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Social work values and ethics
Social work values and ethics
Social work values and ethics
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Many professionals are qualified and certified to help handle mental health disorders and they vary from a wide range of disciplines. All focus on helping the individual who is struggling with their mental health the professional help that they need and deserve. Many mental health professionals will initially do a biopsychosocial assessment of the person’s life in order to better gauge where the strengths lie in this person’s life and where underlying issues may be held. This assessment includes looking at the person from a biological viewpoint, a psychological viewpoint, and a social viewpoint. The biological perspective looks at a person’s medical needs, including neurological testing. The psychological standpoint focuses on a person’s psychological …show more content…
The strengths-based and recovery models, used often by social workers, hope to prioritize individual 's strengths in order to best assist them on their road of recovery. The recovery model uses empowerment to help their clients make the best decisions for their lives. Allowing the clients to remain autonomous and have the agency to make their own decisions provides fruitful results as well as the maintenance of their recovery. Allowing clients to be in control, as much as possible, of their decisions and recovery paths helps the clients to understand what choices they should make for their life. When a client makes a decision that is not advisable, there are two paths of action. First, the practitioner could go over both the positive and negative implications that that choice would have immediately and in the future. Second, if harm could come to any individual, then the practitioner would have to force the individual to make a different decision or report the behavior. While forceful decisions are not the most productive, a practitioner can not allow harm to happen to any individual. Mental health professionals cannot allow their clients to do harm to themselves or others because of their code of ethics (“NASW snapshot…”, …show more content…
Dignity of human life, as it relates to social work, is the focus on all life as being worthy of love, care, and compassion. Each life deserves to have the very basic needs met and deserves help in meeting those needs. Lastly, dignity for human life focuses on making sure that all people have agency while making their life choices
The adult mental health social work may be considered complex and challenging due to the issues it faces. The practice entails the involvement of a certain number of professionals which have the authority to make an immense impact on the service users’ lives. The association with the social services may initiate within the service users a certain amount of discomfort and vulnerability. This may be because it could carry with it a certain degree of unwarranted labelling and prejudice. Apart from the impact that the involvement of the social services have on the service users, it is worth noting that there are further challenges which may be encountered, and they do not only arise from the complexity of the service users’ situation alone, they may also stem from the social worker’s capacity and experience to practice, laws, policies, funding and other factors that cannot always be controlled. The social workers have many tools to help and support the service users, however, been entrusted with authority as well as an element of power to make decisions through their assessments, they are also expected to practice responsibly because of the immense impact their evaluations have on people’s lives. These together with the legal accountability and the professionally required, ethical and moral congruence may be a fertile ground for conflict of interests. For example, a discrepancy between the views of the social worker and the service user regarding needs of services.
It is generally accepted within healthcare that to understand mental health we must adopt the biopsychosocial model. This model assumes that an interdependent relationship exists between biological, psychological and social factors which are involved in all aspects of mental health (Toates, 2010, p. 14). To be true to the model research must be holistic and not investigate the factors in isolation.
There are wide ranges of social issues affecting mood, thinking, and behavior. What is considered normal in the United States of America, may perhaps not be normal to another. Being diagnose mentally ill requires train professionals to evaluate a person state of mind. Being normal in the United States of America is conforming to a standard, and standards can change within societal standards. Up to now the DSM-V shows the exact symptoms of mental disorders and thoroughly explains the type of illness. Yet abnormal behavior treatment is not the same, professionals who’ve master therapy skills should be aware that their knowledge has affect to client’s treatment. When clients interact amongst counselors, clients can explain their life experiences,
Weick (1992) states “every person has an inherent power that may be characterized as life force, transformational capacity, life energy, spirituality, regenerative potential, and healing power, which is a potent form of knowledge that can guide personal and social transformation” (p. 24). No matter the crisis or oppression, it needs to be brought to client’s realization that they are strong, resilient and can overcome. They may not be aware of this inner power due to the constant stress and overwhelming sense of impending doom in their lives, but with the help of the strengths perspective, we can assist clients in realizing that they have strengths as well as weaknesses. Clients want to know that they can rely on social workers to provide adequate resources and respect their current situation, no matter how difficult it may be. Clients want to know that we can empathize with their situation and provide support, care and concern for the issues they are going through; they need to know that we will help them achieve their goals and not give up on them as many may have before in their lives. Saleeby (2013) states “your cli...
One in five Americans, approximately 60 million people, have a mental illnesses (Muhlbauer, 2002).The recovery model, also referred to as recovery oriented practice, is generally understood to be defined as an approach that supports and emphasizes an individual’s potential for recovery. When discussing recovery in this approach, it is generally seen as a journey that is personal as opposed to having a set outcome. This involves hope, meaning, coping skills, supportive relationships, sense of the self, a secure base, social inclusion and many other factors. There has been an ongoing debate in theory and in practice about what constitutes ‘recovery’ or a recovery model. The major difference that should be recognized between the recovery model and the medical model is as follows: the medical model locates the abnormal behavior within an individual claiming a factor that is assumed to cause the behavior problems whereas, the recovery model tends to place stress on peer support and empowerment (Conrad and Schneider, 2009). This essay will demonstrate that the recovery model has come a long way in theory and practice and therefore, psychological well-being is achievable through this model.
The generalist model in the social work profession was drawn from a social system’s theory in the late 1960 's due to the complexities of problems and challenges faced by human beings. It was needed to assist social workers in assessing and interviewing clients. Rather than make the client fit the model, the generalist model seeks to find the approach that best fits the client, as well as emphasizing respect for client self-determination and the use of client strengths with empowerment as an expected client system outcome. A generalist practice model is used in all areas of social work field in ethical and effective helping based on the eco-systems perspective using problem-solving strategies and practice skills requiring a strengths perspective
Challenges in the implementation of recovery-oriented mental health policies and services. International Journal of Mental Health, 42(2/3), 17-42.
A mental status examination (MSE) is an assessment process that enquires into specific aspects of a person’s mental health condition. A MSE also assesses the potential risks associated with specific mental health conditions, whether it be the risk of self-harm, harm of others or reputation (Procter, Hamer, McGarry, Wilson, Froggatt 2014). The MSE provides clinical framework for examining changes within the personal domains of; attitude, appearance, mood, affect, behaviour, orientation, speech, cognition, thoughts, perception, insight and judgement and risk (TRCHM 2014). Findings within these specific domains are placed with any subjective reports, biographical and historical information relating to this person. This then allows for an accurate opinion to be formed followed by the formulation of a correct diagnosis (Procter, et al 2014). This ultimately contributes to the treatment and care given on this person’s journey to recovery. The symptoms and mannerisms displayed by Robert will be deconstructed using a MSE to describe his mental state.
Dignity is defined as “the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed. (Webster, 1828). Treating patients with respect and dignity can make the difference in their response to illness. Patients want to be treated as individuals that have a medical condition and are seeking help and in the same vein be treated with respect.
This essay will identify key issues facing the client system and will demonstrate an intervention plan. Followed by defining the purpose of social work and the identification of the AASW Code of Ethics, in regards to the case study. Lastly, key bodies of knowledge will be identified and applied to the case study.
My experience in mental health clinical was very different from any other clinical I had before. In a mental health clinical setting, I am not only treating client’s mental illnesses, I am also treating their medical problems such as COPD, diabetes, chronic renal failure, etc. Therefore, it is important to prepare for the unexpected events. In this mental health clinical, I learned that the importance of checking on my clients and making sure that they are doing fine by performing a quick head-to toes assessment at the beginning of my shift. I had also learned that client’s mental health illness had a huge impact on their current medical illness.
Mental health is just as important as physical health in a person’s life. Mental health is critical to a person’s well-being, their ability to live a productive life and to keep a healthy family and interpersonal relationships. Mental health does not just affect the mind it also affects people’s physical health. Some physical health diseases can cause a mental health disorder and vice versa. Mental health disorders are associated with the occurrence, development, and outcome of some of the today’s most chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. When people go untreated from a mental health disorder are at a higher risk for many unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol and drug use, violent behavior, and suicide.
Mental disorders are rapidly becoming more common with each new generation born in the world. Currently, nearly one in two people suffer from some form of depression, anxiety, or other mental health problem at some point in their lives (Editor). With so many people suffering from their mental illnesses, steps have been taken in order to get help needed for these people but progress has been slow. In the medical world, hospitals are treating those with physical problems with more care than those with mental problems. Prescription drugs can only do so much helping the mentally ill go through their daily lives and more should be done to help those who need more than medicine to cope with their illness. Mental health should be considered just as important as physical health because of how advanced physical healing is, how the public reacts to those with mental illness, and due to the consequences that could happen if the illness is not correctly helped.
As a social worker, there are many core values to follow. Some of which include “Respect for human rights and dignity, promotion of social justice and human well being, recognizing the worth and uniqueness of every person, and the importance of the community” (C. Phillips, lecture, October 6, 2015). By following the core values, this will allow me to have a client-focused practice, which will cause a positive experience for both the clients and myself. Well-being consists of many
Mental illness is the condition that significantly impede with an individual’s emotional, cognitive or social abilities (Savy and Sawyer, 2009). According to (Savy and Sawyer, 2009) neurological, metabolic, genetic and psychological causes are contributing factors for various types of mental illness like depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse and progression of condition. An elaborate system known as DSM-IV-TR gives a classification system that acts to separate mental illness into diagnostic categories based on the description of symptoms of illness (Savy and Sawyer, 2009). The exact primarily causes of mental illness are complicated, however, it seems to occur in a psychologically and biologically prone individual, in the trigger of environmental and social stress (Elder, Evans and Nizette, 2007).