Emmett Gill and his work on sport social work have been featured in the current issue of Social Work Advocates, the bimonthly magazine of the National Association of Social Workers.
Sport social workers, Gill told Social Work Advocates, can help athletes and student athletes with substance use, eating disorders, depression and anxiety. He added that the profession is much farther ahead in providing services at the collegiate level than at the pro level.
“Professional athletes are a little more reluctant [to address mental health issues], and because professional sports is much more about profit, the organizations are not as willing to bring these issues to the forefront,” he said. By contrast, he added, there is less stigma around accessing mental health services among student-athletes, and colleges are more willing to respond. Read the full article.
Gill is a clinical assistant professor at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work and director of student-athlete wellness and personal development at Texas Athletics. Gill is also president of the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports, a national organization founded in 2015. The Alliance has recently launched a sport social work certificate program.