Essential Resources for Social Workers Engaging with Law Enforcement Agencies

Makeba Royall LCSW, Senior Practice Associate for Behavioral Health

January 2025

Due to various traumatic incidents involving law enforcement and people with mental health and substance use disorders there has been a heightened urgency to immerse social workers into the legal system, specifically within law enforcement agencies. NASW recognizes the importance of social work and law enforcement collaboration efforts and maintains resources related to the subject matter. Continuing education courses and specialty practice articles are available for viewing on our website, www.socialworkers.org. For social workers who are interested in social work and law enforcement, please see resources listed below.

Links to Articles

• Reimagining Policing: Strategies for Community Reinvestment (socialworkers.org)
• NASW Seeks to Dismantle Racist Policing (www.socialworkers.org)
• Social workers have roles in community policing efforts
• Considerations for Embedded Social Workers in Police Departments

YouTube Video

• Congressional Briefing - "Black Lives Matter: Social Work and the Future of Policing"

Social Work Talks Podcast

• EP45: Clinical Social Work in a Police Department (socialworkers.org)

Continuing Education Credits at Social Work Online CE Institute

• Integrative Approaches to Dismantle Biased Policing: Why Social Work and Law Enforcement Collaboration is Crucial for Creating Ethical and Equitable Law Enforcement Policies - Presented by the North Carolina Chapter (inreachce.com)
• Law Enforcement and Mental Health: A Collaborative Response (inreachce.com)
• Law Enforcement, Social Work & Deflection (inreachce.com)
• TX - Police Social Work: A Social Work and Criminal Justice Collaboration to Address Mental Health (inreachce.com)
• Ethical Issues in Police Social Work (inreachce.com)

Specialty Practice Section – Social Work & The Courts (NASW Membership Required to View)

• Social Work & the Courts Section Connection - Spring 2021 (socialworkers.org)
• 2011, Issue 1 - SW & the Courts, Section Connection (socialworkers.org)

Specialty Practice Section – Social and Economic Justice & Peace Section (NASW Membership Required to View)

• Social and Economic Justice & Peace Section Connection - Summer 2015 (socialworkers.org)
• Social and Economic Justice & Peace Section Connection - Spring 2014 (socialworkers.org)
• Social and Economic Justice & Peace Section Connection - Issue 1, 2009 (socialworkers.org)

Other Related Journals and Books

• Examining Historical and Contemporary Policing Disparities in the Black Community: Implications for Social Work, Betty L Wilson, Nikki R Wooten, Ronald O Pitner, Social Work, Volume 68, Issue 1, January 2023, Pages 8-17, https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swac049
• Client Confidentiality in Police Social Work Settings, Patrick Almond Curtis, Ph.D., Anita M. Lutkus, MSW, Social Work, Volume 30, Issue 4, July-August 1985, Pages 355–360, https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/30.4.355
• NASW Law Note: Client Confidentiality and Privileged Communications (naswpress.org)
• Guidelines for Social Worker Safety in the Workplace (naswpress.org)
• NASW Law Note: Social Workers and Subpoenas (naswpress.org)
• NASW Law Note: The Juvenile Justice System (naswpress.org)

Check the NASW website frequently for any further updates and information regarding the forensic social work practice area.