Fall 2023 SOWK 486w Class 08 Weekly Email
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Unit Introduction and What You Will Learn
Weeks eight and nine are both about how social workers conduct assessments. After we have started building relationships with our clients, and before we can find ways to support them, we must understand the real problem. We will be looking at how we do assessments. We will review examples of screening tools, talk about the DSM-5 and its uses, and discuss mini-mental status exams. Furthermore, I will show some examples of how I do documentation.
Unit Assignments
A-01 Class Engagement and Participation
Participate in class
A-02 Reading Quizzes
W-08 A-02 Hepworth et al. (2022) Chapter(s) 08 and 09 due on Wednesday before class
Unit Resources
I really appreciate feedback about teaching and my courses. There is an opportunity to provide mid-term feedback. I read the feedback and find it helpful. You can access the survey by going to SOWK 486W Survey
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. I shared the Graybeal article in week 2 so you have probably already read it and it’s discussion of using ROPES in assessments.
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:
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[Drafts Where Text Starts](https://getdrafts.com/) 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.
All of the presentations for this class can be found at presentations.jacobrcampbell.com. You can see this weeks slides at Fall 2023 SOWK 486w Week 08: Assessments
You can find the recording of all of our classes in the lecture videos for this course. You can find [Fall 2023 SOWK 486w 1 - Week 08]().
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Reference
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
To Do Lists
- A-01: Class Participation and Engagement participate in class
- Consider reviewing additional articles in the resource section
- W-08 A-02 Hepworth et al. (2022) Chapter(s) 08 and 09 is due at 5:30 PM before class via My Heritage
- SOWK 486W Survey Mid-term Review
