2022 Annual report

WE ARE Psychodynamic professionals and practicing clinicians who are nationally recognized as leaders in the field.

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

COMMITTED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE

Founded in 1981

The insTiTuTe For CliniCal soCial Work (iCsW) Was sTarTed by a small group oF visionary soCial Workers From leading ChiCago-area insTiTuTions. The Founders Were aWare ThaT mosT doCToral programs in soCial Work FoCused on poliCy, adminisTraTion, and researCh, WiTh liTTle preparaTion For CliniCal Work.

iCsW’s Founders undersTood Why: These programs resided WiThin universiTies, Where They Were pulled in mulTiple direCTions by The needs oF The larger insTiTuTion, iTs CompeTing deparTmenTs, and iTs dependenCe on granT-Winning researCh.

iCsW is proud To be The only independenT, aCCrediTed CliniCal soCial Work ph.d. program in The uniTed sTaTes.

iT boasTs 130 Full- and parT-Time sTudenTs and 60 FaCulTy.

iCsW remains independenT and is Fully aCCrediTed by The higher learning Commission. iT is reCognized aCross The naTion For iTs ouTsTanding FaCulTy oF sCholar-praCTiTioners, dediCaTion To sTudenTs, and ConTribuTions To The Field oF psyChodynamiC eduCaTion.

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Institute for Clinical Social Work, an institution of higher education, is to prepare scholars and practitioners to advance the knowledge and quality of practice in the fields of clinical social work and counseling and to serve diverse communities through professional and academic contributions.

In keeping with our roots in social work and our commitment to social justice, we develop psychodynamically informed professionals who recognize and celebrate diversity, practice compassionately, and have the knowledge and skills to empower people to lead meaningful lives.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear Friends & Supporters:

I’m excited to present you with the 2022 Annual Report for the Institute for Clinical Social Work. This past year was filled with excitement as well as challenges. The state of the Institute for Clinical Social Work has been shaped by what is happening nationally in the areas of mental health as well as in higher education. In the area of mental health, an increase in attention to personal well-being, support for trauma-informed practice, and commitments to increasing the numbers of mental health care providers made national headlines. While in higher education, institutions across the country experienced enrollment challenges due to changes in personal priorities, economic challenges, and ongoing political debates about the value of higher education. Despite the somewhat tepid educational environment, we excitedly welcomed, in-person, a geographically diverse cohort of students from eleven different states including: California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

Amongst this year’s cohort included scholarship recipients like Andrew Petersen who has worked in the foster care system and is committed to increasing access to quality mental health therapy in rural New York. Additionally, Xochitl Ramirez, a first-generation Chicagoan whose family is from El Salvador received the Presidential Scholarship. While we have not been immune to the societal challenges facing higher education institutions, it is because of your generous contributions that we are able to continue advancing our mission as a leader in psychodynamic graduate education. I am incredibly proud of the work and commitment of our board of trustees, faculty, staff, and alumni, and I consider it a privilege to work in partnership with our community in advancing the mission of psychodynamic graduate education. I hope that you enjoy the highlights included in this report for our 2021-2022 Fiscal Year.

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

is a first-generation Chicagoan, whose family is from El Salvador. Xochitl’s goal is to work within underserved communities to make mental health services accessible to everyone.

The Founders’ Panel reflected upon social work graduate education in the late 1970s, recruiting founding members, licensure issues in the 1970s and 1980s, the quantitative vs qualitative debate, and the logistics of starting a PhD program.

The Alumi Panel

The Alumni Panel focused on what brought them to ICSW, memorable experiences while they were students, and how ICSW has impacted their lives professionally and personally.