Private Equity Investment and Social Work: Ethical Issues (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores ethical implications and challenges related to private equity investment in the field of social services.  The course offers an overview of private equity in social services and uses the NASW Code of Ethics as a guide to address potential concerns.  Ethical standards related to informed consent, conflicts of interest, professional integrity, administration and commitments to employers, dishonesty, fraud, and deception, and social injustice, anti-racism, and social and political action are highlighted.  Examples are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Reading :  Private Equity Investment and Social Work:  Ethical Issues Author: Dr. Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D., Rhode Island College Publisher: International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics

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Course Objectives:  To enhance professional practice, values, skills and knowledge by exploring private equity investment, social work, and ethical issues.

Learning Objectives:  Describe private equity investment in social services.  Describe ethical issues related to private equity and social work.  Identify core social work principles and values.

Course Available Until: March 31, 2029.

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1: Historically, social work services in the US have been funded by
 
 
 
2: By the time a private equity firm acquires a company, it typically has a plan in place to
 
 
 
 
3: In recent years, venture capital has been invested heavily in
 
 
 
 
 
 
4: In the first three quarters of 2022, private equity deals made up more than ___________ of behavioral health transactions.
 
 
 
 
5: Profit-seeking can incentivize
 
 
 
 
6: A significant number of programs funded with venture capital are unregulated.
 
 
7: The carried interest provision in US tax law allows private equity managers to be taxed at __________ on the bulk of their compensation.
 
 
8: Social workers should use ______ language to inform clients of the purpose of the services, risk related to the services, and limits to services.
 
 
 
 
9: Social workers should inform clients when a real or potential conflict of interest arises and take reasonable steps to resolve the issue in a manner that protects and prioritizes  ________.
 
 
 
 
10: Social workers employed in programs under the auspices of private equity investors who have evidence that clients' needs would be better served by other programs have an ethical obligation to
 
 
 
 
11: Social workers who have evidence that programs that employ them have policies and protocols that violate social work values and ethical standards because of private equity investment have a duty to
 
 
 
 
 

In order to purchase or take this course, you will need to log in. If you do not have an account, you will need to register for a free account.

After you log in, a link will appear here that will allow you to purchase this course.

Review our pre-reading study guide.

G.M. Rydberg-Cox, MSW, LSCSW is the Continuing Education Director at Free State Social Work and responsible for the development of this course.  She received her Masters of Social Work in 1996 from the Jane Addams School of Social Work at the University of Illinois-Chicago and she has over 20 years of experience.  She has lived and worked as a social worker in Chicago, Boston, and Kansas City.  She has practiced for many years in the area of hospital/medical social work.  The reading materials for this course were developed by another organization.

Course Available Until: March 31, 2029.
Filed under: Ethics