Are you a social worker seeking adventure and professional growth? Travel Social Work Jobs offer a unique blend of both, allowing you to make a difference in diverse communities while exploring new locations. This guide will walk you through the world of travel social work, highlighting top agencies and providing essential steps to kickstart your journey.
What Exactly Are Travel Social Work Jobs?
Travel social work involves taking on temporary assignments in various locations, often to address staffing shortages or specific community needs. These roles are crucial in maintaining consistent care and support systems across different regions. Assignments typically last around 13 weeks but can be extended based on ongoing needs. Hospitals are the most common setting for travel social workers, but opportunities can also arise in schools and behavioral health centers.
One of the significant advantages of travel social work is the competitive compensation. Agencies typically offer attractive packages that include higher hourly rates, housing stipends, and travel allowances. This financial benefit, combined with the flexibility to explore new places, makes travel social work an appealing career path for many social work professionals.
Top Travel Social Work Agencies to Consider
When exploring travel social work jobs, partnering with the right agency is crucial. These agencies act as intermediaries, connecting social workers with assignments that match their skills and preferences. Here’s a curated list of popular and reputable travel social work agencies, presented in no particular order, to help you begin your search:
1. GHR Healthcare (Now Merged with Meelo)
GHR Healthcare, now merged with Meelo, is a well-established agency known for its comprehensive healthcare staffing solutions, including travel social work positions. They offer a range of assignments across different settings and are recognized for their support and resources for traveling professionals.
2. Aya Healthcare
Aya Healthcare is one of the largest travel healthcare staffing companies in the US. They have a strong presence in the travel social work sector, offering numerous assignments and utilizing technology to streamline the job search and placement process for social workers.
3. Brundage Group
The Brundage Group specializes in connecting healthcare professionals with travel and permanent positions. They have a dedicated division for social work, offering personalized service and a focus on matching social workers with assignments that align with their career goals.
4. Medovent Solutions
Medovent Solutions is a healthcare staffing agency that includes social work among its specialties. They are known for building strong relationships with healthcare facilities and providing travel social workers with diverse assignment options and support throughout their contracts.
5. AMN Healthcare (Club Staffing)
AMN Healthcare, operating under brands like Club Staffing, is a leading healthcare staffing organization. They offer a wide network of travel social work jobs nationwide and are recognized for their benefits packages and resources for traveling healthcare professionals.
6. Magellan Health
Magellan Health, while also a healthcare provider, has a staffing division that includes travel social work. They may offer unique opportunities within their network of behavioral health and healthcare facilities, potentially providing assignments with a focus on integrated care models.
7. Soliant Health
Soliant Health is particularly notable for its school-based social work assignments, alongside other healthcare settings. This agency is a good option for social workers specifically interested in educational environments or those seeking a variety of placement types.
8. Nextgen Healthcare
Nextgen Healthcare takes a modern approach to healthcare staffing, primarily using their app-based platform. Social workers interested in this agency will need to download their app to explore and apply for travel social work positions, offering a tech-forward job search experience.
9. Green Key Resources
Green Key Resources is a staffing agency that covers various sectors, including healthcare and social work. They pride themselves on their consultative approach, working closely with social workers to find assignments that match their skills and career aspirations.
10. Leidos
Leidos stands out by offering travel social work opportunities on US and international military bases through their Military and Family Life Counseling Program (MFLC). This agency provides a unique path for social workers interested in supporting military families and communities worldwide.
11. Maxim Staffing
Maxim Staffing Solutions is a national staffing agency with a division dedicated to allied health professionals, including social workers. They offer travel assignments in various healthcare settings and are known for their local office network providing personalized support.
12. Cynet Health
Cynet Health specializes in healthcare staffing and includes travel social work among its areas of expertise. They focus on building long-term relationships with both healthcare facilities and professionals, aiming to create mutually beneficial placements.
13. Seco
Seco distinguishes itself by offering international travel social work assignments, opening doors for social workers interested in global experiences. This agency is ideal for those looking to broaden their horizons and practice social work in diverse cultural contexts.
14. Marshall Healthcare
Marshall Healthcare provides staffing solutions across the healthcare spectrum, including travel social work. They emphasize understanding the needs of both the social worker and the healthcare facility to ensure successful and fulfilling assignments.
15. LRS Healthcare
LRS Healthcare is a national staffing agency that includes social work in its allied health division. They offer travel assignments with a focus on building careers for healthcare professionals, providing resources and support throughout their travel journeys.
16. ADN Healthcare
ADN Healthcare provides a range of healthcare staffing services, including travel social work jobs. They focus on creating strong partnerships with healthcare facilities and offering social workers diverse opportunities across different locations and settings.
17. TotalMed Staffing
TotalMed Staffing has a dedicated focus on placing Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) in travel assignments. They highlight opportunities for social workers seeking clinical roles and often feature positions with competitive compensation and benefits.
18. Genie Healthcare
Genie Healthcare staffs a variety of allied health positions, including social work. They aim to simplify the travel assignment process for healthcare professionals, offering support and resources to ensure a smooth and rewarding experience.
Steps to Launch Your Career in Travel Social Work
Embarking on a travel social work career requires careful planning and preparation. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process and position yourself for success:
1. Financial Readiness: Build a Safety Net
Before accepting your first travel assignment, ensure you have a financial buffer. It’s advisable to have at least 3-6 months of living expenses saved. This is crucial because while travel agencies offer reimbursements, you’ll often need to cover initial costs like airfare and lodging upfront, with reimbursement coming in your first paycheck.
Emergency savings are also vital for unexpected situations, such as assignment cancellations. Having a financial cushion provides security and peace of mind as you navigate the variable nature of travel work.
2. Gain Relevant Experience: Hone Your Skills
While travel social work is exciting, it demands a solid professional foundation. It’s widely recommended to have 1-2 years of experience in inpatient case management or a related field before traveling. Discharge case management in hospitals is a particularly common travel assignment.
This prior experience is invaluable because travel assignments often involve limited onboarding. You’ll be expected to quickly integrate into new settings and handle complex cases with confidence and expertise. While school and behavioral health assignments exist, hospital-based roles are more prevalent, making inpatient experience highly relevant.
3. Licensing Considerations: Clinical vs. Non-Clinical
Licensure requirements in travel social work can vary by assignment and location. Some positions may not require a clinical license, while others do. Having a clinical license generally increases your negotiating power and expands your job options.
Agencies may offer assistance with obtaining licensure in new states, sometimes even providing reimbursement for associated costs. Non-clinical licensed positions tend to be filled quickly, so be prepared to act fast if you are pursuing opportunities that don’t require clinical licensure.
4. Contract Acumen: Understand Agreements and Benefits
Thoroughly review and understand every aspect of your contract agreement. Pay close attention to the assignment duration, cancellation policies, renewal options, and, most importantly, your compensation and benefits package. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and negotiate terms before signing anything.
Key contract elements to consider and potentially negotiate:
- Sign-on bonuses
- Hourly rates
- Housing and meal stipends (per diems)
- Completion bonuses
- Paid time off
- Weekly gas reimbursement
- Licensure reimbursement
- Rate increases for contract extensions
Additional benefits agencies may offer:
- Retirement plans
- Paid time off/sick leave
- Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
5. Compensation Structures: Maximize Your Earnings
Travel social work compensation typically includes an hourly rate plus stipends for housing and meals/incidentals. These stipends, also known as per diems, are designed to cover living expenses while you are on assignment. You can find per diem rates for specific locations on the General Services Administration (GSA) website.
A key financial advantage of stipends is that they are non-taxed, offering a significant boost to your take-home pay. To maximize your income, aim to find lodging that costs less than your housing stipend, allowing you to pocket the difference.
6. Insurance Planning: Secure Your Coverage
Health insurance is a critical consideration for travel social workers. While some agencies offer insurance plans, coverage may be contingent on continuous contracts with the same agency. Gaps in assignments could lead to gaps in insurance coverage.
Consider these insurance options for more consistent coverage:
- Marketplace plans (Affordable Care Act)
- COBRA (continuation of previous employer’s insurance)
- Spousal insurance plans
- Private insurance plans
Choosing independent insurance can provide greater stability and prevent disruptions in coverage between assignments.
7. Housing Solutions: Finding Your Temporary Home
Travel agencies sometimes offer to arrange and pay for lodging, often in hotels. While this can simplify logistics, it usually means forgoing the housing stipend. If you prefer more control and potential cost savings, securing your own housing using the stipend is often advantageous.
Housing options for travel social workers:
- Hotels: Convenient, often no security deposit, potentially negotiable long-term rates.
- Extended stay hotels: Offer more amenities for longer stays.
- Furnished Finder: Platform specializing in furnished rentals for traveling professionals.
- Airbnb and Blueground: Popular platforms for short-term furnished rentals.
Be cautious of rental scams, especially online. Many travelers opt for a hotel for the first few days in a new location to allow time for in-person vetting of longer-term rental options.
8. Embrace the Journey: Personal and Professional Growth
Travel social work is more than just a job; it’s a lifestyle choice that offers unique personal and professional development opportunities. You’ll gain exposure to diverse work environments, patient populations, and geographical locations that can significantly broaden your skills and perspectives.
While the initial steps may seem daunting, remember that each assignment builds your experience and confidence. You’ll become more adept at navigating contracts, negotiating terms, and adapting to new settings. Even if travel social work isn’t your long-term path, the experiences and skills gained are invaluable.
Essential Resources for Aspiring Travel Social Workers
To further your research and preparation, consider these resources:
- General Services Administration (GSA): For per diem rates in different locations.
- Furnished Finder: A housing platform for traveling professionals.
- Travel Social Work Blogs and Forums: Online communities offering peer advice and insights.
- Professional Social Work Organizations: NASW and similar organizations may have resources related to travel social work.
By taking these steps and leveraging available resources, you can confidently pursue a rewarding career in travel social work, combining your passion for social work with your desire to explore the world.
If you have experience as a travel social worker, please share your tips and advice in the comments below to help aspiring travelers!
