WELCOME
Veterinary Social Work (VSW), founded in May of 2002, is a partnership between the University of Tennessee Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Social Work designed to enhance, support, and inform both professions.
Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself
find peace.
--Albert Schweitzer French philosopher & physician (1875 - 1965)
MISSION
Our primary mission is to provide support and education for students, faculty, staff, and clients of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. This education and support is intended:
- To educate students, clients, faculty, staff, as well as the professional and general public about the human animal bond and veterinary social work.
- To provide clinical consultation, support, and referral to students, clients, staff, and faculty of the veterinary teaching hospital.
- To conduct evidence-based veterinary social work practice. This includes both using empirically supported interventions as well as conducting on-going program and clinical practice evaluation.
- To provide service to the community. This service includes work with and integration of both human and animal related professionals.
VISION
VSW seeks to expand understanding about the services needed at the intersection of veterinary medicine and social work practice. From a strengths perspective and using evidence-based practice, VSW conducts veterinary social work by providing education, support, and training to UTCVM students, faculty, staff, and clients as well as other public health professionals. VSW orients clinical interventions toward psycho-dynamically informed cognitive behavioral treatment, especially attending to grief recovery and mindfulness based stress reduction interventions. Guided by social work's historical value of empowerment, VSW conducts practice through both clinical and community services on micro and macro levels in keeping with social work ethical code.
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