Advocacy by social workers
Can occur on micro/macro levels
With or on behalf of individual or group
TO:
(1) obtain services or resources that would not otherwise be provided
(2) modify or influence policies or practices that adversely affect groups or communities
(3) promote legislation or policies that result in provision of resources/services
Primary mission of social work (code of ethics)
“enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, living in poverty”
6 steps of problem-solving process
- Engaging
- Assessing
- Planning
- Intervening
- Evaluating
- Terminating
Goals of crisis intervention
- relieve impact of stress with emotional/social resources
- regain equilibrium - return client to previous level of functioning
- help strengthen coping mechanisms during the crisis period
- develop adaptive coping strategies
* focuses on here and now, is directive, requires activity and involvement
* setting specific goals
* should be brief - typically 4-6 weeks
Short-term interventions
Could be psychodynamic, crisis intervention, or cognitive-behavioral models
Conflict resolution - management entails…
- Recognition of existing or potential conflict
- Assessment of conflict situation
- Selection of appropriate strategy
- Intervention
Conflict resolution - techniques for structuring interaction
- Decreasing amount of contact between parties in early stages
- Decreasing amount of time between problem-solving sessions
- Decreasing formality of problem-solving sessions
- Limiting scope of issues discussed
- Using third-party mediator
Case management activities (5)
- Assessment
- Planning
- Linking
- Monitoring
- Advocacy
Change strategies
- MODIFY SYSTEMS - can change occur in larger system?
- MODIFY INDIVIDUAL THOUGHTS - teach problem-solving, alter self-concepts (notice and/or interpret defeating thoughts). feedback from others
- MODIFY INDIVIDUAL INTERACTIONS - behavior. modeling and role-modeling effective, should be used whenever possible
- ADVOCATE - change in social system
- MEDIATE - helping client & another (individual or system) negotiate to attain respective goals
Phases of intervention
Step 1: Engagement with ct, group, community
Step 2: Assessment of strengths/needs
Step 3: Planning/designing intervention to address problem
Step 4: Intervention aimed at making change
Step 5: Evaluation of efforts
Step 6: Termination and anticipation of future needs
(p. 185)
Stages of change (6)
PRECONTEMPLATION - denial, ignorance of problem
CONTEMPLATION - Ambivalence, conflicted emotion
PREPARATION - Experimenting with small changes, collecting information about change
ACTION - Taking direct action toward achieving a goal
MAINTENANCE - Maintaining new behavior, avoiding temptation
RELAPSE - Feelings of frustration, failure
Techniques of role play
Teaching strategy
Emphasizes personal concerns, problems, behavior, active participation
Improves interpersonal skills, communication skills
- Preparation and explanation of activity
- Preparation of the activity
- Role-playing
- Discussion/debriefing after role play activity
Types of role-modeling techniques
Live modeling - watching real person perform desired bx
Symbolic modeling - filmed/videotaped models demonstrating desired bx (also, self-modeling, cts themselves filmed performing bx)
Participant modeling - individual models anxiety-evoking bx for client then prompts client to engage in that bx
Covert modeling - use imagination, visualizing bx
Six levels of cognition
Methods used to develop learning objectives
- Knowledge - rote memorization, recognition, recall of facts
- Comprehension - understanding of what facts mean
- Application - correct use of facts, rules, ideas
- Analysis - breaking down info into parts
- Synthesis - combination of facts, ideas, info to make new whole
- Evaluation - judging/forming opinion about info/situation
*should be objectives at each level
3 domains of development
Methods used to develop learning objectives
- Cognitive - mental skills (knowledge)
- Affective - growth in feelings, emotional areas (attitude or self)
- Psychomotor - manual or physical skills (skills)
Couples treatment techniques
- behavior modification
- insight-oriented psychotherapy
- Gottman method - focus on conflictual verbal communication; remove barriers creating stagnancy; create heightened empathy/understanding
Types of groups
Open versus closed
- Open - new members can join at any time
- Closed - all members start at the same time
Short term versus long-term
Phases of group x3, shifting social worker role
Beginning - ID purpose of group, role. Time to convene, organize, set plan. Members distant/removed until form relationships.
Middle - Most of the work happens here. Relationships strengthened. Group leaders less involved (typically).
End - Review accomplishments, feelings associated with termination discussed.
Coordinated services
- integration of services - services combined, provided simultaneously
- wrap-around services - multiple providers/services may overlap, but not combined (like above)
- case management, care coordination - linking client to needed services
*also, roundtables
Consultation (4 critical things)
- Defining purpose of consultation
- Specifying consultant role
- Clarifying nature of problem
- Outlining consultation process
Only as much information as needed. Cannot disclose identifying information or specifics without consent of ct.
Developing behavioral objectives, must be…
- client-oriented, emphasis on what client needs to do for change to occur
- clear and understandable, contain clearly stated verbs, describe definite action/bx
- observable products and results
- contain bx targeted for change, conditions when bx performed, criteria for determining when acceptable performance of bx occurs
Desirable facial expressions
Direct eye contact (if culturally appropriate), warmth/concern, variance
Desirable postures, gestures
Appropriate arm movements, attentive gestures
Reliability
Can you get the same answer repeatedly? (dependability, stability, consistency, predictability)
