> Like librarians

Funny you should mention librarians. It is not uncommon for any role which is titled "librarian" to require a masters of library science / information science. Example job ad: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/... *

Other roles are commonly called "Information Specialist" or assorted similar titles (example: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/...).

* Picked this library at random. I'd imagine smaller cities are a bit more flexible here, but I'd still take an even money bet that anyone who is under 45 at any library at random with the formal title of "librarian" has a masters degree.

My dad was an lcsw and it’s nothing like what you’re describing. A lot of what he did was counseling people with very serious mental health issues and trauma, often with criminal histories. He was specifically involved in helping people find careers and housing that would allow them to build a stable life. These people had such difficult backgrounds that it took counseling just to get them to that point.

I would also add that if you follow the news in the us, it certainly seems like cops need far more training for dealing with these issues.

My guess is it's liability. 99% of the policies that the department of social services has is to cover their asses when they get sued. The remaining 1% sometimes manages to help people as well.

I should note that a lot of the work for open cases goes to (lower paid) case-aids, and certain things can be delegated to volunteers (e.g. I've provided transportation to school for kids who were placed in a foster house outside their school district).

Do people working for DSS/CWS with the job title "Social Worker" typically need to be a LCSW? I didn't think they did, and that's what I was talking about when I said "Social Worker."