Matthew
Matthew is a single 40-year-old African American male. He was admitted to the Hart City Rehabilitation Facility (HCRF) following a brain injury. His complex medical history includes alcohol and cocaine abuse, lung disease, and other problems. He has a criminal record for theft, experienced chronic unemployment, and lived alone in a home owned by a relative who occasionally provided him with a meal. Matthew lacks financial resources, such as a bank account or social service benefits. He cannot verbalize any long-term goals or plans for himself. Upon admission to the HCRF, Matthew requested that an advanced human services professional practitioner assist him with applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. He also reported that there had been a fire at his relative’s house and that he was eligible for $7,500 in insurance claims for the loss of his personal belongings in the fire. He did not want the relative contacted and, instead, requested that the advanced human services professional practitioner contact the insurance company, file the claim, and collect the benefits. Matthew is clearly vulnerable, and he needs assistance. However, given Matthew’s history and recent brain injury, there is a very strong possibility that Matthew’s claim is not valid, as it does not look like Matthew had $7,500 in personal possessions. The advanced human services professional practitioner may participate in fraud if they help file Matthew’s claim.
WORKING WITH FAMILIES
When working with families, keep in mind that each family has its own unique culture. In other words, each family has a set of shared attitudes, beliefs, values, and behaviors that guide how they interact with each other and how they cope with presenting problems. It is important to become familiar with the family’s culture before offering assistance. It is also important to view the entire family as the service user and allow each member (including children) to have equal input. Ultimately, the services you provide or recommend will impact every family member.
In this Discussion, you will respond to one of the case studies in the Hart City community. In doing so, you will examine cultural and ethical considerations related to working with the family in the case study as well as how a recent current event might influence your approach.
RESOURCES
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
TO PREPARE
- Review your Course Announcements for possible information related to this week’s Discussion and Assignment.
- Review the Week 5 case studies and select one to focus on for this Discussion. Keep the case study in mind as you review this week’s Learning Resources.
- Review the Learning Resources on working with diverse families. Reflect on how broad structural issues, such as racism and economic disenfranchisement, affect family dynamics and functioning.
- Review the Learning Resources on specific cultural considerations for the Week 5 case studies. Pay particular attention to information that pertains to the culture(s) of the family in the case study you selected and think about how you would use this information to assist the family.
- Review the Ethical Standards for Human Services Professionals. Identify ethical standards that would inform your work with the family in the case study.
- Review the article on the cultural impacts of social movements. Think about how current events, such as social movements, may influence how you approach the family in the case study.
- Find one article from an academically appropriate source that focuses on cultural and/or ethical issues related to working with families of diverse service users. Academically appropriate sources include research articles found in the Walden University Library, papers or articles from reputable agencies or organizations, or government publications. Incorporate the article into your response to this week’s Discussion.
BY DAY 4
Post your response to the following questions as they relate to the case study you selected:
- What can you do to assist the family while respecting their culture? What cultural aspects are most important to consider in this case and why?
- What are your ethical responsibilities to the family? Why are these ethical considerations necessary?
- How would one recent current event influence how you approach this case study? Be specific.
Support your post with specific NOHS ethical standards and at least one article from an academically appropriate source that you found in your own search.
RESOURCES
- Diller, J. V. (2019). Cultural diversity: A primer for the human services(6th ed.). Cengage Learning.
- Chapter 6, “Working With Culturally Diverse Parents and Families” (pp. 120–145)
- Chapter 7, “Culturally Sensitive Treatment with Children” (pp. 146-173)
Specific Cultural Considerations for Week 5 Case Studies
- Diller, J. V. (2019). Cultural diversity: A primer for the human services(6th ed.). Cengage Learning.
- Chapter 17, “Working With White Ethnic Clients: An Interview with the Author” (pp. 403-418)
- Cardona, B., Bedi, R. P., & Crookston, B. J. (2019). Choosing love over tradition: Lived experiences of Asian Indian marriagesLinks to an external site.. Family Journal, 27(3), 278–286.Links to an external site.
- Lane, M. (2019). Understanding cultural humility through the lens of a military cultureLinks to an external site.. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 25(1), 90–100.
Ethical Standards for Human Services Professionals
- National Organization for Human Services. (2015). Ethical standards for human services professionalsLinks to an external site.. https://www.nationalhumanservices.org/ethical-standards-for-hs-professionals
Current Events and the Practice of Human Services
- Amenta, E., & Polletta, F. (2019). The cultural impacts of social movementsLinks to an external site.. Annual Review of Sociology, 45,279–299. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/waldenu.edu?url=https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-073018-022342
