Introduction Human Services

Dis 1

Compare and contrast the human services field with the social work and psychology disciplines. Describe the similarities and differences. What does it mean to be a “generalist” in comparison with other human service professions? Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 2

Read the two articles by John Scalzi posted in the Content area. Then play the game “Spent” from the link in the Content area. Try the game at least three times. In your post, discuss your experience with playing the game. What did you learn? When did you run out of money? Next, describe the “Myth of the Welfare Queen,” including the roots of this myth and the short- and long-term effects of its existence. Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 3

In your post, define empathy and sympathy and compare and contrast them. How are they different? Next, discuss the following: Most human services professionals will, at some point, work with clients whose values and actions they find difficult to accept, or even reprehensible. How might a professional increase his or her capacity to empathize with these individuals? Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 4

Read the article in the Content area about reunification. In your post, explore some of the psychological dynamics experienced by many biological children removed from their biological homes and placed into nonrelative foster care. Include discussion of some ways human service professionals can assist foster care children with this transition. Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 5

In your post, discuss the following: A wide variety of therapeutic interventions exist for adolescents, ranging from weekly outpatient sessions with a counselor through programs such as Outward Bound to inpatient facilities with a range of programs and supports. Ideally, adolescent clients would receive the level of treatment most appropriate for their situation; in reality, what other factors play a role in the type and level of treatment that adolescents receive? Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 6

In your post, respond to the following questions: What are some of the major ways in which the needs of older adults are different from those of other groups of human service clients? In what ways are older adults’ needs similar to those of other groups? Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 7

Discuss the following in your post: We have seen that societal attitudes about vulnerable populations have a marked impact on policies and practices. This is clearly illustrated by the historical treatment of the mentally ill. How do current stereotypes and attitudes about individuals with mental illnesses affect the treatment options available to them? Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 8

Specific groups of homeless people – young families, veterans, older adults, individuals with mental illness, and homeless youth– have a wide variety of underlying needs. Choose ONE of these populations and describe the ways a human service professional might address their needs. Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 9

In your post, respond to the following: What are some ways in which human service professionals can assist patients in an emergency room setting? Given that human service professionals in hospitals have only one or two brief contacts with their clients, and they serve a wide variety of people with varying circumstances, how might these factors shape the way they do their work? Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 10

Choose one of the populations highlighted in Chapter 14 (e.g., rural African Americans, rural Caucasians, the rural poor, etc.), and discuss the strategies human service professional should use to assist them effectively. Include discussion of rural cultural competence in your post. Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 11

In your post, respond to the following: Most states now require school social workers, counselors, and psychologists to hold master’s degrees in their fields, with several hundred hours’ worth of internship experience and often with a special certification. Why is it important for human services provider positions in schools to be so highly professionalized? Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 12

In your post, respond to the following: Recent changes in policy have opened up more opportunities for faith-based organizations to receive government funding. What are some of the potential advantages of this shift? What are some potential dangers or drawbacks? Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 13

In your post, respond to the following: In working with victims of domestic violence, a human service professional may find it deeply distressing when a client continues to return to an abusive partner. What generalist practice skills might a professional use to assist her or him in respecting the client’s right to self-determination? Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 14

In your post, respond to the following: What is the “War on Drugs”? Has this government policy and approach to drug enforcement been successful in stemming the drug trade? Why or why not? What have social advocates cited as complaints about this set of policies? Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 15

In your post, respond to the following: The ethical codes of organizations such as the NASW call on human service professionals to advocate for social and economic justice around the world. What responsibilities do human services workers in the U.S. have to children who are working in sweatshop conditions? What steps would you suggest to raise public awareness of this issue? Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.

Dis 16

Visit the National Organization for Human Services’ website and review the ethical standards listed there. In your post, choose TWO of the ethical standards (from the list of Standards 1 through 36) on the NOHS website and discuss the value and importance of these standards in terms of working with clients, families, coworkers and colleagues, or others as a human service professional. For both ethical standards you discuss, give an example of an ethical dilemma that might apply to each and describe how you would resolve them. Use supportive material from the reading assignment, citing your source in-text and listing your reference.