<p>This clear and accessible guide-written by social workers for social workers-- describes the most current developments in neuroscience and their practical applications for social work in education, health, mental health, and criminal justice settings. The contributions of social work experts in these key areas of practice make this vast and ever-expanding body of neuroscience knowledge easily understandable, with a particular focus on the impact of the environment on neural mechanisms and human life course trajectories. The text reflects research that has crucial implications for social workers across a variety of practice settings. This includes research indicating that:</p><p><ul><li>psychosocial interventions, especially CBT, may increase brain functioning in certain populations, thereby underscoring CBT as an important modality for social workers to use with clients.<li>early childhood abuse and neglect may significantly impact brain development and intellectual capacity, knowledge that is critical for child welfare and school social workers.<li>neural patterns that may trigger drug-seeking behavior are known to exist; such information can be used by addiction professionals to prevent relapse.</ul></p><p>It is the only text to facilitate the development of application skills at micro, mezzo, and macro levels in regard to individuals, families, and communities. The text is also unique in its organization around specific practice settings. Each chapter includes an overview of the latest scientific research pertaining to the topic, discusses its implications for assessment, prevention, and intervention, policy implications, research implications, ethical/legal issues, and a real-world case study. Also included is an instructor's manual providing suggested group activities, resources, PowerPoint slides, further readings, and additional case examples.</p><b>Key Features:</b><p><ul><li>Describes the latest applications of neuroscience across social work settings in education, health, mental health, and criminal justice<li>Written for ease of understanding by social workers for social workers<li>Draws clear practical implications in each chapter<li>Facilitates the development of application skills at micro, mezzo, and macro levels<li>Includes the contributions of noted social work researchers, faculty, and practitioners</ul></p>