Clinical Reference

Ecomap Template and Example for Social Workers and Family Therapists

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Reviewed by the WellNotes Clinical Team

What is an ecomap?

An ecomap is a diagram of a person or household and their connections to the systems around them, such as extended family, school, work, health care, faith community, friends and services. Lines show whether each connection is strong, weak or stressful, and arrows show which way support or energy flows. Ann Hartman introduced it in 1978.

What is an ecomap used for?

Ann Hartman developed the ecomap in social work practice and described it in Social Casework in 1978 as a way to see a family within its environment on one page. The household sits in a center circle, often with a small genogram inside, and each outside system gets its own circle around it. The lines between them show the quality of each connection.

Social workers, case managers and family therapists use ecomaps at intake and in care planning to see where support is strong, where it is missing and where outside systems add stress. Because it is drawn with the client, it often surfaces resources the client had not thought of. Ray and Street (2005) found that ecomapping let people identify each member of their network, examine the strength of each relationship and see sources of support and tension over time. Rempel and colleagues (2007) describe the ecomap as a graphic portrayal of personal and family social relationships and recommend using it alongside a genogram.

An ecomap fits in the social and environmental part of a biopsychosocial assessment or intake assessment, and a repeat ecomap is a simple way to show change at a treatment plan review. See also WellNotes for case managers and for clinical social workers.

Ecomap symbols key

Hartman’s original convention uses three kinds of line plus arrows. Some programs add line thickness or color; whatever you use, include a key.

SymbolMeaning
Center circleThe client or household, often with a small genogram inside
Outer circlesEach outside system: extended family, school, work, health care, friends, faith community, recreation, services, courts
Solid lineStrong or supportive connection (a thicker line or several lines for a very strong one)
Dashed lineWeak or tenuous connection
Hatched line (line crossed by short slashes)Stressful or conflictual connection
Arrow on a lineDirection of the flow of energy, resources or support (both ends for two-way)
No lineNo connection, which can itself be important (for example, no primary care provider)

Ecomap template

Work through each system with the client, then draw the map. Copy the headings into the social and environmental section of your assessment.

Center

Client or household
who sits in the center circle: the client alone or the whole household, with ages
Date and who contributed
date drawn and who was present

Systems to map

Extended family
relatives outside the household who matter to the client, and how
Friends and community
friends, neighbors, community groups, cultural or faith community
School or work
schools, employers, training programs, and the client’s role there
Health care
primary care, psychiatry, therapy, specialists, pharmacy
Services and benefits
case management, housing, food, child welfare, disability, income supports
Legal
courts, probation, custody, immigration, if relevant
Recreation
activities, sports, clubs, online communities

Quality of each connection

Strength
strong, moderate, weak or none, in the client’s words
Stress
which connections are stressful or conflictual, and why
Direction
does support flow to the household, from it, or both

Use in care planning

Gaps
systems that are missing or that the client cannot access
Resources to build on
strong connections that can support the goals
Planned referrals or contacts
what will change, who will do it, by when, with consent noted

Ecomap example

All examples are fictional and de-identified. They show structure and level of detail, not clinical advice for a real client.

Example 1: Ecomap summary for a single parent at intake

Fictional household of a parent, 29, and two children, 6 and 9, referred by the school for attendance concerns. The ecomap was drawn with the parent at intake; this is the narrative written into the assessment.

Center
Household of three in the center circle with a small genogram: parent, 29, and two children, 6 and 9. Children’s father lives out of state; no contact for two years (no line).
Strong connections
Solid lines with two-way arrows to maternal grandmother, who provides after-school care three days a week, and to a church community that runs a weekly food pantry the family uses.
Weak connections
Dashed line to primary care: the children’s last well visits were more than a year ago because of transportation. Dashed line to friends, described as "people I used to see before I started nights."
Stressful connections
Hatched line with arrow from the household to the parent’s employer (night shifts changed without notice; risk of job loss). Hatched line between household and the elementary school over attendance letters.
Missing systems
No connection to transportation assistance, child care subsidies or mental health care for the parent, who reports low mood and poor sleep.
Plan
With consent: referral for child care subsidy and medical transportation, contact with the school social worker to set up an attendance plan, and screening for depression at the next visit. Repeat the ecomap at the 90-day plan review.

How do you make an ecomap with a client?

  1. Draw the center. Put the client or household in the middle; add a small genogram if family structure matters.
  2. Add systems. Ask about each area in the template and draw a circle for every system that matters to the client, including ones that are missing.
  3. Draw the lines. Ask the client how each connection feels: strong, weak or stressful. Use the client’s view and note where yours differs.
  4. Add arrows. Show whether the household mostly gives to, receives from, or exchanges with each system.
  5. Look at the whole map together. Ask what stands out, what the client wants to change and which strong connections could help.

How do you document an ecomap in case notes?

Store the drawing in the record and write a short narrative in the assessment: who is in the center, the strongest supports, the stressful connections, the missing systems and the plan. In later notes, record changes against the first map (for example, "transportation assistance now in place; dashed line to primary care now solid after two kept appointments"). In family therapy notes, note which family members contributed and where they saw a connection differently.

An ecomap pairs naturally with a genogram: the genogram shows the family across generations, the ecomap shows the family in its current environment.

Common ecomap mistakes

  • Mapping only formal services and leaving out family, friends and community supports.
  • Recording the clinician’s view of each connection without asking the client.
  • Leaving out missing systems, which are often the most useful finding.
  • No key, so solid, dashed and hatched lines are read differently by each reader.
  • Drawing the map once and never repeating it to show change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who created the ecomap?

Ann Hartman, a social work educator, introduced the ecomap in a 1978 Social Casework article on diagrammatic assessment of family relationships, as a way to show a family and its connections to the environment on one page.

What do the lines on an ecomap mean?

In Hartman’s convention a solid line is a strong connection, a dashed line is a weak or tenuous connection and a hatched line is a stressful one. Arrows show which way energy or resources flow. Some programs use thicker lines for stronger connections.

What is the difference between an ecomap and a genogram?

A genogram shows family structure and patterns across at least three generations. An ecomap shows the client or household and their current connections to outside systems such as school, work, health care and services. Many clinicians draw both.

When should I use an ecomap?

At intake and in care planning, when you need to see the client’s supports, stressors and gaps in services, and again at plan reviews to show change. It is common in social work, case management, family therapy and school settings.

Sources

This page is educational reference material for clinicians. It does not replace clinical judgment, supervision, or the requirements of your licensing board, payer and organization.

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