1. SOCW 6000 posted discussions by students Instructions: Respond to at least two colleagues by suggesting strategies for growth in the areas identified in his or her post. a. Said Ali  RE: Discussion - Week 10 COLLAPSE Top of Form Agency Reflection             I visited Touchstone Mental health which is an organization that helps people suffering from mental illness. The organization helps clients recover from mental illness as well as imparting them with the basic skills necessary as the clients get incorporated back to the society ("Professional Development | Touchstone Counseling Services Inc."). The organization employs professional clinical sociologists who help in providing care to its clients. The main source of funding is through donations from well wishers. As an organization dealing with mental illness, touchstone mental health offers significant opportunities for the mental health workers to improve their knowledge as well as skills. It does this through providing classes, structured intern training programs and helping families undergoing transition from divorce ("Professional Development | Touchstone Counseling Services Inc."). Therefore, the organization was a good place and gave me an opportunity to develop as a social work student and professional. Reference "Professional Development | Touchstone Counseling Services Inc.". Touchstonecounseling.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 2 Feb. 2017. Bottom of Form b. Julie Braley  RE: Discussion - Week 10 COLLAPSE Top of Form For the Agency Visit paper, I visited Saint Luke’s East Hospital in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. “Saint Luke’s Health System is a faith-based, not-for-profit, aligned health system committed to the highest levels of excellence in providing health care and health-related services in a caring environment.  [It is] dedicated to enhancing the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the diverse communities [it serves]” (Saint Luke’s Health System, 2015a).  This hospital branch “offers extensive inpatient and outpatient services,” as any hospital usually does, but also includes 3-D mammography services, a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), minimally invasive surgery and the da Vinci surgical robot, and is a Level III Trauma Center (Saint Luke’s Health System, 2015b).  While the hospital is capable of serving all ages, the surrounding community is primarily of retirement age. Nearby is the John Knox Village for senior living. Michelle Wales, the social worker I interviewed, pointed out that the patients, generally, are entitled and have “suburban” issues, although the number of uninsured is increasing (personal communication, January 29, 2017). Saint Luke’s is a not-for-profit health care system comprised of ten hospitals in the Kansas City area. It likely earns its money from Medicare and private insurance payments (Reinhardt, 2009), benefits from tax breaks and is able to plow its earnings back into improving its facilities and human resources (Sesana, 2014). Its or ...

1. 1. SOCW 6000 posted discussions by students
Instructions: Respond to at least two colleagues by suggesting
strategies for growth in the areas identified in his or her post.
a. Said Ali
RE: Discussion - Week 10
COLLAPSE
Top of Form
Agency Reflection
I visited Touchstone Mental health which is an
organization that helps people suffering from mental illness.
The organization helps clients recover from mental illness as
well as imparting them with the basic skills necessary as the
clients get incorporated back to the society ("Professional
Development | Touchstone Counseling Services Inc."). The
organization employs professional clinical sociologists who
help in providing care to its clients. The main source of funding
is through donations from well wishers.
As an organization dealing with mental illness, touchstone
mental health offers significant opportunities for the mental
health workers to improve their knowledge as well as skills. It
does this through providing classes, structured intern training
programs and helping families undergoing transition from
divorce ("Professional Development | Touchstone Counseling
Services Inc."). Therefore, the organization was a good place
and gave me an opportunity to develop as a social work student
and professional.
Reference
"Professional Development | Touchstone Counseling Services
Inc.". Touchstonecounseling.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 2 Feb.
2017.
Bottom of Form

2. b. Julie Braley
RE: Discussion - Week 10
COLLAPSE
Top of Form
For the Agency Visit paper, I visited Saint Luke’s East Hospital
in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. “Saint Luke’s Health System is a
faith-based, not-for-profit, aligned health system committed to
the highest levels of excellence in providing health care and
health-related services in a caring environment. [It is]
dedicated to enhancing the physical, mental, and spiritual health
of the diverse communities [it serves]” (Saint Luke’s Health
System, 2015a). This hospital branch “offers extensive
inpatient and outpatient services,” as any hospital usually does,
but also includes 3-D mammography services, a Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit (NICU), minimally invasive surgery and the
da Vinci surgical robot, and is a Level III Trauma Center (Saint
Luke’s Health System, 2015b). While the hospital is capable of
serving all ages, the surrounding community is primarily of
retirement age. Nearby is the John Knox Village for senior
living. Michelle Wales, the social worker I interviewed, pointed
out that the patients, generally, are entitled and have “suburban”
issues, although the number of uninsured is increasing (personal
communication, January 29, 2017).
Saint Luke’s is a not-for-profit health care system comprised of
ten hospitals in the Kansas City area. It likely earns its money
from Medicare and private insurance payments (Reinhardt,
2009), benefits from tax breaks and is able to plow its earnings

3. back into improving its facilities and human resources (Sesana,
2014). Its organizational structure is similar to any corporation
in that it has an executive staff, consisting of a chief executive
officer and many senior vice presidents (Saint Luke’s Health
System, 2015a). Three opportunities for growth at this hospital
branch are community outreach to those that are underinsured or
uninsured, such as preventive measures, assistance for the cost
of medication, and providing a hospital shuttle bus or another
manner of increasing transportation within the community (M.
Wales, personal communication, January 29, 2017).
Reinhardt, U.E. (2009, January 23). How do hospitals get paid?
A primer. Retrieved from
https://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/how-do-
hospitals-get-paid-a-primer/?_r=0
Sesana, L. (2014, April 8). Why nonprofits are the most
profitable hospitals in the US. Retrieved from
http://www.arbiternews.com/2014/04/08/why-nonprofits-are-
the-most-profitable-hospitals-in-the-us/
Saint Luke’s Health System. (2015a). About Saint Luke’s
Health System. Retrieved from
https://www.saintlukeshealthsystem.org/about-saint-lukes-
health-system
Saint Luke’s Health System. (2015b). Saint Luke’s East
Hospital. Retrieved from
https://www.saintlukeshealthsystem.org/locations/saint-lukes-
east-hospital
Bottom of Form
2. SOCW 6101Posted discussions by students
Instructions:Respond by Day 6 to at least two colleagues by
sharing an insight from reading your colleague’s posting.

4. a. Christina Burns
RE: Discussion - Week 10
COLLAPSE
Top of Form
Every person or group of people have a set of values and ethics
that they adhere to in order to make difficult decisions.
Different institutions or organizations of people have their own
set of ethics that they abide by (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2012).
For example, the social work core values and the values set by
Walden University have similarities and differences.
The social work core values are service, social justice, dignity
and worth of the person, importance of human relationships,
integrity, and competence (2008). Walden University has
similar values but they are worded in different ways. For
example, in Walden's mission they state that they want their
scholars to effect positive change. This directly relates to the
social work core values of service and social justice. The other
core values are embedded in the rest of Walden's vision and
mission. They can be found with inferences when thinking about
what other traits are necessary to attain the mission and values
(2013).
It is imperative that individuals adhere to their own set of
values, morals, codes, and ethics. In social work, it is necessary
that social workers abide by the social work core values as well
as their agency's codes. There are many gray areas when it
comes to making decisions though that may be difficult. The
values and codes can be used as a guideline but they are not
instructions for making decisions. An example of an ethical
dilemma is in the story of Debra. Debra was a battered woman.
She received interventions and eventually decided to continue
the relationship with her abuser. She stopped the regular visits
with the worker because she felt that she did not need them
anymore ( Plummer, Makris, & Brocksen, 2014).
This situation would have caused me as a social worker to make
a difficult decision. According to NASW code of ethics, my
responsibility would be to serve my clients to the best of my

5. abilities. My own personal beliefs conflict with assisting Debra
because I feel that she should leave her abuser. I also do not
think that she should continue the relationship. Letting Debra
discontinue services without a fight would make me feel as if I
was not adhering to my core values. I have to remember though
that I must be objective in each and every situation. I would ask
my self the questions concerning Debra's safety, Debra's right to
choose, and to have a sense of empowerment. I would also need
to keep in mind that I can not overstep my professional
boundaries. After thinking about all of this information, the
conclusion that I would come to would be that Debra is
empowered and can make her own decisions. I would stress the
importance to her to continue with scheduled check ins and
make her aware that I was still there for her as a support.
It is important that each ethical dilemma is taken seriously and
that the proper thought processes are used when forming a
decision. It is helpful to talk with others that are aware of the
situation and to keep the codes, values, and ethics in mind. It is
also necessary to weigh out the pros and cons of each decision
(Kirst-Ashman & Hull,2012).
Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, G. H., Jr. (2012). Understanding
generalist practice (6th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of ethics.
Washington DC: Author. Retrieved
from http://www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/code.asp
Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S.M.(Eds.).
(2014). Social work case studies : Foundation year. Baltimore,
MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital
source e-reader].
Walden University. (n.d). Mission and Vision. Retrieved June
16th 2013, from http://walden.edu/about/social-change/mission-
and-vision
Bottom of Form
b. Syreeta Hill
RE: Discussion - Week 10
COLLAPSE

6. Top of Form
The NASW Code of Ethics serves six purposes: the Code
identifies core values on which social work’s mission is based.
The Code speaks on ethical principles that reflect the
profession’s core values and establishes a set of specific ethical
standards social workers should use in practice. The Code is
designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations
if there is a conflict or ethical issue. The Code provides ethical
standards to which the general public can hold the social work
profession accountable. The Code teaches new to the field to
social work’s mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical
standards. The Code talks about standards that the social work
profession itself can use to assess whether social workers have
engaged in unethical conduct. (Retrieved
from http://www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/code.asp) The Walden
University Mission and Vision is change. Walden sees their
students and faculty making differences in their community. On
a scholar level Walden’s college leadership, faculty members,
and curricula developers continually evaluate Walden’s
programs to assess the effectiveness of our curriculum in
helping the student’s effect positive social change. (Retrieved
fromhttps://www.waldenu.edu/about/social-change) Applied
change is giving back to your community such as community
service. Inspiring change means listening to those who are
actively implementing change throughout the world and
encouraging students as me to create change.
The ethical dilemma identified with Pedro is right to self-
determination. Pedro is not compliant with his HAART
medication. Although we all know the medication is needed to
keep Pedro for dying from the illness, he has the right not to
take the medication. As the social worker I would speak with
Pedro about the pros and cons of not taking the medication
regularly. I will document our conversation to show that the
consequences were given to Pedro. According to the NASW the
Code is designed to help social workers identify relevant
considerations if there is a conflict or ethical issue.

7. As a social worker currently practicing in the field my goal in
my current profession is change. If a child can return home, my
goal is to assist the family in changing their negative ways that
resulted in their child being placed in foster care. My goal is to
return the child back into their home if it is possible.
References
Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. M. (Eds.).
(2014). Social work case studies: Foundation year. Baltimore,
MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital
Source e-reader].
http://waldenu.edu/about/social-change/mission-and-vision
http://www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/code.asp
Bottom of Form