Prioritizing, Planning, and Contracting

As mentioned previously, when clients begin services with a social worker, they may be overwhelmed and unsure of how to proceed. To help minimize client anxiety—to help your client move forward from “I don’t know where to begin”—you will utilize the skills of prioritizing, planning, and contracting. The emphasis is on working with the client rather than working for the client. The client must feel empowered and vested in this process to be successful. 

Prioritizing will help you and the client determine which problem(s) to work on first. You will then help your client translate these problems into needs, setting goals, and identifying resources to help them meet these needs. Developing either a written or oral contract will make clear the expectations you have of them and what you, as the social worker, are agreeing to accomplish. In this Assignment, you work through each of these important steps toward client success.

By Day 7

Submit a 3-page paper in which you respond to the following:

• Describe a client with whom you would like to work,  Client i would like to work with is mental health clients
• Explain how you would prioritize, plan, and contract with this client.
• As part of each explanation, describe how each skill provides a different or comparable approach toward working with a client

The client i would like to work with is mental health clients

Rubric

ExcellentGoodFairPoorContent

54 (67.5%) – 60 (75%)

Paper demonstrates an excellent understanding of all of the concepts and key points presented in the text(s) and Learning Resources. Paper addresses each point of assignment instructions. Paper provides significant detail (including multiple relevant examples), evidence from the readings and other sources, and discerning ideas.

48 (60%) – 53.94 (67.42%)

Paper demonstrates a good understanding of most of the concepts and key points presented in the text(s) and Learning Resources. Paper addresses most points in the assignment instructions. Paper includes moderate detail, evidence from the readings, and discerning ideas.

42 (52.5%) – 47.94 (59.92%)

Paper demonstrates a fair understanding of the concepts and key points as presented in the text(s) and Learning Resources. Paper addresses some points of assignment instructions. Paper may be lacking in detail and specificity and/or may not include sufficient pertinent examples or provide sufficient evidence from the readings.

0 (0%) – 41.94 (52.42%)

Paper demonstrates poor understanding of the concepts and key points of the text(s) and Learning Resources. Paper addresses no or few points of assignment instructions. Paper is missing detail and specificity and/or does not include any pertinent examples or provide sufficient evidence from the readings.

Writing

18 (22.5%) – 20 (25%)

Paper is well organized, uses scholarly tone, uses evidence to support a claim and gives credit in writing to the source (when applicable), uses original writing and proper paraphrasing, contains very few or no writing and/or spelling errors, and is fully consistent with undergraduate-level writing style. Paper contains multiple appropriate and exemplary sources expected/required for the assignment.

16 (20%) – 17.98 (22.48%)

Paper is mostly consistent with undergraduate-level writing style. Paper may have some small or infrequent organization, scholarly tone, or evidence or crediting (when applicable) issues, and/or may contain a few writing and spelling errors, and/or somewhat less than the expected number of or type of sources.

14 (17.5%) – 15.98 (19.98%)

Paper is somewhat below undergraduate-level writing style, with multiple smaller or a few major problems. Paper may be lacking in organization, scholarly tone, evidence, crediting of sources (when applicable), and/or contain many writing and/or spelling errors, or shows only a moderate level of original writing. Paper may contain inferior resources (number or quality).

0 (0%) – 13.98 (17.47%)

Paper is well below undergraduate-level writing style expectations for organization, scholarly tone, evidence, crediting of sources (when applicable), and writing, or lacks significant original writing. Paper may contain few or no quality resources.

The book and the chapters to get reference  from

Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, Jr. G. H. (2018). Understanding generalist practice (8th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

• Chapter 5, “Engagement and Assessment in Generalist Practice” (pp. 102–134)
• Chapter 6, “Planning in Generalist Practice” (pp. 224–253)