Social Workers in Florida

Tampa (1152)Miami (978)Jacksonville (558)Orlando (497)Gainesville (360)
West Palm Beach (325)Fort Lauderdale (318)Sarasota (253)Tallahassee (243)Fort Myers (229)Pensacola (194)Winter Park (187)Boca Raton (184)Riviera Beach (167)Panama City (139)Saint Petersburg (130)Doral (122)Clearwater (117)Coral Gables (117)Fort Pierce (116)Bay Pines (110)Hollywood (107)Melbourne (104)Naples (103)Daytona Beach (102)Pinellas Park (100)Hialeah (100)Maitland (94)Kissimmee (89)Homestead (89)Stuart (80)Lakeland (78)Delray Beach (76)Bradenton (76)New Port Richey (76)St Petersburg (70)Lake City (69)Port Saint Lucie (64)Brandon (63)Pompano Beach (63)Plantation (61)Palmetto Bay (61)Ocala (56)Altamonte Springs (56)Pembroke Pines (52)Wilton Manors (52)Saint Augustine (49)Coral Springs (48)Cape Coral (47)Largo (46)Ft Lauderdale (46)Boynton Beach (46)Viera (43)Vero Beach (42)Wellington (42)Palm Beach Gardens (40)Rockledge (40)Tamarac (40)Palm City (39)Bartow (39)Sunrise (38)Port St Lucie (34)Greenacres (33)Key West (33)Leesburg (33)Lake Worth (32)Sanford (32)South Miami (32)Winter Haven (31)Davie (31)Cocoa (31)Cutler Bay (30)Miami Gardens (30)Port Richey (29)Venice (29)Jupiter (29)Palm Springs (27)Wesley Chapel (27)Deerfield Beach (27)Port Charlotte (26)Fort Walton Beach (26)Deland (26)North Miami (26)Orange Park (25)Oakland Park (25)Lauderdale Lakes (24)Brooksville (24)North Palm Beach (24)Palm Bay (23)Aventura (23)Clermont (23)Miami Beach (23)St Augustine (22)Lutz (22)Lake Mary (22)Punta Gorda (22)North Miami Beach (21)Spring Hill (21)Arcadia (21)Eglin AFB (20)Deltona (20)Lauderhill (20)Jacksonville Beach (18)Hurlburt Field (18)Miramar (17)Longwood (17)Virginia Gardens (17)Palm Harbor (17)Crestview (16)Oviedo (16)North Fort Myers (16)Weston (16)Tavares (15)Saint Cloud (15)Bristol (15)Miami Springs (14)The Villages (13)Niceville (13)Port Orange (13)Miami Lakes (13)South Daytona (13)Lecanto (13)Ormond Beach (13)Winter Garden (13)Tarpon Springs (12)Fernandina Beach (12)Jensen Beach (12)Palm Coast (12)Marianna (12)Mangonia Park (11)Defuniak Springs (11)Lakewood Ranch (11)Crystal River (11)Sebring (11)Royal Palm Beach (11)Safety Harbor (11)Parrish (10)Lady Lake (10)Orange City (9)Crawfordville (9)Apopka (9)Indiantown (9)Palatka (9)Longboat Key (9)Sweetwater (9)Sun City Center (8)Fern Park (8)Navarre (8)Riverview (8)Coconut Creek (8)Bonita Springs (8)Winter Springs (8)Panama City Beach (7)Fleming Island (7)Inverness (7)Satellite Beach (7)Sebastian (7)Milton (7)Middleburg (7)Eustis (7)Gulf Breeze (7)Englewood (7)Land O Lakes (7)Live Oak (7)Margate (7)Merritt Island (7)Yulee (7)New Smyrna Beach (7)Ponte Vedra Beach (7)Bunnell (6)Lantana (6)Seminole (6)Titusville (6)Patrick AFB (6)Wildwood (6)North Port (6)Key Largo (6)Port St Joe (5)Immokalee (5)Sumterville (5)Casselberry (5)Destin (5)Quincy (5)Mary Esther (5)Hialeah Gardens (5)Dade City (5)Trenton (5)Perry (5)Palm Beach (5)Opa Locka (5)Hobe Sound (4)Ocoee (4)Indian Harbour Beach (4)Avon Park (4)Okeechobee (4)Minneola (4)South Pasadena (4)Mount Dora (4)Plant City (4)Temple Terrace (4)Coconut Grove (4)Dunedin (4)Blountstown (4)Zephyrhills (4)Tyndall AFB (3)Crescent City (3)Dania Beach (3)Eglin (3)Estero (3)Santa Rosa Beach (3)Hallandale Beach (3)West Melbourne (3)Juno Beach (3)Valrico (3)Kenneth City (3)Lake Park (3)Belleair (3)Lehigh Acres (3)Belle Glade (3)Osprey (3)Marathon (3)Miami Shores (3)West Park (3)

Learn more about Social Workers

A social worker specializes in helping individuals, couples, families and groups tackle many kinds of problems and situations. Social workers work within the context of a person’s environment and life situation. They help people cope with and overcome the challenges of psychological problems, serious illnesses, social and economic problems, life crises and transitions, and difficulties in school, work and relationships. 

There are two general types of social workers, direct-service social workers and clinical social workers. Clinical social workers are healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. A clinical social worker is also known as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).

In contrast, direct-service social workers do not diagnose or treat disorders, but work to help people with an illness or otherwise difficult situation cope and achieve their goals. Direct-service social workers identify a client’s needs, strengths, goals and challenges; make plans to help a client improve coping skills and quality of life; and follow up with clients to assess their progress and the effectiveness of plans. A direct-service social worker may be known as a licensed social worker (LSW) in states that require licensure.

The practice of a social worker varies depending on if he or she is a direct-service social worker or a clinical social worker, his or her education and specialty, and the type of setting and client. In general, a social worker may:

  • Assess a client’s needs, challenges, support systems, and resources

  • Identify or diagnose mental and emotional disorders and life challenges. A LCSW diagnoses and treats mental, emotional and behavioral disorders with therapy.

  • Develop treatment or action plans to help clients, and re-evaluate and modify plans as needed

  • Help a client access needed resources and organizations

  • Advocate for a client

  • Provide individual, group, family, and couples or marriage counseling

  • Teach and support strategies for behavior changes, coping skills, and therapeutic techniques, such as breathing techniques and the use of visual imagery

  • Collaborate, refer and consult with other professionals, such as psychiatrists, teachers and psychologists

  • Maintain strict patient confidentiality, unless patients are at risk of hurting themselves or others or the provider has a legal obligation to share information

  • Commit patients involuntarily in emergency situations

Social workers may also be known by the following names: direct-service social worker, licensed social worker (LSW), clinical social worker, licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), child social worker, therapist, or counselor.

There are 11019 specialists practicing Social Work in Florida with an overall average rating of 4.1 stars. There are 34 hospitals in Florida with affiliated Social Work specialists, including Bayfront Health Saint Petersburg, Boca Raton Regional Hospital and Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital.