Practice Behaviors:
8.1: critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals and enhance capacities of clients and constituencies.
8.2: apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in interventions with clients and constituencies.
8.3: use inter-professional collaboration as appropriate to achieve beneficial practice outcomes.
8.4: negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of diverse clients and constituencies.
8.5: facilitate effective transitions and endings that advance mutually agreed-on goals.
Competency 8 Narrative:
The social work profession is shaped by effective intervention strategies that enable goal attainment by clients and constituencies. Throughout my social work practice thus far, I have continually applied methods of identifying evidence-based interventions, coupled with the utilization of inter-professional and inter-disciplinary collaboration, to successfully intervene with a diverse range of clients served by my agency. Additionally, I have consistently advocated and mediated on behalf of the clients I serve to ensure the implementation of interventions that advance mutually agreed-upon goals.
Evidence 1 (Field):
Intervention is a critical component of Child Protection Services. One way we are able to effectively intervene with our clients is through Child and Family Team Meetings. This is a meeting with each member of the family, the caseworker assigned to the case, and a Child Protection Services Team Leader. During this meeting, a treatment plan/intervention strategy is presented and discussed with assistance from the supervisor as needed and each client signs off in either agreement or disagreement. I have participated in several CFTMs alongside my field instructor and assisted in putting together a treatment plan and discussing it with the family it concerns. A detailed account of my participation in one of these meetings can be viewed in my October journal here (Week 2, October 16).
Evidence 2 (Class):
In our Integrative Seminar II course, we were given the opportunity to give a case presentation, during which we discussed a pseudo-case with classmates in order to develop evidence-based interventions for a particular client. During my case presentation, I utilized inter-professional collaboration through the process of brainstorming potential intervention strategies alongside my peers. The case I presented can be viewed here
Evidence 3 (Additional):
Throughout my experience with Child Protection Services, I have demonstrated the ability to advocate on behalf of clients as well as to prepare them for self-advocacy. A particular experience that comes to mind is when a non-relative was able to obtain custody of my client’s newborn baby through an emergency custody order from the judge. Despite the emotional intensity of the situation, I was able to effectively prepare my client for self-advocacy through informing her of the steps she could take to regain custody of her son. A journal entry detailing this experience can be viewed here (Week 3, January 28).
Skills Used: For the practice behaviors demonstrated within this competency, I utilized interpersonal communication skills and active listening skills when intervening with each client. Additionally, critical thinking skills were used when developing intervention strategies and processes.
Knowledge Used: I was introduced to the Generalist Intervention Model during the Social Work Practice with individuals course. This model breaks down seven planned changed steps, one being evaluation, which I incorporated when intervening with clients at my agency. Additionally, knowledge obtained from studying multi-disciplinary frameworks in the Human Behavior and the Social Environment course was utilized when choosing specific intervention strategies.
Values Present: Within the aforementioned practice behaviors, my approach reflected recognition of each client’s inherent dignity and worth and each client’s right to self determination.
Cognitive Processes Used: Fulfilling this competency required me to analyze (analysis domain) the client’s presenting concerns and needs and apply (application domain) this information through the development of an effective intervention plan.
Affective Processes Used: After listening (receiving domain) to the information presented to me from each client, I was able to successfully integrate (organization domain) the client’s needs and values within the facilitation of individual intervention implementation.
Theoretical Foundation: A theory that directly correlates with this competency is the Theory of Planned Behavior as it addresses the the best predictors of a person’s planned and deliberate behavior. I believe that utilizing this theory when intervening with clients could be beneficial as it enables us to consider how a client might react to a specific intervention strategy.