Disrupting the Micro Pipeline in Social Work with Patrick Taylor | Revolutionary Social Work Ep. 30

Social work keeps defaulting to clinic-first. Patrick “Taylor,” LCSW, joins Alicia and Ace to unpack how education, licensure, billing, and program design funnel graduates into the micro pipeline... and what it takes to rebuild legitimate macro pathways, restore creativity, and center structural change.

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Key themes

Micro pipeline: how education, licensure, and billing narrow practice

Financial incentives versus public mission; creativity under compliance

Business/management literacy as a missing competency in MSW training

Practicum leverage and self-advocacy; confronting unpaid internship norms

Community, coalition, and long-horizon change in a corporate/remote era

Chapters:

00:00 Intro + theme song
02:00 Introduction to Revolutionary Social Work Podcast
03:15 Patrick Taylor’s background and research focus
05:49 Exploring the micro pipeline in social work
11:09 The shift from macro to micro in social work
14:55 Financial incentives and their impact on social work
19:03 Creativity constraints in practice
23:41 Challenges social workers face today
31:15 Creative approaches in therapy
33:45 Navigating stigmas in mental health
37:00 The role of education in social work
40:41 Confrontation and advocacy in practice
44:12 Why macro practice matters
47:50 Cultural influences on career choices
51:15 The problem of unpaid internships
53:43 Forging your own path in social work
01:01:47 Empowerment through change
01:04:39 Navigating education and career paths
01:07:37 Valuing experience in social work
01:11:17 Advocacy and the power of community
01:16:10 Finding hope in challenging times
01:23:44 Envisioning the future of social work

Guest bio

Patrick “Taylor,” LCSW is a macro-focused social worker and DSW candidate working to disrupt the profession’s systemic default to clinical identity. He uses research, storytelling, and strategy to elevate macro practice in education, policy, and leadership; advocates licensure reform that reflects the full scope of social work; and builds content and coalitions for future-focused practice.

LinkedIn:   / taylor-macrovision  

Article: When the Fix Reinforces the Funnel: Rethinking Macro Pathways in MSW Education —   / when-fix-reinforces-funnel-rethinking-macr...  

Below are a few links to resources Taylor mentioned during the episode:

Association for Community Organization and Social Action (ACOSA) – https://acosa.clubexpress.com/
A membership-based organization that promotes community practice, social justice, and macro social work education.

Network for Social Work Management (NSWM) – https://socialworkmanager.org/
A professional network focused on advancing social work leadership and management across sectors.

Special Commission to Advance Macro Social Work – https://macrosocialwork.org/
An initiative dedicated to strengthening and expanding macro social work education, research, and practice.

Macro Exposure & Career Direction in Social Work: Student & Early-Career Perspectives (Survey)
Purpose: To better understand how macro social work is represented, supported, and experienced in MSW programs. The study examines advising, coursework, field placement, and program culture, and how these factors shape students’ professional identity and influence access to macro career pathways.
Eligibility Criteria: Current MSW student or recent MSW graduate (within the last 5 years) from a CSWE-accredited program within the US and US territories
Link: https://usc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV...

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