2005 West Virginia Code - §30-30-2. — Definitions.

§30-30-2. Definitions.

(a) "Board" means the state board of social work examiners established by this article.
(b) "Social work" means the profession that provides the formal knowledge base, theoretical concepts, specific functional skills and essential social values which are used to implement society's mandate to provide safe, effective and constructive social services through the professional activities of helping individuals, groups or communities enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning, and preventing or controlling social problems and altering societal conditions as a means towards enabling people to attain their maximum potential.
(c) "Social worker" means a person who represents himself or herself to the public by the title "social worker", and under this title offers to render or renders services involving the application of principles, methods and procedures of the profession of social work to individuals, families, corporations or the public for financial compensation: Provided, That social workers, as defined by this article does not mean any person who may voluntarily serve in an advisory capacity in situations dealing with social and family matters while not holding himself or herself out to the public as a social worker.
(d) "Social work practice" means the professional application of social work values, principles and techniques to one or more of the following ends: Enhancing the developmental, problem-solving and coping capacities of people; promoting the effective and humane operations of systems that provide resources and services to people; linking people with systems that provide them with resources, services and opportunities; contributing to the development and improvement of social policy; engaging in research related to these ends and principles; and organizations or agencies engaged in such practice. Such social work interventions are provided to individuals, families, small groups, organizations, neighborhoods and communities. The practice of social work is guided by knowledge of social resources, social systems, human behavior and social, economic and cultural institutions and the interaction of all such factors.
(e) "Clinical social work practice" means the professional application of social work theory and methods to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of psychological dysfunction, disability or impairment, including emotional and mental disorders and developmental disabilities. Clinical social work practice is based on knowledge of one or more theories of biological, psychological and social development, normal human behavior, psychopathology, the causes and effects of physical illness and disability, unconscious motivation, interpersonal relationships, family dynamics, environmental stress, social systems and cultural diversity with particular attention to the person existing as a combination of biological, psychological and social elements in his or her environment. Clinical social work includes interventions directed to interpersonal interactions, intrapsychic dynamics and life-support and management issues. Clinical social work services consist of assessment, diagnosis, treatment, including psychotherapy and counseling, client-centered advocacy, consultation and evaluation. The process of clinical social work is undertaken within the objectives of the social work profession and the principles and values of its code of ethics.