Introduction

DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services) is owned by Washington State.  DSHS is a helping hand.  There is a lot of history.  There is so history I couldn’t tell you all of it. Instead of doctors using electroshock therapies and psychosurgery to treat alcoholics, today we use counselors. Social work is a profession that administers a wide range of social services and programs.  Grief therapists are people who offer certain kinds of therapy to those people who are mourning a death of a loved one or family member.   


What is DSHS?
 
It’s also a lifeline to one out of four Washington residents who need help.  One and a half million children, families, seniors, and vulnerable adults go to DSHS for protection, comfort, food, assistance, financial aid, medical aid, and other services.  DSHS provides services from several programs to meet multiple needs of majority of clients. There are many programs DSHS provides.  DSHS couldn’t do all of these things without the assistance of dedicated family members, foster parents, community groups, religious organizations, private providers, and other government agencies.


History

In the 1800's, state and local governments provided most of the welfare services.  In 1935 Franklin D. Roosevelt started welfare because of the Great Depression.  In 1939, the Federal Security Agency was established to administer major programs in the fields of social security, job placement, education, and public health.  In 1991, the DSHS in Washington State made an effort to certify medical and social service interpreters.  Also they made an effort to certify translators working for DSHS.  They did that throughout its many divisions and programs.  In 1953, The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) was started.   All Federal Security Agency functions were transferred to it.
  


Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling

A counselor from DSHS meets with a patient at an alcohol treatment center.  The purpose of the counselors is to help patients stop destructive behaviors.  Sometimes the counselors give support, and/or guidance to deal with their problems.  They also might ask their patient questions like what type of substance they are using, how often do they use that substance, how long have they been using that substance, or how the substance affected their life.  Counselors might help their patient to develop goals to change their behavior.  Counselors monitor, access the progress with their patients.  They help patients who have already stopped using drugs and alcohol.  They also help patients who need help to stop using drugs and alcohol.



Social Workers

Social workers must take Health and Psychology in high school in order to become a social worker.  You need helping or teaching and communication or ideas. The work environment social workers have involves primarily indoor and multiple locations.  The minimum education level would be a bachelor’s degree.  The salary of an average social worker would be $21,760 to $58,030 per year.  There’s 436 social workers with a Bachelor’s in social work and 149 social workers Masters in social work.  Child, family, and school social worker’s median salary would be $34,300 per year.  Public health and medical social workers made around $24,770 to $58,030 per year in the year 2003.  Mental and substance abuse social workers make around $21,760 to $53,700 per year.  Social workers don’t usually do work at their desk unless they are interviewing one of their patients, writing a report, or conferring with other staff members.


Grief Therapists

In order to become a grief therapist a person must take psychology and sociology in college.  You need communication or ideas and helping or teaching skills.  The work environment would be primarily indoors and primarily one location.  Minimum education level would be a Masters degree.  The salary would be $21,760 to $153,700 a year.  The certification required would be a license.  Grief therapists are people who offer certain kinds of therapy to those people who are mourning a death of a loved one or family member.  They help survivors work though feelings, anger or guilt.  They also help survivors recover from their loss. 


Home Health Care Aids

In order to become a home health care aid, you must take health, family, and consumer science.  You need instructions and helping or teaching skills.  The minimum education level would be high school diploma.  The salary range would be $13,437 to $25,314 per year.  There is certification or licensing required for certain positions.  Home health care aids serve elderly, inform people visiting them in homes and care for them.  They work under supervision of a nurse or social worker.  They perform various household chores clients aren’t able to perform themselves.  They also attend to patients personal needs.  They primarily work with the elderly, but they also attend to clients with disabilities, and clients with small children.  There are around 608,000 home health care aids in the United States. 

Conclusion

The history of DSHS, alcohol and drug abuse counselors, social workers, grief therapists and home health care aids all make up DSHS. I had a great time volunteering and if you volunteer too you could make a difference.

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