Weeks eight and nine focus on how social workers conduct assessments. Before we can build relationships with our clients and find ways to support them, we must first understand the real problem. Week eight is asynchronous, with no in-person class. We will be examining our assessment process through chapters eight and nine of Hepworth et al. (2023). In the forums, you will discuss the chapters, reflect on implicit bias using the IMPLICIT model, explore screening tools such as the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, and test how observant you are with a short video. This week your teach back group should be working on their video (it is due Monday 10/19/26 at 5 PM), which you will share in the Week 09 forums. My lecture video walks through what goes into a social history as part of a biopsychosocial assessment, and how documentation works in substance use disorder treatment.

The agenda for my lecture video includes:

• Week Eight Content
• Social Histories in the Context of Biopsychosocial Assessment
• Substance Use Disorder Documentation

Learning objectives this week include:

• Identify ethical and professional considerations when using diagnostic tools and clinical terminology as BSW-level practitioners.
• Apply strengths-based and person-in-environment frameworks to assessment practices.
• Evaluate common screening tools for their relevance and utility in social work practice.
• Reflect on how implicit bias and attention shape what we notice during an assessment.
• Identify the core components and structure of a biopsychosocial assessment form, and explain how to gather and organize information across its domains.
• Describe the documentation used in substance use disorder treatment, from screening and intake to discharge, and how the ASAM criteria guide it.