“Opioid addiction is here to stay,” said a social work professor we recently interviewed. “But as long as we turn away from the horrors of this widespread addiction and choose to remain in denial, we will not make a concerted effort to widely administer treatment. The pharmaceutical industry has already created both long term treatments and emergency life-saving medications that are simply not being administered on a wide enough scale. I believe that a nationwide effort to make these medications available to anyone trapped in this particular substance abuse disorder should be a number-one priority for the social work profession at large.”

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demographics and logistics of the Social Work profession have shifted dramatically. Social workers are on the move, and telehealth has become ubiquitous. Social workers, however, are finding it more problematic than they had imagined moving from state to state. With ten years’ experience and a graduate degree from a major university they expected to simply fill out some kind of “transfer form” to get re-licensed in the state they were relocating to. In other words, they expected a high degree of “reciprocity” from state to state. This, however, is not always the case.

According to surveys, in the first half of 2022, approximately 53 million companies and individuals were victims of successful cyberattacks and data breaches. These figures are alarming, especially given that cybercriminals have targeted all types of businesses, including non-profits, which they may perceive to have a weaker cybersecurity structure.  Non-profit organizations deal with sensitive data such as clients' family histories, locations, and medical records, which must be protected, emphasizing the importance of non-profit cybersecurity.

This blog discusses how to effectively improve cybersecurity in non-profits.

Research shows that social service professionals exhibit a greater capacity for empathy than most of their contemporaries in other professions. Studies also show that this “ability to understand and share the feelings of another” is what motivates well-meaning young people to go into social work in the first place. The irony, however, is that this same capacity to “share the feelings of another” is also the primary cause of burnout among caseworkers.

According to studies, approximately 94% of organizations worldwide have reported using cloud computing in their processes. These companies include large-scale business organizations, start-ups, small-scale enterprises, and even non-profit organizations. This is encouraging a greater number of non-profits to evaluate their case management processes and consider upgrading their current non-profit software.

This article discusses why cloud computing is the way forward for all non-profit organizations.

According to research, around 1.5 million NGOs (non-governmental organizations) are currently operational in the United States. Some of these NGOs focus on raising awareness about different social issues, while others work on-field to help individuals in need, including seniors, children in foster care, and homeless people. But the lack of new technology and infrastructure in NGOs makes it difficult for them to work seamlessly on their cause.

According to surveys, around 53% of companies have adopted data analytics to enhance their procedures. With a large number of organizations realizing the importance of data analytics for better operations, now’s the ideal time for non-profits to invest in social services software integrated with data processing and analytics features. Like other companies, non-profits and caseworkers can benefit significantly from data analytics.

This blog discusses the importance of data analysis in non-profits.

Larry Breitenstein, PhD, chair of the social work department at Slippery Rock University, remembers child protection work in Kentucky in the early '70s. "I used to carry extra canned food in my car, just in case. Almost half my families needed help with food. Food stamps were new and food banks were scarce. We had petty cash for food, but it was never enough. I almost always bought food because I never knew when I was going to find a starving kid."

According to Department of Veterans Affairs estimates, there are more than a hundred registered veteran service organizations in the United States. These social service organizations have assisted numerous former veterans and their families by providing services to this distinguished group. 

However, as the number of veterans continues to rise, these non-profits are becoming overburdened. Veteran services are in desperate need of reforms to continue serving millions of former military personnel and families. 

Many families in the US receive help and services from child and family services also known as family support services. Due to a variety of factors, the number of families participating in these community-based support programs has grown recently. And today, a lot of individuals who live in poverty benefit from child and family care.

It becomes increasingly important to use technology, such as cloud-based non-profit software, as family support services assist more people who are in need. Along with being accessible, adaptable, and simple to use, the software can help child and family care agencies streamline their operations. Let's examine some of the benefits for child and family services to move to a cloud-based case management software.