Right to an Adequate Standard of Living: Social Work and Mental Health in a COVID-19 Era

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic may have strengthened social work students’ awareness regarding the mandates of the profession. Specifically, students’ unique lived experiences with COVID-19 highlighted the responsibility that the social work profession has in upholding fundamental human rights for our students. A secondary analysis of data collected via a field education survey for undergraduate and graduate social work students (N=234) was used to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted students’ educational experience. Results indicate that to ensure the right to an adequate standard of living, the social work profession in a COVID-19 era must broker and advocate for mental health resources. Implications for social work education are discussed.