In this assignment, you will use the case of John the Inmate. You will practice your cumulative social work skills from the course (engagement, assessment, planning, and intervention), applying those skills in a dialogue with John. Next, you will create a written discharge plan for John. A thorough discharge plan ensures that a client or patient will have the appropriate support and resources in place after leaving a facility. Finally, you will create a written termination dialogue that could be used with John and that includes the necessary ethical components discussed throughout the workshop.
Upon successful completion of this assignment, you will be able to:
Engage in practices that advance human rights and promote justice, socially, racially, economically, and environmentally (PLO 2; ILO 2)
Resources
Textbook: Social Work Skills for Beginning Direct Practice
Website: National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Interactive Media: Case Study – John the Inmate
File: Interview Transcriipt.pdf
File: Offender Classification Document.docx
File: Transition Planning Notes I.docx
File: Psychological Evaluation.docx
File: Transition Planning Notes II.docx
Background Information
When a client or patient is ready to be discharged from a facility such as a prison, hospital, rehabilitation center, or substance abuse treatment facility, it is extremely important that the social worker and client work together to put together a complete discharge plan. A discharge plan often addresses how the client will live on his or her own without the facility to support them. Social workers and clients work together to ensure that the client will have the appropriate resources and aftercare, if any is needed.
Instructions
Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
Read the following files:
Offender Classification Document.docx
Transition Planning Notes I.docx
Engage in the interactive media: Case Study – John the Inmate Transcriipt
Apply what you have learned about engagement, assessment, planning, and intervention (Workshops 3-6), as well as ethical practice, to complete the dialogue successfully.
Take good notes about John’s needs, risks, strengths, resources, and goals, just as you would if you were conducting this interview in a real-world scenario.
Read the follow-up files:
Psychological Evaluation.docx
Transition Planning Notes II.docx
Based on the prior interaction and all supporting documents, write a discharge plan for John. It should be between 200 and 300 words in length. Your discharge plan should ensure that John’s needs will be met as thoroughly as possibly once he leaves the treatment facility. Consider the following factors:
Living arrangements
Financial needs
Transportation plans
Vocational and/or educational plans
Personal and professional support
Cultural needs and resources
Ongoing treatment needs and plans
Medications and medical equipment needs
Include any other factors you think relate to a discharge plan for this client, such as caring for his spiritual needs, if applicable.
Imagine that one week prior to John’s release, Dr. Brimmer and you (the intern) meet with John to review his discharge plan and discuss termination as noted in Transition Planning Notes II. Dr. Brimmer has worked with John for some time, and you have now been involved on his case, so the termination discussion is an important step in saying goodbye to this client. In the same document you produced to write the discharge plan, write a brief, skilled, and empathetic termination dialogue that is ethical and supports John’s continuing progress as he transitions from the prison. It should be between 200 and 300 words in length. In italics or brackets within the dialogue, describe attending behaviors and nonverbal communication that you could use to support engagement. Include the following talking points:
Clarification about the end of the professional relationship
Summary of the client’s accomplishments and strengths
Summary of the client’s ongoing needs
Summary of the client’s discharge plan
Summary of the client’s resources and support people
Well wishes and any positive sentiment
When you’ve completed the discharge plan and the termination dialogue, save a copy for yourself and submit it to your instructor using the link below or the Activities button by the end of the workshop.
