Cal State Locations

[CartersMommy]

CA4Now- Ok, besides your first recommendation of staying in Las Vegas, would you recommend any other adjacent states?

What type of agency do you work for? I am also considering Oregon, Colorado and Arizona.

bigdumbgod- What do you think of CA4Now's assessment that the social services field in not in high demand in California?

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by CartersMommy

CA4Now- Ok, besides your first recommendation of staying in Las Vegas, would you recommend any other adjacent states? What type of agency do you work for? I am also considering Oregon, Colorado and Arizona.

Our company contracts with private agencies for social workers and mental health therapists, so state budget cuts have less of an impact there than with state agencies or those whose operating budget is determined by state funds (e.g. my brother's company). I don't know about OR, CO, AZ* but you could check on those state forums. CA's unemployment rate is one of the highest in the country right now. Gov Brown's final budget will determine what future cuts to the social services field will be; they have already greatly impacted the fields of education and medical services.

*I just looked up info from the Bureau of Labor Statistics; apparently CO and AZ have much lower unemployment rates in general than CA and NV. http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by CartersMommy

bigdumbgod- What do you think of CA4Now's assessment that the social services field in not in high demand in California?

With more general unemployment, there occurs a greater demand for social services. Our agency is moving to bigger digs because we've outgrown our office space. We can't expand fast enough.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

With more general unemployment, there occurs a greater demand for social services. Our agency is moving to bigger digs because we've outgrown our office space. We can't expand fast enough.

You must be a private agency or be utilizing federal funds. And just because there's greater demand for something doesn't mean that need will be served, especially if its with state funds.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

You must be a private agency or be utilizing federal funds. And just because there's greater demand for something doesn't mean that need will be served, especially if its with state funds.

We're state-funded, mostly through Dept. of Rehabilitation. Where there's increased demand for services, we do everything possible to meet that demand. It's a non-profit thing.

[nurserosie]

As with any job or education. I would apply first. And once accepted decide where to live

Many of our state schools are impacted. Ie no spaces available in the majors you want

So. First apply. Then decide where to live

Good luck

[topospace]

As someone who teaches at one of the CSU's in the LA area, I'd say you'd be much better off somewhere else. The budget cuts have hit all of the CSU's hard and the class sizes have increased tremendously. Also, the admission standards are a joke. The quality of the students here is horrible and most of the classes have to be dumbed down so half the students don't fail. It really does impact the quality of the education one can get. On a positive note, the in-state tuition is among the cheapest you'll find for a public university.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally Posted by CartersMommy

I am applying to UNLV and to a few other states in the Western part of the US, but I do not want to live in Las Vegas anymore. I hate it here. My husband is in finance so we need to live in a larger city and I am not very fond of small places.

I was also considering Sacramento but I have never been there I would need to visit there before I applied.

CA4NOW- If they are cutting so many social work jobs in CA, why are they offering stipends to pay for school if you work for a state agency? Doesn't that imply that they need more workers? Honest question.

I know that DCFS offers those kinds of stipends but you have to do either Children's Protective Services or Foster care, which are meat grinder jobs.

One thing to consider is that licensing for social workers is very involved and requires a ton of hours in supervision and an exam (not to mention very specific classes in your MSW program). A lot of the higher paying jobs (relatively speaking) in social work in California will require you to be licensed.

[TurcoLoco]

CSULB is one of the cheapest in the country and the area around it is fairly safe and nice.
Also, your budget of $1500-$1600 for a 2 bedroom place, you should have no trouble finding a decent place within a 5 miles radius of the school.
You might want to take a year off or work somewhere for a year to avoid out-of-state tuition.