{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T14:00:38Z","timestamp":1789999238853,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787184000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/pages\/standard-publication-reuse-rights"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Rural social workers often serve in complex, resource-limited environments that demand a broad range of competencies. This study explored how practitioners in Ohio assess their preparedness to apply essential generalist and advanced practice skills by identifying gaps between perceived importance and confidence, termed \u201cpractice needs.\u201d A statewide online survey of licensed social workers (N = 155) was conducted using disproportionate stratified sampling to ensure representation of rural practitioners. Respondents rated 20 core practice skills and provided demographic and work environment data. The most significant practice needs were found in cultural competence, knowledge of community resources, maintaining work\u2013life balance, engaging in research-informed practice, and trauma treatment. These gaps suggest areas where rural practitioners feel underprepared despite recognizing the importance of these skills. Regression analyses indicated that full-time employment and hybrid work arrangements were associated with higher practice needs, pointing to the influence of workload and modality complexity. The findings emphasize the need for targeted professional development that integrates both foundational and specialized competencies. Enhancing education, supervision, and workforce support can improve practitioner confidence and service delivery in underserved rural areas. This study contributes to broader efforts to strengthen rural social work through competency-based training and workforce resilience.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1093\/sw\/swag043","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T11:42:21Z","timestamp":1784029341000},"page":"375-383","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Identifying Practice Needs among Rural Social Workers: Gaps between Perceived Importance and Confidence"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"71","author":[{"given":"Mingun","family":"Lee","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Work, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University Mingun Lee, PhD, is professor, , Morton Hall 557, 24 Race Street, Athens, OH 45701, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aaron","family":"Park","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Work, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University Aaron Park, PhD, is assistant professor, , Athens, OH, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026092109065158200_swag043-B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"94","DOI":"10.1080\/13691457.2019.1656171","article-title":"Coping with stressful situations in social work before and after reduced working hours, a mixed-methods study","volume":"24","author":"Barck-Holst","year":"2021","journal-title":"European Journal of Social Work"},{"key":"2026092109065158200_swag043-B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"681","DOI":"10.1177\/0020872820940010","article-title":"Preliminary lessons learned from facilitating group work for justice-involved women in rural communities: A case study in an Alabama correctional facility in the era of COVID-19","volume":"63","author":"Beech","year":"2020","journal-title":"International Social Work"},{"issue":"1","key":"2026092109065158200_swag043-B3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.61611\/2165-4611.1148","article-title":"Rural social work: Recruitment, job satisfaction, burnout, and turnover","volume":"9","author":"Brown","year":"2017","journal-title":"Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal"},{"key":"2026092109065158200_swag043-B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.31265\/jcsw.v7i1.82","article-title":"Multiple relationships: Maintaining professional identity in rural social work practice","volume":"7","author":"Brownlee","year":"2012","journal-title":"Journal of Comparative Social Work"},{"key":"2026092109065158200_swag043-B5","first-page":"1","article-title":"Rural social work practice: Trauma-focused interventions social workers use","volume":"9","author":"Carbajal","year":"2023","journal-title":"Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice"},{"key":"2026092109065158200_swag043-B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2018.304787","article-title":"Growth and persistence of place-based mortality in the United States: The rural mortality penalty","volume":"109","author":"Cosby","year":"2019","journal-title":"American Journal of Public Health"},{"key":"2026092109065158200_swag043-B7","author":"Council on Social Work Education","year":"2022"},{"key":"2026092109065158200_swag043-B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3200","DOI":"10.1093\/bjsw\/bcad080","article-title":"Hybrid working: Is it working . . . and at what cost? 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