You will submit the finalized assignment in this Module.

Social and human services assistants often work collaboratively with other helping professionals to provide wrap-around services for clients in need and to later evaluate how well the services worked for the client. Such complex tasks require that each person understands the knowledge base and scope of responsibility for each of the other professionals on the team. By "professional" we mean someone who possesses technical or advanced knowledge of a field and who complies with an agreed-upon set of ethical standards. Advanced knowledge usually means that the professional has pursued post-secondary education and has a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree. Also, many states monitor competency standards, which require that individuals pass a licensure exam to practice. Examples of such professions include nursing, medicine, law, therapy, teaching, and counseling. Other fields offer credentialing as a way of measuring competency, which may help in finding employment but is not legally required. Professionals organize themselves into groups referred to as "associations" or "organizations" that hold national and regional-level meetings so that members can present papers and research and network with one another. The association or organization also represents the political interests of the members by lobbying state and federal legislators.

To help build your competency in understanding the requirements and duties of other helping professions, you will write a well-developed, that compares and contrasts Social and Human Services Assistants with any two of the following professions: Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, School Counselors, or Psychologists. Your essay should describe and discuss responsibilities or duties, education for entry-level and advanced work, professional standards and competencies (including ethical standards, licensure, or credentialing requirements), and typical work settings. This assignment also helps you develop the ability to synthesize information from diverse sources in a consistent manner.