Strategies and Barriers in Facilitating Natural Supports for Employment of Adults with Severe Disabilities

1995 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hagner ◽  
John Butterworth ◽  
Geraldine Keith
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Human Service ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Human Service Providers ◽  
Descriptive Information ◽  
Natural Supports ◽  
Adult Service

The concept of facilitating natural supports as a resource for obtaining and maintaining employment has received considerable attention, and a number of strategies for facilitating natural supports from an individual's network of family and friends and an employee's co-workers and employers on the job have been proposed. Interviews were conducted with key personnel in 17 schools and 16 adult service organizations in Massachusetts to obtain descriptive information regarding which practices are currently used and what barriers exist to the implementation of such practices. Each organization was nominated as representing current best practices. Results indicate wide use of some practices as well as much confusion about the concept of natural supports and the role of human service providers in facilitating involvement.

scholarly journals Dog Welfare, Well-Being and Behavior: Considerations for Selection, Evaluation and Suitability for Animal-Assisted Therapy

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2188
Author(s):  
Melissa Winkle ◽  
Amy Johnson ◽  
Daniel Mills
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Human Service ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Animal Assisted Therapy ◽  
Human Service Providers ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Ongoing Evaluation ◽  
And Training

Health care and human service providers may include dogs in formal intervention settings to positively impact human physical, cognitive and psychosocial domains. Dogs working within this context are asked to cope with a multitude of variables including settings, populations, activities, and schedules. In this article, the authors highlight how both the preparation and operation of dogs within animal-assisted therapy (AAT) differs from less structured animal-assisted activities (AAA) and more exclusive assistance animal work; the authors highlight the gaps in our knowledge in this regard, and propose an ethically sound framework for pragmatic solutions. This framework also emphasizes the need for good dog welfare to safeguard all participants. If dogs are not properly matched to a job or handler, they may be subjected to unnecessary stress, anxiety, and miscommunication that can lead to disinterest in the work, overt problematic behavioral or health outcomes, or general unsuitability. Such issues can have catastrophic outcomes for the AAT. The authors propose standards for best practices for selection, humane-based preparation and training, and ongoing evaluation to ensure the health, welfare and well-being of dogs working in AAT, which will have concomitant benefits for clients and the professionalism of the field.

Client Empowerment in the Human Services: Personal and Professional Agenda

1989 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeheskel Hasenfeld ◽  
Mark A. Chesler
Keyword(s):  
Human Service ◽  
Human Services ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Professional Lives ◽  
Life Chances ◽  
Human Service Providers ◽  
Human Service Agencies ◽  
The Social ◽  
Action Researcher ◽  
Autobiographical Accounts

The authors juxtapose autobiographical accounts of their personal and professional lives to examine the interplay of their personas and work in the social sciences. Chesler is an action researcher and change agent who focuses primarily on young people and their parents and on those providing them human services. Hasenfeld is an academic who focuses primarily on relations between clients and human service providers and on the systemic changes needed to improve these relations. They share domain assumptions, particularly a belief in the “good” society based on justice, social equality, and respect for diversity, are committed to improving the life chances of the oppressed and disadvantaged, and believe that empowering the clients of human service agencies is crucial to improving the effectiveness and responsiveness of such organizations.

Relationship-centered versus Individual-centered Human Service Organizations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony L. Hemmelgarn ◽  
Charles Glisson
Keyword(s):  
Human Service ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Human Service Organizations ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Organizational Relationships ◽  
External Stakeholders ◽  
Effective Relationships ◽  
Relationship Centered

The chapter explains that relationship-centered organizations place a priority on developing and sustaining a network of inter-organizational and intra-organizational relationships to serve clients. Case studies drawn from the authors’ experiences in human service organizations illustrate the application of this principle, including ensuring that strong networks are in place to serve clients and maintaining underlying beliefs, assumptions, and mindsets of service providers that support network development. Research and examples illustrate the importance of establishing effective relationships among service providers, between service providers and clients, and throughout the network of stakeholders associated with clients. A case study illustrates how the ARC process fosters a relationship-centered approach with external stakeholders to achieve client success.

Mission-driven versus Rule-driven Human Service Organizations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony L. Hemmelgarn ◽  
Charles Glisson
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Human Service ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Provider Behavior ◽  
Shared Purpose

This chapter explains how mission-driven organizations require that all administrative, managerial, and service provider behavior and decisions contribute to improving the well-being of clients. This principle addresses the threat posed by the conflicting organizational priority of relying on bureaucratic processes and rules to guide policy and practice decisions. The description of mission-driven versus rule-driven organizations includes case examples, empirical evidence supporting the principle, and discussion of the central of role of aligning organizational priorities to focusing on improving client well-being. The chapter explains what it means to be mission driven, the role of leadership in supporting the principle, and why it is important. The chapter also describes the mechanisms that link being mission driven to effective services, including maintaining clear direction for all organizational members in their work, promoting motivation and shared purpose and fostering innovation. A case example illustrates ARC’s success to become more mission-driven.

The Role of Mental Models in Organizational Change

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony L. Hemmelgarn ◽  
Charles Glisson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Models ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Work Experiences ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Quality And Outcomes ◽  
Improve Service Quality ◽  
Organizational Principles ◽  
Effective Service

This chapter describes ARC’s third strategy of employing mental models. This strategy fosters reasoning and thinking that reinforces the use of ARC’s organizational components and that maintains alignment with ARC’s five principles of effective service organizations. Reasoning and thinking are reflected in the mental representations of work experiences service providers hold, and these mental models guide priorities followed when providing services. Case examples are provided to illustrate work with mental models to influence organizational members’ thinking, reasoning, and subsequent actions to improve service quality and outcomes. This chapter reviews the empirical evidence for mental models, including research from social cognition and neuroscience. The description of this strategy highlights several activities and techniques used to explore and alter mental models. These activities foster examination of implicit assumptions and beliefs that help drive reasoning and thinking toward or away from ARC’s key organizational principles, tools, and desired OSCs.

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