Levels of Human Measure Notes
Levels of Human Measure
Everything starts with the individual. Self-care, healing, self-assessment, and self-awareness are crucial before entering therapeutic relationships.
The Individual
Focus on individual counseling and therapy.
Address problems and concerns at the individual level
The Family
The next ring out from the self.
Includes family therapy and counseling because everyone is connected to a family of some form.
The Community
Friends make up the community.
Community advocacy and activism are important at this level.
The World/Society
Encompasses society at large.
Involves changing policy and looking at social justice.
Major social structures impacting institutions: class, race, sex, and law.
All systems are impacted by class, race, sex, and law; the impact differs from person to person.
Important Considerations
No one's experience is the same, but experiences can be similar; find common ground, but recognize individual differences.
Need to discover how individuals experience and define their experiences to problem solve effectively.
Only individuals can explain their lived experiences.
Assess people, listen, and understand their experiences to intervene effectively.
Intervention is a power position because the person believes the helper has knowledge they need.
Human Capacity and Empowerment
Empowerment is based on the concept that everyone has some power, whether they know it or not.
Empowering people involves increasing their capacities at individual, family, group, organizational, and community levels.
Advocate around issues important to people, rather than speaking for them.
Social Work Core Values and Competencies
Core values (NSAW code of ethics): service, social justice, dignity and worth of a person, importance of human relationships, integrity, competence.
Social work competencies: nine in total (to be discussed).
Social workers are involved in case work, case management, group work, family therapy, community organizing, activism, and advocacy.
They work at individual, family, and community levels to improve circumstances and address social justice issues.
Casework vs. Case Management
Casework: episodic, short-term intervention (e.g., crisis intervention).
Case management: long-term, following a person over time (e.g., corrections, medical social work).
Casework can occur within case management.
Example of Casework
Emergency room social worker dealing with a car wreck victim:
Check if the person is conscious and can provide family contact information.
If unconscious, use investigative skills to find the person's identity (wallet, ID).
Contact the police in the person's county to visit the address and find family members.
Once family contact is made, direct them to the hospital.
Casework is complete once the person leaves the ER.
Medical Social Work
Social workers are assigned throughout the hospital (cancer units, transplant, general floors) for discharge planning.
Clinics usually do not have social workers due to their smaller size and acute care focus.
Group Work vs. Group Therapy
Group work: can be psychoeducational, teaching skills (e.g., recovery group).
Group therapy: uses specific modalities like cognitive behavioral therapy and involves deeper therapeutic interventions.
Counseling vs. Therapy
Counseling: deals with acute, immediate problems; skills-based.
Therapy: deals with personality development, trauma, and how it impacts personality; clinically based.
Licensure
LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) can do therapy under supervision.
LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) does not require supervision to do therapy.
LMSW requires 3000 hours of supervision plus a test to become an LCSW.
Scope of Practice
LMSW can do immediate work with people experiencing loss, job loss, or new diagnoses.
Therapy addresses personality development, traumatic events, and mental health issues.
Example: If someone is struggling with depressive symptoms and has a history of sexual assault, recommend therapy to address the trauma.
Grief and Loss
Multiple losses in a short period can lead to complex grief, requiring risk assessment for suicidality.
Loss can include loss of a job, relationship, or aging.
The nature of the loss (murder, sudden death, chronic illness) impacts the grieving process.
Trauma Therapy and Competency
It's important to be competent in the therapies you practice.
Training in a therapy like EMDR is different from practicing it.
Referrals are necessary if you are not competent in a particular therapy.
Continuity of Care and Boundaries
Therapeutic relationships are longer-term than crisis intervention counseling.
Competency is an ethical principle of social work.
Medication and Mental Health
Social workers cannot prescribe medication; only physicians, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners can.
Assess clients' past experiences with medication and encourage them to consult with their primary care physician or psychiatrist.
Avoid asking "why" someone stopped taking medication; instead, ask if the medication was working for them.
Educate clients about the time frame for medications to build up in their system.
Help people explore medication options without pushing them to take it.
Understanding Depression
Address the core components of depression: helplessness and hopelessness.
Discuss the differences between sadness and depression, emphasizing that depression is more than just sadness.
Help people cope with and problem-solve around their depression.
Assessment and Critical Thinking
Assumption is not assessment; critical thinking is essential.
If someone says they feel sad, ask how long they have been feeling sad and how they define sad.
Use open-ended questions to gather information about the person's life and stressors.
Coping Skills
Find out how people have been coping with their experiences.
Use the same language they use.
Assess what is considered "extra" by them, for example extra drinking, eating etc.
Ensure assessment includes building rapport, being non-judgmental, and maintaining a comfortable environment.
Building Rapport
Ask the right questions at the right time in the right way.
Be genuine and kind.
Lower your tone and voice if the person is upset.
Address basic needs and extend compassion.
Build a connection by offering genuine kindness and showing interest in their well-being.
Understand reasons why people may avoid shelters (unsafe, belongings may be stolen) and consider mental health and trauma.
Networking and Collaboration
Network with other professionals and social workers to gather resource information.
Empathy vs. Sympathy
Give sympathy for a loss but apply empathy to a person's life story.
Consider how a person's experiences have impacted their capacity.
Self-Care for Helpers
Acknowledge that helping professions can be taxing and emotionally draining.
Recognize personal limits and boundaries.
Good therapists have therapists for self-care and to avoid working out their issues on clients.
Boundaries and Communication
Set boundaries on connections with people.
Communicate openly and genuinely.
Movies often misrepresent social work practices and boundaries.
Private Practice Considerations
Set business hours and establish contact procedures for emergencies.
Provide a portfolio of resources for outside of business hours.
Social Work Training and Self-Care
Social work training is increasingly focusing on the well-being of the professional.
Helpers need support and self-care to avoid burnout and secondary trauma.
Trauma-informed care should be offered to both clients and the workforce.
Mental Health Awareness and Stigma
Increased awareness of mental health since 2020, but stigma still exists.
Need to change societal perspectives on mental health and acknowledge its connection to physical health.
Adopt a holistic approach to mental health, considering the whole person and their environment.
Assessment Models
Medical model: focuses on symptomology.
Social work models: strength-based perspective, person and environment, and bio-psycho-social model.
Consider social environment, physical environment, and relationships.
Systems Perspective
Recognize that individuals are connected to various systems (family, social, political, employment, religious).
Assess all these areas to provide comprehensive support.
Generalist Social Work Practice
Involves problem-solving, providing shelter or safety, and offering follow-up and evaluation.
Focus on crisis intervention across various settings.
Initial Interactions with Clients
Avoid assumptions and prioritize assessment.
Start by asking how they are doing and what brings them in.
Address basic human needs (food, water) before moving to other issues.
Building Rapport with Homeless Individuals
Create a welcoming and non-judgmental environment.
Offer immediate assistance with basic needs (food, drink).
Provide information about available services.
Problem-solve together, such as helping them obtain an ID.
Addressing Illiteracy
Be mindful of potential literacy issues and offer assistance with forms.
Use agency addresses for ID processing.
Apologize and reiterate you can work together throughout the process.
Asking Sensitive Questions
Frame questions carefully to avoid causing discomfort.
Be observant of nonverbal cues and adjust your approach accordingly.
Maintain a non-judgmental attitude and focus on building trust..