Generalist Social Work Practice

Brief Table of Contents

PART I: SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE PERSPECTIVES

1. Generalist Social Work Practice

2. Human System Perspectives

3. Values and Multicultural Competence

4. Strengths and Empowerment

5. An Empowering Approach to Generalist Practice


PART II: ENGAGEMENT: THE DIALOGUE PHASE

6. Engagement: Forming Partnerships
7. Engagement: Articulating Situations

8. Engagement: Defining Directions



PART III: ASSESSMENT: THE DISCOVERY PHASE

9. Assessment: Identifying Strengths

10. Assessment: Assessing Resource Capabilities
11. Assessment: Framing Solutions



PART IV: INTERVENTION AND EVALUATION: THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE

12. Intervention: Activating Resources

13. Intervention: Creating Alliances

14. Intervention: Expanding Opportunities

15. Evaluation: Recognizing Success

16. Intervention: Integrating Gains



Detailed Table of Contents

PART I: SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE PERSPECTIVES 1. Generalist Social Work Practice 1 Social Work Values and Purpose 3 Human Dignity and Worth 4 Social Justice 4 Defining Social Work 5 Achieving the Purpose of Social Work 6 Generalist Social Work 7 Levels of Intervention in Generalist Practice 8 Policy and Generalist Practice 10 Research in Generalist Practice 10 Advantages of a Multifaceted Approach 12 Social Work Functions and Roles 12 Consultancy 13 Resource Management 15 Education 16 Integrating Generalist Functions 18 Looking Forward 19
2. Human System Perspectives 20 Key Perspectives for Empowering Practice 20 Ecosystems 21 Social Constructionism 22 Feminist Perspective 23 Life Course Theory 24 Critical Theory 25 Biology and Behavior 26 Trauma-Informed Perspective 28 Applying Theory in Practice: A case example 29 Social Systems 33 System Defined 33 Dimensions of Systems 35 Ecosystems: Perspective and Framework 39 Ecosystems Perspective 39 Ecosystems Framework: As an Assessment Tool 42 Ecosystems Framework: As a Practice Model 45 Looking Forward 45
3. Values and Multicultural Competence 47 Professional Values and Practice Principles 48 Acceptance 48 Individualization 48 Nonjudgmentalism 49 Objectivity 49 Self-Determination 50 Access to Resources 50 Confidentiality 51 Accountability 51 Value Conflicts in Practice 51 Personal Values and Resources 52 Frames of Reference 52 Use of Self in Social Work 53 Increasing Self-Awareness 54 Values and Principles in Action: A Practice Example 54 How Values Influence Practice 56 Values and Diversity 58 Multicultural Competence 58 Cultural Diversity and Social Work Practice 59 Cultural Competence 59 Cultural Sensitivity 60 Cultural Responsiveness 60 A Generalist View of Cultural Competence 60 Practitioner-Level Cultural Competence 62 Agency-Level Cultural Competence 65 Community-Level Cultural Competence 68 Looking Forward 68
4. Strengths and Empowerment 69 Strengths Perspective 70 Practice Assumptions 71 Key Transitions 71 Applying a Strengths Perspective 73 Empowerment 74 Personal Dimensions of Empowerment 75 Interpersonal Dimensions of Empowerment 76 Sociopolitical Dimensions of Empowerment 76 Power 77 Empowerment Social Work and Oppression 79 Empowerment-Based Practice 79 The Paradox of an Empowering Process 80 Collaboration and Partnership 80 Ethical Preferences for Empowerment Social Work 83 Characteristics of Empowerment-Centered Social Workers 87 Empowerment-Oriented Strategies 89 Looking Forward 92
5. An Empowering Approach to Generalist Practice 93 Elements of an Empowering Generalist Approach 94 Infusing an Ecosystems Perspective 94 Reflecting a Social Justice Commitment 94 Applying a Strengths Orientation 95 Collaborating with Clients and Constituencies 95 Constructing an Empowering Reality 95 Phases and Processes of Empowering Practice 96 Engagement: The Dialogue Phase 96 Assessment: The Discovery Phase 98 Intervention and Evaluation: The Development Phase 99 The Recurring Nature of Dialogue, Discovery, and Development 101 From Solving Problems to Promoting Competence 103 Processes in Action: Practice Examples 103 An Example at the Microlevel 104 An Example at the Mezzolevel 107 An Example at the Macrolevel 112 Multilevel Practice in Generalist Social Work: An Integrative Case Example 114 Social Work Practice at the Microlevel 115 Social Work Practice at the Mezzolevel 117 Social Work Practice at the Macrolevel 120 Looking Forward 121
PART II: ENGAGEMENT: THE DIALOGUE PHASE 6. Engagement: Forming Partnerships 123 Engaging with Clients 124 Collaboration and Partnership 124 Making Initial Contacts 126 Recognizing What Clients Bring 126 Beginning Steps: A Practice Example 127 Qualities of Professional Partnerships 131 Genuineness 132 Acceptance and Respect 132 Trustworthiness 134 Empathy 134 Cultural Sensitivity 135 Purposefulness 136 Constructing Empowering Relationships 137 Recognizing Rights 138 Taking Responsibilities 138 Avoiding Dual Relationships 139 Discussing Rights and Responsibilities 139 Augmenting Power 140 When Clients Feel Powerless 141 Collaborating with Oppressed Clients 142 Voluntary and Involuntary Clients 142 Partnerships with Larger Systems 143 Respecting Confidentiality 143 Absolute and Relative Confidentiality 144 Violations of Confidentiality 144 Informed Consent for Releasing Information 145 Privileged Communication 145 Balancing Accountability and Privacy 147 Looking Forward 148
7. Engagement: Articulating Situations 149 Empowering Dialogue 150 Active Listening and Proactive Responding 150 Proactive Responding: Describing the Current Situation 151 Proactive Responding: Orienting Toward Goals 152 Proactive Responding: Searching for Strengths and Resources 153 Accessing the Client's Perspective 153 Applying Models of Communication 154 Verbal Communication 155 Nonverbal Communication 156 Influences on Communication Processes 157 Responding to What Clients Say 160 Allowing Space 161 Nonverbal Responses 161 Single-Word Responses 161 Restatement 162 Clarification 163 Summary Clarification 163 Requests to Continue 164 Questioning 165 Combining Responses 166 Practice Example 166 Special Issues in Responding 168 Responding to Feelings 168 Responding to Anger 170 Responding to Silence 171 Responding to Trauma 172 Responding to Questions 173 Responding to Feedback from Clients 173 Responding to Larger Client Systems 174 Looking Forward 175
8. Engagement: Defining Directions 177 Transforming Challenges into Directions 179 Orienting Forward, Not Back 180 Framing the Search for Resources 181 Integrating Transactional Dimensions 181 Considering Client Motivation 182 Enhancing Client Motivation 182 Motivating Clients Who Have Given Up 183 Aligning Worker and Client Motivations 184 Collaborating with Clients Who Resist 185 Motivating Larger Systems 187 Cooperating with Mandated Clients 188 Constructing Workers' Expectations 188 Structuring a Working Partnership 189 Defining a Motivating Direction 190 Taking Priority Actions 190 Responding to Trauma and Crises 190 Responding to Large-Scale Disasters 192 Responding to the Threat of Suicide 193 Responding to Threats Toward Others 196 Responding to Child Maltreatment 198 Responding to Elder Abuse 200 Responding to Intimate Partner Violence 200 Responding to Survival Needs 201 Responding to Signs of Addiction 201 Looking Forward 202
PART III: ASSESSMENT: THE DISCOVERY PHASE 9. Assessment: Identifying Strengths 204 Infusing a Strengths Perspective 205 What Are Strengths? 205 Why Identify Strengths? 206 Balancing Strengths and Challenges 208 Highlighting Strengths 208 Solution-Focused Dialogue 211 Recognizing Cultural Strengths 215 The Challenge of Activating Cultural Strengths 215 A Closer Look at Cultural Identity 216 The Critical Use of Research About Cultural Groups 217 Ethnic Group Strengths 218 African Americans 218 Non-Hispanic White Americans 220 Latino Americans 221 Asian Americans 223 Native Americans 223 Strengths in Cultural Group Memberships 224 Women 225 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals 226 Older Adults 227 Religious Affiliations and Spirituality 228 Persons with Disabilities 229 Clients as Resources for Understanding Cultures 230 Uncovering Strengths in Adversity 230 Surviving Oppression 230 Surviving Violence 232 Surviving Family Disruption 234 Looking Forward 235
10. Assessment: Assessing Resource Capabilities 236 Exploring Resource Systems Through Assessment 237 Recognizing Environmental Resources 238 Turning Challenging Situations into Resources 238 Collaborating to Search for Resources 239 Adding Viewpoints 240 Assessing Through Observation 241 Organizing Assessment by Using a 5-Point Ecosystems Schema 243 Practice Example: Franklin Courts 245 Ecosystems Assessment Questions 247 Ecosystems Questions: Assessing Structures 247 Ecosystems Questions: Assessing Interactions 250 Ecosystems Questions: Assessing Thinking and Feeling 251 Ecosystems Questions: Assessing Cultural Influences 252 Ecosystems Questions: Assessing Spiritual Dimensions 253 Ecosystems Questions: Assessing Physical Environments 254 Using Assessment Tools 255 Social Histories 256 Genograms 257 Eco-Maps 259 Culturally Sensitive Assessment 259 Social Network Maps 261 Group Assessment 261 Organizational Assessment 262 Neighborhood and Community Assessment 263 Tools as Resources for Empowerment 265 Record-Keeping 266 Recording 266 Types of Recording Formats 267 Ethical and Legal Issues in Record-Keeping 270 Looking Forward 271
11. Assessment: Framing Solutions 273 Collaborative Planning Processes 274 Client Expertise in Planning 274 Worker Expertise in Planning 275 Issues Affecting Collaborative Planning 275 Planning in Multiperson Systems 277 Goals and Objectives 278 Differentiating Goals and Objectives 278 Considering Goals 279 Translating Goals into Objectives 280 Constructing Action Plans 284 Clarifying Outcome Goals 284 Writing Effective Objectives 288 Prioritizing Objectives 289 Screening Generalist Intervention Strategies 289 Choosing Effective Strategies 293 Delineating Tasks and Responsibilities 295 Setting Reviews and Evaluations 296 Contracting 296 Looking Forward 298
PART IV: INTERVENTION AND EVALUATION: THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE 12. Intervention: Activating Resources 299 Maintaining Progress in Action Plans 301 Implementing Action Plans 302 Enhancing Interactions 303 Sustaining Motivation 306 Developing Power 307 Promoting Leadership 308 Facilitating Choices 308 Shaping Competence 309 Changing Perspectives 310 Offering Feedback 310 Creating New Concepts 311 Using Narrative Strategies 313 Trying Out New Behaviors 315 Managing Resources 318 Linking Clients with Resources 318 Client Advocacy 319 Maximizing Clients' Rights 321 Fair Hearings and Appeals 321 Educating 322 Teaching 322 Sharing Information 324 Looking Forward 326
13. Intervention: Creating Alliances 327 Developing Alliances Through Small Groups 328 Groups and Empowerment 330 Mutual Aid in Groups 331 Self-Help Groups 332 Social Action Through Group Work 334 Natural Support Alliances 334 Case Management: Client-Service Alliances 338 Overview of Case Management 338 The Purpose of Case Management 339 Case Management Activities with Clients 340 Case Management Activities Within the Delivery System 342 Case Management as Policy Practice 343 Workers' Resources for Case Management 344 Case Management in Action: A Practice Example 344 Critical Issues and Ethical Dilemmas in Case Management 345 Organizational Alliances for Service Delivery 349 Participating in Nongovernmental Organizational Alliances 349 Building Interagency Coalitions 350 Working on Teams 350 Leading Effective Meetings 351 Professional Support Networks 352 Alliances Within Organizations 352 Antidotes to Burnout 354 Professional Memberships 356 Alliances Through Technology 357 Looking Forward 358
14. Intervention: Expanding Opportunities 359 Opportunities: Keys to Empowerment 360 Empowerment and Opportunities 360 Empowerment in Groups and Communities 361 Identifying Resource Shortages 362 Mobilizing Resources 363 Educating the Public 363 Writing Grant Proposals 363 Community Change 365 Generalist Processes for Working with Communities 366 Working with Communities Through Organizing 366 Working with Communities Through Development 367 Social Work as a Political Profession 369 Policy Development 370 Policy Analysis and Change 370 Consumer Participation in Policy Development 371 Social Activism and Social Advocacy 372 A Heritage of Social Reform 373 Promoting Social Action 373 Advocacy Role 373 Legislative Advocacy 375 Looking Forward 378
15. Evaluation: Recognizing Success 379 Social Work Research and Evaluation 380 Integrating Research and Practice 381 Client Involvement in Research and Evaluation 382 Evidence-Based Practice 382 Steps for Evidence-Based Decision Making 383 Implications for Social Work Practice 385 Ethics in Research 385 Research-Informed Practice 386 The Research Process 386 Research Terminology 387 Client Outcome Evaluation 390 Client Outcome Assessment 391 Using Standardized Instruments in Practice Evaluation 392 Progress Evaluation 393 Monitoring and Evaluating Action Plans 393 Goal Attainment Scaling 394 Single-System Designs 395 Elements of Single-System Designs 396 Types of Single-System Designs 396 Limitations of Single-System Designs 402 Program Evaluation 402 Program Evaluation Design 403 Consumer Satisfaction Surveys 404 Empowerment Evaluation 406 Looking Forward 407
16. Intervention: Integrating Gains 408 Social Work Endings 409 Completing Contracts 410 Preparing for Resolution 411 Discussing Readiness 412 Evaluating 412 Sharing Feelings 413 Generalizing Outcomes 414 Celebrations and Ritualized Endings 415 Looking to the Future 416 Following Up 416 Responding to Clients' Discontinuation of Services 417 Closing with Referral 419 Acknowledging Limited Resources 419 Implementing Legal Mandates 421 Making Referrals 421 When Clients Die 423 Grief 423 End-of-Life Care 424 Grieving the Death of a Client 424 Resolving Relationships with Larger Systems 425 Small Group Endings 426 Resolving Intermember Relationships 428 Endings with Organizations and Communities 429 Endings Are Beginnings 431 Epilogue 432
References 434 Glossary 000 Name Index 000 Subject Index 000