MSW Program Social Work Competencies
Reaffirmation Process in Accord with the New CSWE EPAS
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) requires that MSW students meet various
competencies and their related practice behaviors to demonstrate proper preparation for
competent practice. These are a part of the new Educational and Policy Standards (EPAS).
The CSWE has provided nine competencies for which we developed “observable performance”
standards for our MSW Program. These were formerly referred to as “practice behaviors.” In
addition, the CSWE has mandated each program develop nine additional competencies
associated with each concentration.
The Edinboro MSW Program has one concentration, trauma-informed family practice, for which
nine competencies were developed. So, there are eighteen total competencies, and associated
observable behaviors that help define each competency.
The CSWE has also established “dimensions” of mastery that students should develop from
program participation. These dimensions include knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive
affective processes (application of good critical thinking, judgement, and affective reactions to
unique practice situations).
These serve as the basis for development of measures to assess the program.
Two measures are being developed to directly assess the effectiveness of the Edinboro MSW
Program. These are:


Field Performance Evaluation (currently being revised to include newly adopted
competencies)
A milestone assignment spreadsheet is also being developed. It will include a specified
milestone assignment from each course, and which competencies, and dimensions are
assessed in the milestone assignment. All competencies and dimensions will be
addressed through the totality of courses.
One indirect measure will also be adopted by the MSW Program even though the CSWE has
determined that no indirect measure can be used to assess any social work program. The indirect
measure is the student self-assessment of the degree to which they have developed or mastered
competencies upon program completion.
The new measures will be developed by the end of the spring semester 2016, and tested in
summer 2016, with formal implementation in fall 2016.
The measures will be uploaded to this MSW assessment link by June 2016.
The MSW Program competencies and observable behaviors that comply with the new CSWE
Educational and Policy Standards are provided below.
MSW Competencies and Observable Behaviors
1) Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
1a) make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant
laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research, and
additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context
1b) use reflection and self-regulation to manage personal values and maintain
professionalism in practice situations
1c) demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior; appearance; and oral, written, and
electronic communication
1d) use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes
1e) use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior
2) Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
2a) apply and communicate understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in
shaping life experiences in practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels;
2b) present themselves as learners and engage clients and constituencies as experts of their
own experiences; and
2c) apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and
values in working with diverse clients and constituencies.
3) Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental
Justice
3a) apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for
human rights at the individual and system levels
3b) engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice
4) Competency 4: Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
4a) use practice experience and theory to inform scientific inquiry and research;
4b) apply critical thinking to engage in analysis of quantitative and qualitative research
methods and research findings
4c) use and translate research evidence to inform and improve practice, policy, and service
delivery.
5) Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice
5a) Identify social policy at the local, state, and federal level that impacts well-being, service
delivery, and access to social services
5b) assess how social welfare and economic policies impact the delivery of and access to
social services;
5c) apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance
human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
6) Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and
Communities
6a) apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment,
and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to engage with clients and constituencies
6b) use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and
constituencies.
7) Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
7a) collect and organize data, and apply critical thinking to interpret information from clients
and constituencies;
7b) apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment,
and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of assessment data from
clients and constituencies;
7c) develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives based on the critical
assessment of strengths, needs, and challenges within clients and constituencies; and
7d) select appropriate intervention strategies based on the assessment, research knowledge,
and values and preferences of clients and constituencies.
8) Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and
Communities
8a) critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals and enhance
capacities of clients and constituencies
8b) apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment,
and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in interventions with clients and
constituencies
8c) use inter-professional collaboration as appropriate to achieve beneficial practice
outcomes
8d) negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of diverse clients and constituencies
8e) facilitate effective transitions and endings that advance mutually agreed-on goals.
9) Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations,
and Communities
9a) select and use appropriate methods for evaluation of outcomes
9b) apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment,
and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the evaluation of outcomes
9c) critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate intervention and program processes and
outcomes
9d) apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness at the micro, mezzo, and
macro levels.
10) Competency 10: Demonstrates Ethical and Professional Behaviors when Working with
Traumatized Populations.
10a) Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant
laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, and additional codes of ethics as
appropriate to context with traumatized populations.
10b) Demonstrate awareness of the impact of vicarious trauma on one’s own practice
behaviors for individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
10c) Utilize supervision to recognize one’s own trauma history to promote professional
responses in working with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
11) Competency 11: Recognize Diversity and Differences with Trauma Clients.
11a) Demonstrate understanding of the differences in the perception and expression of
trauma in relation to intersections of diversity with individuals, families, groups,
organizations and communities.
11b) Incorporate the impact of historical and systemic sources of oppression and
discrimination in assessing trauma history with individuals, families, groups, organizations
and communities.
11c) Practice the five trauma-informed care principles on diverse clients with individuals,
families, groups, organizations and communities.
12) Competency 12: Recognize how Trauma-Informed Care Advances Human Rights,
Social and Economic Justice.
12a) Identify barriers to human rights, social, and economic justice imposed by trauma with
individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
12b) Engage in trauma-informed practices that contribute to the alleviation of social and
economic barriers with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
13) Competency 13: Engage in and use Trauma-Informed Research in Practice.
13a) Demonstrate ability to understand trauma-informed evidence-based research with
individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
13b) Implement trauma-informed and evidence-based research to inform and improve
practice, policy and service delivery with individuals, families, groups, organizations and
communities.
14) Competency 14: Engage in Trauma-Informed Policy Practice.
14a) Recognize the impact of policies and procedures that may be incongruent with trauma
histories.
14b) Critically analyze and promote policies that are cognizant of trauma histories.
15) Competency 15: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and
Communities in a Trauma-Informed Manner.
15a) Develop an understanding of how personal trauma history impacts ability to engage
diverse client systems.
15b) Incorporate assessed trauma history as part of engagement with individuals, families,
groups, organizations and communities.
16) Competency 16: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
in a Trauma-Informed Manner.
16a) Assess the impact of traumagenesis across individuals, families, groups, organizations
and communities.
16b) Utilize trauma-informed assessment to develop specific strategies for intervention.
16c) Apply the five trauma-informed care principles in assessment methods with individuals,
families, groups, organizations and communities.
17) Competency 17: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and
Communities in a Trauma-Informed Manner.
17a) Respond appropriately to disclosure of trauma histories with individuals, families,
groups, organizations and communities.
17b) Apply the five trauma-informed care principles to interventions with individuals,
families, groups, organizations and communities.
18) Competency 18: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations
and Communities in a Trauma-Informed Manner.
18a) Evaluate the application of trauma-informed care at all levels of practice with
individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
18b) Apply evaluation findings to improve trauma-informed care practice effectiveness with
individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.