SOWK 486 - Week 03 - Direct Social Work Practice

A presentation at Heritage University in September 2021 by Jacob Campbell and is tagged with BASW Program, Heritage University, SOWK 486w

Week 03: 09/08/21 Content: Direct Social Work Practice Reading: Hepworth et al. (2017) chapters one and two Due: A-02: Reading Quiz for chapters one and two is due at 5:30 PM before class via My Heritage

How we help Evidence-based practice Involuntary clients Ecological Systems Model Social work jobs and roles

“You can close your eyes to the things you don’t want to see, but you can’t close your heart to the things you don’t want to feel.” —Johnny Depp Each of us, to our own degree, has had difficult experiences, and often we’ve had somebody who has supported or comforted us. [Small Group Activity] You will work in small groups of 3-5 people. Recall a time that you were experiencing an intense emotional difficulty and were comforted and supported… How did you “know” that person was supportive What behaviors and words did that person use that was helpful to you List these on your poster for future reference

Recall a time that you were experiencing an intense emotional difficulty and were comforted and supported… How did you “know” that person was supportive What behaviors and words did that person use that was helpful to you List these on your poster for future reference [Small Group Activity] After about 10 minutes, have the various groups present their posters. Again, attempt to draw out similarities, as well as connections with what social workers might do.

(Heptworth et al., 2017) Social work has a threefold purpose. It works to do prevention, restoration, and remediation. Prevention: The timely provision of services to vulnerable persons, promoting social functioning before problems develop. Restoration: Efforts to restore functioning that has been impaired by physical or mental difficulties Remediation: The timely provision of services to vulnerable persons, promoting social functioning before problems develop.

In the preamble section, the NASW Code of Ethics gives six different values. [Whole Class Activity] Go through each of the six values and discuss how they connect with my life and how I understand them personally. Service: I think about this we as social workers have to get our jeans a little bit dirty. (The provision of help, resources, and benefits so that people may achieve their maximum potential.) Social Justice: I think about social justice regarding getting out and helping “stop the babies” from flowing down the river. (The idea that in a perfect world, all citizens would have “the same basic rights, protection, and opportunities, obligations, and social benefits.”) Dignity and worth of the person: I’m reminded of reading Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America by Mike Yankoski… and his discussion of just even looking at people who are homeless. (Holding people in high esteem and appreciating individual value) Importance of human relationships: Building rapport with our clients, colleagues, and for me… people all around the world. (Valuing the “mutual emotional exchange; dynamic interaction ; and affective, cognitive and behavioral connections… which creates atmosphere”) Integrity: After graduating from the Master’s Commission, my pastor gave me a compass that I keep on my desk as a reminder to follow what’s right (trustworthiness and sound adherence to moral ideals) Competence: Constantly growing, improving… think Dreyfus model of skill acquisition. (Necessary skills and abilities)

(National Association of Social Workers, 2017) [Small Group Activity] With a partner, spend about five minutes discussing these ethical principles and how they relate to your life or how you connect with them. Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems. Social workers challenge social injustice. Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person. Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships. Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise.

Another area of competency for social workers and part of our eclectic base of knowledge is that of Research-Informed Practice and Practice-Informed Research [Small Group Activity] Turn to a partner and share a reason that social work research is significant [Whole Class Activity] Solicit response from the partner activity Why is social work research important. Social workers must be able to effectively evaluate the work they do with clients at all levels—evaluating macrosystem effectiveness and understanding, analyzing, and critically evaluating social literature and research. Why Knowledge about social work research is important Choosing effective interventions Scientific orientation to identify, evaluate, and choose effective interventions Research-informed practice is evidence-based social work Framing social work interventions so they can be evaluated through research, thus providing information about which specific techniques work best for specific problems. Practice-informed research refers to scientific investigation designed to attain results related to successful social work practice. More effective individual practice The second reason research is important is because this scientific perspective can guide social workers to become more effective in their practice. Development of the profession The third reason is that accumulated research helps to build an effective knowledge base for the social work profession. This helps define social work practice, increase the effectiveness of interventions, and enhance professional accountability.

The most standard but the hardest way to complete practice is through what Rubin (2007) describes as the Process Model. “A form of evidence-based practice in which the individual practitioner formulates a question about his or her work with a client that is answerable with data, consults the appropriate empirical literature, assesses the evidence, shares it with the client, makes an informed collaborative decision, implements the intervention, and assesses its effectiveness.” (Hepworth, et al., 2017) Formulate question Shares research with the client for collaborative decision Implements and assesses intervention

Very common is getting specific training in a particular EBP (i.e., ART, Guiding Good Choices, etc.) “focuses not just on knowing about the intervention but on acquiring the skills necessary to carry it out effectively” (Hepworth, et al. 2017, p. 19) Concerns Include: Generalize beyond effectiveness, short-term nature of EBP

In working with clients, taking a more eclectic approach is sometimes the method. This is especially true with the increased use of training in EBP’s… Common Elements Approach: In evidence-based practice, examining commonalities across effective interventions (Chorpita, Daleiden, & Weisz, 2005). Common Factors Approach: In evidence-based practice, emphasizing broad factors shared by different intervention approaches, such as the strength of relationship or alliance (Duncan, Miller, Wampold, & Hubble, 2010).

Deciding when and how to intervene with our clients is vital for social workers. The following are some of the criteria that we must consider: Increase decision-making: Social workers value maximum feasible self-determination, empowerment, and enhancing of strengths to increase the client’s voice in decision making. Assess: Social workers assess circumstances from a systems perspective, mindful of the person in the situation, the setting, the community, and the organization. Sensitive to diversity: Social workers are sensitive to diversity in considering interventions. __ Evidence-based practices__: Social workers draw on evidence-based practices at both process and intervention levels as well as common factors in determining, together with the client, how to proceed. Critical thinking: Social workers think critically about practice, check out assumptions, and examine alternatives.

(Watson-Glaser, 1925) from https://www.thinkwatson.com/the-red-model Another process for generalist practice is that of critical thinking… The greatest thing you can learn from college is critical thinking [Discussion] What does critical thinking mean? Focuses on the process of reasoning. The goal of critical thinking is to evaluate the accuracy of impressions, assess diverse aspects of a situation, and develop creative approaches to finding solutions and making plans. Think RED Recognize Assumptions Ask questions Assess the established facts and issues involved Its okay to question “facts” Evaluate Arguments Careful scrutiny of what is stated as true or what appears to be true and the resulting expression of an opinion or conclusion based on the scrutiny Draw Conclusions Creative formulation of an opinion or conclusion when presented with a question, problem, or issue Assert a concluding opinion

The textbook introduces the concept of a eco-map. The graphic below is from a mind map. Using eco-maps Examples of how they look Creating a quick mind/eco-map [Small Group Activity] Create an eco-map with a partner

In social work, we have all types of clients that we work with. [Whole Class Activity] Discuss the differences and possible clients for each client type. legally mandated voluntary non voluntary

Involuntary clients are forced into involvement with social workers and really do not want to be involved. They could be mandated or non-mandated. [Discussion] What might be some reasons for clients being mandated? 10 suggestions for working with involuntary clients. Acknowledge to yourself that the client is indeed voluntary. Try to put yourself in the clients shoes. Label and help the clients express their negative feelings. Clarify your role for the client. Know the limits of your authority, and in effect power over the client.

Give them as many choices as possible including minor options. Figure out what you can do for the client that he or she wants. Use pro-social modeling and reinforcement in order to encourage and promote client pro–social values and behaviors. Allow the client to gain trust in you and in the intervention process. Accept the fact that, ultimately the client has the right to choose whether or not to cooperate with you.

Didn’t talk about yesterday because I feel like it is a bit more difficult to understand and talk about. It’s a bit different, kind of a combination of both Ecological perspective and systems theory. “A model of interacting elements that enables social workers to examine strengths and weaknesses in transactions between persons, families, cultures, and communities as systems” (Hepworth, et al., 2017, p. 13)

Straight out of biological terms, the concepts of Habitats and niches are important in ecological systems model. Habitat: The physical and social setting and cultural context within which a person lives. (i.e. overall environment) Niche: The status or role occupied by a member of the community. (i.e. how the person connects with the habit, think interface)

“Assessment from an ecological systems perspective obviously requires knowledge of the diverse systems involved in interactions between people and their environments” Subsystems of individual (biophysical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, motivational) Interpersonal systems (parent/child, marital, family, kin, friends, neighbors, cultural reference groups, spiritual belief systems, other members of social networks) Organizations, institutions, communities (housing, neighborhood environment, buildings, other artificial creations, water, weather and climate) The physical environment Terms: target system action system (agency system) Closed systems vs. open systems

There are a number of terms that are also associated with ecological systems model. These include: Closed Systems vs Open Systems: The ability for input to change the system Target System: The system that has the intervention happening to it. Action System or the Agency system: The system that is doing the intervention

Filling in the gaps of client needs to reach their goals. Think about / tell the story of babies floating down the river.

“Ecological systems theory posits that individuals constantly engage in transactions with other humans and with other systems in the environment, and that these individuals and systems reciprocally influence each other.” Mutual Influence of People and Environments equifinality: The principle that the same outcome can be achieved even with different starting points. multifinality: The principle that the same starting point may lead to different outcomes.

Social work is a extremely diverse field. One of the benefits of the generalist methods for social work is that we can practice in so many different fields of practice. While the specific job titles might not be social worker for each one of these professions, these are all areas that we practice in. [Whole Class Activity - Discussion] discuss each of the fields of practice, with potential examples of roles social workers might take: Most of the problems that social workers face are complex and could fall in more than one field of practice and it is important to know a wide range of services. Work with Immigrants Housing or Financial Services Hospital and Health Services Mental Health Services Disability Services Chemical and Substance Abuse Services Child, Youth, and Family Services Child Welfare School Social Work Working with Aging Clients [Small Group Activity - Discussion] What areas of practice do you think of when you think of social work? -> Previous other categories Mental health: case management, therapy Occupational social work EAP Treatment Organizational change Social services Rural social work-addresses needs of those living in rural areas were there is limited resources. Police social work-work within police, courthouse, and jail settings to provide services to crime victims. Forensic social work-dealing with the law, educating lawyers, and serving as expert witnesses. Medical social work-work in hospital settings, and clinics, discharge planning or advocating for patients.

Summers (2015) describes case management, and that different positions have different levels of caseloads. These vary and tend to be on a continuum. Administrative case management Limited assistance is being offered Higher functioning patients Maybe example of DSHS Worker Resource coordination Higher level of care More in-depth planning Moderate level of function Maybe example of a worker at a community mental health Blended case management Mixture of high need clients and lower need clients Variable level of functioning Maybe example of a worker at a community mental health Intensive case management High level of care is necessary Going with clients Low level of functioning Maybe an example of wraparound, PAC Team… etc Summers, N. (2015) The fundamentals of case management practice: Skills for the human services. Cengage Learning: Boston MA.

Along with the various areas of practice that we fulfill, we also have roles that we implement. These include the following: Direct Service Provider Individual casework or counseling Couples or family therapy Group work services Educator, disseminator of information System Linkage Roles Broker Case manager, coordinator Mediator, arbitrator, advocate System Developer Program developer Planner Policy and procedure developer Advocate Researcher & Research Consumer System Maintenance Roles Organizational analyst (a worker who pinpoints factors in agency structure, policy, and procedures that have a negative impact on service delivery) Facilitator, expediter Team member Consultant / consultee Supervisor

Portrait style photo of Jacob Campbell

Dr. Jacob Campbell

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Description

Week four of SOWK 486 is about understanding direct social work practice and what makes social workers unique in their helping style. We will start with an exercise, considering how you have been helped in the past. Many clients we work with as social workers a mandated to participate in services and involuntary in some manner. We will discuss how to engage with them through some best practices. The agenda for the session is as follows:

How we help
Evidence-based practice
Involuntary clients
Ecological Systems Model
Social work jobs and roles