Social Work IN THE NEWS!

(The first installment of an ongoing series on how social work is portrayed in the media)

A recent NYT article (August 15, 2009 - okay, not that recent) on Obama's town hall on health care, describes how, in an introductory speech designed to show how bad our system is:

Mr. Wilkes told of how he “searched frantically” for a new policy when his son neared the $1 million cap, and how a social worker suggested that he and his wife divorce, so their son might qualify for Medicaid. Eventually they found coverage, with a $6 million cap.

I am not actually sure what message this anecdote conveys about social work: do we tend to the ones to give practical, last resort advice in times of need? Or are we so callous that we will suggest without batting an eye that someone get a divorce to get benefits? Or are we simply the type of person you hope to god you won't even have to talk to, because that means you're really screwed?

I'll let you decide in the comments section...