What Are Social Workers' Training, General Knowledge, and Assessment Practices for Firearms?

Background and Purpose:

Firearm violence is a public health crisis. In 2018, there were approximately 393 million firearms in the U.S. and firearm purchases escalated by 4.3 million excess purchases during the Covid pandemic. A national poll found 44% of homes have a firearm and a firearm in the home increases the risk of homicide by 170% and suicide by 460% because many adults admit to storing their gun unlocked and loaded.

Social workers’ clients are from high-risk groups and especially vulnerable for injury or death when they have access to firearms, but few studies have been conducted on social work training and practices regarding firearm assessment. This study sought to answer the following research questions: (1) How much training has been given on assessing firearm access? (2) What is their general knowledge about firearm risks? (3) How do social workers integrate firearm assessment into practice?

Methods:

After IRB approval, an online, anonymous, quantitative survey was created by the research team and posted on NASW’s social media forum inviting social work students and social workers to participate. The survey was posted on three occasions over a six- month time period. The survey was created by the research team. There were 139 participants.

Results:

Results indicate that most social work students or social workers have not received any firearm assessment training in their CSWE accredited programs (89.6%), in continuing education (68.1%), and/or in their internship (72.6%). A majority of participants did not know the serious risks for suicide and homicide from guns in the home or that many gun owners keep at least one firearm unlocked and loaded.

Most participants do not ask all clients about firearm access or storage but do ask suicidal (80.1%) and aggressive clients (51.2%). Only 31.1% discussed firearms with parents of youth 0-21 years and only 40% assessed victims of IPV, even though they are high risk groups. Participants who had received training and had more knowledge on the topic, were significantly more likely to assess clients’ firearm access and safety.

Conclusions and Implications:

Firearm access and safe storage play an important role in many clients’ lives, and it is highly likely that practicing social workers can prevent lethal violence by having conversations about access and safe storage, with all clients but especially with high-risk clients. In addition, educating and training students and practicing social workers needs to occur during social work programs, in CEU courses, and at Internships. These trainings need to educate social workers about firearm dangers, high risk groups, and best practices for firearm assessment and safety discussions.

NASW published a brief in 2017, to provide information about firearms’ discussions with parents, however findings from this study suggest that social workers are not reading or implementing their practice recommendations. This information needs to be updated and expanded.

Additionally, more research is needed regarding firearms’ assessment and safety for social workers. These skills are the next form of cultural competence and clinician safety practices and need to be prioritized by the profession.