We finally made it back from LSWO 2026. It was a great conference and feel like I got lots of ideas and learning and got to explore and learn about Puerto Rico. We had a pretty crazy time on the way back with all of the stuff happening with the TSA and had a flight that we missed the connection and had to be rescheduled, but glad to be back. I will see you all on Saturday.
Unit Introduction and What You Will Learn
A significant activity school social workers engage in is completing individual work through the process of engagement, assessment, and intervention. This week’s reading, Jarolmen and Bautista-Thomas (2023), section one of chapter nine, describes the process social workers follow when implementing change in a school setting (referral, engagement, assessment, and implementation). They describe evidence-based practices related to intervention (cognitive-behavioral therapy, evidence-based trauma treatment, motivational interviewing, and a solution-focused brief approach) and to need (autism, behavioral disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety). The forum prompts build on this content. During class, we will practice activities and discuss the referral, assessment, and treatment approaches.
The agenda for the in-person class includes:
- Referrals
- Practical application of gathering information
- Assessment
- Solution-Focused Therapy in the Schools
The learning objectives for the week include:
- Explain the stages of school-based intervention (referral, engagement, assessment, and intervention) and describe the school social worker’s role at each stage.
- Identify and evaluate evidence-based practices used in school settings to address common student needs, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), trauma-informed approaches, and solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT).
- Analyze culturally relevant adaptations of evidence-based interventions using case study material, with attention to feasibility and ethical considerations in school-based practice.
- Apply engagement and assessment skills in simulated activities, including role-plays of referral discussions and initial solution-focused sessions with students.
Unit Assignments
Content
- Read Jarolmen and Batista-Thomas (2023) Section 1 of Chapter 9: Engagement, Assessment, and Intervention Skills in the School for Individuals
W-10 A-01: Asynchronous Participation and Engagement
I wanted to offer an opportunity for extra credit in this class. The forums this week are worth extra credit. If you choose to earn extra credit, your replies are expected to be substantive and to offer meaningful perspectives, contributing to the forum’s conversation and scholarship. They can be related to the prompts or building on conversations shared by peers. There are three forums for this week, and you are expected to make at least 3 replies across any of the forums and read all of your peers’ replies. These forums include the following:
- Evidence-based practices in school social work are the focus of Referral, Engagement, Assessment, and Implementation in School, where students reflect on and connect these approaches.
- Students share progress on their factsheet projects in Sharing Your Continued Development of Your Factsheet.
- Chapter 9 Textbook Questions prompts students to discuss the application of cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused techniques with diverse student populations across different school settings.
Unit Resources
During class, we will review the clinical case study by Jiménez Chafey et al. (2009). It is attached below or is published under open access at Clinical Case Study: Cbt for Depression in a Puerto Rican Adolescent: Challenges and Variability in Treatment Response
To be updated with presentation later.
The Lecture Videos tab in the MyHeritage course is where you will be able to find class recordings. The video this week is at [Spring 2026 SOWK 587 Week 10]().
Reference
Jarolmen, J., & Bautista-Thomas, C. (2023). School social work: A direct practice guide (2nd ed.). Waveland Press.
Jiménez Chafey, M. I., Bernal, G., & Rosselló, J. (2009). Clinical case study: CBT for depression in a Puerto Rican adolescent: challenges and variability in treatment response. Depress Anxiety, 26(1), 98-103. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.20457
Professional transitions to public schools course work requirement, WAC 181-79A-224. (2021). https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=181-79A-224
To-Do Lists
- Read chapter 9, section 1
- Make at least 3 replies in the forums for extra credit
- Attend class
- Be working on your school-related factsheet