When disaster strikes—whether it's a hurricane, pandemic, mass shooting, or community crisis—people need help. Social workers don't get to clock out just because the situation is chaotic, dangerous, or outside their usual job description. Section 6.03 of the NASW Code of Ethics makes it clear: when the community is in crisis, social workers step up.
Here's the official standard--short and to the point:
6.03 Public Emergencies
Social workers should provide appropriate professional services in public emergencies to the greatest extent possible.
This standard acknowledges that emergencies don't respect normal boundaries. Your usual caseload, your typical work hours, your comfort zone—all of that becomes secondary when people desperately need help. But notice the key words: "appropriate professional services" and "to the greatest extent possible." You're not expected to be a superhero, but you are expected to contribute your professional skills when the community needs them.
The COVID-19 pandemic gave us a real-world crash course in what this looks like. Social workers adapted to telehealth overnight, provided crisis counseling to overwhelmed healthcare workers, helped families navigate school closures, and supported people through isolation and loss—often while managing their own safety and family concerns.
You'll need to adapt your existing skills to whatever the emergency demands. Your clinical background might become crisis counseling in a shelter. Case management experience translates to coordinating disaster relief. Group work skills help organize mutual aid efforts.
Work within your competence, but stretch when needed. You can't suddenly become a trauma specialist overnight, but you can provide psychological first aid, connect people to resources, and offer the support skills you already have.
Emergencies require teamwork with first responders, medical professionals, government agencies, and community organizations. Your job is to bring social work values and skills to these collaborative efforts.
Focus on the most vulnerable. Some people get hit harder than others in any crisis. Social workers should prioritize those who lack resources, support systems, or the ability to advocate for themselves.
You can't help anyone if you become a casualty yourself. The standard says "to the greatest extent possible"—which means making reasonable judgments about what you can actually do safely and effectively.
Emergency services look different from regular practice. An ASWB question might present a social worker worried about providing services outside their usual specialty during a crisis. The ethical response recognizes that emergencies require flexibility while maintaining professional standards.
Documentation and consent may be modified. You might see a question about shortened intake processes or verbal consent during emergencies. The best answers balance efficiency with professional requirements, understanding that some modifications may be necessary.
Personal boundaries get more complex when you're dealing with a crisis that's affecting your own family too. Expect questions about social workers managing dual roles as both responders and community members. The ethical response involves honest assessment of your capacity.
Resource allocation becomes critical during disasters. A question might involve difficult decisions about distributing limited resources. The correct answers typically prioritize the most vulnerable while following fair and transparent processes.
Recovery is part of emergency response—questions may test whether you understand that communities need ongoing support to rebuild and heal, not just immediate crisis intervention.
Professional development continues, even in emergencies. You could see scenarios about social workers who need to quickly develop new skills for emergency response. The ethical response involves seeking appropriate training and supervision rather than winging it completely.
Here's a practice question based upon this material:
During a major flood, a hospital social worker is asked to provide crisis counseling to displaced families at an emergency shelter, even though her usual role involves discharge planning for elderly patients. She has basic counseling skills but no specific training in disaster mental health. What should she do?
A. Decline the request since disaster counseling is outside her area of expertise.
B. Agree to help but only provide information and referrals to avoid practicing outside her competence.
C. Accept the assignment and provide basic crisis support while seeking consultation and guidance.
D. Volunteer for the assignment only if she can receive specialized training first.
Narrowing down: A ignores the obligation to help during emergencies. B is overly restrictive given her existing counseling skills. D delays help that's needed immediately. The correct answer is C.
Why? Section 6.03 calls for social workers to provide appropriate professional services during emergencies "to the greatest extent possible." This means using existing skills while seeking support to ensure competent practice. She has basic counseling skills that can be adapted for crisis work, and seeking consultation allows her to expand her competence responsibly.
This standard can feel overwhelming, especially for social workers in specialized roles who worry about being called to help outside their expertise. But remember: you're not expected to do everything—just to contribute what you can when your community needs it.
Individual level: Adapting your therapeutic skills for crisis counseling, helping neighbors navigate disaster relief resources, volunteering your professional skills with relief organizations.
Organizational level: Helping your agency develop emergency response protocols, cross-training with colleagues in different specialties, participating in community disaster planning.
Community level: Joining local emergency response networks, advocating for inclusion of mental health services in disaster planning, helping organize community resilience efforts.
Systems level: Supporting policies that improve emergency preparedness, advocating for adequate funding of disaster mental health services, working to address systemic vulnerabilities that make emergencies worse.
Section 6.03 recognizes that social workers have something valuable to offer when communities are in crisis—even if it's not exactly what we do on a normal Tuesday. The exam will test whether you understand that professional responsibility extends beyond your usual job description when people desperately need help. It's about stepping up while staying smart, contributing your skills while recognizing your limits.
Ready to practice more scenarios? SWTP's practice exams include questions that test your understanding of how professional ethics and other skills apply in unusual and challenging situations.
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Right now, get SWTP's online practice exams at a reduced price. Just $39. Get additional savings when buying more than one exam at a time-- less than $30 per exam!
Keep going till you pass. Extensions are free.
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