Social Work Practice and Gun Safety in the United States

Abstract

Public policy debate about guns continues in the United States, with many professional organizations taking strong stands in policy statements. Moreover, many clinical organizations have provided recommendations for practitioners to use with clients to encourage gun safety in the home, particularly for vulnerable populations such as families with young children and those at risk of suicide. Social workers are in an excellent position to encourage gun safety with some of the most at-risk populations; however, clinical guidelines and research on preventing gun violence has lagged in social work compared to other disciplines. In this article we examine the importance of gun safety for social work clients (with special attention to families with children, families experiencing violence, and individuals at risk of suicide), consider the recommendations made by other professional organizations, and provide some initial thoughts about how social workers might engage with the families they serve to reduce the incidence of gun violence.

No more politics over people: The role of helping professions in the prevention of mass shootings and gun-related violence.

“…. .nor does this seemingly exist in the literature as a whole" (Logan-Greene et al, 2018, p. 1173). When will social work progress to where other professions have long been?…”

“…Social work has lagged behind other professions, such as those governed by the American Psychological Association. As Logan-Greene and colleagues (2018) pointed out, NASW leadership has spoken out on gun violence but have not done more than offer support. Specifically, they state that “Beyond these supportive statements regarding laws, regulations, and policies, the NASW has not yet elaborated clear and detailed guidelines on policy, practice and research toward preventing and controlling gun violence…nor does this seemingly exist in the literature as a whole” (Logan-Greene et al, 2018, p. 1173).…”

“…Social work has been on the front lines of many social issues, including women’s rights, civil rights, human rights, and so forth; however, the profession has remained relatively silent when it comes to gun control. As reported by Logan-Greene and colleagues (2018), only 35 articles were published in National Association of Social Workers ( NASW ) journals up until 2016 that included the words firearm or gun. In Social Work Speaks (Wehrmann & McClain, 2018), the profession’s collection of policy statements, there is not one statement related to mass gun violence.…”