Beyond the ecomap: GIS as a promising yet chronically underutilized method in social work.

Abstract

Social work has used the ecomap approach to situate individuals within their environments since the 1970’s. While a useful tool, ecomaps have limitations, including their qualitative nature and pen-and-paper technology. GIS mapping, when conceptualized as an evolution of ecomaps, can situate individuals in their environment and quantify threats and resources. Social work literature mentions the usefulness of GIS as far back as the 1990’s, however current application of mapping in the profession is still quite rare. The purpose of this brief review is to examine the current state of GIS in social work teaching and published research, explore reasons why social work has been slow to adopt this methodology, and invigorate social work’s knowledge of and interest in mapping.