I hope that you are all doing well. Week 8 is moving pretty fast for me, but I’m looking forward to see you all tomorrow.
Unit Introduction and What You Will Learn
Week eight and nine are both about how social workers conduct assessments. After we have started building relationships with our clients, and before we can really find ways to support them we have to understand what the real problem is. We will be looking at how we do assessments. We will review examples of screening tools, talking about the DSM-5 and its uses, as well as some discussion around mini-mental status exams. Furthermore, I will show some examples of how I do documentation.
Unit Resources
We talk some about the DSM–5, and the ethics around using diagnosis. Shackle (1985) provides some arguments that are still relevant today in considering the DSM and its use. Graybeal (2001) provides a good description of how we can think of assessment from a strength-based approach versus the traditional medical model. Both articles are fairly short and approachable. I’d encourage you to read them.
In looking at assessment, it might be helpful to think about how assessment connects with intervention. Wolraich et al. (2011) information about diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). I created a video talking about ADHD Information for Practitioners, Parents, and Schools that might be useful.
Dr. Beverly Ford describes the assessment process that gives some insight into why assessment in the video the Assessment Process by Oregon DHS.
Some of the apps that I share and use when I am talking about my documentation are as follows:
- Drafts: Where Text Starts on iOS and macOS
- TextExpander on iOS, macOS, and Windows
- Shortcuts
I share some examples of how I use markdown in preparing for classes, The Mise en Place for University Class Preparation and a bit of the why I use Markdown in a post I wrote: Review of David Sparks’s Markdown Book an Investigation to Formatting Documents.
Graybeal, C. (2001). Strengths-based social work assessment: Transforming the dominant paradigm. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 82(3), 233-242. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.236
Shackle, E. M. (1985). Psychiatric diagnosis as an ethical problem. Journal of Medical Ethics, 11(9), 132-134. https://doi.org/10.1136/jme.11.3.132
Wolraich, M., Brown, L., Brown, R. T., DuPaul, G., Earls, M., Feldman, H. M., Ganiats, T. G., Kaplanek, B., Meyer, B., Perrin, J., Pierce, K., Reiff, M., Stein, M. T., Visser, S., Capers, M., & Davidson, C. (2011). ADHD: Clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 128(5), 1007-1022. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-2654.ADHD
All of the presentations for this class can be found at presentations.jacobrcampbell.com. This weeks presentation, SOWK 486 - Week 08 - Assessments can also be downloaded.
View SOWK 486 - Week 08 - Assessments.
Unit Assignments
A-01 Class Engagement and Participation
Participate in class
A-02 Reading Quizzes
Reading quiz due on Monday before class for Hepworth et al. (2017) chapters eight and nine.
To Do Lists
- A-01: Class Participation and Engagement participate in class
- A-02: Reading Quiz for chapters eight and nine is due at 5:30 PM before class via My Heritage