Master’s in Social Work Schools in Albany County, New York – CSWE-Accredited BSW & MSW Programs

From healthcare organizations to substance abuse treatment facilities to major nonprofits aimed at solving homelessness and food insecurity, there’s no shortage of opportunities to put an education in social work to good use in Albany County. And in some instances, those opportunities exist in new and innovate harm reduction roles.

For example, as of 2024, the Albany Police Department is making plans to bring BSW and MSW-prepared social workers into the fold. Part of the 2021 Albany Policing Reform and Reinvention Collaboration report, which examined the value of integrating social service interventions into its police reform efforts, is a new program that will rely on well-trained and thoroughly vetted New York social workers. It will reflect a “cultural change within the department,” said Chief Eric Hawkins.

With a goal of staffing all police stations with social workers around-the-clock seven days a week, the APD hopes to handle domestic situations more effectively and efficiently. The department has already begun recruiting social workers who will act as points of contact for people in crisis, freeing up police officers to focus on public protection efforts.

Programs like this continue to reflect the growing value of social workers even outside of conventional roles and the growing need for qualified individuals to become part of the county’s social services workforce. It all starts by earning a BSW or MSW degree.

The Social Work Profession Begins with a Passion for Helping Others… and a CSWE-Accredited BSW or MSW

Throughout Albany County, social workers are effecting real change in the lives of everyday people. They blend advocacy, activism, and a deep understanding of the socioeconomic challenges that people face every day with the good ‘ol fashioned pavement-pounding work ethic it takes to help the most vulnerable populations access the resources they need.

Not all of that work necessarily requires earning a New York State social work license, but it does always require a focused education. So for many, that means earning a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) at one of the premier schools of social work around New York State or right here in Albany County.

But for others, the goal is to be able to provide the full scope of services social workers are capable of, including the ability to diagnose and treat common mental health challenges, family dynamic dysfunction, and behavioral health problems including substance use disorder.  For these dedicated social workers, achieving that goal means earning state licensure — either the Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential through the New York State Education Department.

While both credentials prepare you to work at the micro, macro, and mezzo levels in areas ranging from direct clinical counseling to program development to advocacy work in the halls of New York legislature, the LCSW qualifies you to practice clinical services independently. The qualifications you need for the freedom to provide those clinical services without oversight requires you to go through three years of supervised experience  after earning the LMSW.

Qualifying for licensure as an LMSW or LCSW in New York State means earning a Master of Social Work (MSW) from one of the many schools here accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).