Specific Pioneering Contributions
Dr. Barsky stands as a visionary leader and trailblazer in social work education, conflict resolution, and ethics, whose innovative work has profoundly shaped and enriched the profession. As a steadfast champion for social justice, he has relentlessly advanced equality and inclusion for LGBTQ+ individuals and other marginalized communities, making a tangible difference throughout his career. Dr. Barsky's groundbreaking efforts have left an indelible mark on the field. Beyond his formidable scholarship, he has dedicated over 25 years of service and leadership to NASW and other prominent social work organizations, offering his expertise in countless impactful ways.
Among his many notable contributions, Dr. Barsky served on the NASW National Ethics Committee from 2006 to 2017, including a distinguished tenure as Chair from 2015 to 2017. He also led the NASW Code of Ethics Review Committee (2016–2017), spearheading changes that shaped the pivotal 2017 revisions to the Code. Demonstrating forward-thinking leadership, he collaborated with the NASW, CSWE, Association of Social Work Boards, and Clinical Social Work Association to develop essential regulatory standards for integrating technology into social work practice (2017). Recently, Dr. Barsky furthered his commitment as a member of NASW’s Professional Review Task Force (2023–2025).
His service extends beyond policy and ethics to hands-on humanitarian efforts: Dr. Barsky has volunteered with the Refugee Assistance Alliance, aiding Afghan refugees as they resettle in Florida. He is also a vocal defender of academic freedom, recently facilitating a national dialogue on the subject for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in 2025. On the global stage, Dr. Barsky has shared his insights at conferences across the United Kingdom, Korea, Vietnam, Israel, Ireland, Greece, Spain, and the Netherlands, and holds positions on international social work boards in Greece and Spain. His influential scholarship is accessible worldwide, having been translated into Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Catalan, Azeri, and Dutch.
Career Highlights
Dr. Barsky is a Professor in the Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton, Florida, where he has served since 2000. He previously held appointments as Assistant and Associate Professor at the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work (1994–2000) and as Instructor and Adjunct Professor at the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Social Work (formerly Ryerson Polytechnical Institute; 1989–1994). Dr. Barsky earned his PhD in Social Work from the University of Toronto (1995), his MSW from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University (1988), and his Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law (1984). His teaching and research focus on social work practice theory and skill development, pedagogy, conflict resolution, restorative justice, professional ethics, and services for individuals and families affected by substance use disorders.
Dr. Barsky’s outstanding contributions as a teacher and scholar have been recognized with multiple honors, including FAU’s “Distinguished Teacher of the Year” awards (2005 and 2020), “Researcher of the Year – Scholarly and Creative Works” (2007), and “FAU Scholar of the Year” (2020). The Association for Family and Conciliation Courts selected him for the “Stanley Cohen Distinguished Research Award for Research Achievements in the Field of Family Law and Divorce” (2024). His work has forged critical links between the fields of law, ethics, and social work. His impact on students, colleagues, and the profession at large cannot be overstated.
Biographical Data
Dr. Barsky was born in 1961in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, where he was raised. He has lived and worked in various cities, including Toronto, New York, Calgary, and Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida. His social work practice experience includes street outreach with youth affected by addictions, mediation of divorce and parent-youth conflicts, group work for intimate partner abuse situations, restorative justice, and court-diversion programs. He has been able to meld his social work, law, and mediation background in his roles as a social work practitioner and educator. Dr. Barsky thanks his husband, Greg Moore, and his daughter, Adelle Barsky-Moore, for their ongoing encouragement, inspiration, and support—both in his career and other aspirations. He also attributes his passion for education and justice to his loving parents, Edith and Sam Barsky, of blessed memory.
Significant Recognition and Awards
In addition to those stated above, Dr. Barsky’s outstanding contributions as a teacher, practitioner, and scholar have been recognized with numerous honors, including:
Council on Social Work Education, Significant Lifetime Achievement in Social Work Education Award (2025) [https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/articles/fau-social-work-professor-receives-lifetime-achievement-award.php]
Florida Atlantic University, Provost and University Libraries, “Authors and Artists Recognition” Award (2025)
Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 2023 Best Article Award (announced in 2024), for “Perceived impacts of a viewpoint diversity law in Florida’s State Universities” (with Drs. Danielle Groton and Christine Spadola)
Florida Atlantic University, National Alumni Association, “Degree of Difference Teaching Award” (2024)
Florida Atlantic University, College of Social Work and Criminal Justice, nominee for “President’s Award for Career Achievement” (2024)
Florida Atlantic University, “Scholar of the Year Award” (2020)
Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry nominee for “Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award” (2020) [student selected]
Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work’s “Best Conceptual Article Award” (2020) for the article, “Serious Imminent Harm to Nonidentifiable Others: Updated Exceptions to Confidentiality”
Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry nominee for “Scholar of the Year Award” (2017)
Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry nominee for “Community Engagement Award” (2017 and 2018)
National Association of Social Workers “Excellence in Ethics Award” (2015)
Significant Publications
Dr. Barsky is the acclaimed author of numerous influential books, including Ethics and Values in Social Work (Oxford University Press), Clinicians in Court (Guilford Press), Conflict Resolution for the Helping Professions (Oxford University Press), Essential Ethics for Social Work Practice (Oxford University Press), Interprofessional Practice with Diverse Populations (Greenwood Press), and Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Addictions (Cengage). These works have become essential resources in social work education and practice worldwide. With 13 books and over 220 articles—including widely read pieces in The New Social Worker and Psychology Today—Dr. Barsky’s writing is celebrated for its clarity, depth, and accessibility. Across his publications, classes, conference presentations, and professional development trainings, he continually encourages students, practitioners, and scholars to engage critically with ethical issues, consider diverse viewpoints, and uphold the highest standards in their professional practice.