Abstract
The purpose of this research is to examination the burnout tendencies of mental health social workers in an organizational setting. Specifically, looking at: What are the tendencies of burnout in mental health social workers in a nonprofit organizational setting and what are their interpretations of burnout? This research provides further insight into the actual numbers of mental health social workers experiencing burnout in a local organizational setting, and provides information around what these social workers identify as burnout and what they believe are the main causes.
Social workers in mental health and other professions are experiencing burnout at an alarming rate, and it is directly affecting the financial wellbeing of the organizations they work in and their clients. We know that this has been an issue for some time, but have yet to define what needs to be fixed in order to address it. By discovering the level of burnout in a local nonprofit mental health organization, social workers are able to compare data from other areas and professions and see exactly how this has impacted our profession. Data from professionals indicating what they think contributes to burnout is also needed to develop an action plan to address the emotional and financially costs.