Competency 7: Assessment

Assessment is an ongoing component of social work practice, and it is important to analyze the effectiveness of practices that are used with clients. It is crucial for social workers to understand the theories of human behavior and critically evaluate and apply that knowledge when assessing programs, individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Personal experiences and values may affect the social worker’s assessments and decision-making, and it is important to recognize and combat those barriers to client care. As an advanced social work practitioner, I will show assessment skills when developing and evaluating new programs, as well as assessing individual progress throughout these programs. I will continue to formulate comprehensive assessments as needed to obtain a holistic viewpoint of individual clients, and I will use these assessments to provide the best quality of care for my client. I will conduct individual, organizational, and community assessments to find the greatest needs in my clients and community in order to provide for and advocate on behalf of those needs. 

7.1 Formulate comprehensive assessments, using a variety of diagnostic classification systems

Course Evidence: In my Advanced Administrative Practice Program Development class, I worked with my team to create a stakeholder analysis matrix used to assess possible sponsors for our proposed substance abuse treatment transportation service. The matrix tool used allowed the team to plan to allocate resources in the most efficient and profitable manner, and to gain as much support as possible for the creation of the program. In this evidence, I demonstrated the cognitive domains analysis and evaluation by separating out different levels of stakeholders and forming judgments and decisions for future donations based on the data that was analyzed.  Stakeholder Analysis

Field Evidence: Within my internship at Mending Arrow Ranch, I combined multiple diagnostic assessments including ACEs questionnaires, multiple child services behavior checklists, and SMART goals to create intake forms that assess students upon entrance into services. During intake sessions, my supervisor and I would assist parents and students in filling out the intake forms and discuss expectations and goals for the upcoming semester. The intake forms allowed staff to place each student in appropriate programs and create an individualized learning plan according to his/her greatest need and goals for the semester. I utilized the affective domain characterization by implementing new strategies and intake forms that are consistent with social work values in order to develop a holistic viewpoint of the student. Please see below for links to all the forms developed and used in intake sessions.
SMART Goals
Intake Ages 2-5 ; Intake Ages 6-18
Checklist Ages 2-5 ; Checklist Ages 6-18
ACE Parent-Child ; ACE Parent-Teen ; ACE Teen-Self

7.2 Design and implement organizational and/or community assessments

Course Evidence: In my Advanced Administrative Practice Program Development class, I developed a needs assessment that evaluated barriers to substance abuse treatment for clients in Catoosa County. The results of this assessment led my team to create a proposed transportation service for clients in substance abuse treatment called the Substance Abuse Transportation Program (SATP), as lack of transportation was one of the barriers found.
SATP Needs Assessment
SATP Program Proposal

Field Evidence: As part of the planning process for the Dream Catchers program at Mending Arrow Ranch, I created a SWOT analysis to evaluate possible strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the program. This allowed me to evaluate the feasibility of the program and design it in a way that maximized benefits and minimized risks.

Additional Evidence: While obtaining my undergraduate BSW degree, I created a community assessment to find the greatest strengths and weaknesses of Dalton, GA. For this assessment, I researched statistical data, service organizations, educational statistics, and spiritual/cultural implications. I applied the social systems theory to view the community as a larger system with multiple subsystems working together and the social-psychological theory to show how community members interact with each other. Dalton Community Assessment