Before the 20th century, charity and philanthropy consisted mainly of donations from the affluent. These donations were distributed by church groups to the needy. No systematic methods were established to follow up on charity cases or improve the conditions of the poor in any permanent way.
After the Industrial Revolution, public opinion about the inequities of wealth began to change. In 1889, Jane Addams, the daughter of a banker, founded Hull House in Chicago, an act that is usually considered the birth of formal social work. Addams's philosophy of helping the underprivileged gain a better, more permanent standard of living inspired many others to launch similar programs in other parts of the world. After World War I, social work began to be recognized as a valid career. The Great Depression of the 1930s provided further impetus to the growth of social work, as the federal government joined with state, municipal, and private efforts to ease the pain of poverty. The social disruptions of the years following World War II contributed to further growth in social work. Today, social workers and human services workers are employed in a variety of institutional and community settings, administering help and support to the poor, the homeless, the aged, the disabled and mentally ill, substance abusers, parolees, and others having trouble with adjustments in life.
- Addiction Therapists
- Adult Day Care Coordinators
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors
- Behavioral Health Technicians
- Career and Employment Counselors
- Career and Employment Technicians
- Child Life Specialists
- Clinic Managers
- Community Health Nurses
- Community Health Program Coordinators
- Community Health Workers
- Community Nutrition Educators
- Conflict Resolution Specialists
- Contact Tracers
- Creative Arts Therapists
- Dietetic Technicians
- Directors of Volunteers
- Geriatric Care Managers
- Geriatric Nurses
- Geriatric Psychiatrists
- Geriatric Social Workers
- Grant Coordinators and Writers
- Grief Therapists
- Health Advocates
- HIV/AIDS Counselors and Case Managers
- Home Health Care Aides
- Home Health Care and Hospice Nurses
- Hospice Workers
- Music Therapists
- Neuropsychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists
- Nursing Home Administrators
- Occupational Therapists
- Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides
- Orientation and Mobility Specialists
- Personal Care Aides
- Psychologists
- Public Interest Lawyers
- Recreational Therapists
- Rehabilitation Counselors
- Sign Language and Oral Interpreters
- Social Workers
- Tutors and Trainers