From studying the USA experience in mental health social work to the development of social workers’ training program in Ukraine

Abstract

The article is devoted to substantiation of expediency of introduction of a new specialization on preparation of social workers in Lviv Polytechnic. The development of the practice of social work in the field of mental health in the USA is analyzed, and, taking into account the set of criteria the author has proposed its periodization of development of the system of social workers’ vocational training for public health care in the United States. The empirical experience of social work in the field of mental health in this country is described and its comparative analysis with Ukrainian realities is carried out. On the basis of the revealed theoretical and methodological principles and organizational and methodical features of professional training of social workers for providing social services in the context of solving the problems of mental health protection in the United States, a draft program for the specialization of social workers for mental health care in Ukraine has been proposed.