Unit 4: Social Problems: Community and Individual

1. Unit 4: Social Problems: Community and Individual Wendy L. DuCassé, MSW, LCSW

2. Goals… To discuss strategies for assessing individual needs. To discuss the problems of linking appropriate services. To use creative analysis to provide solutions for potential clients.

3. Long Time, No See... Unit 3 review: Main Points to Remember Consider the following when making referrals: -Confidentiality -Identification of Barriers -Tracking Success of Referrals -Establishing Reasonable Timelines -Guidelines for Coordination of Referrals

4. Unit 3 Review, continued Other things to consider: Who does what? When is it done? How is it done? How does the client manage it all? How does the “team” coordinate services?

5. Systems Theory: How does it relate? • Think back to your coursework on human behavior in the environment. • Systemic/Social Entropy: a measure of the natural decay within a social system. It can refer to the decomposition of social structure or of the disappearance of social distinctions. Examples?

6. Social Issues • Occur as a result of any one or combination of national, local, and individual factors. • From the Headlines: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_fdc6709c-c6de-5f0f-a397-775798c273d7.html -underlying social issues?

7. Need Some Relief? WARNING: The following slides will appear to be irrelevant to tonight’s topic at first glance. Herding Cats: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8 So what? What is the significance of this clip in relation to community and individual social problems?

8. Transformers…Decepticons…wait, what?

9. “Knowing is Half the Battle”: Knowing, Acknowledging, and Addressing Your Community's Needs

10. Scenario: Crisis Needs • You are the on call case manager when you receive a phone call from the local police station. They have picked up a teen, Mike, for shoplifting. The officer is concerned, because while he states that he is sixteen, he looks to be about the age of ten. He is very small (short and very thin) for his age. His skin is dirty, hair is long and oily, and has on ragged, soiled clothing. You hear his stomach growl. He states he hasn’t eaten in a long time. • You talk to Mike and find that he was picked up by the police for shoplifting at a grocery store. He tells you that he and his little brother, Tony, have run away from home, from very far away. He reported that his mother died of a drug overdose, and after her death, he and his brother were left with an uncle. This uncle was very abusive and did not feed them. One night, while the uncle was passed out, Mike and Tony crawled out of their basement window and hitchhiked until they made their way to your town. “The sun came up and down twice when we were riding on the back of the truck” . • You ask Mike to write down the name and number of a relative you could call, he tells you he doesn’t not know how to write. Or read much. When you ask where his brother little brother Tony is located, he informs you that he’s “at the church”—your city, widely known for its faith base, has over two hundred churches.

11. Things to Explore: • List all of the other potential problems that the client might have besides the presenting issue(s). • What questions would you ask to determine what resources she might have to help you solve their problem(s)? • Using your area’s resources, what services might you add (list the agencies if you can) to assist?

12. Scenario 2 You and colleagues, human service professionals who provide crisis counseling, are called into your local high school after an act of violence witnessed by a number of students. Here is what you learned: • Student, DeAndre, was stabbed by student Marcus in the cafeteria during lunch time. • Marcus was often teased by DeAndre and his friends, due to his weight and speech impediment. This has occurred for at least two years. • Marcus’ few friends report that Marcus was beaten up regularly in the bathroom, teased on the school bus, and made fun of on social networking websites. Parents are demanding that something be done to “protect their children from other children like this monster” (Marcus). School officials are uncertain about what to do. You are called in as an unbiased, outside resource to support students within the school through counseling, as well as provide training for teachers, staff, and administrators.

13. Barriers DeAndre’s family is very wealthy and is well known in the area. They are top contributors to booster events and even have a scholarship established in their name. DeAndre is very popular and a start athlete with potential to play football at a top school. Marcus’ family is very poor. He is bussed into the school as part of a scholarship program. This is not the first time DeAndre or his friends were reported for bullying. Each time, the principal would state, “You know how boys are! Boys will be boys!”

14. Things to Explore • Who is the client? (There may be multiple TYPES) • Discuss all of the potential problems you see. • What other questions would you ask to determine the most immediate needs within the school? The community? • Based on your assessment, what would you recommend?

15. Important Take Aways Ask yourself, “Who is/are the client(s)?” What are the immediate needs? What are the long term needs? What sources of help are available? What or whom might get in the way of this goal? What sources of support does the client already have? GOAL FOR YOUR CLIENTS SHOULD ALWAYS BE ______ _______________ !!

16. Final Thoughts Questions?