When working within a mental health agency, it is important to remain aware about the agency’s style of communication and clinician satisfaction when identifying the agency’s strengths and weaknesses. One way of doing this is through the utilization of a needs assessment. A “need” may be defined as a gap between “what is” and “what is desired” (MITRE, 2007). The needs assessment serves as a systematic approach way to study the state of an agency’s daily operational function; what works well and what does not (McCrawley, 2009). The needs assessment is a way to improve the effectiveness of an organization in relation to its overall mission and goals (Gupta, 2011). According to McCrawley (2009), there are six steps in conducting a needs …show more content…
assessment: 1. Write your objectives 2. Select an audience 3. Collect data 4. Select sample 5. Select instrument 6. Analyze data These six steps will be utilized by the researcher in shaping the needs assessment and the study design. This exploratory research evaluates efficiency at DQS Mental Health agency through a quantitative data methodology. A quantitative data methodology focuses on collecting numerical data and assigning the data to groups (variables) to statistically to draw a conclusion (Babe, 2010). The needs assessment data will produce an outcome evaluation report that measures the efficiency of the agency. Literature Review Empowerment is defined as the degree in which one believes they have the power to create change and have control over their situation.
Empowerment can be categorized through structural, personal, and interpersonal circumstances (Miley et al, 2001). According to Miley (2001), structure composes the individual's environment, and its interaction with it. This structure can be positive or negative, but through increasing empowerment a more positive outcome can be constructed (Miley, 2001). Clinician need is defined as wants and desires that affect job satisfaction, communication, and personal quality of life (Kalleberg, 1977). It has been researched that clinician need affects personal empowerment which affects job performance (Berman, 2007). This impact affects the agency.
According to Saleebey (2006), the agency empowers clinicians to make informed decisions based on their professional goals. The clinician’s personal goals influence and contribute to their self-growth, which can be observed through trainings, employment competences, and expressed desires. Interpersonally, staff empowers one another through positive gestures, assistance, and providing accommodations when needed (2006). When staff is not empowered by a positive environment, job satisfaction and communication, affects the services the agency provides (Berman,
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2007). According to Oliver (2014), satisfaction is defined as the quality of an outcome. The level of quality differs per individual, and the desired level of outcome. This satisfaction determines the “enough” point within an individual (2014). While experts may attempt to define the average level of “enough” to conceptualize products and services, this level will vary based on industry standards, often controlled by state and federal government legislature. While many companies evaluate their products and services in order to meet customer satisfaction, DQS’s wants to evaluate how the clinician need affects the agency’s efficiency in the areas communication and job satisfaction (Ray, Wong, White, & Heaslip, 2013). When the population is not satisfied with a product or service, a company is at risk of failure. Customer guides often post the ratings of products and services for public view, making “word of mouth” an important tool in increasing customer satisfaction and retention rates. These retention rates can be determined by the customer or contractual clinicians. Agencies that invest not only in customer satisfaction, but their staff’s needs are at a higher chance of increasing agency morale and retention (Ray et al., 2013). Clinician evaluation is fundamental to agency growth and competency.
A social work clinician is an individual who possesses a master’s degree, or license in social work from a school or program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (NASW, 2013). These individuals provide various mental health services to clients in a wide array of treatment settings, including hospitals, jails, and non-profit agencies. They provide clinical expertise and treatment to clients, which perpetuate the critical need for evaluation of clinician competence (NASW, 2013). An evaluation of these competencies provides details of the inputs and outputs of services that are currently working well, or need of further evaluation to increase the maximum efficiency of services (Baker, 2013). Evaluations of clinical practice become necessary to justify employment positions, costs, goal-setting, risk management, and research. These evaluations show clinician need which may affect effectiveness of the agency (NASW, 2013). A clinician’s need may be observed through compassion fatigue (burnout) or compassion satisfaction (Berman,
1995). Within mental health agencies, clinician burnout is a key component to be aware of in preventing agency ineffectiveness. With clinicians spending countless hours listening to others’
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.
This paper highlights the unique contributions that social workers can bring to the field by using diagnosis in clinical social work. Though it has been debatable whether it is significant in the practice being that social workers are not doctors, but rather clinicians. Some people believe that social workers should practice diagnosis in clinical social work while others feel that it’s unjustified. This paper will explore the pros and cons to diagnosis in clinical social work practice through the history of social work, DSM, labeling, misdiagnosis. While applying strength perspective and empowerment in Clinical Social Work Practice. As a result, Social workers are competent to diagnosis patients, due to their level of education that has taught the ways of assessing, diagnosing and providing counseling to clients through the code of ethics.
Thornicroft, G., & Tansella, M. (2005). Growing recognition of the importance of service user involvement in mental health service planning and evaluation. Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale, 14(01), 1-3.
Practice: Purpose, Principles, and Applications in a Climate of System’s Integration. In Saleebey, D. (Ed.), The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice. Fourth Ed. 171-196. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Dorfman, R. (1996). Clinical social work: Definiton [sic], practice, and vision. New York: Brunner/Mazel Publishers.
Kisthardt, W. (1992). A strengths model of case management: The principles and functions of a helping partnership with persons with persistent mental illness. New York: Longman.
The concept of empowering within an organization is vital to its survival. Within my organization I would say that empowering would be at three. This is more than likely a temporary situation, as we are experiencing dramatic change and uncertainty during the merger and restructuring. After the dust settles, and a sense of normalcy returns, I believe as an organization, we will be once again at a level four. Creating a sense of ownership and voice, one needs to feel autonomous, valued, and in control of their surroundings (Keys, 2009). In a world of continued chaos and change, the strongest and lasting ideas most often come from the ground up (Laureate Education, 2010a). It is the clinical staff and future leaders that are the foundation of an organization. Through transformational leadership we support and encourage the followers to think outside the box, to exceed the standards, and to work collectively to achieve a common goal (Grossman & Valiga, 2009b). Leaders need to encourage staff to become active participants within their surroundings, self empowerment, and to be accountable. This is achieved by actively participating on com...
The sample generalist assessment used focuses on the client’s: living skills; health and disability; educationemployment; legal issues; housing; significant relationships; understanding of the issue; demographics; and crisis management (National Council of Social Service, 2006). The social worker has the opportunity to delve further into those areas if deemed necessary by their agency (National Council of Social Services, 2006). The competency-based assessment is a complex assessment tool developed for use in mental health settings. Gray and Zide (2007) wrote the book to foster and build on the human focus of social workers and to provide a counterbalance to the deficit focused Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM) when working in mental health settings. Several theoretical frameworks are evident in the competency-based assessment and clearly articulated in the provided excerpt from Gray and Zide (2007).
Since 1976, The American Mental Health Counselors Association has been committed to establishing and promoting vigorous standards for education and training, professional practice, and professional ethics for Clinical Mental Health Counselors. So far, this association have 7,000 clinical mental health counselors but its organization is continuously growing (AMHCA).” “The American Mental Health Counselors Association have licensures laws in all 50 states, and the association seeks to enhance the practice of clinical mental health counseling and to promote standards for clinical education and clinical practice that anticipate the future roles of Clinical Mental Health Counselors within the broader health care system. This association was ultimately put together to define and promote professional identity of mental health counselors (AMHCA).”
(Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014, p. 501) We can, however, “facilitate empowerment by working directly with patients and through addressing social, political, and environmental factors affecting empowerment of individuals and communities.” (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014, p. 493) In this paper, I will discuss how nurses can provide empowerment, some of the issues and constraints affecting empowerment, and how I feel regarding empowerment in my workplace. Empowering Patients In order to facilitate patient empowerment, we must first be in a position of self-empowerment.
Simpson, C. (2007) ‘Mental Health part3: Assessment and Treatment of Depression’ British Journal of Healthcare assistants. pp 167-171.
In social work there are many theories that are very beneficial. I think that empowerment theories are something you must know about. First, I will list some reasons why these theories are special. Then, we will explore the history of it. Thirdly, the key concepts will give us an open insight on what we are really talking about. Fourthly, we will focus on the term critical consciousness. Next is defining the empowerment concepts in a social context. Finally there will be information on the social work empowerment theories more in depth.
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.
Empowerment is about decision-making and autonomy, personal and professionally. Nancy should have empowered her staff’s nurses with the opportunity to be involved in the organization decision-making process. When nurses can influence and control their nursing practice, their autonomy, confidence, and commitment to the organization increase (Manojlovich, 2007). Organizations that empowered nurses to act and guide their everyday challenges using their professional skills, knowledge, and own judgment, shows positives patient outcomes, and less nurse turnover, burnout, dissatisfaction, stress, and powerlessness among their staff (Rao,
There are many values that I examined in this course. As a future mental health counselor, I accept and value all that I have absorbed to make my future career a reality. Most importantly, I have learned to do what is ethically right when it comes to obeying all state laws. The responsibility of a counselor is to gain an understanding of their client background and develop a strong counselor-patient relationship. I have reexamined that making choices that are appropriate and not jeopardize losing my license as a result of not being responsible for my client. Overall, the information learned in this course will forever imprint in my passion as a mental health professional.