Service Team Roles
Joshua is a thirteen year old male who was brought in for treatment by his mother because he had been exhibiting signs of struggling academically and acting out negatively at school. Jordan has both parents present in the household, but his father did not come for his assessment. Summers (2012), states, “Agencies are expected to engage both the client and the client’s family (with permission from the client) when this inclusion is appropriate” (p.342). This could be a troublesome sign that Jordan’s father was not there for the assessment, but I will withhold further judgment without more information. To provide more understanding about Jordan, he is the middle child in his family, and comes from a diverse cultural background. His father is Mexican-American, and his mother is Asian-American.
Jordan needs treatment for behavioral and academic issues that school administration has observed. He needs an assessment about ADHD because he has been treated for it previously. Another assessment needs to be done to see if Jordan suffers from depression, and he needs to see a primary care physician to address his hygiene issues.
The types of professionals I would want to use to help Joshua are: a social worker, physician, a mental health specialist, and a counselor that specializes or has experience in working with kids with learning disorders. Having a social worker would be important because they can advocate for Joshua and build that initial relationship with him. Social workers maintain regular contact with the client and school personnel to monitor progress or setbacks. The physician would monitor and check out Joshua’s health. I would want the physician to look for the cause of Joshua’s hygiene problem. I would also have someone who specializes in mental health as a part of the team to assess and diagnose whether Joshua has depression. Slevin (2008) declares, “Evidence indicates that mental health problems have a higher prevalence within the learning disabled than the general population” (p.67). Therefore, it is crucial that a mental health assessment is done along with an assessment to see if Joshua has ADHD or any other learning disabilities. I would also have someone that specializes in learning abilities so that Joshua can receive a fair and accurate assessment. Joshua can only benefit from having qualified experts giving input into his treatment.
Melinda is a fifteen year old adolescent that has been in trouble with the law. She was referred to treatment by the juvenile court, and she is not voluntarily seeking treatment. Melinda needs a social worker and a probation officer to be a part of her service team. She also needs an addictions counselor, and a mentor to help her change her negative behaviors.
Ideally, I would prefer to have her probation officer partake in making her treatment plan, but this may or may not be possible. This is because the probation officer usually stays in constant contact with the client, and they have the authority to issue sanctions as necessary. I want an addictions counselor because they are equipped to help deal with her cocaine addiction, and they are prepared to deal with and work through her denial regarding her drug usage. I would also have a mental health counselor on board to assess any possible mental disorders. In many cases, which someone suffers from an addictive disorder, they are likely to have a co-occurring disorder. In some instances, the symptoms for addictive and mental health disorders are similar. It is very important to screen for both types of disorders, so that if Melinda has a co-occurring disorder, both can be successfully treated…
In conclusion, I got to analyze the importance of the differing roles on the service team. I realize that each part serves a unique function, and no individual part is more important than the other. Ultimately, the client can only succeed with a successful and team-oriented treatment team.
References
Summers, N. (2012). Fundamentals of case management practice: Skills for the human services (4th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage
Slevin, E., Kennedy, M., McConkey, R., Barr, O., & Taggart, L. (2008). Community learning disability teams: developments, composition and good practice: A review of the literature. Retrieved from: Walden Library