SOCW wk3 student response Discussion #2 NOT A WORK EXAMPLES of good discussion answers for week 1 and week 2 Week 1 The population I would like to work with as a social worker is children and families. In particular, I would like to work in the foster care and Child Protective Services (CPS) field. My eventual career goal involves a profession that allows me to keep children safe, while also strengthening parenting skills and family structures. I can see many ways in which the Generalist Intervention Model (GIM) could assist me in working with this population. I found the assessment process particularly applicable, in particular the way in which assessments can incorporate the micro, mezzo and macro levels involved in the problem (Kirst-Ashman, & Hull, 2012, p. 38). For instance, if I was referred to a family who had become involved with CPS due to reports of suspected child abuse, it would be incredibly important for me to consider all three levels. I would need to not only assess the child's well-being at the micro level, but also factors within the family at the micro/mezzo level that may be contributing to an abusive situation. Finally, I would need to consider what resources or lack of resources at the macro level could be contributing to the problem. This type of assessment would provide me with a much more robust picture of the problem when compared to only focusing on the micro aspects. Additionally, I think that the way that the planning stage is laid out in the GIM would be particularly useful when working with CPS. Particularly, I think that incorporating the clients' thoughts, opinions, and ideas about their problems and needs would make a major difference in how successful the intervention is (Kirst-Ashman, & Hull, 2012, p. 40). CPS, whether justified or not, has a reputation of strong arming families involved with them and not allowing for input. I think that seeking the input of the family and child could help create a sense of trust and mutual respect. Beyond that, the parents may feel desperately in need of help and have a clear sense of where their problems lie, they simply do not have the resources or knowledge to solve the problems. Adding their input and information to the intervention planning process would result in a fuller, more comprehensive, and likely more effective intervention. References Kirst-Ashman, K.K., & Hull, G. H. (2012). Understanding Generalist Practice (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. NOT A WORK Week 2 The population that I selected last week was children and families. In particular, I would like to work with families involved with the foster care system. This will give me the opportunity and challenge of working with various culturally diverse populations. A skill I feel will be essential for me to attain cultural competence when working with this population is a broader understanding of institutional discrimination that may exist within the welfare organizations I interact with. It is l.

1. SOCW wk3 student response Discussion #2
NOT A WORK
EXAMPLES of good discussion answers for week 1 and week 2
Week 1
The population I would like to work with as a social worker is
children and families. In particular, I would like to work in the
foster care and Child Protective Services (CPS) field. My
eventual career goal involves a profession that allows me to
keep children safe, while also strengthening parenting skills and
family structures. I can see many ways in which the Generalist
Intervention Model (GIM) could assist me in working with this
population. I found the assessment process particularly
applicable, in particular the way in which assessments can
incorporate the micro, mezzo and macro levels involved in the
problem (Kirst-Ashman, & Hull, 2012, p. 38). For instance, if I
was referred to a family who had become involved with CPS
due to reports of suspected child abuse, it would be incredibly
important for me to consider all three levels. I would need to
not only assess the child's well-being at the micro level, but
also factors within the family at the micro/mezzo level that may
be contributing to an abusive situation. Finally, I would need to
consider what resources or lack of resources at the macro level
could be contributing to the problem. This type of assessment
would provide me with a much more robust picture of the
problem when compared to only focusing on the micro aspects.
Additionally, I think that the way that the planning stage is
laid out in the GIM would be particularly useful when working
with CPS. Particularly, I think that incorporating the clients'
thoughts, opinions, and ideas about their problems and needs
would make a major difference in how successful the
intervention is (Kirst-Ashman, & Hull, 2012, p. 40). CPS,
whether justified or not, has a reputation of strong arming
families involved with them and not allowing for input. I think
that seeking the input of the family and child could help create

2. a sense of trust and mutual respect. Beyond that, the parents
may feel desperately in need of help and have a clear sense of
where their problems lie, they simply do not have the resources
or knowledge to solve the problems. Adding their input and
information to the intervention planning process would result in
a fuller, more comprehensive, and likely more effective
intervention.
References
Kirst-Ashman, K.K., & Hull, G. H. (2012). Understanding
Generalist Practice (6th ed.). Belmont, CA:
Brooks/Cole.
NOT A WORK
Week 2
The population that I selected last week was children and
families. In particular, I would like to work with families
involved with the foster care system. This will give me the
opportunity and challenge of working with various culturally
diverse populations. A skill I feel will be essential for me to
attain cultural competence when working with this population is
a broader understanding of institutional discrimination that may
exist within the welfare organizations I interact with. It is likely
that some of the families I encounter may have previous
experiences with welfare organizations, and those encounters
may have been discriminatory (Kirst-Ashman, & Hull, 2012, p.
443). For example, I may work with an African American
family who experienced discrimination when trying to obtain
food stamp benefits. Having this broad understanding will help
guide me in the process of intervention, as well as help me to be
more effective in the initial engagement and assessment stages.
Additionally, it will be very important for me to understand
varying beliefs about child-rearing, discipline and family roles
across different cultures. I will need to recognize that my
beliefs are also culturally informed, and ensure that those
beliefs to not interfere with my ability to help a family. For

3. instance, I may find a particular discipline technique punitive
and harsh, while it may be a cultural norm for the family I am
working with. A study that address this topic is Cultural
Variations in Mothers' Acceptance of and Intent to use
Behavioral Child Management Techniques. The study focuses
on the differences in parenting techniques between Euro-
Canadian and Chinese immigrant mothers. The researchers
found that, “The Chinese-immigrant mothers . . . accepted and
intended to use punishment techniques more than Euro-
Canadians.” (Mah & Johnston, 2012, p. 495) They concluded
that this was due to an overall cultural difference in parenting
styles. Specifically, they found that Chinese immigrant mothers
were more likely to be authoritarian and feel they had a higher
level of control over their children.
This information would be essential for me to have when
working with a Chinese immigrant family with similar cultural
values. If I was working as an advocate for a child in the
family, I would need to understand that certain discipline
techniques that I may view as counterproductive or harmful may
be completely acceptable for this family. I would also need to
carefully and ethically consider at what point I feel a discipline
technique constitutes abuse. For example, I may personally
disagree with a parent slapping a child's hand as a corrective
measure, but I could not classify this as abuse. Rather, I would
try to understand the cultural values that inform the choice. On
the other hand, while whipping a child with a belt may be a
cultural norm for some, I would ethically and legally be
responsible to intervene and advocate for the child's safety and
welfare.
References
Mah, J., & Johnston, C. (2012). Cultural Variations in Mothers'
Acceptance of and Intent to Use Behavioral Child Management
Techniques. Journal Of Child & Family Studies, 21(3), 486-497.
Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, G. H. (2012). Understanding
Generalist Practice (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

4. END OF EXAMPLE OF GOOD ANSWERS
SOCW 04 wk2 discussion
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please
click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the
Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
Required Readings
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2012). Discharge
planning. Retrieved from http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-
Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-
MLN/MLNProducts/Downloads/Discharge-Planning-Booklet-
ICN908184.pdf
Beder, J. (2006). Hospital social work: The interface of
medicine and caring. New York, NY: Routledge.
· Chapter 2, “General Medical Social Work” (pp. 9–20)
Craig, S. L., & Muskat, B. (2013). Bouncers, brokers, and glue:
The self-described roles of social workers in urban hospitals.
Health Social Work, 38(1), 7–16.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
Gehlert, S., & Browne, T. (Eds). (2012). Handbook of health
social work (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
· Chapter 2, “Social Work Roles and Health-Care Settings” (pp.
20–40)
Judd, R. G., & Sheffield, S. (2010). Hospital social work:
Contemporary roles and professional activities. Social Work in
Health Care, 49(9), 856–871.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
Fox, M. T., Persaud, M., Maimets, I., Brooks, D., O‘Brien, K.,
& Tregunno, D. (2013). Effectiveness of early discharge

5. planning in acutely ill or injured hospitalized older adults: A
systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Geriatrics, 13, 70.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
Marshall, J. W., Ruth, B. J., Sisco, S., Bethke, C., Piper, T. M.,
Cohen, M., & Bachman, S. (2011). Social work interest in
prevention: A content analysis of the professional literature.
Social Work, 56(3), 201–211.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
Work #1 Work #2 Cara Colantuono Discharge planning (Title of
work #1) Answer in APA format with 2 citations per paragraph
treat each answer as a separate work or file and each work or
file need separate references. Support your posts with specific
references to the Learning Resources given in this work. Be
sure to provide full APA citations for your references. Treat
each work or answer as a separate work and each work needs
separate references.
Respond to two different colleagues’ postings in the following
ways:
· Share an insight gained from having read your colleague’s
posting.
· Provide a constructive critique of your colleague’s post. Share
two additional factors that might be involved in the discharge
planning process.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific
references to the resources and the current literature using
appropriate APA format and style
Work #1 Cara Colantuono
RE: Discussion 2 - Week 2
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Total views: 26 (Your views: 3)
Main Post:
Discharge planning involved some key components that must be

6. factored in when designing and executing a discharge plan.
Early discharge planning interventions have been proven to
provide the best outcomes for patients and their families (Fox,
Persaud, Maimets, Brooks, O‘Brien & Tregunno, 2013). First,
the plan must be considered safe, which is to not place a patient
at risk of increased harm (Fox, et a., 2013). Secondly, the
method must involve a needs assessment. Once the needs are
established via a thorough evaluation, resources can be
determined (Judd & Sheffield, 2010). Also, insurance and other
funding options play a crucial role for many patients.
The role of the medical social worker may include finding an
appropriate bed at a skilled nursing facility (SNF), Long-term
acute care hospital (LTACH), Assisted Living (AL), acute rehab
or sub-acute rehab (Gehlert & Browne, 2012). It may include
placement in an inpatient detox unit for substance abuse or an
inpatient psychiatric facility for involuntary or voluntary
placement. Some discharge plans may be geared towards home
care plans and include referrals to home health agencies or adult
protective service/area on aging. Often the patient may require
particular attention due to specific diagnoses such as cancer or
dementia. Finally, social workers are often tasked with the
liability of obtaining clinical authorization from the patient’s
insurance company for things such as placement or medication
approval.
The social worker traditionally is a wealth of knowledge about
what types of facilities and placement options best meet the
patient’s needs (Marshall, Ruth, Sisco, Bethke, Piper, Cohen &
Bachman, 2011). Sometimes the patients are put in positions in
which they are less than pleased with the choices that they have
or they are motivated against a recommended plan. The social
worker’s ability to empathize with patients while using
motivational interviewing and solution focused processes
supports patients in discharge planning and implementation.
During discharge planning, healthcare social workers are
continually working alongside other medical professionals and
ancillary personnel (Gehlert & Browne, 2012). Some of the

7. challenges of interdisciplinary discharge planning can occur
when a patient or family does not feel ready for discharge or
would like more time to tour a potential facility. This often
coincides with the expectations of hospital length of stay.
Another example of a challenge social workers may face when
the medical professionals are viewing a patient as a behavioral
problem who is malingering medical issues or drug-seeking,
social workers sometimes can find themselves in stressful
ethical situations about how the treatment plan and discharge
outcomes are dictated based on these assumptions.
References
Gehlert, S., & Browne, T. (Eds). (2012). Handbook of health
social work (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Chapter 2, “Social
Work Roles and Health-Care Settings” (pp. 20–40)
Judd, R. G., & Sheffield, S. (2010). Hospital social work:
Contemporary roles and professional activities. Social Work in
Health Care, 49(9), 856–871.
Fox, M. T., Persaud, M., Maimets, I., Brooks, D., O‘Brien, K.,
& Tregunno, D. (2013). Effectiveness of early discharge
planning in acutely ill or injured hospitalized older adults: A
systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Geriatrics, 13, 70.
Marshall, J. W., Ruth, B. J., Sisco, S., Bethke, C., Piper, T. M.,
Cohen, M., & Bachman, S. (2011). Social work interest in
prevention: A content analysis of the professional literature.
Social Work, 56(3), 201–211.
Work #2 Jenna Hopper Discharge planning (Title of work #2)
Answer in APA format with 2 citations per paragraph treat each
answer as a separate work or file and each work or file need
separate references. Support your posts with specific references
to the Learning Resources given in this work. Be sure to
provide full APA citations for your references. Treat each work
or answer as a separate work and each work needs separate
references.
Respond to two different colleagues’ postings in the following
ways:
· Share an insight gained from having read your colleague’s

8. posting.
· Provide a constructive critique of your colleague’s post. Share
two additional factors that might be involved in the discharge
planning process.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific
references to the resources and the current literature using
appropriate APA format and style
Work #2 Jenna Hopper
RE: Discussion 2 - Week 2
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Top of Form
Total views: 18 (Your views: 1)
Discharge planning takes the majority of social
worker’s time due to the demands (Judd & Sheffield, 2010). The
components of discharge planning include coordinating services
for discharge, assessing the patient’s needs, assessing the
patient’s social supports, assessing the patient’s home
environment, and the relocation of patients when further
accommodations are needed (Judd & Sheffield, 2010).
Discharge planning began in 1986 from an Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act (Beder, 2006). I love that discharge planning
incorporates patient’s preferences, patient assessment, family
assessment, counseling, and discharge follow-up (Beder, 2006).
A safe discharge plan that ensures the patient’s safety and well-
being in a timely manner is what is important (Beder, 2006).
Discharge planning begins as soon as the patient is admitted
into the hospital (Fox et al., 2013). In the U.S., each day, over
half a million social workers provide services to people with
health problems (Marshall et al., 2011). Healthcare in the U.S.
is more expensive and widely used than any other country
(Marshall et al., 2011).
Healthcare is facing a lot of challenges such as
funding shortages, increasing hospital visits, and patient’s who
are admitted with more complex medical conditions (Craig &
Muskat, 2013). Prolonged hospital stays and readmissions is not

9. only expensive for the patients, but for everyone involved (Fox
et al., 2013). The generalist intervention model skills for social
workers is when social workers assess client’s strengths,
limitations, goals, and objectives (Beder, 2006). Social workers
are on the frontline and prevention strategies are needed for
patients to ensure they have safe discharge plans in place
(Marshall et al., 2011). Growing awareness of the benefits and
limitations of discharge planning is best used through
integrating training programs for everyone who works at
hospitals (Marshall et al., 2011).
Strengthening prevention strategies is going to require priorities
of the entire medical team to be changed (Marshall et al., 2011).
Challenges that medical social workers face when working with
other professionals is that social workers are overlooked but are
still supposed to keep everyone together as a team (Marshall et
al., 2011). Other clinicians bring different disciplines and
knowledge to the table on caring for patients, however, it is
challenging when everyone is supposed to be on the same page
for discharge planning (Gehlert & Browne, 2012). Doctors and
nurses have their own training on medical information that
social workers do not have, which is where everyone has to
share information so that the patient has all the services that
they need upon discharge (Gehlert & Browne, 2012).
Beder, J. (2006). Hospital social work: The interface of
medicine and caring. New York, NY: Routledge. 9-20.
Craig, S. L., & Muskat, B. (2013). Bouncers, brokers, and glue:
The self-described roles of social workers in urban hospitals.
Health Social Work, 38(1), 7-16.
Fox, M. T., Persaud, M., Maimets, I., Brooks, D., O’Brien, K.,
& Tregunno, D. (2013). Effectiveness of early discharge
planning in acutely ill or injured hospitalized older adults: A
systematic review of meta-analysis. BMC Geriatrics, 13, 70.
Gehlert, S., & Browne, T. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of health
social work (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. 20-40.
Judd, R. G., & Sheffield, S. (2010). Hospital social work:
Contemporary roles and professional activities. Social Work in

10. Health Care, 49(9), 856-871.
Marshall, J. W., Ruth, B. J., Sisco, S., Bethke, C., Piper, T. M.,
Cogen, M., & Bachman, S. (2011). Social work interest in
prevention: A content analysis of the professional literature.
Social Work, 56(3), 201-211.
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