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Consumer affairs

FGCU expert warns of critical social worker shortage in Florida

WGCU

Published March 31, 2026 at 12:48 PM EDT

A growing crisis is affecting the country and the state: a significant lack of social workers. Experts say high burnout and retirement rates are contributing to the shortage, which has been exacerbated by increasing demand for professionals in the field. Florida Gulf Coast University Associate Dean Tom Felke discusses the critical need for social workers and the challenges facing the undergraduate program.

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