scholarly journals Social work in health – The way ahead

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 85-88
Author(s):  
Gregory Winkelmann
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Opinion Piece ◽  
The Way

In this opinion piece the challenges facing social workers working in the physical and mental health fields are outlined. These challenges include the growing emphasis on the more holistic approach to treatment that is gaining emphasis with the waning of the medical model, the application of te Tiriti o Waitangi to how we practise and the integration of bi-culturalism and multiculturalism into practice, and a greater emphasis on recovery and empowerment. The piece goes on to suggest how these challenges can be faced using an evidence-informed practice and interventions in a culturally and Treaty-responsive pathway.

More than Pills and Beds

2014 ◽  
pp. 113-129
Author(s):  
Sebastian Rosenberg ◽  
Fiona McDermott
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Mental Health Recovery ◽  
Social Work Theory ◽  
Integral Element ◽  
The Way

Contemporary models of mental healthcare emphasise the importance of multi-disciplinary approaches in supporting recovery for consumers. There is growing evidence of the key role to be played by social workers derived from both the principles of recovery and those underpinning social work theory and practice, particularly a focus on person-in-environment. However, pressures on the way mental healthcare is provided in Australia are threatening this confluence. These pressures are much more concerned with the needs of funders than professionals, consumers, and their families. The aim of this chapter is to explore the evidence to support social work as an integral element in mental health recovery and to better understand these emerging challenges. The role of social work in good mental healthcare is too important to become marginalized; yet this prospect is real. Better understanding of the contemporary landscape of social work can help ensure this does not occur.

More than Pills and Beds

2016 ◽  
pp. 1111-1128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Rosenberg ◽  
Fiona McDermott
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Mental Health Recovery ◽  
Social Work Theory ◽  
Integral Element ◽  
The Way

Contemporary models of mental healthcare emphasise the importance of multi-disciplinary approaches in supporting recovery for consumers. There is growing evidence of the key role to be played by social workers derived from both the principles of recovery and those underpinning social work theory and practice, particularly a focus on person-in-environment. However, pressures on the way mental healthcare is provided in Australia are threatening this confluence. These pressures are much more concerned with the needs of funders than professionals, consumers, and their families. The aim of this chapter is to explore the evidence to support social work as an integral element in mental health recovery and to better understand these emerging challenges. The role of social work in good mental healthcare is too important to become marginalized; yet this prospect is real. Better understanding of the contemporary landscape of social work can help ensure this does not occur.

scholarly journals Centering Social Justice in Mental Health Practice: Epistemic Justice and Social Work Practice

2021 ◽  
pp. 104973152110109
Author(s):  
Marjorie Johnstone
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Policy Advocacy ◽  
Health Practice ◽  
Epistemic Justice

This article examines how mental health social work practice can move outside the hegemony of the medical model using approaches that honor the centering of social justice. By using the philosophical analysis of epistemic injustice and the ethics of knowing, I move out of the traditional psychiatric and psychological conceptual frameworks and discuss new guiding principles for practice. In the context of the radical tradition in social work and the impetus to blend theory with practice, I consider the use of narrative and anti-oppressive approaches to center social justice principles in individual dyadic work as well as in wider systems family and community work and policy advocacy. I evaluate these approaches through the principles of epistemic justice and discuss the importance of a relational collaborative approach where honoring the client and exploring lived experience are central to both the concepts of testimonial justice, hermeneutic justice and anti-oppressive practice.

When death strikes early as often will: How counsellors and schools can support grieving pupils and students

2021 ◽  
pp. 136548022199684
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Wango ◽  
Leila Mkameli Gwiyo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Functioning ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Life Event ◽  
Post Traumatic Growth ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Death Of Parent

Death is inevitable and universal, and the corona virus disease has only further intensified a world of uncertainties as a result of frequent accidents, HIV/AIDS, cancer and natural disasters. Bereavement after any death is a potentially disruptive life event with consequences in physical and mental health, relationships and social functioning. Death is a rather odd, thought-provoking and challenging experience, particularly in the lives of children and adolescents. Death of parent/s, sibling, relative/s, teacher, classmate or friend is a relatively new and challenging phenomenon. Persons working with pupils and students, including teachers, counsellors, school chaplain and social workers, need to be prepared to offer help to those who experience bereavement. Death is unpredictable and may occur naturally, suddenly, or traumatically. In several instances, help is sometimes required in advance of bereavement in that the death may be anticipated such as instances of prolonged illness or following a fatal accident. In all cases, the role of the teacher and counsellor in the school is pivotal in supporting pupils and students who have been bereaved. This paper highlights the need to impart post-traumatic growth in bereft pupils and students in schools in order to cope with bereavement.

scholarly journals Coping with School Violence Behaviour of High School Students (Research on High School Students in Da Nang City)

2021 ◽  
Vol 07 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tran Thanh Yen ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
School Violence ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
School Students ◽  
The City ◽  
The Way

In today’s society, there are still school violence behaviors that affect simultaneously seriously to the physical and mental health of students as well as their academic performances. This article will present how high school students in the city of Da Nang cope with these related problems. A study with the participation of 423 students at seven schools in Da Nang city was carried out to describe the fact how students cope with school violence behaviours. Its result shows that the main cause of school violence behavior comes from students’ witnessing various types of violence. In addition, students apply positive responses through actions and emotions when faced with school violence behaviors. Based on the result obtained, the study recommends measures to partially affect the way the schools and families develop their solutions, as well as directly affect the survey subjects.

Clients Toward Whom a Social Worker Feels Attraction

2021 ◽  
pp. 149-169
Author(s):  
Joseph Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Worker ◽  
Good Thing ◽  
Working Relationship ◽  
The Social ◽  
Positive Feelings ◽  
The Way

The broad nature of the social work profession offers opportunities for practitioners to work with diverse clients. While committed to the welfare of all clients, social workers tend to be drawn to some clients more than others, due in part to their abilities to connect with them. A social worker’s positive feelings about his or her clients is a good thing, but it is possible that at times he or she will experience a special fondness or attraction for a client that can create biases that get in the way of a constructive working relationship. The purposes of this chapter are to explore the circumstances in which positive feelings about clients develop and to suggest ways for social workers to manage those feelings in a way that keeps their focus on the client’s welfare.

The Death of a Profession

1972 ◽  
Vol 120 (559) ◽  
pp. 647-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. I. Jansen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
Current Situation ◽  
Hospital Service ◽  
Professional Skills ◽  
New Approaches ◽  
Psychiatric Social Work

Psychiatric Social Work as a profession with its tradition, training and culture rooted in the Hospital Service, will in all probability soon cease to exist. It would appear that the imminent decease of this profession is not generally known or understood. This account, an expression of much personal regret, is also an attempt to give a background to the current situation. It pays tribute to the medical profession, without whom the Psychiatric Social Workers would never have acquired their specialization and expertise. It has been in hospitals and other allied settings that the Psychiatric Social Workers have practised their professional skills and had the opportunities to keep abreast of clinical progress and new approaches to mental health, so essential to teaching new generations.

How to increase the role of social workers in suicide preventive interventions

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 186-195
Author(s):  
Joshua Levine ◽  
Leo Sher
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Preventive Interventions ◽  
Suicide Risk Factors ◽  
Suicidal Patients

AbstractObjective:Suicide is a serious public health issue that affects individuals, families and societies all over the world. International studies provide consistent evidence that the presence of psychiatrists in a region is associated with lesser suicide rates. However, many psychiatric patients including suicidal patients do not have access to psychiatrists. This indicates that mental health and non-mental health social workers need to be involved in suicide prevention efforts. This paper is the first comprehensive work that discusses how to increase the role of social workers in the area of suicide prevention.Methods:A review of the relevant literature.Results:Increasing the role of social workers in suicide prevention efforts may reduce suicide risk in groups and people at elevated risk for suicide, as well as the general population.Conclusion:Recommendations are provided for how the social work profession can improve upon suicide prevention while incorporating universal, selective and indicated suicide preventive interventions. Social work research efforts should focus on how to increase the role of social workers in suicide prevention and the management of suicidal patients. Social work education programmes should modify their curricula and increase their attention on suicide prevention. Mental health social workers need to educate the patient and their family on suicide risk factors. Furthermore, mental health and non-mental health social workers need to educate the general public on suicide risk factors.

scholarly journals Mental health social work in multidisciplinary community teams: An analysis of a national service user survey

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Boland ◽  
Michele Abendstern ◽  
Mark Wilberforce ◽  
Rosa Pitts ◽  
Jane Hughes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Limited Evidence ◽  
Mental Health Staff

Summary The article addresses the continued lack of clarity about the role of the mental health social worker within community mental health teams for working age adults and particularly the limited evidence regarding this from the perspective of service users. It compares findings from the literature, found to originate from a predominantly professional viewpoint, with secondary analysis of a national survey of service users to assess their views. Findings Three particular aspects of mental health social workers’ role identified in the literature were, to some extent, also located within the national survey and can be summarised as: approaches to practice, nature of involvement, and scope of support. The presence of these features was largely not substantiated by the survey results, with few differences evident between service users’ experiences of mental health social workers compared with other mental health staff. When nurses and social workers were compared, results were either the same for both professions or favoured nurses. The findings point both to the difficulty of articulating the social work contribution and to the limitations of the secondary data. Application The findings are a useful benchmark, highlighting the limited evidence base and the need for further research to improve both the understanding of the mental health social work role and how it is experienced by service users. The profession is keen to emphasise its specific contribution. Research evidence is required to underscore this and to ensure that the role is not subsumed within generic practice.

Managing Risk in the Pro-Empowerment Era of Mental Health Care: A Cross-Cultural Study of Social Work Perspectives in Hong Kong and Sydney

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jialiang Cui ◽  
Limin Mao ◽  
Christy E Newman ◽  
Chi Kin Kwan ◽  
Kari Lancaster
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Assessment Guidelines

Abstract Risk management and empowerment have become key features of social work practice. Despite their increasing salience, relatively little is known about the perspectives of mental health social workers regarding how they navigate competing risk management approaches in modern practice that supports empowerment. The socio-cultural influences on risk management have also received insufficient attention in social work research. Focusing on these issues, this paper explored the perspectives of social workers in two geographically and culturally distinctive settings (i.e., Hong Kong and Sydney). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with frontline social workers and were analysed using thematic analysis. Similar views were expressed by participants in both settings regarding assessment of clients’ readiness for risk-taking. Differences were identified in their practices of negotiating the perspectives of other key stakeholders and can be attributed to the influences of distinctive cultural and socio-political contexts. These insights may contribute to the development of more systematic, localised and practice-based risk assessment guidelines for mental health practitioners working towards the empowerment of clients.

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