13 pages due wednesday 11pm APA  6th edition Description Part 1: Case Description The client system chosen for your assignment can be drawn from a) current field placement; b) current employment (must be in human services field); c) case vignette (to be provided); or d) Video/movie (to be assigned).  The client system may be an individual, family, or group.  Possible videos include:    A Beautiful Mind Antwon Fisher Boys Don’t Cry Carol   Good Will Hunting Moonlight Precious Quincienera   Still Alice The Fisher King Tyler Perry’s The Family that Preys     a) Provide a thorough description of the individual, family or group (each member), including observational data (appearance, affect, behavior) as well as relevant social, cultural, racial, ethnic, educational, and vocational information. Describe where the client falls along the life course development trajectory. Describe how issues related to socio-economic status, culture, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, life style, and individual difference affect the client system’s coping responses. Describe any physical, psychological, and social acute illnesses and long-term disabilities. Discuss the client system’s decision to seek help (voluntary vs. involuntary), the impact of the referral process, and any other factors influencing access and receipt of services.  Make sure to include attention to issues of diversity, difference, and identity.  Please protect client confidentiality by using pseudonyms.   b) Make an eco-map and a cultural gram of the relationships and systems involved in the case.  Provide a description of the key findings shown in the eco-map and cultural gram and their implications for your work with the client system.   Part 2: Theory Identify and explain what social work practice theory or theories you are using to organize your assessment. Refer to the course readings here for further information. Justify your choices in a general and brief way, explaining why the theory or theories makes sense for this particular case.  Avoid repeating material about the case that you will get into in greater depth in the assessment section.   Part 3: Presenting Problem Situation Data Source: Briefly describe how you gathered data for the assessment, including measures and assessment tools used, format, and an analysis of the strengths and limitations of the data. include a blank copy of any assessment forms or other data collection tools used at your agency in an appendix (excluded from the page limit).  Be sure to discuss how you use these tools and their implications.   Problem identification (client perspective): Describe the following from the client's perspective: a) the presenting problem situation, b) client’s construction of meaning re: the problem situation, c) the reason(s) for or cause(s) of the problem situation, d) the desired solution(s)/outcome to the problem situation.   Problem identification (worker perspective): Describe your percept.

1. 13 pages due wednesday 11pm
APA 6th edition
Description
Part 1: Case Description
The client system chosen for your assignment can be drawn
from a) current field placement; b) current employment (must
be in human services field); c) case vignette (to be provided); or
d) Video/movie (to be assigned). The client system may be an
individual, family, or group. Possible videos include:
A Beautiful Mind
Antwon Fisher
Boys Don’t Cry
Carol
Good Will Hunting
Moonlight
Precious
Quincienera

2. Still Alice
The Fisher King
Tyler Perry’s The Family that Preys
a) Provide a thorough description of the individual, family or
group (each member), including observational data (appearance,
affect, behavior) as well as relevant social, cultural, racial,
ethnic, educational, and vocational information. Describe where
the client falls along the life course development trajectory.
Describe how issues related to socio-economic status, culture,
ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, life style, and individual
difference affect the client system’s coping responses. Describe
any physical, psychological, and social acute illnesses and long-
term disabilities. Discuss the client system’s decision to seek
help (voluntary vs. involuntary), the impact of the referral
process, and any other factors influencing access and receipt of
services. Make sure to include attention to issues of diversity,
difference, and identity. Please protect client confidentiality by
using pseudonyms.
b) Make an eco-map and a cultural gram of the relationships and
systems involved in the case. Provide a description of the key
findings shown in the eco-map and cultural gram and their
implications for your work with the client system.

3. Part 2: Theory
Identify and explain what social work practice theory or
theories you are using to organize your assessment. Refer to the
course readings here for further information. Justify your
choices in a general and brief way, explaining why the theory or
theories makes sense for this particular case. Avoid repeating
material about the case that you will get into in greater depth in
the assessment section.
Part 3: Presenting Problem Situation
Data Source: Briefly describe how you gathered data for the
assessment, including measures and assessment tools used,
format, and an analysis of the strengths and limitations of the
data. include a blank copy of any assessment forms or other
data collection tools used at your agency in an appendix
(excluded from the page limit). Be sure to discuss how you use
these tools and their implications.
Problem identification (client perspective): Describe the
following from the client's perspective: a) the presenting
problem situation, b) client’s construction of meaning re: the
problem situation, c) the reason(s) for or cause(s) of the
problem situation, d) the desired solution(s)/outcome to the
problem situation.
Problem identification (worker perspective): Describe your
perception of the presenting problem situation as compared to

4. the client's perception and described the similarities and
differences in your perspectives. To what extent is your
perspective shared by others in your agency and other involved
service providers? What is the family’s perspective? What are
the perspectives of significant others? Are there conflicts
among perspectives and how have these been addressed?
Part 4: Assessment
Assessment involves organizing into a framework all of the
information you have obtained. It is how you add up the
strengths/capacities of the client system and various relevant
systems to address the problem situations at hand. Please make
sure to explicitly incorporate the strengths perspective into your
assessment. Limitations and obstacles should be noted as well.
For this section, it is assumed that you will not have enough
information to assess all aspects of the client system. Be
selective and include those aspects that are most important to
the case, in your judgement. If something is important but you
don’t have information on it, say why you think it might affect
your assessment. Be sure to address specifically strengths as
well as problems, and be sure to include how broader issues
such as diversity, oppression, culture, or power may have
affected the client system.
If the client system is an individual, assess the client on the
main areas outlined in chapter 9 of the textbook: [1]
Intrapersonal Systems (biological functioning,
cognitive/perceptual functioning, affective functioning,
behavioral functioning, and motivation); [2] Interpersonal
Systems (social support systems, spirituality and affiliation with
a faith community); and [3] Physical environment (safety of the

5. main physical environment, place attachment, place identity,
and territoriality).
If the client system is a family, assess the family system on the
main areas outlined in chapter 10 of the textbook: [1] Family
System (homeostasis; boundaries and boundary maintenance;
family decision-making; hierarchy and power; family roles;
communication styles of family members; family life cycle;
family rules; social environment; family adaptive capacity); and
[2] Physical environment (safety of the main physical
environment, place attachment, place identity, and
territoriality).
If the client is a group, assess the group system on the main
areas outlined in chapter 11 of the textbook: Individuals’
patterned behavior and individuals’ cognitions and behaviors
(you may select two group members); Roles of group members;
The group’s patterned behaviors; Group Alliances; Group
norms; Group cohesion; Physical environment (safety of the
main physical environment, and its symbolic meaning in terms
of place attachment, place identity, and territoriality).
Does your agency set guidelines for required content or use a
standard format to gather assessment information? If so,
describe the measure and how it assisted in your assessment.
Did you use a rapid assessment instrument or other evaluation
tool? If so, identify the measure and why you chose to use it. Be
sure to discuss how you use these tools and their implications.

6. In this section, you should also identify and discuss strengths
you observe in the client system. Make sure to also include an
assessment of culture and its impact with this client system.
Discuss any culturally relevant factors, including issues of
oppression and discrimination that might influence their current
situation. Also assess environmental factors that influence the
system’s functioning and development. Consider resources and
risk factors at various systems levels. Pay attention to and
include assessment for potential sources of trauma.
Part 5: Using Evidence and the Professional Literature
Identify two main client problem areas or client concerns that
have emerged from your assessment above (e.g., teen
pregnancy, child abuse or neglect, family conflict, substance
abuse). Discuss your rationale for focusing on these issues with
this client. Why are they important in your work with this
client? For each problem area, read at least 3 recent
professional peer-reviewed journal articles that are not on the
syllabus (minimum 6 total references). The articles should be
focused on assessment or interventions for the problems, not on
describing the nature of the problems. You can use additional
articles to describe background or human behavior articles on
the problems. This minimum of six (6) references will assist
you in developing a well-grounded evidence-based assessment
and intervention plan for this client system. Do not use quotes,
unless they are exceptional, but rather demonstrate your
understanding of the literature and its relationship to your
analysis and assessment. Be sure to cite the literature using
APA format. Also use assigned readings on assessment that are
relevant to your client and to the theoretical perspectives you
are utilizing.

7. Communicate your understanding of this client system and the
two problems that you selected. Address intra-personal,
interpersonal, and environmental issues related to each problem.
What are the resources available both within the client system
and externally to deal with the problems and issues that have
been identified? What obstacles exist internally and externally?
Part 6: Evaluation of the Therapeutic Relationship
Briefly summarize the qualitative aspects of the client system's
relationship to you, both initially and at the current time. How
did you approach the process of engagement with this client
system? What issues impacted the engagement process? What
has assisted or impaired the establishment of your current
relationship? This may include client system characteristics,
ethnic or racial issues, personal characteristics,
communication/interviewing skills, helping strategies, barriers,
and/or other issues. If your assignment is based on a vignette
or other alternative, you should use this section to write about
what aspects of the therapeutic relationship would be important
if you were working with this client system.
Part 7: Race, Ethnicity, Identity, and Culture
What factors related to diversity in terms of race, identity,
sexual orientation and other cultural variables are relevant to
this system? How have societal and institutional processes of
racism, discrimination and oppression impacted the client
system’s development and functioning over time? What human
rights and social, economic, and environmental issues have

8. affected the client system? Discuss the ways in which you have
addressed cultural, ethnic, racial, social class, and other
psychosocial and physical aspects of the situation. If you have
not addressed these issues, discuss how and why you would do
so in direct practice with the client system?
Part 8: Ethical and Value Issues
What ethical and value considerations have been central in
working with this client system? Explain the differing sides of
the value perspectives and ethical dilemmas. How did (or
would) you use professional and ethical strategies to address
these issues? Describe your rationale for the strategies you
used and/or the choices you made.
Part 9: Final Summary
Include an assessment summary at the end of your paper (a brief
but clear overview of the client system's situation, including
areas you will work on and your understanding of the contract
with the client). This section should “wrap up” the paper. It
provides also an opportunity for you to integrate your
knowledge of the literature with your assessment. Include
anything you would do differently now with the client system,
given what you have learned in classes.
Tori_R
Nov 15, 10:42 PM
This paper provides an opportunity for you to integrate and
apply the various dimensions of content which you have learned
during the semester. The core of the assignment is an
assessment of a client system (individual, family or group).
Your goal in this paper should be to demonstrate your

9. understanding of beginning social work theory and social work
assessment skills, with attention to issues of power, privilege,
diversity, economic and social justice, ethical, and value
considerations. Your assessment should be thorough and
multidimensional in nature, using all elements of the person-in-
environment framework. Your paper should reflect your
understanding of interviewing, engagement, assessment, and
generalist social work practice skills. It should also
demonstrate critical consciousness about issues of identity,
diversity and social justice. Your paper should build assessment
conclusions based on specific information gathered from
working with the client. Finally, this assignment also includes a
reflective component in which you will evaluate your own use
of practice skills and your contribution to the working
relationship.
The paper must use formal grammatical English, with
appropriate references (see last page of this assignment sheet
for information regarding APA format). It must be typed,
double spaced, 1 inch margins, and no longer than 15 pages,
excluding bibliography and graphs. Please number pages.
Consider this a graduate level academic paper – your writing
style should reflect this.
Grading will evaluate sensitivity to practice considerations,
coverage of all areas listed, appropriateness of material
included, use of reference sources in the literature, and
applicability and logic of conclusions. Be sure to adhere to the
appropriate standards of academic integrity with regard to
citation and use of sources. Provide evidence and rationale for
your position(s) whenever possible. Late papers will be
deducted one-third grade (e.g., from B to B-). Typographical

10. errors, poor grammar, punctuation and spelling problems will
also result in deductions to the grade. Make sure to use spell-
check, and proofread your work before submitting it.