Fall 2025 SOWK 486w Class 08 Weekly Email

MyHeritage Syllabus Presentations Emails

I will see you guys on Wednesday. Hope things are going great!

Unit Introduction and What You Will Learn

Weeks eight and nine focus on how social workers conduct assessments. Before we can build relationships with our clients and find ways to support them, we must first understand the real problem. We will be examining our assessment process. We will review examples of screening tools and discuss the DSM-5 and its uses. Students will also engage in their student-teach-back activity. Class time will be cut in half because I need to travel to Vancouver for a conference after the session. The agenda for class includes:

• Diagnostic Assessments
• Assessing for client needs
• Screening Tools
• Teach Back Activities

Learning objectives this week include:

• Identify ethical and professional considerations when using diagnostic tools and clinical terminology as BSW-level practitioners.
• Apply strengths-based and person-in-environment frameworks to assessment practices.
• Evaluate common screening tools for their relevance and utility in social work practice.

Unit Assignments

Content

• Read Hepworth et al. (2022) Chapter(s) 08 and 09
• Consider engaging with additional content offered in resources

A-01 Class Engagement and Participation

Participate in class

A-02 Reading Quizzes

I’m going to make W-08 A-02 Hepworth et al. (2022) Chapter(s) 08 and 09 worth extra credit this week (e.g., you can either choose to engage in it or not without it counting against you). If you do plan to do it, it is still due the same day/time as originally scheduled for 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 two 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.

All of the presentations for this class can be found at https://presentations.jacobrcampbell.com. This week’s slides are Fall 2025 SOWk 486w Week 08 - Assessments.

The Lecture Videos tab in the MyHeritage course is where you will be able to find class recordings.

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 List

• A-01: Class Participation and Engagement participate in class
• Be ready to facilitate your teach back activity
• 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 for extra credit
• SOWK 486W Survey Mid-term Review