Health Social Work: Associations, Institutes and Societies

The Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) is a non-profit, international, 501(c) 3 organization dedicated to the enhancement of psychosocial services to people with cancer and their families. Created in 1984 by social workers interested in oncology and by existing national cancer organizations, we have over 1000 current members who embrace the AOSW Mission to advance excellence in the psychosocial care of persons with cancer, their families, and caregivers through networking, education, advocacy, research and resource development.

The Council of Nephrology Social Workers (CNSW) functions as a professional membership council within the framework of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and networks with other organizations, including the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), state and local governments, and private groups. CNSW's purpose is twofold: one, to assist patients and their families in dealing with the psychosocial stresses and lifestyle readjustments and facilitate a treatment program that will maximize rehabilitation potential; two, to support the federal regulations governing ESRD reimbursement in regard to standards for social work practice and in the definition of a qualified social worker.

The Health Policy Institute is a multi-disciplinary group of faculty and staff dedicated to conducting research on key issues in health policy and health services research. Institute members are engaged in a wide diversity of projects, focusing on issues relating to health care financing, the uninsured, federal health insurance reforms, quality of care and outcomes research, mental health services research, and the impact of changes in the health care market on providers and patients.

The British Sociological Association’s Medical Sociology Group exists to promote scholarship and communication in the field of the sociology of health and illness in the United Kingdom. The group is one of the largest and most active study groups of the British Sociological Association. Membership of the BSA brings benefits in terms of reduced conference fees and journal subscriptions, but most group activities are open to non-members.

The National Association of Perinatal Social Workers was incorporated in 1980 for the purpose of promoting, expanding, and enhancing the role of social work in perinatal health care. The organization's objectives include: education, program planning, evaluation, research, and standard setting for perinatal social work.

Dedicated to promoting the universal availability, accessibility, coordination, and effectiveness of health care that addresses the psychosocial components of health and illness.