Evaluations in the field of social work are very important, especially when it comes to analyzing the effectiveness of a specific program. This is crucial because this will have a major effect on how individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities are served. Evaluation is also a continuous process as well. An example of evaluation could be looking at how a specific policy within a county or state affects people who are in constant need of food stamps. For instance, this could be when the governor may pass a law within a state that may limit the amount of food stamps for someone who is low-income. Evaluation in this situation would be important because those in the low-income population may have a hard time finding proper employment so that they will be able to buy groceries for themselves.
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9A – Select evidence-based evaluation strategies according to their efficacy with specific client systems.
Course Evidence: For Advanced Administration I, my colleagues and I were required to complete research and assessments in terms of the mental health services that are needed for students who attend Ooltewah High School who are struggling with substance abuse. Before creating the program and the plan for how the program was going to be implemented, we also completed research on the mental health needs of adolescents who live in Hamilton County, Tennessee. We assessed other mental health services within the area and analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of their ability to provide those services. Towards the end of the semester, my group and I delivered a presentation about the program and how it would operate.
Advanced Administration I Paper
Skills: The skills that I implemented for this competency is analyzing, assessment, and evaluation.
Knowledge: The knowledge that I implemented for this competency is from my Advanced Administration I class where I had to complete readings on creating programs, completing research on the issues, and implementing organizational assessments and evaluations.
Field Evidence: One of my responsibilities at Signal Centers is to use the participant evaluations to determine the needs of the participants in the Adult Day program at Signal Centers. Understand the specific details of the assessments based upon their disability. Completing these evaluations is a part of the policy at the agency to maintain a record of the participants behaviors, participation, eating, and overall habits to check for any type of progress with the participant. These assessments are only completed for the days that the participant attends the agency.
The reason why that I continuously choose this document as my field evidence is because I also believe that even outside of Signal Centers, it could be a very effective tool for other assessing clients within other populations such as those who have been admitted into a mental health hospital and are struggling with any mental health or substance abuse disorders. It can also be very effective in how psychiatrists, nurses, and clinical social workers document and track their patient’s progress. Using the assessments has also allowed for me to see how the participants have improved during their usual visits at the agency which uses art therapy and Person-Centered Care.
Affective process: For this competency, I was required to review the treatment plans of each of the participants at the agency in terms of their habits, diagnosis, and behaviors. This allowed for me the ability to build rapport with each of the participants.
9B -Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of practice outcomes across systems.
Course Evidence: For both of my Advanced Clinical classes for this year, I was required to record two videos demonstrating all of the advanced therapeutic skills that I learned throughout the year. In the first video, I demonstrated all of my individual therapy skills using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for an entire thirty minutes, and in the second video, I recorded myself using group therapy skills for the same time-length. After completing the two of the videos, I was also required to complete a self-evaluation of my therapy skills from both the video and wrote about how my clinical skills have improved throughout the school year.
CBT Project Transcription-converted
Cognitive Process: For this competency, I was required to apply and analyze concepts concerning how a social worker must encounter clients with different types of unique situations. It is truly important for social workers to recognize that all situations within the field of social work are very unique and social workers must be willing to be flexible and adapt to the current circumstances. This may involve continuing education and learning even though they may have finished their degree and are already in the field.
Field Evidence: I completed an introduction course on learning about Dialectical Behavior Therapy and how it can be used with clients that are feeling suicidal. Learning the basics of this therapeutic intervention will be very helpful in my development as a clinical social worker.
Values: The values that are being implemented for this competency is service and dignity and worth of the person.
Theoretical foundation: The theoretical foundation that I implemented for this competency was Systems theory. Systems theory is the idea that behavior is influenced by many factors that work together as a system. For instance, with the participants at my field placement, they are a part of the developmental disabilities population and are affected by different systems which include policies at the agency, policies at the local level in Chattanooga, policies at the state level, and policies at the national level.