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The Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) Curricular Guide Series serves as a supplemental guide for programs and educators on relevant topics in social work. Each resource is produced by a task force of national content experts. Users can select from and access the suggested resources for each of the nine social work competencies. Resources include full descriptions of in-class exercises and assignments.
Individuals may download PDF versions of the EPAS curricular guides. Printed guides are also available for purchase. Visit the CSWE Press online bookstore, email [email protected], or call 877-751-5053 to order a copy.
2022 EPAS Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Substance Use Social Work Practice
In 2020, CSWE released the Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Substance Use Social Work Practice part of the 2015 EPAS Curricular Guide Resource Series. Now, CSWE is updating the Guide to reflect 2022 EPAS competencies and evolving practice landscapes. CSWE acknowledges the generous support of ORN in the update of this curricular guide.
The 2022 EPAS Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Substance Use Social Work Practice is intended to equip social work educators and practitioners prepare future professionals for practice in substance use with individuals, families, communities, organizations, and groups. The work highlights the dynamic and various settings, roles, and practice areas where an understanding of substance use is key.
Project Timeline
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Mid March, 2026 - Selected Taskforce members will be notified by CSWE staff of inclusion in the workgroup via email.
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March 26, 2026 from 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET - Orientation meeting to introduce steering committee and taskforce members: framework for curricular guide is discussed, timeline set, deliverables identified, competency work groups meet each other. Chairs and workgroup members required.
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March 27, 2026 from 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET - Orientation meeting for competency workgroup chairs. Chairs only.
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Late March - Mid-June, 2026 - Competency workgroups meet virtually to contribute ideas and develop draft competency descriptions. Work groups develop/provide curricular resources aligned with each competency, aligning to dimensions of competence (i.e., knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes).
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Early July, 2026 - Project Lead submit draft competency descriptions to CSWE
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Mid July, 2026 - CSWE reviews and provides revisions, feedback
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Mid-end July, 2026 - Workgroups final revision of competency descriptions and resources
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End July, 2026 - Final version of guide submitted to CSWE
Funding for this initiative was made possible, in part, by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI088037 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Disaster Relief Social Work, Volume 1
The Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Disaster Relief Social Work is presented in two volumes to support educators in aligning disaster relief practice competencies with the 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards.
- Volume 1 covers Competencies 1 through 5, focusing on skills such as professional and ethical behavior, research, policy practice, and other areas of practice in disaster contexts.
- Volume 2 covers with Competencies 6 through 9, addressing engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation, and a 10th competency around self-care and compassion in disaster relief practice.
Together, these volumes offer a comprehensive framework for preparing social workers to practice effectively and ethically in disaster settings, emphasizing both immediate response and long-term recovery.
CSWE recruited experts in the field of disaster relief social work to develop the 2022 EPAS Specialized Practice Curricular Guide on Disaster Relief Social Work. Individuals may download the 2022 EPAS Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Disaster Relief Social Work, Volume 1.
As climate change, natural disasters, and public health crises grow in frequency and impact, social workers are increasingly called upon to respond to complex emergencies. The specialized curriculum guide in disaster relief social work provides resources to social work programs that can ensure students are equipped with the skills, knowledge, values, and cognitive and affect processes needed to serve communities before, during, and after disaster events.
Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Disaster Relief Social Work, Volume 2
Volume 2 of this Curricular guide was generously funded by the Administration for Children and Families, CSWE recruited experts in the field of disaster relief social work to develop the 2022 EPAS Specialized Practice Curricular Guide on Disaster Relief Social Work. Individuals may download the 2022 EPAS Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Disaster Relief Social Work, Volume 2.
As climate change, natural disasters, and public health crises grow in frequency and impact, social workers are increasingly called upon to respond to complex emergencies. The specialized curriculum guide in disaster relief social work provides resources to social work programs that can ensure students are equipped with the skills, knowledge, values, and cognitive and affect processes needed to serve communities before, during, and after disaster events.
Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Military and Veteran Social Work
This is the first specialized curricular guide for the 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standard (EPAS) competencies. In 2018, CSWE published a curricular guide to reflect the 2015 EPAS and a deeper understanding as a profession and a nation, that systems were unprepared to support the complex consequences of war and reconstruction efforts. The 2022 EPAS Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Military and Veteran Social Work is the next edition, seeking to impart the knowledge built from research, practice, and advocacy, to inform competencies for social work students, educators, and practitioners engaging in military and veteran social work. This text details the significant contributions of social workers to the development of interventions, programs, and policies that support veterans, service members, military families, and those who have been affected by war.
Individuals may download free a PDF version of the 2022 Military and Veteran Social Work EPAS curricular guide.
Recently, CSWE’s Vice President of Education, Dr. Megan Fujita, and project lead of the guide Dr. Stephanie Felder, Traumatic Brain Injury Special Projects Lead and CAPT United States Public Health Service, discussed the current state of military and social work practice, while outlining the most pivotal updates in this guide. Watch the full conversation here.
2022 EPAS Curricular Guides In Production
Specialized Curricular Guide on Service User Involvement in Social Work Education
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is excited to announce the new Specialized Curricular Guide on Service User Involvement in Social Work Education. This specialized curricular guide will present a unique opportunity for volunteers to expand their professional horizons.The term ‘Service User’ that will be used in this Guide refers to those individuals with lived experiential knowledge of social work, including having received services or support from a social worker, who will contribute to the educational experience of social work students based on this lived experience of social work.
The guide will serve as a supplemental resource for accredited social work programs and educators on planning and implementing service user involvement across the nine social work competencies adopted in the 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). The guide will be produced by a task force of national content experts. CSWE invite you to participate as a member of a international task force. Task force participants may include: CSWE members, social work professionals and/or interdisciplinary professionals.
By participating on this task force, you will be a part of an international effort to increase competence and expertise related to delivering a service user involved focus on social work education, field practicum, and social work. Your energy, expertise, and commitment will be central to extending and enhancing the nine social work competencies.
Applications for the Curricular Guide on Service User Involvement are now closed. This guide is anticipated to be released in summer 2026.
Revised Macro Specialization Curricular Guide
CSWE and the Special Commission to Advance Macro Social Work are pleased to announce our partnership to produce the second Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Macro Social Work Practice.
Based on the 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS), the forthcoming curricular guide will be updated and revised by fall 2025. As with the first curricular guide, this publication reflects the collaboration of the Special Commission with the Association for Community Organization and Social Action, the Network for Social Work Management, and Influencing Social Policy.
With this revision, we hope to again provide a highly informative, timely, and innovative publication to assist in building a robust macro curriculum balanced with micro/clinical content. This edition should be particularly important to MSW programs with an advanced generalist curriculum while also being useful for BSW programs.