Competency 7: Assess with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Social workers understand that assessment is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as interprofessional conceptual frameworks, and they critically evaluate and apply this knowledge in culturally responsive assessment with clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Assessment involves a collaborative process of defining presenting challenges and identifying strengths with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to develop a mutually agreed-upon plan. Social workers recognize the implications of the larger practice context in the assessment process and use interprofessional collaboration in this process. Social workers are self-reflective and understand how bias, power, privilege, and their personal values and experiences may affect their assessment and decision making.
Social workers:
- apply theories of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as other culturally responsive and interprofessional conceptual frameworks, when assessing clients and constituencies; and
- demonstrate respect for client self-determination during the assessment process by collaborating with clients and constituencies in developing a mutually agreed-upon plan
Assessment is about social workers having the ability to evaluate and understand the necessities, demands, and strengths of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Assessment is extremely important for social workers to use when creating interventions and support plans for clients so that they are able to fully understand the unique needs of the diverse people they serve. This competency challenges me to continue improving my assessment skills so that I can be ethical in my practice. I am committed to continue practicing cultural sensitivity in the assessment process in order to create informed and appropriate interventions that will be best suited to the individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities that I work with. I strive to advocate for those from diverse social systems to have input, which will allow the assessment process to be more culturally sensitive and meet the needs of each individual more effectively.
During the school years I engaged in a variety of activities that helped me develop mastery of this competence. I have completed assignments that have helped me in my development of competency seven and have practiced competency seven in my practicum setting.
School Work: Generalist Application Paper
This assignment was for my Social Work Practice with Individuals class. I designed a hypothetical situation of a family who needed assistance due to economic inequality. This family came into the agency seeking more financial resources. Their insurance was denied due to them being in poverty, but their son needed to have surgery. I assessed that using a person-in-environment focus would be beneficial when beginning to create an intervention plan. A person-in-environment focus sees people as constantly interacting with various systems around them. This focus reminds me to consider the family’s socioeconomic status and the systemic factors that contribute to their financial issues. This assignment allowed me to assess the family’s internal and external resources which would allow me to provide them with the necessary help they need.
Field: Assessment of Client Eligibility for Shelter
At my internship, I take hotline calls for clients who have experienced domestic violence. When they call, I walk the client through our intake process where I ask questions that allow me to assess the level of domestic violence taking place. This requires me to use critical thinking and problem solving skills. Once I assess if the client is a high risk client or not, I can then decide if we are able to offer them safe shelter. I utilize skills in collaboration with my supervisor throughout this process. I have deepened my knowledge and skills in research through searching for external resources when we are unable to provide callers with housing. The intake process allows me to assess their immediate safety, to assess the extent of the domestic violence, and explore what resources the client has available to them; for example, if the client has a safe place to go. Another important part of the assessment process has been learning to properly fill out paperwork and documentation of client cases. This experience has familiarized me with the assessment process and has allowed me to practice it first-hand, therefore providing me with practical skills that I will be able to apply to my future practice.
Other Evidence: Shelter Extension Review Policy
Shelter Resident Extension Review Link
Shelter Resident Letter of Intent Link
At Partnership, we meet monthly to discuss our client’s requests for an extension of their stay in our shelter. There is a Letter of Intent form that we have clients fill out for us, and we then use as an assessment tool in our meetings. We have an additional form that staff use as a guideline when assessing clients’ cases. Through this experience, I utilized skills in critical thinking and problem-solving by assessing clients’ immediate needs, the complexities of each case, potential barriers, and solutions to support each client effectively. I also deepened my skills in collaboration through interacting with and utilizing my team at Partnership to make informed decisions that best serve our clients. Lastly, I used a client-centered approach by allowing clients to voice their needs and to be a part of the assessment process.