Question 1

You are told by a parent that his child is having very serious problems keeping up with his schoolwork. You have been taught that human service problems stem from the interaction of biological, emotional, and environmental stresses. Explain in what ways all three of these sets of pressures might be affecting this, or any child's, ability to function well in school.

Accepted Answer

Example:
A child's problems in learning in school, for example, might stem from problems with eyesight or hearing which would be biological. They might come from the emotional stress of having parents who are going through a difficult divorce and it would be made worse by being in a noisy overcrowded classroom with an inexperienced or burnt out teacher. This would be an environmental stress.

Question 2

Mr. Jones, who is the director of a family service agency, has decided that he needs an efficient method of assigning new clients to specific workers. So he creates a scale that rates the severity of each client's problem when they first come to the agency. Then he chooses the worker to assign on the basis of his measure of how serious the client's problem is. We believe that this system does not make any sense. Why is it that problems cannot be divided up in such an arbitrary fashion?

Accepted Answer

Problems can never be divided up on a scale ranging from very serious to less serious and then parceled out to workers on the basis of their training. What at first might appear to be a very simple problem might, under further examination, turn out to be a very complicated problem involving many people and issues. Also, what is a manageable problem to one person might be a life-threatening problem to another. For example, when a family moves to a new town, each member adjusts to all the changes in a very different way, according to his or her needs and personalities as well as the kind of reception and resources he or she finds in the new environment. One family member might welcome the change while another has a breakdown from the stress. Until we get to know the client and the other factors that lie behind the problem, it is impossible to pre-judge it.

Question 3

In the first interview with Carmen Mejia, what seemed to be the problems in finding appropriate foster homes for the children who had to be removed from their own parents' home?

Accepted Answer

There were not enough foster families who were familiar with the language, foods or culture of the children who had come from Spanish speaking countries. Once homes were found, the foster parents often didn't receive the assistance they needed to deal with the problems presented by their foster children. So the children either stayed in an inappropriate setting or they moved around from one home to another, which is never good for their education or sense of security.

Question 4

In the interview with Carmen Mejia, she says that the goal of her agency is called permanency planning or family preservation. How are these terms defined? What are the four goals of hoped for outcomes? What three methods did the agency use to achieve the goals of its program?
Definition:

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the interview with Carmen Mejia, she...

Question 5

What is meant by preparatory empathy? Give an example of preparatory empathy from the text or from your own practice.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is meant by preparatory empathy? Give...

Question 6

In the field of human service there are agreed upon boundary lines among the roles of the caseworker, case manager, counselor, and social worker.

Accepted Answer

Although there are general guidelines and ethical standards that help differentiate the roles of caseworkers, case managers, counselors, and social workers, the boundaries among these roles can often overlap and vary significantly depending on the organization, the specific job description, and the needs of the clients. There is no universally agreed-upon delineation of duties and responsibilities for each role.

Question 7

All human service workers, regardless of their formal training, job title or their client's problems, deal with inner emotions and external resources.

Accepted Answer

Human service workers, regardless of their specific roles or the nature of the problems their clients face, are involved in addressing both the emotional (inner) aspects and practical (external) needs such as housing, employment, and healthcare.

Question 8

Regardless of what specific problem a person is struggling with, when deciding to seek help from a counselor, it is likely that he or she feels the lack of the following:

Accepted Answer

When individuals decide to seek help from a counselor, it often indicates they feel they lack the resources (knowledge, skills, tools, or external support) necessary to alleviate their problem on their own.

Question 9

In order to raise a mentally healthy child, parents should

Accepted Answer

Helping children learn to deal with problems is crucial for their development of resilience and problem-solving skills, which are important aspects of mental health.

Question 10

In the interview with Carmen Mejia about her job as a family resource worker, she made it clear that she believes that a father who sexually abuses a child should be permanently banned from the home.

Accepted Answer

The statement provided does not specify Carmen Mejia's beliefs or statements regarding a father who sexually abuses a child, as it appears to be a hypothetical scenario without direct reference to an actual interview or her expressed opinions.

Question 11

When a teenager expresses very hostile feelings towards the rules set down by his or her parent or guardian, the caseworker should quickly respond by:

Accepted Answer

Encouraging a teenager to fully express their feelings is a fundamental step in understanding their perspective and addressing the underlying issues. It creates a safe space for open communication, which is crucial for effective problem-solving and relationship building.

Question 12

The human service worker helps clients to make one particular decision while also helping them to increase their overall decision-making skills.

Accepted Answer

Human service workers assist clients in making specific decisions and also aim to enhance their general decision-making abilities, empowering them to handle future challenges more independently.

Question 13

The case work/counseling process begins with a period of preparation. As part of that preparation, what is one of the tasks that the worker should do?

Accepted Answer

Reviewing the existing background information about the client's situation is a crucial initial step in the case work/counseling process. This helps the worker understand the client's history, needs, and circumstances before planning interventions or actions.

Question 14

Once we have become skillful at preparatory empathy we can be reasonably sure what our client will say and can then prepare our response.

Accepted Answer

Preparatory empathy involves understanding and anticipating a client's feelings and perspectives, but it does not guarantee predicting exactly what a client will say, as human thoughts and emotions can be complex and unpredictable.

Question 15

The background data that we are given before seeing a client has certain limitations. Which of the following are limitations?

Accepted Answer

Each of the options listed (A through D) represents a limitation of background data in the context of seeing a client. These limitations include the potential exclusion of the client's perspective, the risk of prejudgment or stereotyping, the influence of our preconceptions on the client's behavior, and the possibility that the data is based on unreliable measures.

Question 16

Which of the following is not a method of collecting data about a client's situation?

Accepted Answer

Deductive reasoning is not a method of collecting data about a client's situation; it is a logical process of drawing specific conclusions from general information or principles, rather than a direct method of gathering information about a client.

Question 17

Small details such as the scheduling of the interview and the manner in which the client is ushered into the office are bureaucratic, irrelevant issues in building the relationship between client and worker.

Accepted Answer

These small details are important in setting the tone for the relationship, demonstrating respect and professionalism, and can significantly impact the client's comfort and trust in the worker.

Question 18

In creating an action plan, the worker and client do which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Creating an action plan involves translating major problems into smaller, more manageable parts, visualizing alternative paths, strategies, and resources, considering the constraints, and choosing the most suitable action alternatives.

Question 19

We use the term "linkage technology" to refer to:

Accepted Answer

Linkage technology refers to the actions taken by a worker to ensure a client can access a needed resource, facilitating the connection between the client and the resource.

Question 20

An evaluation should always be built on a solid statistical model.

Accepted Answer

An evaluation can be based on various methodologies, including qualitative assessments, case studies, or mixed methods, and does not always require a solid statistical model.

Quiz 9: Direct Strategies: Working With People One-On-One