Designing a Plan for Outcome Evaluation Social
Assignment: Designing a Plan for Outcome Evaluation
Social workers can apply knowledge and skills learned from conducting one type of evaluation to others. Moreover, evaluations themselves can inform and com`plement each other throughout the life of a program. This week, you apply all that you have learned about program evaluation throughout this course to aid you in program evaluation.
To prepare for this Assignment, review “Basic Guide to Program Evaluation (Including Outcomes Evaluation)” from this week’s resources, Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014b). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Retrieved from http://www.vitalsource.com , especially the sections titled “Outcomes-Based Evaluation” and “Contents of an Evaluation Plan.” Then, select a program that you would like to evaluate. You should build on work that you have done in previous assignments, but be sure to self-cite any written work that you have already submitted. Complete as many areas of the “Contents of an Evaluation Plan” as possible, leaving out items that assume you have already collected and analyzed the data.
By Day 7
Submit a 4- to 5-pages that outlines a plan for a program evaluation focused on outcomes. Be specific and elaborate. Include the following information:
- The purpose of the evaluation, including specific questions to be answered
- The outcomes to be evaluated
- The indicators or instruments to be used to measure those outcomes, including the strengths and limitations of those measures to be used to evaluate the outcomes
- A rationale for selecting among the six group research designs
- The methods for collecting, organizing and analyzing data
SOCW 6311WK10 Resources
Resources:
Resources:
“Basic Guide to Program Evaluation (Including Outcomes Evaluation)”
https://managementhelp.org/evaluation/program-evaluation-guide.htm#anchor1586742
“Outcomes-Based Evaluation” and “Contents of an Evaluation Plan.”
https://managementhelp.org/evaluation/outcomes-evaluation-guide.htm#anchor30249
,
Social Work Case Studies
Concentration Year
Editors
Sara-Beth Plummer
Walden University
Sara Makris
Laureate Education
Sally Margaret Brocksen
Walden University
(Plummer iii)
Plummer, Sara-Beth, Sara Makris, Sally Brocksen. Social Work Case Studies: Concentration Year. Laureate Publishing, 10/21/13. VitalBook file.
Published by
Laureate Publishing
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Copyright © 2014 by Laureate Education, Inc.
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ISBN-13: 978-1-62458-028-4 (Paperback edition)
ISBN-13: 978-1-62458-005-5 (VitalSource edition)
ISBN-13: 978-1-62458-017-8 (Kindle edition)
ISBN-13: 978-1-62458-018-5 (Apple edition)
ISBN-13: 978-1-62458-019-2 (Nook edition)
ISBN-13: 978-1-62458-020-8 (Adobe Digital Edition)
First Edition
14 15 16 17 18 / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
(Plummer iv)
Plummer, Sara-Beth, Sara Makris, Sally Brocksen. Social Work Case Studies: Concentration Year. Laureate Publishing, 10/21/13. VitalBook file.
Contents
Mental Health Diagnosis in Social Work:
The Case of Miranda
Social Work Supervision:
Trauma Within Agencies
Working With Children and Adolescents:
The Case of Chase
Working With Children and Adolescents:
The Case of Claudia
Working With Children and Adolescents:
The Case of Noah
Working With Clients With Compulsive Disorders:
The Case of Marjorie
Working With Clients With Dual Diagnosis:
The Case of Cathy
Working With Clients With Severe Persistent Mental Illness:
The Case of Emily
Working With Couples:
The Case of Keith and Matt
Working With Families:
The Case of Brady
Working With Families:
The Case of Carol and Joseph
Working With Groups:
Breast Cancer Support Group
Working With Groups:
HIV/AIDS Prevention With Teenage Moms
Working With Groups:
Latino Patients Living With HIV/AIDS
Working With Individuals:
The Case of Carl
Working With Individuals:
The Case of Roy
Working With Individuals:
The Case of Sam
Working With Organizations:
The Southeast Planning Group
Working With Survivors of Domestic Violence:
The Case of Charo
Working With Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Trauma:
The Case of Angela
Working With Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Trauma:
The Case of Brenna
Social Work Research:
Chi Square
Social Work Research:
Planning a Program Evaluation
Social Work Research:
Qualitative Groups
Social Work Research:
Single Subject
Social Policy and Advocacy:
Violence Prevention
Social Work Agencies:
Administration
Social Work Policy:
Children and Adolescents
Social Work Supervision, Leadership, and Administration:
The Phoenix House
Social Work Supervision, Leadership, and Administration:
The Southeast Planning Group
Working With Clients With Addictions:
The Case of Jose
Working With the Aging:
The Case of Iris
Mental Health Diagnosis in Social Work:
The Case of Miranda
Social Work Supervision:
Trauma Within Agencies
Working With Children and Adolescents:
The Case of Chase
Working With Children and Adolescents:
The Case of Claudia
Working With Children and Adolescents:
The Case of Noah
Working With Clients With Compulsive Disorders:
The Case of Marjorie
Working With Clients With Dual Diagnosis:
The Case of Cathy
Working With Clients With Severe Persistent Mental Illness:
The Case of Emily
Working With Couples:
The Case of Keith and Matt
Working With Families:
The Case of Brady
Working With Families:
The Case of Carol and Joseph
Working With Groups:
Breast Cancer Support Group
Working With Groups:
HIV/AIDS Prevention With Teenage Moms
Working With Groups:
Latino Patients Living With HIV/AIDS
Working With Individuals:
The Case of Carl
Working With Individuals:
The Case of Roy
Working With Individuals:
The Case of Sam
Working With Organizations:
The Southeast Planning Group
Working With Survivors of Domestic Violence:
The Case of Charo
Working With Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Trauma:
The Case of Angela
Working With Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Trauma:
The Case of Brenna
Social Work Research:
Chi Square
Social Work Research:
Planning a Program Evaluation
Social Work Research:
Qualitative Groups
Social Work Research:
Single Subject
Social Policy and Advocacy:
Violence Prevention
Social Work Agencies:
Administration
Social Work Policy:
Children and Adolescents
Social Work Supervision, Leadership, and Administration:
The Phoenix House
Social Work Supervision, Leadership, and Administration:
The Southeast Planning Group
Working With Clients With Addictions:
The Case of Jose
Working With the Aging:
The Case of Iris
(Plummer vii-xi)
Plummer, Sara-Beth, Sara Makris, Sally Brocksen. Social Work Case Studies: Concentration Year. Laureate Publishing, 10/21/13. VitalBook file.
Introduction
The following cases offer a glimpse into the real-life client experiences one might encounter as a social work professional. The social workers who contributed these true-to-life social work cases captured the everyday experiences you may encounter in the field as you work with individuals, families, groups, and organizations. Each case demonstrates content aligned with specific topics and modules in a typical master of social work program’s concentration year. These cases highlight the micro, mezzo, and macro approaches necessary to be an effective and successful social worker.
By exemplifying work on all levels of practice—individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities—these cases will enable you to learn how social workers address their clients’ presenting problems. Each case includes a detailed description of the client’s background and presenting problem and an outline of the approaches used by the social worker to address the identified concern. The cases offer a detailed description of the clients’ scenarios and provide an explanation of the approaches, interventions, and corresponding theoretical underpinnings used by the social workers to address the problem. These cases offer a unique opportunity to integrate and connect theoretical concepts to practice. By reading and analyzing the detailed description of each case, you will be able to make clear connections between the theoretical foundations of social work and its practical applications. Certain aspects of some cases are intended to be ambiguous or open to interpretation as a way to promote discussion. Therefore, we encourage you to critically analyze the approaches provided and to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to further examine the cases.
The reflection questions answered by each social worker in the appendix delve further into the daily working relationships between social worker and client, providing insight into the social workers’ personal experiences, professional responses, and occasional struggles in the field. With all of these elements combined, the case studies compiled in this book will bring your course work to life and will offer a helpful learning experience.
Disclaimer: For true-to-life cases and scenarios in this book, names, places, and details have been changed to protect the identities of the subjects. Any resemblance to real people, places, or events is purely coincidental.
(Plummer 1-2)
Plummer, Sara-Beth, Sara Makris, Sally Brocksen. Social Work Case Studies: Concentration Year. Laureate Publishing, 10/21/13. VitalBook file.
Practice
(Plummer 3)
Plummer, Sara-Beth, Sara Makris, Sally Brocksen. Social Work Case Studies: Concentration Year. Laureate Publishing, 10/21/13. VitalBook file.
Mental Health Diagnosis in Social Work: The Case of Miranda
Miranda is a 35-year-old, Scottish female who sought counseling for increased feelings of depression and anxiety. Her symptoms include constant worry, difficulty sleeping, irritability, increased appetite, unexplained episodes of panic, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, and feelings of low self-esteem. She denied any suicidal/homicidal ideation but verbalized feelings of wanting to be dead. She maintained these thoughts were fleeting and inconsistent. She reported an increase in alcohol consumption, although clarified it was only when she felt anxious. She denied any blackouts or reckless/illegal behavior while drinking. She denied any other drug use.
Miranda works in the fashion industry and reported that she is very well liked by her peers and clientele. She is regularly chosen to train other staff members and comanage the store. However, she is often given a heavier workload to compensate for coworkers who are unable to perform at the expected level of her employer. Miranda stated that she has trouble saying no and feels increasingly irritable and frustrated with her increased workload.
Miranda has been married to her husband for 3 years, and they have no children. She reported that both her mother and father have a history of mental illness. Miranda’s parents are divorced, and when they separated, Miranda chose to live with her mother. Miranda’s mother remarried a man she described as “vicious and verbally abusive.” Miranda stated that her stepfather called her names and told her that she was worthless. She said he made her believe that she was sick with chronic health issues and many times forced her to take medicine that was either unnecessary or not prescribed by a doctor. Eventually he asked Miranda to leave her mother’s home. Miranda stated that her mother was well aware of her stepfather’s behavior but chose not to intervene, stating, “He is a sick man. Just do what he says.” She denied any physical or sexual abuse in the home.
In order to treat Miranda’s symptoms, we first addressed the need for medication, and I provided a referral to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist diagnosed her with panic disorder and major depressive disorder and prescribed appropriate medications to assist her with her symptoms. Miranda and I began weekly sessions to focus on managing her boundaries both at work and with her family. We discussed her behavior around boundary setting as well as the possibility of enlisting her husband as a support person to encourage and promote healthy boundaries. We also discussed unresolved issues from her childhood. This approach enabled Miranda to gain insight into the self and how her maltreatment as a child affected her functioning in the present time. This insight enabled Miranda to validate her feelings of anger, frustration, and sadness about her upbringing and further give herself permission to set appropriate boundaries in her relationships. We also discussed the need for relaxation and stress management. Miranda was able to identify that she used to enjoy cycling and running but had not been engaging in them because of the demands at work. After discussing the importance of self-care, Miranda began to exercise again and set a goal to enter local running and cycling events to encourage herself to continue.
After 1 year of therapy, Miranda decided to taper down her medication, which was monitored by her psychiatrist. She has chosen to remain in therapy weekly to monitor her mood as she decreases her medication. Miranda’s overall presentation has improved greatly. With the use of medication, behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, and psychodynamic therapy, Miranda’s affect presents as stable and her symptoms of depression are gone. Miranda is a client that is able to verbalize the benefits of treatment in helping her gain insight and empower herself to validate her own emotional needs. She has been a highly motivated patient who enjoys the safety of being able to express her thoughts and feelings without judgment.
(Plummer 5-6)
Plummer, Sara-Beth, Sara Makris, Sally Brocksen. Social Work Case Studies: Concentration Year. Laureate Publishing, 10/21/13. VitalBook file.
Social Work Supervision: Trauma Within Agencies
I was a program coordinator of a multiservice agency providing mental health services to children, adolescents, teens, and older adults. I supervised five programs as well as a staff of 45.
I had been home sick for 2 days when I received a phone call reporting that one of my therapists, Carla, had not shown up for work the previous day and had not yet arrived that morning. There was a client in the waiting room who had an appointment with her. The receptionist said she had not called in sick, which was unusual because Carla was a hard working and reliable staff member. I asked the receptionist to look at Carla’s master schedule, which she reported was full that day. I told the receptionist that I would call Carla at home to see if maybe she was ill or had requested time off, and I apologized for a possible oversight on my part. There was no answer at Carla’s home, however, so I left a message. I then called the agency back and told the receptionist to wait another 15 minutes, after which she should apologize to the client, see if they would like to see someone else (if in crisis), and tell them that Carla would call to reschedule the appointment.
After an hour passed, I called the agency again and was told that Carla had not come in, and another client had shown up to see her. I again told the receptionist to see if the client needed to see someone that day, apologize for the inconvenience, and tell them that Carla would call to reschedule an appointment. Because this was unusual behavior for Carla, I contacted the local police to do a welfare check to ensure that she was okay. Carla was found dead in her home. The sheriff stated that her death was being investigated as a homicide, and he would contact me soon to gather information.
I immediately contacted my supervisor, the mental health director, to notify him of Carla’s tragedy and to plan how to address this issue with both the staff and, more important, her clients. I contacted a local organization that dealt with crisis situations, Centre for Living With Dying, and asked if its staff would come to the agency the next day to help notify our staff of Carla’s death. I contacted my receptionist to send out both a voice mail and an e-mail to all staff requesting that they come to the agency the next day at lunchtime for a mandatory meeting.
The next day, the majority of staff gathered at the agency, and I notified them of Carla’s death. Carla was well liked and each staff member was overwhelmed with this tragic news. The director and staff from the Centre for Living With Dying provided crisis and grief counseling. Staff were also given information related to the organization’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services in case they desired continued support to address their emotions and feelings of grief.
I then needed to decide how to notify each of Carla’s clients and how much to share about her death. The local newspaper had covered this tragedy, but I did not know if her clients had seen the article. Her clients were divided up among the staff, and a team of two (a social worker and psychiatrist) set up appointments to share the news with each client. We decided to tell the clients only that Carla had died suddenly and that in order to maintain confidentiality, we could not share details. Fortunately, each of the clients handled the news as well as possible, and no one decompensated as a result.
The local police reported that Carla was shot multiple times. They suspected her neighbor with whom it was reported she had an ongoing argument related to land rights. The police had to check out other possible leads and asked for the names of her clients to rule them out as possible suspects. I mentioned confidentiality and explained that Carla saw primarily women and children who, following ethical standards, did not know where she lived. The police, however, insisted on Carla’s clients’ information, so I told them I would consult with the agency’s lawyer. That consultation resulted in the decision not to give the information to the police, and I requested a subpoena for any information related to Carla and her clinical work. Fortunately, this was not needed; evidence was found in the neighbor’s home, including a gun and bullets matching Carla’s injuries, paperwork related to a lawsuit Carla planned to file against this neighbor, and a computer stolen from Carla’s home. Carla’s neighbor was arrested, charged, and ultimately convicted of her murder.
Three months after Carla’s death, the staff, her family, and her clients gathered for a memorial at the agency. A tree was placed at the center of the room, and each person made an ornament that represented what Carla meant to them and how she had helped them. The tree was eventually planted in the agency parking lot in memory of Carla.
(Plummer 7-9)
Plummer, Sara-Beth, Sara Makris, Sally Brocksen. Social Work Case Studies: Concentration Year. Laureate Publishing, 10/21/13. VitalBook file.
Working With Children and Adolescents: The Case of Chase
Chase is a 12-year-old male who was brought in for services by his adoptive mother. He is very small in stature, appearing to be only 8 years old. He also acts younger than his 12 years, carrying around toy cars in his pockets, which he proudly displays and talks about in detail.
Chase was adopted at age 3 ½ from an orphanage in Russia. The adoptive parents are upper middle class and have three biological children (ages 9, 7, and 5). Chase is reported to often get upset with his siblings and hit or kick them. His mother stated that Chase has always had issues with jealousy, and when her other children were younger, she had to closely monitor him when he was around them. She reported several occasions when she found Chase attempting to suffocate each of his younger siblings when they were babies.
The mother stated that Chase came to the United States without knowing any English. She knows very little about his family of origin other than that he lived with his biological parents until age 2 and then lived in the orphanage until he was adopted. She reported that the plane ride from Russia was horrible and that Chase cried the entire flight and refused to sleep for the first 2 days they had him.
The mother reported that Chase often hides food in his room and gorges himself when he eats. She does not understand this behavior because he always has enough food, and she never restricts his eating. In fact, because of his small size and weight, she often encourages him to eat more. She also reported that Chase hates any type of transition and will get upset and have temper tantrums if she does not prepare him for any changes in plans. He is reported to kick and hit both parents, and they have had to restrain him at times to stop him from hurting himself and others. The parents have never sought help before, but recently the school has been complaining of his inability to focus and increasing disruptive behaviors. His teachers report that he struggles with school, has no friends, and often has “meltdowns” when he does not get his way. Prior to our meeting, Chase had never had any testing for special education nor had he ever received any counseling services.
During intake, I met briefly with Chase alone. He appeared anxious, had pressured speech and facial tics, and was unable to keep his legs still. He chose to play a board game during our time in the session and talked in detail about World War II and each of the boats in the game. When asked how he knew all about warships, he stated that he often watched television documentaries on the subject.
Diagnosis:
Axis I: |
299.80 Pervasive developmental disorder NOS 307.21 Transient tic disorder |
Axis II: |
799.90 Deferred |
Axis III: |
V71.09 |
Axis IV: |
Problems with primary support group; problems related to the social environment; educational problems |
Axis V: |
45 |
Plan:
Initially Chase’s parents were unsure what to do about their son’s behaviors. His mother was the primary caretaker and his father thought she should handle any therapy or problems related to school. His mother reported that she was “at the end of her rope” and was ready to give her son up to foster care. She shared her frustration with her husband who “just did not understand how hard it was.” It was concerning that Chase had never received any services prior to our meeting and that the school had not properly referred him for testing to address his behaviors and his academic struggles.
Both parents were asked to come in for sessions together to work as a united front in addressing Chase’s behaviors and to be supportive of each other. The parents were taught behavior modification, and they were successful in establishing a reward system that motivated Chase to follow the rules in the home. In addition, the parents were provided with psychoeducation regarding autism, including how to parent an autistic child and how to advocate for Chase in the school system. The school complied with the parents’ request for testing, and Chase was found to meet criteria for special education, and an individual education plan (IEP) was established. In addition, a referral was made to psychiatry, and medication was prescribed to help Chase with his outbursts, his tics, and with focus while at school. Lastly, Chase was offered a socialization group with other children on the autism spectrum, and he developed better skills in making friends and eye contact and self-soothing and calming himself to avoid tantrums.
(Plummer 10-12)
Plummer, Sara-Beth, Sara Makris, Sally Brocksen. Social Work Case Studies: Concentration Year. Laureate Publishing, 10/21/13. VitalBook file.
Working With Children and Adolescents: The Case of Claudia
Claudia is a 6-year-old, Hispanic female residing with her biological mother and father in an urban area. Claudia was born in the United States 6 months after her mother and father moved to the country from Nicaragua. There is currently no extended family living in the area, but Claudia’s parents have made friends in the neighborhood. Claudia’s family struggles economically and has also struggled to obtain legal residency in this country. Her father inconsistently finds work in manual labor, and her mother recently began working three nights a week at a nail salon. While Claudia is bilingual in Spanish and English, Spanish is the sole language spoken in her household. She is currently enrolled in a large public school, attending kindergarten.
Claudia’s family lives in an impoverished urban neighborhood with a rising crime rate. After Claudia witnessed a mugging in her neighborhood, her mother reported that she became very anxious and “needy.” She cried frequently and refused to be in a room alone without a parent. Claudia made her parents lock the doors after returning home and would ask her parents to check the locks repeatedly. When walking in the neighborhood, Claudia would ask her parents if people passing are “bad” or if an approaching person is going to hurt them. Claudia had difficulty going to bed on nights when her mother worked, often crying when her mother left. Although she was frequently nervous, Claudia was comforted by her parents and has a good relationship with them. Claudia’s nervousness was exhibited throughout the school day as well. She asked her teachers to lock doors and spoke with staff and peers about potential intruders on a daily basis.
Claudia’s mother, Paula, was initially hesitant to seek therapy services for her daughter due to the family’s undocumented status in the country. I met with Claudia’s mother and utilized the initial meeting to explain the nature of services offered at the agency, as well as the policies of confidentiality. Prior to the meeting, I translated all relevant forms to Spanish to increase Paula’s comfort. Within several minutes of talking, Paula noticeably relaxed, openly sharing the family’s history and her concerns regarding Claudia’s “nervousness.” Goals set for Claudia included increasing Claudia’s ability to cope with anxiety and increasing her ability to maintain attention throughout her school day.
Using child-centered and directed play therapy approaches, I began working with Claudia to explore her world. Claudia was intrigued by the sand tray in my office and selected a variety of figures, informing me that each figure was either “good” or “bad.” She would then construct scenes in the sand tray in which she would create protective barriers around the good figures, protecting them from the bad. I reflected upon this theme of good versus bad, and Claudia developed the ability to verbalize her desire to protect good people.
I continued meeting with Claudia once a week, and Claudia continued exploring the theme of good versus bad in the sand tray for 2 months. Utilizing a daily feelings check-in, Claudia developed the ability to engage in affect identification, verbalizing her feelings and often sharing relevant stories. Claudia slowly began asking me questions about people in the building and office, inquiring if they were bad or good, and I supported Claudia in exploring these inquiries. Claudia would frequently discuss her fears about school with me, asking why security guards were present at schools. We would discuss the purpose of security guards in detail, allowing her to ask questions repeatedly, as needed. Claudia and I also practiced a calming song to sing when she experienced fear or anxiety during the school day.
During this time, I regularly met with Paula to track Claudia’s progress through parent reporting. I also utilized psychoeducational techniques during these meetings to review appropriate methods Paula could use to discuss personal safety with Claudia without creating additional anxiety.
By the third month of treatment, Claudia began determining that more and more people in the environment were good. This was reflected in her sand tray scenes as well: the protection of good figures decreased, and Claudia began placing good and bad figures next to one another, stating, “They’re okay now.” Paula reported that Claudia no longer questioned her about each individual that passed them on the street. Claudia began telling her friends in school about good security guards and stopped asking teachers to lock doors during the day. At home, Claudia became more comfortable staying in her bedroom alone, and she significantly decreased the frequency of asking for doors to be locked.
(Plummer 13-15)
Plummer, Sara-Beth, Sara Makris, Sally Brocksen. Social Work Case Studies: Concentration Year. Laureate Publishing, 10/21/13. VitalBook file.
Working With Children and Adolescents: The Case of Noah
Noah is a 10-year-old, multiracial male who is currently in foster care. Prior to the foster care placement, he was hospitalized three times in 3 months as a result of increased aggression, disruptive outbursts, and self-harm behaviors. Noah has a long history of dangerous behaviors, including twice jumping out of a moving vehicle, breaking a peer’s leg, making suicidal and homicidal threats, and killing a dog.
Noah was living with his mother, stepfather, full brother (Edgar), and three half-siblings in his home state before his dangerous behaviors increased in severity 2 years ago. At that point, Noah’s mother’s marriage ended, and she left Noah and his brother Edgar in the care of his paternal grandfather in another state. Noahȁ
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