Field Manual for 2013-2014 - University of Maryland School of ...

1. Discern the difference between one’s own feelings of urgency and those of the client.
2. Assesses an emergency situation, recognizing its meaning in relation to the client’s lifestyle and
culture.
3. Distinguishes varying degrees of urgency and acts accordingly in regard to:
a. Life-threatening situations requiring immediate action;
b. Threats to psychosocial functioning requiring prompt attention:
c. Situations that are stressful but not urgent.
E. Ability to recognize the impact of specific variables upon practice.
1. Demonstrates an advanced level of understanding the ways in which diversity impacts the context of
practice, the worker-client relationship, the practitioner’s response to the client, and the client’s
ability to utilize services.
2. Demonstrates an advanced level of understanding the ways in which social and economic injustice
and oppression have an impact upon practice both in terms of the services offered and the varying
perceptions of and responses to client problems.
3. Demonstrates an advanced level of understanding of the needs of particular populations at risk.
F. Ability to act within the agency system in response to client need and advocate for change when needed.
1. Works with the agency to facilitate its response to client need.
2. Identifies, based on data from one’s practice, gaps and incongruities in service.
3. Advocate for change when needed
G. Ability to facilitate referrals and to connect clients to resources outside the agency.
1. Prepares written referral summaries that are clear and concise.
2. Locates and contacts appropriate resources.
3. Gives the client a clear picture of what is involved in applying for and receiving services elsewhere.
4. Assesses and acts upon factors that help or hinder effective referral (within the relationship, within
the agency, and between agency systems).
H. Ability to formulate a culturally-sensitive assessment of client behavior.
1. Identifies the theoretical perspective used to understand client behavior.
2. Connects specific concepts to observations of behavior.
3. Produces written diagnostic formulations that connect observations and theory.
4. Identifies additional theoretical perspectives that can add to an understanding of the client’s
behavior.
5. Uses a strengths perspective in the assessment of client behavior.
I. Ability to link the assessment to the plan for intervention.
1 . Uses the diagnostic formulation as the basis for planning the specific approach to helping.
2. Makes a logical connection between the assessment of behavior and the plan for intervention.
3. Uses a strengths perspective in planning and implementing interventions.
J. Ability to establish a helping contract.
1. Makes clear to clients how the worker proposes to help.
2. Enlists the client’s participation in deciding if and how help is to be transacted.
3. Examines ones participation in beginning the helping process--or in resisting it.
K. Ability to reaffirm or to renegotiate contracts based on on-going assessment.
1. Provides feedback to clients and elicits feedback from clients as to the experience in the helping
process.
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