You are a school social worker who has been assigned to work with a 12-year-old boy recently placed into your school.  He is exhibiting disruptive behaviors in the classroom and appears depressed and disengaged with his peers.  You learn he just came from Haiti with his family to start a new life in the United States.  The student also disclosed that he feels overwhelmed by his new home and school environment while being one of only a few minority individuals in both settings.  During a school conference, you openly discuss the issues with the boy’s family and his Father indicated that in response to his son’s troubles, he exercises corporal punishment on him, grounds him, and does not allow him to participate in any activities in the community.  His Father is refusing to accept counseling services for his son or any outside support.  The student actually tells you he is not allowed to associate with others in the community, even when he is not being punished, as he works with his father which is causing him to feel upset, depressed and wishing he could return to Haiti where he had friends, more freedom and felt happier.  Given the cultural aspects here, how do you handle working with this family?  What impact does race, culture and ethnicity have on this boy and his family?  What supports would you suggest for the family?

One of Freud’s insights was that language processes are key to understanding the many ways “personality” expresses itself or “hides” (resistance). What did Albert Ellis’ REBT therapy add to this insight? Discuss.

Additionally, you can also discuss the relationship between language processes, affirmations, self-hating, and agency.

Make analysis about how you should be the expected behavior of the clinical social worker in a mediation process.

1. Professional Conduct and the Mediation Process.
2. Express how the therapist’s style affects the process of mediation of family or couples.
3. State the positive or negative consequences of the therapist’s style in his or her role as a mediator

SOCW 6070 wk 4 responses for discussion 1

Respond to at least two colleagues post separately in the following ways:

Address a colleague’s post that differs from yours with regard to at least one cultural lens and expand upon the colleague’s interpretation of Paula’s needs.

Explain whether you might use your colleague’s strategy for addressing multiple perspectives when treating clients, and explain why.

Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.

Peer 1 post

Jasmine Dixon

RE: Discussion 1 – Week 4

Case of Paula: Cultural Lens 

Reviewing Paula’s culture and her strengths/weaknesses as the social worker I would take those factors into consideration to address Paula’s needs, well as to develop a plan with the team on how to approach Paula. Through the Future and Performance orientation I would interpret Paula needs as her positive plan for her future with a newborn. This will include making a decision to continue her pregnancy first. If so she would need to begin making plans to have items in place for the baby. In addition to the Future Orientation, Performance Paula’s needs will be interpreted by her changing her lifestyle and adhering to her treatment set by the team. Once these performances are carried out she can expect rewards for a better quality of life, well as the ability to take back over her life, health,and relationships.

Stakeholders Perspectives and/or Human Services Professionals 

While stakeholders’ perspectives are important to take into consideration I would also be sure to employ humane-oriented leadership emphasizes being supportive, considerate, compassionate, and generous. This type of leadership includes modesty and sensitivity to other people. This particular leadership style will aid in making sure the treatment of the clients are still in their best interest and does not impose harm or deny the client their basic rights. Every individual has their own culture and beliefs, which is fine, however, as Paula’s social worker it’s my responsibility to ensure those factors do not impose negatively on policies that will affect her and her treatment.

Fong & Gibbs (1995) found that the changes needed to create a culturally responsive organization can threaten the core culture of an agency, foster resistance, and compromise the effectiveness of an ethnically diverse workforce that must conform to preexisting services, rules, and procedures that may not be appropriate for serving diverse communities.

Fong & Gibbs (1995, p. 16–18) offer the following recommendations to avoid these negative outcomes at the organizational level: 1) The organization should recognize the impetus for the desire to hire multicultural staff and to clarify desired outcomes (e.g., improvement of service delivery or contract accountability issues); 2) the organization should become proficient in receiving and integrating divergent forms of input from all parts of the community and within the organization itself as it hires and incorporates culturally diverse staff; 3) the agency should strive as a whole to improve diversity; 4) the organization should consider optimal ways to cluster culturally diverse staff to create a critical mass so that they are no longer singled out as tokens in various units; and 5) agency administrators and staff must share a clear understanding about the required level of cultural skills and knowledge necessary to deliver effective services to the target population, to develop community ties, and to recognize the need for bilingual language skills.

References

Chun-Chung Chow, J. & Austin, M.J (2008). The Culturally Responsive Social Service Agency: The Application of an Evolving Definition to a Case Study, Administration in Social Work, 32(4), 39-64.

Fong, L., & Gibbs, J. (1995). Facilitating services to multicultural communities in a dominant culture setting: An organizational perspective. Administration in Social Work, 19(2), 1–24.

Northouse, P.G (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice ( 6th e.d.) Los Angeles: Sage Publications

Peer 2 

Emily Heare 

RE: Discussion 1 – Week 4

Two Cultural Lenses Selected

After reviewing the Cortez case study, the cultural lenses one selected to interpret Paula’s needs are mental health and socioeconomic lenses.

As stated in the case study, Paula has a bipolar diagnosis and is dealing with paranoia while admitting to not taking her medications regularly (Laureate Education, 2014a). She has been put on a 72-hour psychiatric hold due to her decompensating during a social worker visit. The social worker stated she feared for Paula’s safety and the unborn child Paula is pregnant with (Laureate Education, 2014a). With the mental health lens, one would interpret Paula’s needs as to ensure safety as number one for Paula. Once it is determined Paula’s immediate safety is no longer an immediate threat, the next step is to work with Paula’s mental health needs to stabilize her symptoms enough to be a functioning adult outside of a psychiatric unit.

Looking at the Cortez case through a socioeconomic lens, one would interpret Paula’s needs as her lack of financial supports. Depending on what Paula’s decision regarding her pregnancy will depend on if Paula needs to quickly become enrolled in the WIC program for financial assistance with food while pregnant and assistance for the child after birth. Paula will also need help looking into other socioeconomic areas such as assistance for obtaining resources for the baby, including bedding, clothing, diapers, etc. The case study stated that Paula’s right hand is semi-paralyzed, and she has a limp when she walks (Laureate Education, 2014a). It was also noted that Paula suffers from foot ulcers that result in Paula not putting pressure on her feet. Based on this information, Paula may qualify for government assistance such as disability. The aid is another avenue that Paula should be looking into to aid in her financial stability.

Incorporating Multiple Perspectives While Treating Clients

When working with stakeholders and/or human services professionals, I would incorporate multiple perspectives. Of those perspectives, I would focus mainly on gender egalitarianism, future orientation, performance orientation, and humane orientation. Gender egalitarianism promotes gender equality, which is very important when treating clients from all cultural backgrounds (Northouse, 2013). Future Orientation perspectives focus on planning for the future (Northouse, 2013). Being future-orientated in perspective allows professionals to treat clients in a solution-focused and prevention perspective. Performance orientation perspectives reward individuals for their improved performance (Northouse, 2013). This perspective is essential when working with clients as individuals tend to continue praised behaviors instead of ignored behaviors. Therefore, if a client is making progress, then using a performance orientation perspective can motivate the client. Finally, the humane orientation perspective “emphasizes sensitivity to others, social support, and community values” (Northouse, 2013). Such a view can lead to clients’ treatment through being “fair, altruistic, generous, caring, and kind to others” (Northouse, 2013). Clients need professionals to treat them with generosity and kindness to have a better working therapeutic relationship for increased positive treatment outcomes.

References 

Laureate Education (Producer). (2014a). Cortez case study [Multimedia]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications