Visionaries once anticipated that consultation would become a significant field of practice in which social workers served as consultants. There are indications that consultation has realized some of that promise in the 21st century, because consultation is second only to direct practice in how licensed social workers spend time at work. And if the primary consumers of social work consultation are social workers themselves, then this reflects a high standard of practice, as seeking case consultation has been codified as a duty in social work codes of ethics, practice standards, and standards of care.