97. Read the case and book, write a 2page (400 words) discussion by answering questions.

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Read the case and book, write a 2page (400 words) discussion by answering questions. I have attached the book you need to read. You will only need to read from page 151-168. Please read the requirements very carefully. Thank you!!

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Module 3: Empathy and Generalist Practice Discussion Board (15 points): This discussion board relates to this week’s learning objective: compare theoretical perspectives that impact generalist practice and how they connect to a client’s life. Evaluation of the empathy process and identification of key components to empathy. Explanation of social work values and ethics through application to case studies. The purpose of this discussion board is to help you understand the basics of generalist practice in Social Work. You will practice identifying a theoretical framework that could be applied to their case studies. Additionally, you will also apply key aspects of empathy to their case and evaluate the importance of empathy. You will also identify one ethical issue that they locate in their case study and how you would handle it (think back to the NASW Code of Ethics from Module 1). You will also self rate the priority of the 6 core values of social work in reflection to their case study. You can reach learning objectives by reading the case study you are assigned and providing a thoughtful response that includes critical thinking. You will be expected to apply course concepts to your client’s case. Directions: Create a new thread and in the subject line have your name and the title. Posts should be no less than 300 words and no more than 500 words. You need to address the following questions in your response: 1. How would you demonstrate empathy for your client? How is this different than showing sympathy to your client? Be specific and give examples. 2. Out of all the theories and frameworks discussed in Chapter 6, which one do you think would benefit your client the most? Why? 3. Discuss one ethical challenge you observed in your case study (or one you think will be a problem for you). Then discuss how you would resolve it using the NASW Code of Ethics. 4. Rank the importance of the Social Work core values as you see them relating to your case study. 5. What is one question that you have about your case study/client and its relation to this week’s module material? 6. Please ensure that you respond to at least one peer in addition to your own post! Peer responses are expected to be a minimum of 100 words. Be sure to include critical thinking and thoughtful feedback in your response to ensure you earn the full amount of points in your post. Mrs. Harjo and Tony:​ Mrs. Harjo is 65 year old female who identifies as Latina. She lives in Globe, Arizona, and subsists on Supplemental Security Income, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps), and her garden. Mrs. Harjo has been living alone since the death of her husband five years ago. She is the daughter of Mexican immigrants, and visits her hometown in Mexico for Semana Santa every other year. A paternal grandson, Tony (age 13), recently moved in with Mrs. Harjo following his mother's death from acute alcohol poisoning. Tony's biological father is serving five years in county jail on a third conviction. Tony's biological parents were never married, and his mother did not obtain a legal divorce from her first husband. When Tony was born, the hospital registrar listed the first husband as the legal father on his birth certificate. Trying to do the right thing, Mrs. Harjo went to Tony's school to give notice of a change of address and to put her name on file as guardian and emergency contact. School officials pointed out that Tony was not legally related to Mrs. Harjo, and that therefore she had no authority to authorize medical care, or to enroll Tony in school. The principal referred Mrs. Harjo to an attorney, where she appealed for help in getting Tony's paternity corrected. The attorney advised that the biological father adopt Tony in order to change the legal parent, but refused to take the case because Tony's father was incarcerated, and the likelihood of an adoption by an incarcerated parent was too low. Moreover, the whereabouts of the legal father are unknown, and thus no relinquishment can be secured. (Garcia, Bain, Avera, Armenta, 2005) Tony’s grades have dipped to a C average (he typically earns A’s and B’s) since the death of his mother. He is on the freshman baseball team, and cites this as one of his favorite activities, but will be barred from playing should his grades continue to decline. Tony has no specific academic interests but wants to remain eligible to play baseball. Teachers report that Tony has always been quiet, but has had difficulty concentrating in school since his mother's’ death two months ago. Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) Social Work Competencies The nine Social Work Competencies are listed below. Programs may add competencies that are consistent with their mission and goals and respond to their context. Each competency describes the knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes that comprise the competency at the generalist level of practice, followed by a set of practice behaviors that integrate these components. Practice behaviors represent observable components of the competencies, while the preceding statements represent the underlying content and processes that inform the behaviors. Competency 1–Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior Social workers understand the value base of the profession and its ethical standards, as well as relevant laws and regulations that may impact practice at the micro and macro levels. Social workers understand frameworks of ethical decisionmaking and how to apply principles of critical thinking to those frameworks in practice, research, and policy arenas. Social workers recognize personal values and the distinction between personal and professional values. They also understand how their personal experiences and affective reactions influence their professional judgment and behavior. Social workers understand the profession’s history, its mission, and the roles and responsibilities of the profession. Social workers recognize the importance of life-long learning and are committed to continually updating their skills to ensure they are relevant and effective. Social workers also understand emerging forms of technology and the ethical use of technology in social work practice. Social workers: 1a. make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context; 1b. use reflection and self-regulation to manage personal values and maintain professionalism in practice situations; 1c. demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior; appearance; and oral, written, and electronic communication; 1d. use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes; and 1e. use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior. Competency 2–Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice Social workers understand how diversity and difference characterize and shape the human experience and are critical to the formation of identity. The dimensions of diversity are understood as the intersectionality of multiple factors including but not limited to age, class, color, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, marital status, physical and mental ability, political ideology, race, Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. religion/spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status. Social workers understand that, as a consequence of difference, a person’s life experiences may include oppression, poverty, marginalization, and alienation as well as privilege, power, and acclaim. Social workers also understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures and values, including social, economic, political, and cultural exclusions, may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create privilege and power. Social workers: 2a. apply and communicate understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in practice at the micro and macro levels; 2b. present themselves as learners and engage clients and constituencies as experts of their own experiences; and 2c. apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies. Competency 3–Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice Social workers understand that every person regardless of position in society has fundamental human rights such as freedom, safety, privacy, an adequate standard of living, health care, and education. Social workers understand the global interconnections of oppression and human rights violations, and are knowledgeable about theories of justice and strategies to promote social and economic justice and human rights. Social workers understand strategies designed to eliminate oppressive structural barriers to ensure that social goods and responsibilities are distributed equitably and that civil, political, environmental, economic, social, and cultural human rights are protected. Social workers: 3a. apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels; and 3b. engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice. Competency 4–Engage in Practice-Informed Research and ResearchInformed Practice Social workers understand quantitative and qualitative research methods and their respective roles in advancing a science of social work. Social workers know the principles of logic, scientific inquiry, and ethical approaches to building knowledge. Social workers understand that evidence that informs practice derives from multi-disciplinary sources. They also understand the processes for translating research findings into effective practice. Social workers: 4a. use practice experience and theory to inform scientific inquiry and research; 4b. engage in critical analysis of quantitative and qualitative research methods and research findings; and 4c. use and translate research findings to inform and improve practice, policy, and service delivery. (Continued) Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PROFESSION OF SOCIAL WORK Becoming A Change Agent Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. Empowerment Series AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PROFESSION OF SOCIAL WORK Becoming A Change Agent 5TH EDITION Elizabeth A. Segal Arizona State University Karen E. Gerdes Arizona State University Sue Steiner California State University Chico Australia • Brazil • Mexico • Singapore • United Kingdom • United States Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. This is an electronic version of the print textbook. Due to electronic rights restrictions, some third party content may be suppressed. Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. The publisher reserves the right to remove content from this title at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. For valuable information on pricing, previous editions, changes to current editions, and alternate formats, please visit www.cengage.com/highered to search by ISBN#, author, title, or keyword for materials in your areas of interest. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the eBook version. Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. Empowerment Series: An Introduction to the Profession of Social Work: Becoming A Change Agent, Fifth Edition Elizabeth A. Segal, Karen E. Gerdes, and Sue Steiner Product Director: Jon-David Hague Product Manager: Gordon Lee Content Developer: J. L. Hahn Consulting Group-Theodore Knight © 2016, 2013, 2010 Cengage Learning WCN: 02-200-203 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced, transmitted, stored, or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, scanning, digitizing, taping, Web distribution, information networks, or information storage and retrieval systems, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the publisher. 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Cover Image: Young boy with hands on face (© ZouZou/Shutterstock.com), Senior woman smiling (© Kiselev Andrey Valerevich/ Shutterstock.com), Teen boy studying (© YanLev/Shutterstock.com), Japanese woman in brown sweater (© MJTH/Shutterstock.com), Hispanic male teen looking up (© Roxana Gonzalez/Shutterstock.com), Young Africanamerican girl (© Samuel Borges Photography/ Shutterstock.com), Woman with glasses (© nenetus/Shutterstock.com), Muslim woman (© pistolseven/Shutterstock.com), African man wearing hat (© Nolte Lourens/Shutterstock. com), Mother and child (© Sergey Mironov/ Shutterstock.com), Young latino man (© Allison Hays-Allicat Photography/ Shutterstock.com), Asian man (© XiXinXing/ Shutterstock.com), Colorful Background with squares (© Hluboki Dzianis/Shutterstock.com), Abstract Background-water ripple (© Jozsef Bagota/Shutterstock.com) Library of Congress Control Number: 2014957110 ISBN: 978-1-305-25899-0 Cengage Learning 20 Channel Center Street Boston, MA 02210 USA Cengage Learning is a leading provider of customized learning solutions with office locations around the globe, including Singapore, the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, and Japan. Locate your local office at www.cengage.com/global Cengage Learning products are represented in Canada by Nelson Education, Ltd. To learn more about Cengage Learning Solutions, visit www.cengage.com Purchase any of our products at your local college store or at our preferred online store www.cengagebrain.com Printed in the United States of America Print Number: 01 Print Year: 2014 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. Contents Preface CHAPTER 1 xvii What Is Social Work? 1 Social Work as a Profession Who Are Social Workers? 2 3 BOX 1.1: More About … Social Work Social Work Education 5 6 BOX 1.2: More About … Social Work Education Criteria BOX 1.3: What Do You Think? 6 Central Concepts and Theories 6 7 Person in Environment Concept 7 Theoretical Basis for Social Work Practice 7 BOX 1.4: What Do You Think? 11 BOX 1.5: More About … NASW Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice The Power of Language BOX 1.6: Point of View 16 BOX 1.7: What Do You Think? 13 17 Social Work Values and Ethics 18 Social Workers’ Ethical Responsibilities 19 BOX 1.8: Ethical Practice … Helping Clients 20 BOX 1.9: From the Field: Herman’s Rights or Worker Safety? BOX 1.10: What Do You Think? 21 Social Work Careers 13 20 21 Child Welfare: Working with Children and Their Families People Who Are Older 22 Health Care/Medical Social Work 22 Mental Health 22 School Social Work 23 Substance Abuse 23 Violence, Victims, and Criminal Justice 23 Crisis, Trauma, and Disasters 24 Military Social Work 24 Public Welfare 24 Community Organization 24 Policy Practice 25 21 v Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. vi CONTENTS Management/Administration 25 Rural Social Work 25 International Social Work 25 Is Social Work for You? 26 Personal Characteristics Suited to Social Work Practice Social Workers as Change Agents 28 BOX 1.11: Becoming a Change Agent BOX 1.12: What Do You Think? 29 29 Choosing Social Work as a Career Conclusion CHAPTER 2 26 29 30 The History of the Social Welfare System and the Social Work Profession 37 How the Social Welfare System Helps People BOX 2.1: What Do You Think? The History of U.S. Social Welfare Colonial Period 39 41 41 42 Values Reflecting the Colonial Period Pre–Civil War Period 42 43 Values Reflecting the Pre–Civil War Period The Civil War and Post–Civil War Period 43 43 Values Reflecting the Civil War and Post–Civil War Period The Progressive Era 44 44 Values Reflecting the Progressive Era 45 The Great Depression and the New Deal 45 Values Reflecting the Great Depression and the New Deal World War II and the Postwar Economy Values Reflecting World War II and the Postwar Economy The Social Reform Years 48 48 Values Reflecting the Social Reform Years The Retrenchment Years 47 47 49 49 Values Reflecting the Retrenchment Years 50 Social Welfare in the New Millennium: Terrorism, War, Financial Struggles, and Recovery 50 Values Influencing the New Millennium BOX 2.2: Becoming a Change Agent 52 Major Social Welfare Programs Cash Assistance Programs In-Kind Benefit Programs BOX 2.3: What Do You Think? 51 52 54 55 56 The History of the Social Work Profession 57 Charity Organization Societies 57 BOX 2.4: More About … Mary Richmond 58 Settlement Movement 58 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. CONTENTS BOX 2.5: More About … Jane Addams vii 59 Values, Social Welfare, and Social Work 62 Are Recipients Worthy or Unworthy? 62 Religious Values or Separation of Church and State BOX 2.6: Ethical Practice … Abortion 63 63 Should We Change the Person or the System? 64 Impartial Professional or Advocate 64 Helping People We Know or Helping Strangers 64 Crisis or Ongoing Need 64 BOX 2.7: What Do You Think? Conclusion CHAPTER 3 65 65 Poverty and Economic Disparity Defining Poverty 69 70 BOX 3.1: What Do You Think? 71 The Official Definition of Poverty Who Is Poor in America? 72 The Causes of Poverty 71 73 Values and Blaming the Victim 74 BOX 3.2: From the Field: The Faces of Poverty BOX 3.3: What Do You Think? 76 Employment and Income Levels Jobs 76 Income Distribution Race 75 76 77 78 The Costs of Poverty 79 Homelessness and Housing Personal Costs 81 79 The Roles of Social Workers 81 BOX 3.4: Becoming a Change Agent Social Welfare Programs 82 83 Supplemental Security Income 83 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 83 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 86 Psychosocial Interventions Advocacy 87 86 BOX 3.5: Ethical Practice … Self-Sufficiency or Neglect? Conclusion CHAPTER 4 88 88 Human Rights and Social and Economic Justice What Is Social Justice? 95 97 Social Work’s Mandate for Social Justice Barriers to Social Justice 98 98 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. viii CONTENTS BOX BOX BOX BOX 4.1: 4.2: 4.3: 4.4: More About … Oppression and Violence 100 What Do You Think? 101 Becoming a Change Agent 102 From the Field: Doing My Civic Duty 105 Explanations of Social Injustice 106 Biological Determinism 106 The Socialization Process 107 Psychological Perspectives 107 Sociological Perspectives 108 Models of Intergroup Relations Overcoming Social Injustice 108 110 Civil Rights 110 Protection from Discrimination 110 Civil Rights for Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals, and Transgender Persons Hate Crimes Prevention Act 113 Affirmative Action 113 Immigration Rights 115 Social Work Roles in Fighting Social Injustice 112 116 BOX 4.5: More About … Social Work’s Commitment to Social Justice 116 BOX 4.6: Ethical Practice … Social Justice 117 Social Justice and Civil Rights in the Twenty-First Century Conclusion CHAPTER 5 117 118 Dimensions of Diversity 123 Social Construction of Differences Diversity in the United States Historical Background 124 126 128 Exploration and Colonization 128 Forced Relocation and Enslavement 129 Expansion into Mexico 129 Immigration 129 Refugee Status 130 Undocumented or Unauthorized Immigrants Implications for Social Work Practice 131 Influence of History 131 Barriers to Service 132 BOX 5.1: From the Field: Cultural Divide BOX 5.2: What Do You Think? 133 Cultural Competency Multiculturalism 130 132 133 134 BOX 5.3: What Do You Think? 134 Ecological Framework 135 Empowerment Practice 135 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. CONTENTS Achieving Cultural Competency ix 136 Awareness of Self 136 Understanding Cultural Differences 137 BOX 5.4: More About … Core Values for Working with Diverse Populations 138 Stages of Cultural Understanding BOX 5.5: What Do You Think? Cultural Humility 139 BOX 5.6: Ethical Practice … Racism Emerging Issues 138 139 140 140 Civil Rights for LGBT People 140 BOX 5.7: Becoming a Change Agent 141 Multiethnic or Transracial Adoptions 142 Redress or Reparations for Past Social Injustices 142 Underfunded Schools 142 Environmental Justice 143 English Only Emphasis 143 New Research on Human Diversity and Genetic Makeup Conclusion CHAPTER 6 143 144 Generalist Social Work Practice 151 BOX 6.1: More About … Generalist Social Work Practice BOX 6.2: More About … Levels of Practice 153 153 A Theoretical Framework for Generalist Social Work Practice 154 Ecological Systems Framework 155 The Strengths and Diversity Perspectives 155 Historical Influence of Theories of Human Behavior in Social Work Practice Psychodynamic Theory 156 Cognitive-Behavioral Theory 158 Crisis Theory and Crisis Intervention 159 Generalist Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families Case Management 156 159 160 Engagement and Assessment 161 BOX 6.3: More About … Empathy 161 Intervention 162 Monitoring and Evaluation 164 Family Intervention 164 BOX 6.4: From the Field: Using Multiple Practice Skills 165 Ethical Challenges in Working with Individuals and Families BOX 6.5: Ethical Practice … Doing Two Things at Once? Generalist Social Work Practice with Groups The Unique Challenges of Rural Social Work Other Types of Groupwork 169 167 167 168 169 Support Groups 169 Self-Help Groups 170 Social Action Groups 170 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. x CONTENTS BOX 6.6: What Do You Think? 170 Ethical Challenges in Working with Groups Community Practice Roles 171 171 172 BOX 6.7: More About … The Goals of Organizing Models of Community Practice 173 174 Neighborhood and Community Organizing 174 Functional Organizing 174 Community Social and Economic Development 175 Social Planning 175 Program Development and Community Liaison 175 Political and Social Action 175 Coalition Building 176 Ethical Challenges in Working with Communities 176 The Role of a Global Perspective in Generalist Practice 177 BOX 6.8: From the Field: Social Work Takes Many Forms of Practice BOX 6.9: Becoming a Change Agent 180 Conclusion CHAPTER 7 178 181 Child Welfare: Working with Children and Their Families The Importance of Theory 186 BOX 7.1: What Do You Think? 186 Theories of Child Development Ecological Approach 185 187 188 BOX 7.2: More About … Systems and Children Human Development 189 189 Prenatal 189 Infancy 189 Preschool Years 190 Middle Childhood 190 Adolescence 190 Other Theories 191 The Child Welfare System Historical Background BOX 7.3: Point of View Child Welfare 191 191 192 193 Child Protective Services (CPS) Juvenile Justice 193 194 The Roles of Social Workers 195 Case Management 195 Direct Practice 195 BOX 7.4: From the Field: Learning from a Child BOX 7.5: What Do You Think? 197 196 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. CONTENTS Advocacy and Policy Building xi 197 The Intervention Process 198 Referral 198 Assessment and Engagement 199 Determining Intervention Strategies 201 Planning and Implementation 202 Termination 202 Values and Ethics 203 Respect for the Dignity and Uniqueness of the Individual Respect for Self-Determination 204 Respect for Confidentiality 204 BOX 7.6: Ethical Practice … Child Welfare 205 Critical Issues Facing Children and Families Child Maltreatment 203 205 205 BOX 7.7: Becoming a Change Agent 206 Foster Care 207 Alcohol and Drug Abuse 208 Decisions About Sexual Behavior Delinquency 209 Divorce 210 Poverty 210 Immigration 210 BOX 7.8: What Do You Think? 208 211 Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity 211 Working with Children and Families from a Strengths Perspective Conclusion CHAPTER 8 211 212 Gerontology: Working with People Who Are Older BOX 8.1: More About … Age Discrimination 219 221 Human Development within the Social Context 221 Biological and Physiological Aspects of Aging 221 Cognitive Process and Emotional/Psychological Development Sociological Aspects of Aging 223 Legal, Economic, and Political Aspects 223 Social Work Practice with People Who Are Older Historical Background Current Context 226 224 224 BOX 8.2: More About … The Group of People Who Are Older Diversity 228 Critical Public Policies 222 227 230 The Roles of Social Workers 231 Current Practice Interventions Older People at Risk 233 231 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. xii CONTENTS Values and Ethical Issues 235 BOX 8.3: Point of View 236 BOX 8.4: What Do You Think? 237 Critical Issues and Emerging Concerns 238 Medicare Drug Prescription Benefit and the Affordable Care Act 238 BOX 8.5: Ethical Practice … High Cost of Care Elder Abuse and Neglect 240 Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia BOX 8.6: From the Field: Quality of Life 241 242 Mental Health and Depression 244 Caregivers for Aging Parents 245 Grandparents Caring for Grandchildren BOX 8.7: Becoming a Change Agent Conclusion CHAPTER 9 239 246 247 248 Health Care Services 255 Health Care in America 256 Defining Health 257 The U.S. Health Care System 258 Historical Background 258 Health Care Reform: 1960s 259 Health Care Reform: 1990s 260 Health Care Reform: The States 260 Health Care Reform: The Obama Administration The Current Health Care System 262 BOX 9.1: What Do You Think? 262 Limitations of the Current Health Care System BOX 9.2: Point of View 263 264 The Roles of Social Workers Acute Care 261 265 266 BOX 9.3: From the Field: Helping to Find the Problem BOX 9.4: What Do You Think? 268 Ambulatory Care 269 Long-Term Care 269 Developmental Disabilities Public Health Policies 266 271 272 Social Work Values and Ethics in Health Care Settings Critical Issues Disability 276 276 BOX 9.5: More About … The Americans with Disabilities Act HIV/AIDS 274 277 278 BOX 9.6: Ethical Practice … Confidentiality or Health Safety? 279 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. CONTENTS Medical Use of Marijuana Diabetes 279 279 BOX 9.7: Becoming a Change Agent Conclusion CHAPTER 10 xiii 280 281 Mental Health Services 287 Mental Health and Mental Illness 289 BOX 10.1: More About … Mental Disorders 290 Biological and Psychological Factors Social Factors 293 291 The Mental Health Care System 293 Historical Background 294 The Current System 296 Fragmentation of the System 296 Managed Care 297 Deinstitutionalization 297 Criminalization 297 Community Treatment 298 Multidisciplinary Aspects of Mental Health Care BOX 10.2: Point of View 300 BOX 10.3: What Do You Think? 301 Social Work Practice in Mental Health Settings Social Work Roles Treatment 302 298 301 302 Family Therapy 304 Psychotherapy Groups 304 E-Therapy 307 Culturally Responsive Practice Strengths Perspective 309 307 BOX 10.4: From the Field: Working with People Living with Serious Mental Illness BOX 10.5: What Do You Think? 311 Obstacles to Treatment 311 BOX 10.6: Becoming a Change Agent 313 BOX 10.7: Katie A. and Increased Collaboration Policy Issues 314 314 Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans and Mental Health Values and Ethics CHAPTER 11 315 316 BOX 10.8: Ethical Practice … Cost or Care? Conclusion 310 317 317 School Social Work 323 The History of School Social Work School Social Work Roles and Skills 325 326 Responsibilities of School Social Workers 327 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. xiv CONTENTS Working with Students at Risk 328 BOX 11.1: From the Field: Social Work Persistence BOX 11.2: What Do You Think? 332 Knowledge and Skills 330 333 BOX 11.3: From the Field: Experiencing School Social Work 334 BOX 11.4: What Do You Think? 336 BOX 11.5: More About … School Social Work Credentials 336 Critical Public Policies 336 Students with Disabilities 337 Poor and Homeless Students 338 Diversity 340 Multicultural Education 341 Bilingual Education and Immigration BOX 11.6: Becoming a Change Agent 341 343 Students Who Are Deaf or Hearing Impaired 343 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students 344 Social Work Values and Ethics 345 BOX 11.7: More About … School Social Work Standards Challenges Facing School Social Workers 345 347 Violence Prevention 347 Teenage Pregnancy and Disease Prevention 348 Tobacco, Alcohol, and Illicit Drug Prevention 349 Dropout Prevention 349 BOX 11.8: Ethical Practice Conclusion CHAPTER 12 350 351 Substance Abuse 359 Substance Abuse and Human Development Types of Drugs 362 362 BOX 12.1: More About … Alcoholism 363 Dependence and Addiction 369 Sugar and Caffeine Addiction 369 BOX 12.2: More About … Criteria in the DSM-5 for Diagnosis of Substance Use Disorders Causes of Dependence and Addiction Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention Historical Background 373 Current Context 374 The Role of the Social Worker 370 371 372 375 BOX 12.3: From the Field: The Case of Twyla Diversity Issues and Populations at Risk 377 378 Women 378 African Americans 379 Latino Populations 380 Indigenous People 381 The LGBT Community 382 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. CONTENTS Social Work Values and Ethics BOX 12.4: What Do You Think? 383 384 Should Drug Use During Pregnancy Be Prosecuted? Are Needle Exchange Programs Ethical? 385 Should Some Drugs Be Legalized? 385 BOX 12.5: What Do You Think? xv 384 386 Emerging Issues and Future Concerns 387 AOD Problems in the Workplace 387 Drugs and HIV/AIDS 388 Criminalization or Treatment 389 Steroids and Human Growth Hormone 390 BOX 12.6: Ethical Practice … Punishment or Treatment? BOX 12.7: Becoming a Change Agent 391 Conclusion CHAPTER 13 390 392 Violence, Victims, and Criminal Justice 399 Violence, Crime, and Punishment in the United States The Criminal Justice System 400 401 The Extent and Variety of Crime in the United States 401 Theories of Criminal Behavior Relevant to Social Work 402 Individualistic Theories 402 Sociological Theories 405 BOX 13.1: What Do You Think? 405 Theories and Social Work 406 The Criminal Justice System 407 Racial Imbalance 407 Women 409 Inmates with Disabilities 409 BOX 13.2: What Do You Think? 410 Inmates with Chronic Health Problems 410 Undocumented Immigrants and Crime 411 Social Work Roles and Skills Historical Background Practice Settings 415 412 412 Juvenile and Family Courts Juvenile Corrections 416 Adult Corrections 417 415 Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections Victim Assistance Services 421 BOX 13.3: More About … Victim Assistance Policy Issues 419 421 422 Juvenile Offenders 422 BOX 13.4: What Do You Think? Domestic Violence 423 424 BOX 13.5: What Do You Think? 424 BOX 13.6: From the Field: An Unexpected Journey 425 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. xvi CONTENTS Crime and Mental Illness 426 Overcriminalization and Privatization The Death Penalty 427 427 BOX 13.7: The Case of Cameron Todd Willingham: Is the System Too Fallible? Victims’ Rights BOX 13.8: Becoming a Change Agent 431 BOX 13.9: Ethical Practice … Rehabilitation or Punishment? Ethics and Values Conclusion CHAPTER 14 428 430 432 432 433 Crisis, Trauma, and Disasters 441 What Do We Mean by Crisis, Trauma, and Disaster? BOX 14.1: What Do You Think? 442 443 Stress 443 Trauma 445 BOX 14.2: More About … Trauma A Unique Approach to Recovery from Trauma 446 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder BOX 14.3: More About … PTSD 447 448 Disasters—Natural and Human Made 449 Terrorist Attacks on American Soil—September 11, 2001 The Unexpected Nature of Disasters 451 International Events 452 BOX 14.4: Becoming a Change Agent The Iraq War 454 Secondary Traumatic Stress Social Work Practice 450 453 455 456 BOX 14.5: From the Field: We Didn’t Start the Fire 456 Micro-Level Interventions 458 Techniques for Reducing Stress 459 Mindfulness and Stress 459 Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy 460 Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing 460 Emerging Techniques—Energy Psychology and Trauma-Releasing Exercises 461 Pharmacological Treatment 461 Macro-Level Interventions 462 Prevention 463 Military Social Work 464 Social Work Values and Ethics Conclusion APPENDIX A APPENDIX B 465 466 NASW Code of Ethics 473 Web Resources 495 Glossary 501 Index 509 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. Preface The twenty-first century has been a time of extraordinary social and economic changes. The first African-American president was elected, with women candidates running in both political parties. The steepest economic recession since the Great Depression in the 1930s gripped the nation for 18 months. Major health care legislation was passed, after decades of political debate and arguments. More Americans struggle against poverty, and many face oppression and violence. Millions live without adequate wages, health care, food, or education. The threat of terrorism still lingers and challenges us to make our lives safer without turning to hate, bigotry, or repression. Social workers are called on to address these challenges. WHY WE WROTE THIS BOOK As social work educators, we are charged with preparing a new generation of practitioners trained to help individuals, families, and communities develop and expand the strengths they need to address their problems. Today’s social workers face these challenges during a time of budget constraints and vocal distrust of government and public social welfare efforts. The task of introducing students to our changing and demanding world often begins in social work classes. Introductory social work courses attract a variety of students. Most are drawn to the profession because they want to help people. An Introduction to the Profession of Social Work: Becoming a Change Agent provides a foundation of knowledge about social work practice that prepares students for future social work classes and more advanced study. This book also introduces students to the process of becoming change agents. Although wanting to help people is critical for anyone working in human services, there is much more to becoming a professional social worker. The book provides students with information about the breadth of social work practice and what it means to be a social worker, helping them determine whether social work is a good fit for them. Therefore, the book is designed to encourage knowledge building and self-exploration, both of which are essential to developing good social work practice. xvii Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. xviii PREFACE CONTENT OF THE CHAPTERS An Introduction to the Profession of Social Work: Becoming a Change Agent, like many other textbooks, informs students about what it means to be a professional social worker. Unlike some other books, it also instills interest and enthusiasm in students about pursuing a social work career and encourages students to take an active role in changing social conditions for the better. The chapters include detailed, first-person stories by social work practitioners, who describe daily work in their areas of expertise and highlight cases that illustrate their work. The stories show the many sides of social work practice. The chapters also include “More About …” and “Point of View” boxes with additional details and differing points of view on topics of interest. Each chapter includes a box featuring an ethics dilemma, an exercise in how to become a change agent, and a concluding section on how to put into practice the concepts presented. Pedagogically, the book includes several aids to learning and teaching. Besides the boxed material, the book features challenging but uplifting case examples. Some of them remind us why we do this type of work; others end less positively and make us wonder how to make a difference. The stories give students a very real picture of social work practice and help them better understand what it is like to be a social worker. Each chapter is followed by a conclusion and a list of key terms. Each term is set in bold type in the chapter and is also defined in the glossary at the end of the textbook. NEW TO THIS EDITION New to the fifth edition is content from the newly revised Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). The EPAS document is revised in periodic intervals not to exceed seven years. The latest revisions will not be officially accepted by Council on Social Work Education (CSWE*) until June 2015 but we were able to include the most recent draft (2014) version of the new EPAS. Throughout the text we have updated statistics and referenced new state and federal legislation as well as recent Supreme Court decisions when appropriate. For example, in Chapters 2 and 9, we have added new information about the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and in Chapter 13 we have referenced the latest Supreme Court decisions to impact the regulations for juvenile offenders who are treated as adults in the criminal justice system. Chapter 4 on Human Rights and Social and Economic Justice has new content on gender identity and the 2013 Supreme Court ruling on DOMA as unconstitutional as well as enhanced content on disabilities, immigration issues, and the NSA spying controversy. Chapter 6 provides information on the latest science on empathy, LGBT youth, and the disproportionality of minorities in foster care. Chapter 10 on Mental Health has a new focus on mental health recovery. *The Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) are revised periodically. This version is the final draft of the EPAS 2015 and may differ slightly from the adopted EPAS 2015. Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. PREFACE xix “Mental health recovery is a journey of healing and transformation enabling a person with a mental health problem to live a meaningful life in a community of his or her choice while striving to achieve his or her full potential” (SAMHSA, 2004, p. 3). The recovery model stresses that people with mental health issues can and do recover, and can be engaged in productive ways in their communities. The new DSM-5 is also referenced throughout the text. PEDAGOGICAL FEATURES The book is a combination of textbook and workbook. Brief questions are interspersed throughout the chapters to encourage students to engage more deeply with the material. At the end of each chapter are questions that can be used for full-class or small-group discussions or on examinations. The questions are based on the material presented in the chapter; they encourage students to obtain additional information and explore their thoughts about important issues. The chapters end with exercises that are designed as group or individual assignments. Many are experiential and emphasize self-exploration as well as a review of the material presented in the chapter. There is also a set of ancillary materials, including exercises linked to the EPAS core competencies, an instructor’s test bank, and practice questions for students. At the end of the course, each student will have a compendium of exercises that help put into practice the material presented in the book and reflect the new CSWE core competencies. We have deliberately included more exercises than can be done in the available time in order to provide choice and flexibility. Instructors and students can choose which exercises to complete, or individuals or groups can work on different exercises and report back to the class on their findings. The exercises can be used to stimulate discussions or can be semester-long assignments. The discussion questions, change agent activities, exercises, and stories challenge students to explore the concepts introduced in the text and relate them to their own interests. This book was developed from our combined years of practice experience and teaching of introductory social work courses. We are appreciative of all the assistance we received from colleagues, especially those who helped write some of the chapters, and from the professional social workers who shared their experiences. We are also grateful to our students who, over the years, have let us know what does and does not work in the classroom. In particular, we thank the students who reviewed chapters and provided valuable insights from the perspective of the target audience. An introductory textbook cannot thoroughly cover all the topics important to all social workers. Therefore, the responsibility for the content and design of this book rests solely with the authors. We hope that students and instructors alike will find An Introduction to the Profession of Social Work: Becoming a Change Agent useful, informative, and engaging. Liz Segal Karen Gerdes Sue Steiner Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. CHAPTER 1 © Heinle Division of Cengage Learning® What Is Social Work? 1 Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 2 CHAPTER 1 J ane is a 32-year-old single mother with a 5-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter. She has supported her family by working 30 hours a week at a small local grocery store. Her job performance was excellent, but because of a decline in business, she was laid off. Now she needs to find a way to support her family. Her low-income neighborhood has very few businesses, and most of her neighbors subsist on small amounts of earned income and public social service programs. Jane contacts her local family service agency for advice and direction. “My neighbor said I should come here. I just lost my job, I have two young kids to support, my rent is due next week, and I don’t know what to do. Can you help me?” If Jane came to you, what would you do? This book will help you identify the resources available to Jane. You will learn about the skills that the professional social workers at the family social service agency will draw on to help Jane and her family. Social work is not only about Jane and her lost job. It is also about neighborhoods and communities. It is about the childhood experiences that have contributed to Jane’s identity and concerns. It is about government and public policies. This book is a guide to understanding how social workers fit into all these different areas. Once you have learned about the resources and skills needed by a professional social worker, you will be better prepared to decide whether a career in social work would suit you. You will be ready to decide on your next step in pursuing a career in this ever-changing and diverse field. This chapter provides an overview of the field of social work. It defines concepts and terms that are the basis of understanding what social workers do. The structures in which services are provided and how social work is a part of social change efforts are also presented. Throughout the chapter and throughout the book, you will explore what it means to be a social worker and whether a career in social work is right for you. These notations reflect the link that the material in the book has to the professional accreditation standards of our national organization, the Council on Social Work Education. You will read more about this organization later in this chapter and how being accredited reflects the national scope of social work education. SOCIAL WORK AS A PROFESSION EP 3a The purpose of the social work profession is to promote human and community well-being. Guided by a person and environment framework, a global perspective, respect for human diversity, and knowledge based on scientific inquiry, social work’s purpose is actualized through its quest for social and economic justice, the prevention of conditions that limit human rights, the elimination of poverty, and the enhancement of the quality of life for all persons, locally and globally (CSWE, 2014, p. 1). Many professions participate in promoting and improving human and community well-being. For example, police officers protect people and improve safety, lawyers Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. WHAT IS SOCIAL WORK? EP 6a EP 2 3 contribute to protecting people’s civil rights, and doctors strive to save lives and keep people healthy. People who are not professionals also help others. Neighbors watch each other’s children or prepare meals when someone is sick. Volunteers visit the elderly or serve as big sisters or big brothers. All these efforts are concerned with improving social functioning. How is the profession of social work unique? The unique contribution of social work practice is the duality of the profession’s person and environment mandate: social workers must help society work better for people and help people function better within society. Helping individuals fit better into their environments, is typically referred to as micro practice, and changing the environment so that it works better for individuals is called macro practice. In other words, social workers make a commitment through professional training to help people and to improve society, and to give special attention to the interactions between people and between people and their surroundings. A psychologist or counselor would likely focus only on Jane’s anxiety and depression as a result of losing her job. Although a social worker can also help Jane deal with anxiety and depression (micro practice), the assistance would not stop there. The social worker would also connect Jane with local, state, and federal resources, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), food assistance, job training, and educational programs (micro practice). Connecting clients with needed resources is one of the most important things a social worker can do. For this reason, it is critical for social workers to learn about all the resources available in every community where they work or serve. In addition, if Jane were unable to get access to a needed resource, such as quality day care, or if the resource were unavailable in the community, her social worker would advocate for providing the resource and might help create it by campaigning for new social policies and programs (macro practice). Instead of working only from their offices and waiting for clients to come to them, social workers are out in the field trying to change societal structures so that fewer people like Jane will need help. In addition, social workers “understand how diversity and difference characterize and shape human experience and are critical to the formation of identity” (CSWE, 2014, p. 4). As a result, we recognize how a culture’s educational, economic, and political structures may oppress, marginalize, and alienate some people while at the same time create or enhance privilege and power for others. Social workers’ keen understanding of societal forms and mechanisms of oppression has resulted in a strong commitment to human rights, social and economic justice, and the elimination of poverty. While other professions may ascribe to similar ideals and values, there is no other profession that is as engaged and dedicated to ending injustice, discrimination, and poverty as social work. Who Are Social Workers? Professional social workers hold social work degrees from accredited undergraduate or graduate programs. Baccalaureate social work (BSW) and graduate social work (MSW) programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) on the basis of whether they meet the criteria discussed later. Students in CSWE-accredited programs learn the knowledge, values, ethics, and a variety of Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 4 CHAPTER 1 intervention techniques or skills to work with individuals, families, small groups, communities, and organizations in order to solve problems and create change. On graduation from an accredited social work program, social workers must comply with state licensing or certification requirements. Most states distinguish among three levels of social work: (1) BSW, (2) MSW, and (3) MSW with two years’ postgraduate clinical practice. Applicants must pass the examination appropriate to their level of practice. For clinical licensure, they must also complete at least two years of post-MSW practice experience under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. MSW- and BSW-level social workers engage in micro practice or direct services to individuals, families, and small groups. They also participate in macro practice by conducting research into social problems and their solutions, engage in policy analysis and legislative advocacy, administer programs, and organize people to fight for social change. To effectively address problems, social workers must help individuals and families function better and at the same time work to change societal conditions that limit individual and family functioning. For example, a woman like Jane who has recently lost her job can benefit from job training and help with interviewing skills so that she can more easily get a new job. She and others like her can also be helped by social advocacy efforts to develop new jobs in low-income areas and by legislative efforts to provide health coverage for the unemployed and working poor. In addition to BSW and MSW degrees, there are also two types of doctoral-level social work degrees. Students interested in pursuing a doctorate in social work can either get a doctor of social work (DSW) degree or a doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree, depending on the school they attend. While the DSW was the original social work doctoral degree, the PhD has become more common over the years. The course work is generally the same in DSW and PhD programs, though there are recent efforts to make the DSW more of an advanced clinical practice degree and the PhD more of a research-focused degree. Social workers holding doctoral degrees generally work as social work educators, researchers, administrators, or policy analysts. The desire to help others and change social conditions does not earn a person professional status as a social worker. The desire must be combined with the knowledge, values, and skills delivered in one of the more than 225 graduate and 490 undergraduate programs accredited by the Council (CSWE, 2014). Even though other human service practitioners are sometimes referred to as social workers, if they have not completed an accredited social work program and met licensure or certification requirements, they are not professional social workers. Few careers rival social work for the diversity and wealth of opportunities offered to practitioners. Social workers operate in a variety of urban and rural settings, including public and private mental health centers, community centers, courts, prisons, schools, public welfare offices, the military, hospitals, nursing homes, businesses, and child welfare offices. They address drug and alcohol abuse, mental and physical illness, poverty, violence, lack of community power, family conflicts, workplace tensions, discrimination, oppression, and inadequate housing, among other problems (see Box 1.1). There are currently over 600,000 social workers employed in the United States (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014). Forty-seven percent of social workers are Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. WHAT IS SOCIAL WORK? BOX 1.1 5 More About … Social Work What people think they know about social work is often a myth. Myth Most social workers work for the government. Fact • Fewer than 3 percent of all professional social workers work for the federal government. • About a third of all professional social workers are employed by federal, state, and local governments combined. Myth For therapy you need a psychologist or psychiatrist. Fact • Professional social workers are the nation’s most numerous providers of mental health and therapy services. Professional social workers are often the only mental health care providers serving residents of many poor, rural counties. • Social work is designated as one of the four core mental health professions under federal legislation that established the National Institute of Mental Health. Myth Most social workers are employed in public welfare or child welfare. Fact • About one-quarter of all child welfare cases are handled by professional social workers. • About 1 percent of NASW members work in public assistance. • Professional social workers practice in many settings: family services agencies, mental health centers, schools, hospitals, corporations, courts, police departments, prisons, public and private agencies, and private practice. • More than 200 professional social workers hold elective office, including two U.S. senators and seven representatives during the 113th Congress. Myth Social service employees, caseworkers, and volunteers are social workers. Fact • A social worker is a trained professional who has a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in social work. • All states license or otherwise regulate social work practice. • A social service employee, caseworker, or volunteer community worker is not a social worker unless she or he has a social work degree. Source: naswdc.org website. employed as child, family, or school social workers, while 43 percent are working in the areas of health or mental health. Employment opportunities for social workers are expected to grow faster than the average profession through 2022. Social workers who specialize in services related to health care and substance abuse are projected to have the easiest time finding a job due to growing need in these areas. The professional organization formed to support and advocate for social work professionals is the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). The average NASW member holds a master’s degree in social work, has practiced social work for 16 years, and earns on average $45,000 annually (NASW, 2014a). Hospital social workers have the highest median salary ($56,290); school social workers have a median salary of $54,590; and practitioners in state-funded or public social work positions earn on average $44,370 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014). Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 6 CHAPTER 1 Social Work Education The social work profession’s unique integration of knowledge from a number of disciplines with the profession’s own skills, values, ethics, and knowledge can be seen in the content of social work education. Accredited BSW programs include relevant material from biology and from other social sciences. Most require students to take economics, political science, human biology, philosophy, psychology, and sociology courses. This material is combined with social work-specific courses in human behavior and the social environment, research, practice, and social policy. In addition, students in accredited BSW programs complete a minimum of 400 hours of field practicum, while MSW students complete a minimum of 900 hours. In the field practicum course, students are assigned to a social servicerelated agency or organization under the supervision of a social work practitioner. Field practicum organizations include child welfare agencies, schools, hospitals, mental health agencies, senior centers, homeless and battered women’s shelters, and juvenile and adult probation programs, among others. (See Box 1.2.) Many two-year colleges offer social or human service programs in which students can earn pre-professional degrees. These programs provide important foundation knowledge and skills that can lay the groundwork for a BSW degree. Students with degrees from two-year programs can work in most areas of social services. The positions are typically entry level, and they provide excellent work experience should the pre-professional choose to pursue a BSW degree. Many students who complete two-year degrees transfer into accredited BSW programs. BOX 1.2 More About … Social Work Education Criteria The criteria for social work education are outlined by the Council of Social Work Education in its “Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards.” All schools that wish to be accredited must follow the guidelines. Every eight years, programs conduct self-studies and submit a comprehensive written portfolio to the CSWE accreditation board. As part of the accreditation process, a team of social work educators BOX 1.3 reviews the school and provides a report to the accreditation board. The report and self-study documents are then reviewed, and a determination is made whether to grant accredited status. This process ensures uniform standards for training social workers. No matter where you choose to study, as long as it is in a CSWEaccredited program, your curriculum will reflect the standards and values of the profession. What Do You Think? What are the differences between a BSW and an MSW degree? What is the difference in emphasis between the two degrees? How might the different training affect the type of job a BSW graduate might do compared with an MSW graduate? Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. WHAT IS SOCIAL WORK? 7 CENTRAL CONCEPTS AND THEORIES Part of what defines a profession is a shared vision, typically referred to as a mission. The primary mission of social work, according to the membership of NASW, is: to 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, and living in poverty. A historic and defining feature of social work is the profession’s focus on individual well-being in a social context and the wellbeing of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living. (NASW, 2014b, p. 1) Person in Environment Concept EP 7b; 8b Several aspects of the mission make the profession unique. One is the focus on the “needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.” The profession has a clear commitment to working with members of society who are often left behind or left out. A second unique characteristic is the fact that individuals’ problems are addressed in combination with the social context. Social workers realize that they must pay attention to the environment in which people live, and they work to change the environment so that it functions more effectively for individuals, families, and communities. This dual view is known as the person-in-environment perspective (Karls & Wandrei, 1994). The importance of understanding problems and directing change efforts at both the individual and environmental levels is central to good social work practice. Which approach social workers use depends on where they see problems originating. If all change efforts are directed at individuals, social workers see the causes of people’s problems as being inside themselves. If they focus only on the environment, they believe that the problems begin outside the individual. Although it is true that some problems lie exclusively within individuals and others are purely environmental, most problems have multiple causes. Some causes are individual, whereas others are societal or structural in nature. If social workers do not address both individual and environmental causes, they will not be able to solve problems effectively. For example, to help someone who is depressed, a counselor might immediately engage in therapy and refer the client to a medical doctor who can prescribe antidepressant drugs. Although these are certainly viable approaches, the person-in-environment concept dictates also considering whether something in the person’s environment is contributing to or even causing the depression. If the person lives in poverty, for example, the everyday struggle to survive might result in depression. Therefore, interventions aimed at reducing poverty would also be appropriate ways to alleviate the individual’s depression. Theoretical Basis for Social Work Practice Social work practice is based on a number of theories developed in a variety of fields. For example, social workers rely on biological, sociological, anthropological, Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 8 CHAPTER 1 EP 4c and psychological knowledge and theories to help them understand human development. A theory is “a systematic set of interrelated statements intended to explain some aspect of social life or enrich our sense of how people conduct [themselves] and find meaning in their daily lives” (Rubin & Babbie, 2007, p. 41). In other words, a theory attempts to explain why something is the way it is. Theories can explain social relationships; for example, some theories explain why people develop biases against members of other groups. Theories can also make predictions about the likely outcomes of people’s efforts. For example, many types of therapies are based on the theory that people’s understanding of what happened to them during childhood leads to improved functioning as adults. A theory must be testable, meaning that research can be conducted to see whether it is accurate. For social work, theories help us practice effectively and understand our profession (Payne, 2014). Theories help us understand human behavior, which is particularly important for social workers who must apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment across the life span. Theories alone do not create change, but social workers apply various theories in practice settings to create desired change. Social workers use conceptual frameworks to help determine which theories to apply. A conceptual framework combines theories, beliefs, and assumptions to help us understand how people interact in their social systems and how those systems help or block health and well-being. A conceptual framework gives social workers a basis from which to view situations with clients and provides guidance for the assessment, intervention, and evaluation process. Most of the theories used by social workers today developed from a central theoretical framework, the general systems theory developed by biologist Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1971). Von Bertalanffy described the functioning of living systems, including the human body. Scientists have long realized that the systems within the human body are connected to each other. The failure of one human system often affects the functioning of other systems and of the body as a whole. Since its development, von Bertalanffy’s framework has been applied to systems in many fields, including social work. A system is a group of separate but interrelated units, or elements, that form an identifiable whole. Each of the parts in a system interacts with other parts in some way, and the various parts are dependent on each other to create the larger whole. The various parts of a system affect and are affected by one another. Social workers are most interested in social systems—the interactions and interdependence among people that together make up society. Interacting groups can be as varied as a family, residents of a group home, employees in a business, and residents in a neighborhood. Jane’s family is the point of focus for the social worker’s micro interventions. Figure 1.1, Jane’s System, illustrates that Jane’s family system contains the subsystems of Jane, her son, and her daughter. The family is itself a subsystem within the neighborhood system or social environment. The focal system interacts with Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. WHAT IS SOCIAL WORK? FIGURE 1.1 9 JANE’S SYSTEM Social Environment Public Social Service System Social Environment Jane’s Neighborhood Unemployment Insurance Family Service Agency Jane’s Former Workplace Medicaid Focal System Jane’s Family Jane’s Son Jane Jane’s Daughter TANF © Cengage Learning® Jane’s Neighbors Local School and is affected by all the subsystems in the social environment of the neighborhood, including the families of Jane’s neighbors, the local school, and the family service agency. The neighborhood is a subsystem within an even larger social environment, the public social service system. If Jane is participating in such social service programs as TANF, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicaid, those national programs are part of her social system. The focal system is determined by the social worker’s point of focus. If the social worker’s macro intervention is focused on encouraging the passage of legislation that will make it easier for women like Jane to get unemployment insurance, then the unemployment insurance program is the focal system. If the social worker Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 10 CHAPTER 1 is developing an after-school program that could benefit Jane’s children, the school is the focal system. Changes in the focal system or in a related subsystem or social environment will affect the systems and subsystems with which it interacts. For example, if Jane completes a job-training program at the local family service agency and secures new employment, her children will be affected by her new job and the additional income. The children’s school will be affected by any positive or negative changes in the children. Likewise, any change in the school system will affect the children, which in turn will affect their mother. Because of the fluidity and mutuality of the relationships between systems and subsystems, systems theory explains a person’s behavior in terms of circular or mutual causality. In other words, Jane influences her environment, and Jane’s environment influences her. Closely related to mutual causality is the concept of wholeness: “Every part of a system is so related to its fellow parts that a change in one part will cause a change in all of them and in the total system” (Watzlawick, Bavelas, & Jackson, 1967, p. 123). All systems have boundaries, which make it possible to distinguish the parts that belong in the system from those that do not belong. The boundaries of some systems are very clear; for example, the physical boundary of a human being—the skin—clearly separates that person from other people. Boundaries of social systems are often less clear. For example, the boundaries of Jane’s family might depend on the situation. If a social worker were working with Jane’s daughter, who was struggling in school, the relevant system members might include only Jane and her son. Yet if Jane’s family were trying to care for an aging grandparent, relevant system members might include Jane’s parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins as well. Using a systems perspective means looking at people in relation to all the systems in their environment that affect them. For example, a 77-year-old woman asks a social worker in a senior center for help. She lives alone, and she is concerned about her physical abilities and financial situation. The systems perspective dictates first gaining an understanding of all the elements that make up the woman’s social system. A social worker would assess her physical and mental health, her financial situation, her support system, and her living situation. He or she would also explore the larger systems in the woman’s life: the area in which she lives, the social services with which she may interact, and whether she is connected to a religious institution. Without examining the entire system, areas for effective intervention might be missed. The ecological systems framework builds on general systems theory. It goes beyond looking at the systems that make up a client’s sphere to focus on the intersection of client systems and the larger environmental context. The ecological framework rests on the life model, which views people and their environments as reacting to and changing in response to each other (Germain & Gitterman, 1980). This view requires an understanding of the nature of interactions and transactions between people and their surroundings. The focus is on the interface, which is what happens between people and the environment. Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. WHAT IS SOCIAL WORK? 11 For example, as a result of Jane’s job loss and her residence in a neighborhood with few employment opportunities, her life is out of balance, and the environment is not supportive of her needs. The ecological life model emphasizes examining the fit (or lack of fit) between Jane and her environment. The intervention goals become trying to help Jane adapt to this situation and changing the environment to be more supportive. One of the concerns about this approach is that adaptation is much more manageable, so environmental change is often ignored. However, adherence to the full ecological perspective includes addressing both the fit of the client to the environment, and the extent of support from the environment. The strengths perspective is a third framework used to guide social work practice. This perspective dictates building on clients’ strengths to create positive change. It is the opposite of frameworks that encourage social workers to approach clients from a deficit or problem base. “Social work, like so many other helping professions, has constructed much of its theory and practice around the supposition that clients become clients because they have deficits, problems, pathologies, and diseases; that they are, in some critical way, flawed or weak” (Saleebey, 1992, p. 3). The problem-based orientation of social work is not surprising, given that social workers help solve so many problems. But although problems cannot be ignored, the strengths perspective asserts that a problem-based approach is not the most effective way to help clients change and grow. Focusing primarily on problems can reinforce the negative views that clients may have of themselves and their communities. The strengths perspective suggests that all individuals, groups, and communities have strengths that often go unnoticed and unappreciated by the individuals, groups, and communities themselves, as well as by the outside world. The strengths perspective means recognizing the strengths that are inherent in individuals, groups, and communities, and using these strengths as building blocks for change. According to Saleebey, A strengths perspective assumes that when people’s positive capacities are supported, they are more likely to act on their strengths. Thus, a belief in people’s inherent capacity for growth and well-being requires an intense attention to people’s own resources: their talents, experiences, and aspirations. Through this active attention, the probability for positive growth is significantly enhanced. (1992, p. 25) When social workers first go into a neighborhood to begin bringing the residents together to work for change—a process called community organizing—they BOX 1.4 What Do You Think? Identify a friend or family member who is struggling with a problem. What strengths might help this person overcome the problem? What strengths are inherent in his or her personality? Does this person have family or friends to turn to for support or assistance? How has this person dealt with adversity in the past? Can he or she draw on those past efforts to help now? Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 12 CHAPTER 1 EP 2c often begin by noting all the things that are wrong. They might note run-down houses, gangs, abandoned cars, and a lack of needed services. Approaching the area with a strengths perspective, social workers might instead start by creating an asset map of the area, pointing out all of its strengths. They might note two active neighborhood associations, a well-attended community center, several religious institutions, and residents who themselves have innumerable strengths. Although the problems cannot be ignored, they do not have to be the first and only thing to receive social work attention. Focusing on client strengths is one way to achieve the guiding principle of client empowerment. Academics, politicians, and other people use the term empowerment to describe very different things. In relation to social work practice, it means helping clients gain power over their lives (Lee, 2001). Mondros and Wilson describe empowerment as “a psychological state—a sense of competence, control, and entitlement—that allows one to pursue concrete activities aimed at becoming powerful” (1994, p. 5). To be empowered, people must believe that they are capable of doing things for themselves, gaining increased control over their lives, and influencing events and situations that affect their lives. Many people served by social workers often feel relatively powerless. They have little control over their own lives and even less over outside events that affect them. Approaching social work practice from an empowerment perspective means finding ways to help clients take control by making their own decisions and determining the best course of action for themselves. The diversity perspective is a theoretical framework that emphasizes the incredible diversity of social workers and their clients. Social workers and the people with whom they work come from a wide range of ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds; are of different ages, genders, sexual orientations, and classes; and have different physical and mental abilities. Social workers must understand cultural differences to work effectively with diverse client populations. This means understanding themselves and their biases, as well as knowing a great deal about those with whom they are working. It also means understanding the dynamics of oppression and discrimination. Social work with diverse populations requires practitioners to be sensitive to differences between people and to develop interventions that are appropriate for specific client groups. The topics of oppression, discrimination, and work with diverse populations are discussed throughout the book and are covered in detail in Chapters 4 and 5. To guide effective social work practice with diverse populations, NASW developed the Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice (NASW, 2001). Cultural competence refers to the behaviors, knowledge, skills, and attitudes that allow social workers to respond effectively across cultures. The 10 standards aim to provide clear guidelines about what is necessary to achieve cultural competence. They include practicing in accordance with social work values and ethics, development of self-awareness about issues of diversity, development of cross-cultural knowledge and skills, a focus on empowerment and advocacy, and the encouragement of cross-cultural leadership. Box 1.5 outlines the 10 standards. Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. WHAT IS SOCIAL WORK? BOX 1.5 13 More About … NASW Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice Standard 1 – Ethics and Values Social workers shall function in accordance with the values, ethics, and standards of the profession, recognizing how personal and professional values may conflict with or accommodate the needs of diverse clients. Standard 2 – Self-Awareness Social workers shall seek to develop an understanding of their own personal and cultural values and beliefs as one way of appreciating the importance of multicultural identities in the lives of people. Standard 3 – Cross-Cultural Knowledge Social workers shall have and continue to develop specialized knowledge and understanding about the history, traditions, values, family systems, and artistic expressions of major client groups that they serve. Standard 4 – Cross-Cultural Skills Social workers shall use appropriate methodological approaches, skills, and techniques that reflect the workers’ understanding of the role of culture in the helping process. Standard 5 – Service Delivery Social workers shall be knowledgeable about and skillful in the use of services available in the community and broader society and be able to make appropriate referrals for their diverse clients. Standard 6 – Empowerment and Advocacy Social workers shall be aware of the effect of social policies and programs on diverse client populations, advocating for and with clients whenever appropriate. Standard 7 – Diverse Workforce Social workers shall support and advocate for recruitment, admissions and hiring, and retention efforts in social work programs and agencies that ensure diversity within the profession. Standard 8 – Professional Education Social workers shall advocate for and participate in educational and training programs that help advance cultural competence within the profession. Standard 9 – Language Diversity Social workers shall seek to provide or advocate for the provision of information, referrals, and services in the language appropriate to the client, which may include use of interpreters. Standard 10 – Cross-Cultural Leadership Social workers shall be able to communicate information about diverse client groups to other professionals. Prepared by the NASW National Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity. Adopted by the NASW Board of Directors June 23, 2001. THE POWER OF LANGUAGE Language is extremely powerful. Words reveal values, attitudes, and beliefs about other people. They can harm and degrade, or they can demonstrate respect and support. Because language not only expresses people’s thoughts but also shapes them, it is important to make careful word choices. Using certain terms can offend others and therefore hinder open communication. Using the wrong term can send a Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 14 CHAPTER 1 message that the speaker is not intending to send. Fear of using the wrong words and offending others can keep people from developing relationships with members of other groups. An open discussion of language can help build bridges between groups. Debate over language has been a central component of a number of civil rights struggles in the United States. Activists in the women’s movement worked to teach people about the importance of saying woman rather than girl or babe. African American civil rights activists pointed out that adult males are men, not boys. Referring to adult females as girls and to adult African American men as boys communicates attitudes and values that members of these groups are inferior to and less important than adult women or adult white men. The appropriate use or the misuse of words by social workers can convey powerful attitudes and values. A variety of words refer to the diverse groups that make up U.S. society, and it is often challenging to decide which to use. Some of the challenge comes from not knowing enough about the group. Lack of agreement between outsiders and members of the group about which term is best increases the difficulty. Also, terminology changes over time. Following is an explanation of why the authors of this book have chosen to use certain terms. People who are members of oppressed groups are often referred to as minorities. One problem with this term is that not all oppressed populations make up less than half the population. In particular, women make up more than 50 percent of the population. Additionally, the word minority often implies “less than,” which can reinforce the misconception that members of oppressed populations are somehow inferior to other groups. Other terms that can be used to refer to ways that people fit into the societal structure include oppressed and oppressor groups and dominant and subordinate or nondominant groups. Members of dominant groups have control over many societal resources and a strong influence on societal norms. The words oppressed, dominant, subordinate, and nondominant are used throughout this book. The term minority is also used to describe the many populations whose skin color is not “white.” When referring to these groups collectively, we prefer to use people of color and whenever possible to refer to the specific population. For example, instead of using minority to mean African American, we prefer to be clear and use African American. We do not use the term nonwhite because it is Eurocentric; that is, it places the dominant population at the center and defines people of color on the basis of how they differ. Just as we use African American to refer to people of African descent, we use Asian American and Pacific Islander to refer to people whose heritage is from an Asian country or a Pacific island respectively. We refer to people whose ancestry is from South and Central America and other Spanish-speaking areas as Latino/a. Some within the Latino/a community prefer to use Hispanic, which is most often used by the Census Bureau and other government entities. The term Hispanic was coined by Europeans, and it excludes people from non-Spanish-speaking countries in Spanish-speaking regions, such as Brazil, a Portuguese-speaking nation. Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. WHAT IS SOCIAL WORK? 15 The terms Native American and American Indian are commonly used to refer to the Indigenous Peoples of North America. Even though these are the most commonly used terms, both are misleading and inaccurate. Indian blurs the distinction between Indigenous Peoples and people from India, and in fact the term is based on Christopher Columbus’s mistaken belief that he had arrived in India. Native American can refer to anyone who was born in North, Central, or South America. There is great diversity among indigenous nations and tribes in the United States, and tribal members use a number of terms to refer to themselves. We use First Nations (Yellow Bird, 1999). Since the Indigenous Peoples were the first populations to settle North America, the term is accurate. We also use Indigenous Peoples, an internationally accepted term describing the descendants of the original inhabitants of a land. We use the word disability rather than handicap throughout the book. A handicap is an obstacle in someone’s path; disability refers to a way in which a person’s body functions differently than the norm. We attempt to use people-first language throughout the book when referring to people with disabilities—language that refers to what a person has, not what he or she is. Saying “disabled person” suggests that the disability is the individual’s primary characteristic. If we instead say “person with a disability,” we are acknowledging that the disability is just one aspect of the total person, not all that he or she is. We use the term sexual orientation rather than sexual preference. Sexual preference suggests that people decide to be heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual. Research has demonstrated that sexuality is not a choice, but is rather a deeply imbedded part of who a person is (see Chapter 5). We also use the words gay and lesbian rather than homosexual. Homosexual is a clinical term that has negative connotations. Gay and lesbian tend to have more positive connotations. The inclusive term is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, abbreviated as LGBT. Sometimes you will see the abbreviation LGBTQ, with the Q standing for “queer” or “questioning.” Adding Q is typically done by researchers, who favor adding queer, whic...
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Running Head: SOCIAL WORK

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Social Work
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SOCIAL WORK

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As a social worker, I need to be empathetic with my clients. Showing empathy means
showing that I understand their feelings and can put myself in their shoes, but demonstrating
empathy needs to go a step further and do something for the people I am showing my empathy. I
need to find a program or a policy that can help the customers to improve their quality of life.
Giving sentences of support is not enough, families need real support via different approaches
accordin...


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