What is Human Services?  

Human Services is a vocational field addressing the needs of many types of people. Usually provided by government agencies and nonprofit organizations, human services includes short-term assistance, advocacy for groups and individuals, on-going support, and empowerment initiatives. For a more comprehensive explanation of human services, go to http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/%5Btitle%5D-15.

People working in the field of human services often specialize in substance abuse and mental health, minority rights, family and children's services, aging issues, marital counseling, youth programs, domestic violence, criminal justice, preventive medicine, safe and accessible housing, health care administration, community empowerment initiatives, and management of nonprofit agencies. 

United Way Atlanta's 211 database provides a overview of the variety of needs addressed by the nonprofit human service sector.  For links to organizations and their services, explore the Category list at http://211online.unitedwayatlanta.org/.

In addition to nonprofit organizations, federal, state, county, and city governments provide human services. Examples on the national level include the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Justice. Best known on the state level is the Department of Human Resources (DHR), although a large number of other state agencies address human service issues through state-wide programs. In Clayton County, many offices offer programs--including child protective services, mental health and addiction initiatives, the extension service, and senior services. Larger cities such as Atlanta address many human service issues through coalitions and branches of government such as the Atlanta Housing Authority.

Vocational Requirements

Human service workers typically have at least two years of college. Many entry-level positions, such as DFACS workers, require a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Professional and administrative positions often (but not always) require a master's degree or the equivalent in work experience. Bilingual staff are especially sought after, especially for positions with high levels of client contact. To review the requirements of many current job openings in the nonprofit sector, check out http://www.idealist.org and http://www.opportunitynocs.org. One website focused on the variety of careers in human services is http://www.hscareers.com/

National Organization for Human Services (NOHS)

During the 1970s, educators and practitioners in the field of human services joined together to create a national organization designed to improve communication and address issues relevant to the field. Since then, the National Organization for Human Services has become a community of dedicated professionals sharing their experience and developing innovative strategies for better serving people in a wide variety of settings.  The organization also sets standards and certification requirements for human service workers (e.g., http://www.nationalhumanservicehttp://www.nationalhumanservices.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=89926&orgId=nohs)

NOHS sponsors Human Service Education, the main professional journal for the field of human services, and a quarterly newsletter called The Link.  The Link is free and available in online format. The journal describes the latest research in the field and publishes peer-reviewed articles relevant to human services as a whole. Students are encouraged to join and participate. Annual student dues for national affiliation are $35.