The Opprtunity and Challenge of Social Work: A Research on Social Work Intervention in Psychiatric Rehabilitation

Psychiatric rehabilitation is a new service framework which is promoted by the movement of deinstitutionalization and community care, with the aim to enhance psychiatric patients' ability of self management, to improve social support network and social functioning in community settings. The fundamental philosophy and principles underlying paychiatric rehabilitation services are similar to those held by social workers, which provide great opportunity for social work development. These also make social workers meet an inevitable challenge:how to develop unique social services while clinging to social work ethnic values. In Mainland China psychiatric rehabilitation leaves much room for social workers' involvement, which should take the whole family as clients, emphasizing the importance of understanding the familys willingness, interating inne psychological adapation and outer social support improving professional services in community settings.