professional values and ethics to problems resulting from proprietary influence upon practice.