The social work profession is rapidly evolving, driven by the growth of online mental health services, renewed attention to its history, and an expanding role in policy advocacy, particularly for marginalized communities. A new book explores these shifts and their implications for school social work practice.
Saras Chung, a research associate professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, co-authored a chapter in “Emerging Trends in School Social Work Practice: Responding to Rapid Change in Educational Ecosystems,” published by Oxford University Press. Chung contributed Chapter 13, “Public School Districts as Policy Battlegrounds.”
Her chapter explores the ethical and practical challenges school social workers face under restrictive school policies. It offers guidance on advocacy, maintaining ethical standards, and creating healing-centered environments for students and families.
The book highlights 13 trends shaping school social work today, including technology-supported interventions, online mental health services, and strategies to support historically marginalized populations.
The book’s release is particularly timely, as public school districts are increasingly at the center of policy debates. In 2025 alone, 124 anti-transgender laws were enacted nationwide, many directly affecting K-12 schools, alongside executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and compromising student safety by allowing ICE raids in schools.
Chung directs the Social System Design Lab (SSDL) at the Brown School and is a social systems scientist with more than two decades of experience as a youth development practitioner. Her scholarship focuses on the designing policies and practices that promote well-being for adolescents in under-resourced communities.