Advances Vol. 3, No. 2


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Editorial
James G. Daley

Iam humbled and energized as I take the reins as editor of this wonderful journal.
Advances in Social Work, now in its third year of publication, has firmly created its
place as a source of scholarly excellence in the growing volume of professional

journals. Our mission is straightforward.We strive to be both conduit and standards
setter. There are many superb scholars who conduct groundbreaking and vital theo-
retical and empirical studies. We hope to be an inviting way to get their work show-
cased to the world.We work hard to get manuscripts reviewed as quickly as possible
and get them into print. Our review process is rigorous, with some of the finest schol-
ars serving as our reviewers. We invite you to consider us for that manuscript that
deserves to be shared with the world.

Besides serving as a conduit, the journal seeks to produce issues that coalesce state-
of-the-art research and theory in a manner that pushes the field of social work to a
more in-depth consideration of important topics. In the future, we will be developing
special issues that will explore a topic inmore depth and capability than any one arti-
cle could provide.We hope to offer a thoughtful, useful issue that will serve as a valu-
able resource for the social workers and other professionals in urgent need of the lat-
est knowledge.

The profession of social work exists in an information overloading and complex
environment in which social workers must gather knowledge, analyze the best tech-
nologies, and create useful intervention strategies that produce empirically verified
outcomes that benefit our clients.We are accountable to everyone and our very sur-
vival stems from justifying our actions. Other professions are rapidly developing best
practice protocols, eroding profession-specific boundaries, and asserting claims that
they, rather than social workers, are more capable, evidence-based, and resourceful.
Fortunately, social work has a proud heritage of capability and has itself launched a
myriad of best practice initiatives. Our mission, blending client-focused skills and
effective societal advocacy, continues to be desperately needed and invaluable as a
contribution to improving our world.

This journal is an important part of that social work mission. As editor, I accept a
leadership role in supporting thatmission.This issue exemplifies that commitment to
excellence. The six articles provide you with a rich variety of thoughtful, useful infor-
mation. The topics range from training social workers to using spirituality in practice,
online socialworkpractice, contrasting rural andurbandifferences in clients, issues of
professional liability and risk, poetry therapy as a useful technique, and a more in-
depth examination of substance abuse and suicidal behavior in young adult women.
This issue should offer stimulating reading and education. It continues our effort to
give the reader a depth and breadth of information that strengthens your skills.

I hope you enjoy the issue. I look forward to the vibrant path that this journal is tak-
ing. Stick around and watch what happens. It will be exciting!