Direct Practice in Social Work, 2e Scott W. Boyle Grafton H. Hull, Jr. Jannah Hurn Mather Larry Lorenzo Smith O. William Farley University of Utah, College of Social Work PowerPoints by Julie Emmer, University of Central Florida This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; Any rental, lease, or lending of the program. © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Direct Practice in Social Work In Chapter 6 we will: Explore counseling contracts as an important part of the treatment process Learn to choose and clarify client goals effectively Explore communication skills as a frequent goal area in treatment Learn how to know when goals have been accomplished Address cultural and diversity issues in planning Explore poverty as a cultural and diversity issue © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Contracts include: Goals or problems and concerns to be addressed in counseling The treatment methods that will be used to accomplish the goals or address the problems and concerns Number of counseling sessions required for goal accomplishment or problem and concern resolution Cost of counseling services © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

The contracting process Can be informal and verbal, or can be a formal document Is usually addressed in the first counseling session Helps to stress to the client the seriousness of the counseling commitment © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Identifying goals for treatment Reid’s Problems of Living (1978) Interpersonal conflict Dissatisfaction with social relationships Problems with formal organizations Difficulty in role performance Decision problems Reactive emotional stress Inadequate resources Psychological or behavioral problems not elsewhere classified © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Components of a contract Client objectives ranked in priority order from most to least important Action steps or tasks to be completed by the client Action steps or tasks to be completed by the social worker Schedule or time frame for completion of tasks Techniques and methods to be used in counseling Logistical details such as time and place of sessions, cost, etc.

Limitations of a counseling contract Focuses on limited behaviors and may miss other behaviors Is dependant on the trust levels of the two parties involved May be difficult to complete due to outside factors Must be objective and measurable in order to know outcome Must be realistic and achievable Should include positive expectations and reinforcements The client must be committed to following the contract and accepting its terms

Suggestions for goal setting Select goals that are important to clients Establish small goals rather than large ones Ensure goals are concrete, specific, and behavioral Choose goals that describe the presence of something, rather than the absence of something Develop goals that describe beginnings, rather than endings Be sure goals are achievable and realistic Ensure goals are perceived by clients as involving hard work

Motivating an involuntary client Encourage client to identify at least one benefit to completing counseling Help client to identify goals beyond those stated by the referral source Set small goals to establish a feeling of accomplishment Set goals within the knowledge base of the social worker Set goals within the scope of the agency

Improved communication skills as a goal for treatment Review purpose and goal of communication Identify barriers to effective communication, such as body language, and interrupting behaviors Learn new strategies for communication, such as “I” messages and empathic communication

How do we know when goals have been accomplished? Assessments by: The client The client’s family members and friends The social worker Standardized instruments © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Cultural issues in the planning process Should be addressed at the beginning of treatment Should be addressed in a frank and open-minded manner

When working with very poor clients a social worker should recognize: (Sheafor and Horejsi 2006) Being poor creates a number of forces that serve to keep a person poor The social worker should have a solid knowledge of all resources that might be available to the client The helper should be aware of eligibility restrictions for assistance, and be an advocate for accessibility to resources The client’s views about being poor are critical to the helping process The extremely stressful nature of living in poverty

When working with very poor clients a social worker should recognize: (Sheafor and Horejsi 2006) Empowerment strategies and strengths perspectives are particularly important Clients can share coping strategies and resources with other clients in similar circumstances The social distance and power differential between the worker and the client should be minimized Clients should be given opportunities to shape and influence programs The desperation of poverty often leads to harmful and illegal behavior