Social Work Commons^™

Aids And Ethics, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

The seriousness of the AIDS crisis is well known. Since the first case was documented in Los Angeles in 1981, the media have been filled with research updates, documentaries, and exposes on the dreaded disorder. Reports and case studies have ranged from informative to sensational. They have included serious academic studies, educational overviews targeted for the general public, and columns in weekly tabliods.

Social Workers' Management Of Error, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

Social workers, like all professionals, sometimes make mistakes. For example, they may disclose clients' confidential information inappropriately, fail to respond to clients' reasonable requests in a timely manner, or engage in improper dual relationships with clients. Ideally, social workers who err would follow a protocol that honors the profession's commitment to responsible and honest communication and minimizes the practical risks faced by social workers who might be named in lawsuits, licensing board complaints, and ethics complaints. This article explores the nature and forms of social work error and possible constructive responses to it that (a) protect clients, (b) minimize risk …

The Free Will-Determinism Debate And Social Work, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

Social workers'judgments about the determinants of clients' problems have a substantial effect on practitioners' willingness to provide assistance. There is considerable variation in professionals' beliefs about the extent to which clients are themselves responsible for their difficulties, as opposed to factors that are beyond their control. This article examines the philosophical controversy known as the free will-determinism debate, and assesses its implications for the profession of social work.

Ethics Committees In Social Work, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

This article discusses the need of professional ethics committees, which will provide guidelines for social workers on the moral needs and limitations of their clients. Course content in social work training programs, workshops, and literature on the subject have increased substantially since the mid-1970s. In part, this is due to increased awareness among social workers that decisions in practice often contain ethical issues that clinical and technical tools alone cannot resolve. Complex decisions about limitations on clients' right to confidentiality or self -determination, allocation of limited social service resources, and whistle blowing have led social workers to seek guidelines to …

The Mystery Of Goodness, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

Reviews the book `The Mystery of Goodness: Positive Moral Consequences of Psychotherapy,' by Mary Nichols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR].

Aids And Social Work, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

Social workers are becoming increasingly involved in casework and social policy debate related to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) crisis. To enhance their delivery of services and contribution to policy formulation, social workers need to be familiar with a wide range of ethical and civil liberties issues that have been generated by the AIDS epidemic. This article provides an overview of six major ethical and civil liberties issues pertaining to social work practice related to AIDS: (1) mandatory screening and testing of clients for the immunodeficiency virus (HIV), (2) client access to health insurance, (3) professionals' duty to treat …

The Affordable Housing Crisis And Social Work, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

The article examines the housing crisis in the United States in 1989. It also focuses on problems concerning the preservation of affordable housing and relationship between direct service and housing policy. An increasing percentage of social worker's clients are facing serious housing problems. Escalating housing costs and an inadequate supply of affordable housing have saddled low and moderate income. Americans with a burden that is beyond their control. The magnitude and determinants of the current housing crisis are also examined. Also, problems concerning the preservation of existing affordable housing, and rent subsidies are reviewed. Finally, an overview of innovative approaches …

Clarifying Priorities In Social Work Education, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

This article clarifies priorities in social work education. One of the hottest controversies among people these days concerns the proliferation of social work education programs. Proponents claim the need to enhance students' access by increasing the number of pro- grams throughout the United States. Critics, however, worry about saturating certain geographical "markets" and inadequate quality control. Programs always develop reputations, whether deserved or not. Some become known as weak, others as strong. Others become tagged with "too clinical" or "not clinical enough." Whatever the labels, all programs seem to have them. Yet, the labels often have a life of their …

Cultivating Leadership In Social Work Education, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

The article focuses on the views of the author on issues related to leadership in schools of social work. As in all fields, along with weak and ineffectual leaders, there are a number of remarkably talented, bright, inspired, and inspirational leaders in social work education. Leadership is an ill-defined quality and can be exceedingly difficult to teach and develop..

Ethics, The Social Sciences, And Policy Analysis / Book Review, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

Reviews the book "Ethics, the Social Sciences, and Policy Analysis," edited by Daniel Callahan and Bruce Jennings..

Near And Farsightedness In Social Work Education, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

Sometimes being nearsighted is advantageous. In times of crisis, preoccupation with the long view can be disastrous. Rescue teams need to be able to focus intently on what is right before their eyes. Few want the emergency room surgeon to speculate for long about what may be way down the road for the patient whose life is on the line.

Disrupting Homelessness : Alternative Christian Approaches, Laura A. Stivers

Laura Stivers

Capturing Environmental Affordances: Low-Income Families Identify Positive Characteristics Of A Hotel Housing Solution, Terri Lewinson

Terri Lewinson

This qualitative study describes the positive characteristics of an extended-stay hotel as identified by low-income families that resided there. Interviews were conducted with ten hotel residents using a semi-structured interview guide and participant photographs to elicit a deeper understanding of experiencing home at a hotel. Framed in the theoretical perspective of environmental affordances, findings suggest that despite discomforts of the hotel environment, residents were still able to enjoy family independence, social engagement, a sense of safety and connection to a community context. The findings of this study may help practitioners gain a balanced perspective of non-ideal housing conditions for planning …

Mortality, Crime And Access To Basic Needs Before And After The Haiti Earthquake: A Random Survey Of Port-Au-Prince Households, Athena Kolbe, Royce Hutson, Harry Shannon, Eileen Trzcinski, Bart Miles, Naomi Levitz, Marie Puccio, Leah James, Jean Noel, Robert Muggah

Royce A. Hutson

On 12 January 2010 an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale struck Haiti, causing unprecedented death, injury and destruction for an event of this magnitude. Our aim was to generate a rapid assessment of the primary consequences for the population of the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, the national capital. During the summer of 2009 we conducted a survey of 1,800 households in metropolitan Port-au-Prince. Six weeks after the earthquake, we attempted to trace these households in order to re-interview them. The questionnaire examined mortality and injuries generated by the natural disaster, as well as the character of victimization, food …

Intrapsychic Correlates Of Professional Quality Of Life: Mindfulness, Empathy, And Emotional Separation, Jacky Thomas, Melanie Otis

Jacky T. Thomas

Research examining stress disorders provides important information about professional and workplace variables with the potential to influence practitioners‘ risk for compassion fatigue and burnout. However, little attention is given to intrapersonal skills or abilities that might function to reduce risk by increasing resilience and improving work satisfaction, but without jeopardizing practitioners‘ empathic engagement and effective treatment relationships with clients. This study uses a random sample of licensed clinical social workers (N= 171) to examine relationships of mindfulness, empathy, and emotional separation to several aspects of professional quality of life, including compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction. Data are analyzed using …

A Framework For Working With People With Early Stage Dementia: A Relationship - Focused Approach To Counseling., Phyllis Harris

Phyllis Braudy Harris

No abstract provided.

Cognitive-Behavioral Model, Randy Magen

Randy Howard Magen

In the 1970s the first articles and books appeared, written by social workers, describing the application of behavioral theory to social work with groups (Rose, 1972; Sundel & Lawrence, 1970). Since that time, cognitive-behavioral theory has become one of the dominant perspectives guiding group work practice. The compatibility between evidence-based practice and cognitive-behaviorally based interventions assures the place of this theory at the forefront of group work.

In Chapter 5, Examples Of Compassion, Resiliency, And Academic Success, Ric And Doug, Sue Martin

Sue Martin

One of six vignettes from the field, chosen because they illustrate a heart-centered attitude.

Implementation Of The Intervention-Based Family Assessment Procedure: A Case Study, Jeanne Jenkins, Audrey Ellenwood

Jeanne E. Jenkins

Chronic illness is a worldwide phenomenon impacting the emotional stability and daily functioning of families across cultures. Families with a chronically ill member are in need of interventions and therapy, yet, time constraints and care-taking demands make it difficult for families to seek traditional family therapy services. The objectives of this article are to (1) overview the Intervention-Based Family Assessment Procedure (IBFA) and (2) present a case vignette demonstrating the implementation of the procedure. The IBFA is an effective diagnostic tool and intervention strategy to help family therapists alter the dysfunctional and rigid structural dynamics of families with a chronically …

Memory Perception And Strategy Use In Parkinson's Disease, Andrew Johnson, Carrie Pollard, Philip Vernon, Jennifer Tomes, Mandar Jog

Andrew M. Johnson

Although there is growing support for the existence of memory deficits within Parkinson's disease (PD), little has been done to evaluate the extent to which PD patients demonstrate differences in their use of metacognitive strategies. In the present study, 79 PD patients (46 men and 33 women) and 49 age-matched healthy participants (19 men and 30 women) were compared on a metamemory questionnaire. PD patients reported significantly less strategy-use than age-matched controls, particularly with regards to external memory strategies (such as making lists). This suggests that auxiliary treatments such as memory strategy training might be effective in this population.