SW 351 SOCIAL
WORK PRACTICE I
Fall 2002
Instructor:
Bradley 121
Phone:
677-4786
e-mail: moody@bradley.edu
Office hours: Mon:
Fri.
Classes: Wednesday
Accommodation: Any student with a disability or special need
who requires an accommodation should
inform the instructor at the beginning of this course.
Non-Discrimination
Statement:
Students will be expected to display respect for fellow students’
and clients’
unique characteristics including race, color, gender, age, socioeconomic
status, religion, creed, ethnic or national origin, veteran status, disability,
sexual orientation, and political orientation.
All assignments will use non-discriminatory language.
Intercollegiate Competition: Any student representing
Generalist Practice
Principles:
The courses within the social work curriculum support the generalist
perspective for social work practice.
The following 8 principles guide the development and implementation of
the Bradley University Social Work Program’s curriculum and course content.
1. A systems approach provides the basic framework for understanding the generalist practice perspective and planning interventions with multiple systems.
2. Problems in living are presented from a
person-in-environment perspective, with
focus on the transactions between individuals and the
environment.
3. Assessments and interventions must
address both intrapsychic and environmental
strengths and stressors.
4. Generalist practice involves assessment
and interventions at the micro, mezzo, and
macro levels.
5. Practice is based on the problem solving
process and knowledge, skills, and
values which are applicable across
settings with diverse populations and in a
variety of problem areas.
6. Critical analysis of social problems is
inherent in generalist practice and results in
both practice and policy responses.
7. Empirical research provides a solid
foundation for both education and practice
and generalist practitioners are
expected to participate in practice evaluation
activities.
8. Generalist practice often requires the
social worker to function in multiple roles
depending on the needs of the
client system.
I. Course Description
This course introduces the framework for a generalist
approach to social work micro
practice. This course will focus
on the acquisition of knowledge, skill, and values of practice needed to
enhance the well being of individuals through the promotion, restoration,
maintenance, and enhancement of functioning by helping them to accomplish
tasks, prevent and alleviate stress, and use resources. This course will use the problem solving
approach to practice. In addition to class
lectures and assigned readings, learning methods will include audiovisuals,
class discussion, and individual and group experiential exercises. Prerequisite of SW 350.
II. Course Objectives
Students will be expected to
demonstrate learning in the following areas:
Knowledge
1. Basic understanding of
generalist practice including micro, mezzo, and macro
levels
of intervention.
2. Knowledge about the social
work process and problem solving process
including defining issues, intake and engagement,
collecting and assessing data, planning and contracting, identifying
alternative interventions, selecting and implementing appropriate intervention methods, evaluation of outcomes
through the use and application of research methods, termination and follow
-up.
3. Knowledge of practice issues
and skills that demonstrate respect for and
acceptance of the unique characteristics of clients
of differing social, cultural, racial, religious, spiritual, political, gender,
sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, age, and socioeconomic
classes.
4. Knowledge of appropriate
methods for documentation and record keeping for
practice.
5. Knowledge of the ethics and values of social work
practice with individuals
that is built on regard for individual worth and
dignity, mutual participation and acceptance, confidentiality, honesty, and the
right to self determination and participation in the helping process.
Skills
1. Development of beginning
communication and interviewing skills to enable
the worker to develop a
working, helping relationship with clients at all levels
and diversity.
2. Development of the skill to
critically analyze information from data collection
and assessment to select the most appropriate
intervention(s) to help
individuals promote maintain, restore, and enhance
well-being and functioning, prevent and alleviate distress, and use
resources.
3. Demonstration of the
professional use of self to enhance the therapeutic
relationship.
4.
Demonstrate the ability to evaluate the outcomes of practice.
5.
Develop the skills for appropriate documentation and record keeping.
Values
1. Students will demonstrate
the ability to practice with regard for individual
worth and dignity, and respect for unique
characteristics of race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity, national origin,
age, veteran status, disability, age, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual
orientation, or political orientation.
2. Students will appreciate the
importance of advocating for the client with
organizations and systems to
ensure the protection of rights and for the
procurement of needed
resources.
3. Students will be expected to
demonstrate an integration of the social work
code of ethics as applied to
practice.
4.
Students will be expected to demonstrate respect for individual's right
to make
independent decisions and to participate actively in the helping
process.
III. Resources
A. Kirst-Ashman, Karen and
Hull, Grafton. (1993). Understanding
Generalist
Practice. Chicago:
Nelson-Hall Publishers.
B. Sheafor, Bradford W.,
Horejsi, Charles R., and Horejsi, Gloria A.
(1997).
Techniques and Guidelines for Social Work Practice. Boston:
Allyn and Bacon.
C. Murphy, B.C. and Dillon, C.
(1998). Interviewing in Action:
Process
And Practice. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole.
IV. Learning Evaluation
Written assignments should be typed and
double-spaced (unless otherwise instructed), grammatically clear and correct,
and properly documented. Use of
non-sexist and non-biased language is expected in written assignments and in
class discussion. Final grades for the
course will be determined by scores on exams and completion of
assignments. Points will be deducted for
any late assignments. A possible total of 500 points may be earned.
A.
Participation ( 100 points)
Points will be awarded for attendance and active
participation. Students are expected to
have readings done before class and be prepared to actively discuss or role
play material. Excess of three absences
during the semester could result in the drop of a letter grade
B.
Exams ( 200 points)
Two
exams will be given, each worth 100 points.
C.
Paper (100 points)
Students will write a 2-3 page paper on either
ethics in practice or diversity sensitivity in practice. This paper will be a scholarly paper using
the professional literature to explore the empirical evidence guiding sound,
effective practice with a minority population or around an ethical issue.
Due date Nov. 6
D. 100
points Video-tape of
Communication Skills
Students will be expected to pair up with a partner and arranged to produce a 15 minute video-tape. You and your partner will each play the role of the social worker and the role of the client. The two role plays can be put on one tape. You must each come up with a plausible client situation to role play as the client and the social worker must demonstrate appropriate communication skills including:
-minimal encouragement
-appropriate non-verbal responses
-appropriate paraphrasing responses
-appropriate reflection of feeling responses
-appropriate clarification statements or questions
-appropriate elicitation of more information
-appropriate summarization
You will need to reserve equipment and area. You
must go to audio visual bottom floor of Bradley Hall. I would suggest you do this early.
Due TBA
Grade
Distribution on 500 points
450 - 500 = A
400 - 450 = B
350 - 400 = C
300 - 350 = D
SW 351 Class Schedule –
Fall 2002
I. Review of Generalist Practice
This section will review the levels of practice
including micro, mezzo, and macro. It
will review the purposes of social work practice including the enhancement of
coping and problem solving capacities of people, linking people to resources,
promoting effective and humane systems, contributing to the development and
improvement of social policies that empower groups and people at risk to
promote social and economic justice, and the development and refinement of
practice through responsible research. This section will review the essentials
of the systemic and problem solving approaches.
Chapter 1 in Kirst-Ashman and Hull
August 28
II. Review of Interviewing
Skills
This section will review the interviewing and
communication skills necessary to work with a variety of client populations,
colleagues, and the community. This
section will cover the use of self to enhance the therapeutic, helping
relationship. Cross-cultural helping
will be examined. Videotaping of role
playing of interviewing skills will be emphasized.
Chapter 8 of Sheafor, Horejsi, and Horejsi
Chapter 2 of Kirst-Ashman and Hull
Sept 4, 11,
III. Intake and Engagement
Intake and engagement techniques and skills will be
examined to facilitate a collaborative
working relationship built on respect for individual worth and dignity. These techniques will emphasize self
determination and mutual participation
with the client.
Chapter 11 pages 265-305 of Sheafor,
Horejsi, and Horejsi
Sept. 18
IV. Data Collection and Assessment Techniques
Data collection and assessment techniques will be
examined. The strengths perspective will
be emphasized as will self determination and maximum participation of the
client. Assessment skills will examine
application to diverse populations through role play.
Chapter 5 pages148-159 of
Kirst-Ashman and Hull
Chapter 13 pages 319-403 of Sheafor,
Horejsi, and Horejsi
Sept. 25
V. Planning and Contracting
This section will focus on problem definition,
formulating goals and objectives for treatment, and developing contracts. This section emphasizes self determination
and informed consent of clients during the planning and contracting phase.
Chapter 13 page 417-434 of Sheafor,
Horejsi, and Horejsi
Chapter 6 of Kirst-Ashman and Hull
pages 190-217
Oct. 2
MID TERM EXAM Oct. 9
VI. Intervention Methods
A variety of intervention techniques
are discussed. Application of techniques
are
discussed with the following examples: Child maltreatment risk assessment, crisis
intervention, working with the elderly, working with the developmentally
disabled population, working with traumatic brain injury, working with
substance abuse, and working with mental
illness. Issues in cross-cultural
helping are examined.
Chapter 7 pages 228-241 and 250-264
of Kirst-Ashman and Hull
Chapter
14 pages 458-535 of Sheafor, Horejsi, Horejsi
Oct 16, 23
Practice at the micro level, particularly in certain fields of practice such as child welfare, may require social workers to interface with the legal system. This section will examine the role of the social worker in the legal system and the skills necessary to provide testimony in legal cases.
Oct. 30
VIII. Evaluation and Termination
Termination techniques that help
bring closure to the therapeutic relationship are discussed.
This section also looks at the systematic evaluation of practice to
further knowledge
in the field and to be accountable to all constituencies of the service. Evaluation methods include single subject
design, use of rapid assessment instrument, task achievement scaling, goal attainment scaling, service plan outcome
checklists, individualized rating scales, and differential impact scoring.
Chapter 8 pages 292-397 of
Kirst-Ashman and Hull
Chapter 15 pages 581-599 of Sheafor,
Horejsi and Horejsi
Nov. 6
VIII. Diversity Sensitive Practice
This section examines cross-cultural assessment and
intervention methods. Examination
of knowledge and skills necessary to
intervene with diverse populations and to appreciate the differences and
similarities in the experiences, needs, and beliefs of people. Gender sensitive practice methods are
discussed with appreciation for the experience of discrimination of women in
society. Women's issues of domestic
violence and sexual assault are discussed with methods for intervention
examined.
Chapters 12 and 13 of Kirst-Ashman and Hull
Nov. 13
IX. Ethics and Values in Practice
Ethics and values of practice situations will be
discussed. The profession's code of
ethics will be reviewed and applied through practice examples. Issues of confidentiality and the limits of,
privileged communication, informed consent, paternalism and self determination,
and distribution of limited resources will be discussed. Guidelines for ethical decision making will
be examined.
Chapter 11 of Kirst-Ashman and
Hull
Nov. 20
X. Documentation and Record Keeping
This section will examine the benefits and
limitations of different forms of documentation process recordings, audio and
visual taping, progress note formats, diagnostic summary recordings, problem
oriented recording, and standardized forms.
Issues of confidentiality and privacy will be applied to recording.
Chapter 16 of Kirst-Ashman and Hull
Dec. 4
FINAL EXAM
BRADLEY UNIVERSITY SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM
SW 351 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE 1
Fall 2002
PRACTICE FINAL PAPER DUE NOV 6
This paper will focus on either an ethics or diversity issue. The paper must be 3-5 pages with at least one source, not from internet.
The paper must address the following:
ETHICAL ISSUE
Why did you choose this topic?
How is it an ethical issue?
What is the ethical issue?
What are the pros and cons of this ethical issue?
How is it a problem for you the worker?
How do you plan to deal with this ethical issue? And why?
What are the pros and cons of your approach?
DIVERSITY ISSUE
Why did you choose this issue?
How is a diversity issue?
Is it a problem as a diversity issue and for who?
How would you deal with this issue? What are the pros and cons of your approach?
What do you think the client will regarding this issue? Should you approach discussing with the
Client? Or should you not?
Your paper will be graded according?
How well it is organized?
How well it is written?
Did you demonstrate some critical thinking in evaluating your ideas or others?
Did you demonstrate some creative thinking in adding some new ideas
Excellent papers will demonstrate some critical and creative thinking, as well as sources to support this thinking].