Category: Social Work

Purpose Per the NASW Code of Ethics (2021) a social workers ethical responsibility to the broader society asserts that social workers should engage in social and political action that seeks to ensure that all people have equal access to the resources, employment, services, and opportunities they require to meet their basic human needs and to develop fully (section 6.04 Social and Political Action). Policy advocacy is a mechanism that can be utilized to meet this ethical responsibility and have a direct impact on the needs of our consumers and communities. Instructions For this assignment, you will propose and describe elements of an advocacy campaign relating to a key social issue you identified in Module 2. The campaign should address any policy or program related to the identified social issue as long as it is relevant to your current or former clients, the population of interest, and/or your organization. The assignment will answer questions from Toolkit 10: Advocating for Change ( ). The key questions to be answered are identified below and you should draw on information provided in the KU Community Tool Box, Chapters 30-33 in responding to the list of questions from the Toolkit. The Advocacy Strategy Paper will include the sections below and will be completed in two parts. Part 1, which is due in Module 10 will include the sections highlighted in yellow. Part 2, which is due in Module 15, will build upon Part 1 and will add in the sections not highlighted. I. Identifying the Advocacy Issue: Why is this an essential advocacy issue for clients, populations, or your organization? This section should provide a clear statement of the social issue you selected in Module 2 and the reason(s) you selected it. Your writing should use questions Section 1a and 1b in the tool (Research the Issue …) but need not answer each question in order. Identify a Policy relevant to your chosen social issue (you may use the same policy that you addressed in your Article Critique assignment or a different policy related to the social problem). Identity and describe the policy in a way that is understandable by an audience not familiar with the policy. Be sure to describe any technical terms and define terminology as appropriate (avoid jargon). II. Advocacy Goals (Directly from toolkit): State the broad goals and specific objectives for advocacy effort including: Broad advocacy goals (e.g., meet otherwise unmet needs; reverse or correct a situation; prevent the loss of a valued asset; change public opinion) Specific objectives (how much of what by when) (e.g., By 2020, increase by 50% the public investment in early childhood education.) III. Tactics (Questions directly from Toolkit): Describe the advocacy tactics you will use focusing on research and direct-action tactics. Advocacy Research section: discuss your plan drawing on the description of advocacy research strategies, Chapter 31. Please be extremely detailed and specific when writing this. Topic and Area of Issue: Employment and Economic Well-Being (Veterans) Social Problem: Barriers to civilian credentialing and occupational licensure that contribute to veteran underemployment during the transition to civilian life

Case Study Case Vignette

Elliot is a lively, biracial six-year-old who has just entered Kindergarten in an inner-ring suburban school. His family is well known to the local police as police have been called to the home multiple times due to noise disturbances and other complaints. Elliots teacher is aware of these complaints as he lives in the same neighborhood.

Elliot attended an early intervention preschool due to a speech impediment. In this preschool he also struggled with social interactions. Elliots mother tells you that he graduated from early intervention preschool with flying colors and that all intervention goals have been met.

After six months in school, it has become clear that Elliot is struggling. He still does not know his letters and numbers, struggles with writing, and his social interactions often land him in the principals office. Elliot is moody and cant seem to tolerate any frustration. Elliot is currently receiving Tier 1 interventions only, but they are not having much of an effect.

Elliots mother is 20 years old and living with her mother. You suspect that there may be an alcohol problem in the home as Elliots mother has mentioned to you that her own mother drinks a lot. Elliots mother reports that her son is aggressive the family rabbit. Elliot and his mother seem close and it is clear that Elliot wants to please her. Elliot loves to draw and frequently draws pictures for his mother when he is in school.

Elliot tells his mother that he is being bullied at school (using those words). Elliot was recently suspended due pushing a peer over, injuring the peer (broken arm).

Elliots mother reports that Elliots father was recently released from jail and that she sees so much of him in Elliot. She is afraid that Elliot will be just like his father.

Use this outline to create level 1 headings within your paper. Here is an example – the first writing prompt reads:

1. Very brief case overview naming the problem and client/system strengths. 14 page

Your level 1 heading would be:

Case Overview

Your paper must cover the following topics in this order:

1. Very brief case overview naming the problem and client/system strengths. 14 page
2. A description of all team members and their roles in the clients intervention plan. 12 page
3. An analysis of systemic and structural issues contributing to the problem or amplifying the problem. 1.5 pages
4. An analysis of state and federal policies impacting the problem and suggestions for policy changes that would benefit your client. 1 page
5. A description of at least two micro-level and one mezzo-level intervention that would benefit your client and your rationale for selecting these interventions. Keep in mind that your interventions must be research-based and evidence-informed. 2 pages
6. An analysis of the impact of trauma- and toxic stress on the clients life and the selection of interventions taking into account the potential impact of the pandemic on Elliot, his family, and his education. 1 page
7. Specific suggestions for the inclusion of cultural humility in your interactions with the client/family and system. 12 page

Required Readings and Resources

• Diamond, J. (2000). Trauma and recovery. In J. Diamond, Narrative means to sober ends: Treating addiction and its aftermath (pp. 145-182). Guilford. (optional)
• DiClemente, C. & Velasquez, M.M. (2002). Motivational interviewing and the stages of change. In W.R. Miller & S. Rollnick (Eds.), Motivational interviewing: Preparing people for change. Guilford.
• Fitzpatrick, S., Saraiya, T., Lopez-Castro, T., Ruglas, L.M., & Hien, D. (2020). The impact of trauma characteristics on post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder outcomes across integrated and substance use treatments, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 113,
• Van Wormer, K., & Davis, D. R. (2018). Addiction treatment: A strengths perspective (4th edition). Brooks/Cole-Thomson. (Chapter 8)

THIS FINAL PROJECT MUST BE ORIGINAL WORK. SOURCES MUST BE CITED IN APA 7TH EDITION FORMAT. CHOOSE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS BELOW TO CREATE THIS FINAL PAPER. THE VAN WORMER IS THE MAIN TEXT BOOK REQUIRED FOR THIS COURSE AND THEN FOLLOWS ALL THE OTHER REQUIRED READING RESOURCES.

Final Project on either Practice Orientation and Approach / Model of Practice or Selected Policy or Practice Issue/Innovation in the Field of Addiction

Instructions

This 1012-page paper is intended as an opportunity to reflect on the degree and nature of your integration of values, knowledge, and skills in the field of addiction.

Please address the following:

Choose one of the following:

• 1) Outline your intended model or approach to practice in the field of addiction. What assumptions and values underpin the model/approach? What theories and research inform your approach? What skill sets do you consider essential within your approach?
• 2) Outline your selected policy or practice issue/innovation in the field of addiction. What assumptions and values underpin the different positions in the debates related to the issue/innovation? What theories inform each of the positions? What are the implications for the policy/practice of each of the positions? Clearly articulate where you stand on the issue or issues and provide a rationale for your position; clearly outline the integral components of the innovation and the scope of application of the innovation in the field of addiction.

This paper should reflect integration of material from readings, class discussion and presentations, and additional reading specific to your intended model of practice or selected practice issue/innovation.

Reflection paper: 4 pages, double spaced, and include reference page. No title page. 1. Use current APA style, double spaced, Times New Roman, 1 margins, 12 pt font. 2. Respond to each of the following questions/prompts: a. Reflect on your own identities (e.g., gender, ethnicity) and how those identities may or may not privilege you in society. How might your identities and/or privilege impact how you engaged with your simulated client? b. Discuss how you engaged your client, what OARS skills you used and whether you fell into MI communication traps and/or how you avoided traps. Describe your use of closed vs open ended questions. c. Describe your use of all OARS skills, describing your scores on reflective listening, simple/complex reflections, use of summaries, percentage of complex reflections, ratio of questions to reflections, and affirmations. You may also discuss if you had scores on persuade and confront and what you could have done differently. d. Please integrate information from class and readings on MI (at least 3 sources w/one being from a peer reviewed journal article published within the last five years) to support your discussion in order to demonstrate that you have examined and understand the material. Use of PPTs presented in class and/or personal communication w/me do not count toward your 3 sources of MI information. The MITI 4.2.1 and your text can be (and should be) cited for this purpose. e. Identify two skills you would like to improve upon and how you would facilitate change in these skills. This can also include avoiding traps. f. Be sure to integrate your scores (%) from the MITI. Use these scores to inform how you critique your work. g. Attach the coding report sheet (see below). 3. You could consider following a format such as (do not use as headings, you do not have room for these in a 4-page paper): Introduction Use of questions (open vs closed ended) Reflective listening/scores for Simple and Complex Reflections Use of summaries (coded as Reflections) Ratio of Questions to Reflections % of complex reflections Affirmations Traps/scores on Persuade and Confront Areas for improvement on skills Your reflections on the engagement/focusing processhow did it go overall? Check-Off List for assignment #1: ____Your reflection paper on the interview process (answering the questions above and including reference page). ____ Attach your MITI coding report sheet. ____ Attach the coded interview transcript.

For this assignment, students are encouraged to reflect on the theories learned throughout the course and demonstrate their ability to apply Narrative, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), or Solution-Focused approaches to a clinical case. This assignment will help you deepen your critical thinking process and expand your knowledge of applying theory to real-world clinical cases.

Students are expected to conceptualize a case from their fieldwork practice that illustrates how they have attempted to use either Narrative, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), or Solution-Focused interventions. This 6-page paper should include the following:

Introduction: Brief overview of what the paper will be about

Case description: Select an individual case and describe succinctly how you have used principles (as per the readings) of either Narrative, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), or Solution-Focused approaches in your work. This section should also include the rationale for the theory selected.

Client positionality: Explain how the clients positionality (age, gender, race/cultural/ethnic identification, sexual orientation, immigration status, marital status, etc.) has informed your clinical/professional impression of the clients dynamics.

Conclusion: Brief synthesis of the case and theory application, including key clinical insights gained and reflection on how this learning will inform future practice.

References: Students are expected to use eight (8) references from multiple sources to ground their arguments and views. Utilize articles from the course syllabus, professional journals, and book chapters.

Note: Websites and other internet sources are unacceptable. The reference list should be typed in APA format.

some readings ALLOWED:

• Anderson, H. (2005). Myths about knowing. Family Process, 44, 4, 497-504.
• Messer, S.B. & Kaslow, N.J. (2020). Ch. 1, Contemporary issues in psychotherapy theory, practice and research: A framework for comparative study.
• Neimeyer, R.A. & Bridges, S.K. (2003). Postmodern approaches to psychotherapy. In Gurman & Messer, Ch. 8, pp. 272-316.
• Sarri, C. (2002). The environment: Its role in psychosocial functioning and psychotherapy. New York: Columbia University Press. Ch. 9: Symbolization: Connections between internal and external worlds.
• Gambrill, E. (2012). (3rd ed). Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice: Improving the Quality of Judgments and Decisions. Wiley. pp.3-27.
• Thyer, B.A. (2002). Evidence-based practice and social work. Evidence-Based Mental Health, 5, 6-7.
• Thyer, B., & Pignotti, M. (2011). Evidence-based Practices do not exist. Journal of Clinical Social Work, 39, 328-333.
• Zayas, L.H., Drake, B., & Jonson-Reid, M. (2011). Overrating or dismissing the value of evidence-based practice: Consequences for clinical practice. Journal of Clinical Social Work, 39, 400-405.
• Messer, S.B. & Kaslow, N.J. (2020). Essential psychotherapies: Theory and practice. Ch. 4, Behavior therapy: Traditional approaches and Ch. 5, Cognitive therapy.
• David, D. (2007). Quo Vadis CBT? Transcultural perspectives on the past, present, and future of CBT: Interviews with the current leadership in CBT. Journal of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies, 7, 2, 171-217.
• DeLong, P. & Berg, I.K. (2002). Interviewing for solutions, 2nd edition. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. Ch. 1, From problem solving to solution building, pp. 1-11;
• Delong, P. & Berg, I.K. (2001). Co-constructing cooperation with mandated clients. Social Work, 46,4, 361-374.
• Peller, J. & Walter, J.L. (1998). Solution-focused brief therapy. In R. A. Dorfman, Paradigms of clinical social work (pp. 71-93). New York: Brunner/Mazel Publishers.
• MacLaren, C. (2008). Use of self in cognitive behavioral therapy. Clinical Social Work Journal, online pre-publication.
• Tempel, L.R. (2008). Loosening the soil of their thinking: A theoretical integration for contracting with mothers to stop physical aggression toward their children. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 26, 1 39-48.
• Van Hook, M.P. (2019). Social work practice with families: A resiliency-based approach, Ch. 5, Social learning/cognitive family therapy models.

Trauma Analysis: 25 points

Students will read What Happened to Me? Students will complete a written assignment which presents their understanding of trauma and how awareness impacts practice. The paper should discuss:

• Trauma Overview-
• Literature review of trauma (what is traumatic experience/trauma- what does current literature say?)
• A personal assessment of your reaction to the book
• Insight into your reactions and triggers. Consider: how does hearing about trauma impact you? Why does this matter as a practicing social worker?
• Insight into personal growth– What additional personal growth needs to occur? What specific issues may still be present that need to be addressed prior to engaging in an effective helping relationship. How do you intend to address these?

Self care for secondary traumatic stress- what is your plan for self care: emergency and maintenance?

Quality over quantity! Focus on academic writing that is clear, well organized, and concise. This paper tends to be around 4-8 pages. I would anticipate no less than 5 references as well.

Community Assessment Assignment This assignment invites students to conduct a comprehensive community assessment, applying core principles of social work to understand the needs, resources, and strengths of a specific population. The purpose of this assessment is to develop a holistic understanding of the communitys dynamics, identify service gaps, and explore opportunities for intervention and advocacy. Students will begin by clearly stating the purpose of their assessment. This should include identifying the communitys key needs, available resources, and inherent strengths. Next, they will define the scope of the assessment by outlining the geographical boundaries and describing the population being studied. This section should clarify whether the focus is on a neighborhood, town, city, or rural area, and include relevant demographic details. The Community Profile section will provide a snapshot of the communitys characteristics. Students should include demographic data such as population size, age distribution, gender, ethnicity, and other relevant factors. Socioeconomic indicatorssuch as income levels, employment rates, and education levelsshould be analyzed to understand the communitys economic landscape. Additionally, students will describe geographic and environmental features, including climate and location, and offer a brief historical overview of the community, noting significant events or developments that have shaped its identity. In the Community Resources section, students will identify and describe key services and institutions within the community. This includes healthcare facilities, educational institutions, social service agencies, and recreational amenities. The goal is to map out the infrastructure that supports residents and assess how well these resources meet community needs. The Community Needs section will focus on identifying gaps and challenges. Students should assess prevalent health issues, educational shortcomings, social concerns such as housing or transportation, and economic challenges like unemployment or poverty. This analysis should be grounded in data and informed by social work perspectives on equity and access. Finally, the student consistently uses APA format to cite all sources accurately. References are credible, current, and clearly relevant to macro-level social work practice, demonstrating thoughtful integration of scholarly and community-based evidence.

Review the Learning Resources on midlife and middle adulthood. Consider the phenomenon of a midlife crisis, its characteristics/features, and how it may vary for people of different genders. BY DAY 4 Post a description of the characteristics/features of a midlife crisis, including the different experiences in terms of gender. Explain how biology intersects with psychology and social factors in this phenomenon, and provide an example. Then, explain how you as a social worker could help a person navigate a midlife crisis. Required Readings Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (11th ed.). Cengage Learning. Chapter 11, “Psychological Aspects of Young and Middle Adulthood” (pp. 485535) Herzog, J. R., Whitworth, J. D., & Scott, D. L. (2020). Trauma informed care with military populations. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment , 30 (3), 265278. Piotrowski, N. A., & Prest, L. A. (2019). Midlife crisis. In B. C. Auday, M. A. Buratovich, G. F. Marrocco, & P. Moglia (Eds.). Magills medical guide (8th ed.). Salem Press. Schnyders, C. M., Rainey, S., & McGlothlin, J. (2018). Parent and peer attachment as predictors of emerging adulthood characteristics. Adultspan Journal , 17 (2), 7180. Sherman, M. D., & Larsen, J. L. (2018). Family-focused interventions and resources for veterans and their families. Psychological Services , 15 (2), 146153. Required Media Walden University, LLC. (2021). Social work case studies [Interactive media]. Walden University Canvas. Navigate to Marcus. Picture someone standing in the middle of a bridge. First, they look back at where they have been and what they have done along the way to that point; then they look forward, seeing what little space they have left to travel and considering the extent they will be able to make the journey meaningful. If the bridge represents life, the person stuck in the middle, in a period of uncertainty and evaluation, is someone in a midlife crisis. The phenomenon is often portrayed in popular media: a middle-aged man buys a sportscar, has an extramarital affair, and begins socializing with the younger generation. But what exactly is a midlife crisis, and why does it occur? While some researchers question the term, stating that such crises are not necessarily limited to midlife, it is believed to be experienced by a sizable segment of the population. However, the crisis may look different from person to person. For this Discussion, you describe a midlife crisis and how biology, psychology, and sociology interact to create the phenomenon. You also envision yourself as a social worker addressing this phenomenon with a client.

Introduction – A compelling opening statement – A brief introduction of yourself and your background as it pertains to your motivation for applying to graduate school Body – Relevant experiences and accomplishments related to the field – Example 1 – Example 2 – Example 3 – Your professional goals in relation to the program – Your reasons for choosing this specific institution and what you can contribute Conclusion* Summarize the information presented within the body, emphasizing your qualifications and alignment with the institution. This serves as your final opportunity to make a lasting impression.

I need about 4 PowerPoint slides and an outline I can speak from for about 5 minutes. I am person 4 and need only my section done, and will upload a picture showing my responsibilities. Here is the prompt:

There will be 5 student groups, each comprising 3-4 students. The groups will be formed during the first week of class. Each group will select one of the major neighborhoods of El Paso, i.e., Eastside, Central (Downtown to Bassett Center), Northeast, Lower Valley, Horizon, Clint, San Elizario, Socorro, Fabens, or the Far Westside, based on the groups interest and personal experience with that neighborhood/area. The groups will develop a visual, historical, culturally informed, ethically informed, and informational oral report on the neighborhood that they have selected. The groups should research their assigned neighborhood using census data, city reports, etc., and should include topics such as socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, age, and gender makeup, and review the resources available (or not) to the area. The groups should look at the neighborhood using an inclusive and strengths-based perspective, focusing on areas of growth. The purpose of the presentation is to educate the entire class about the major neighborhoods and communities of El Paso to better prepare students for future work as professional Social Workers in this community. Each group will present the main points in a PowerPoint presentation, including pictures and/or videos of the neighborhood selected. Presentations should be 30-40 minutes long, including time for class questions and discussion. There will be 4 group presentations scheduled throughout the semester.