[humanser] Questions regarding Masters Level SocialWork Practicum

Mon May 2 01:33:51 UTC 2016

I don't feel that visual observation is required for Protective Service 
workers.  The abused child, adult or senior with visual indicators of abuse 
will have photos taken by police prior to the referral to services.  I have 
worked in the field and never needed to provide visual details by memory for 
court or other purpose.

However, each of us is legally required to report abuse, in my state, FL, it 
is a felony not to report abuse.  I have made many such reports, based on my 
patient's report.  If you have developed a positive therapeutic alliance 
with your client or patient, the information comes out.

Within protective services there are investigators, in-home services to 
prevent placement into the state foster system, and the fostering system 
itself;  these are all part of the overall system.  When I worked in the 
system I lived in New York City, so transportation was not an issue, subway 
& bus were excellent;  however most of these positions require traveling 
around a good sized area and we still have to wait another 5 years for a 
self-driving auto.

In most areas of the country we also have specialized services for abused 
children.  These agencies offer individual and group psychotherapy for the 
child victim.  One social work I supervised for licensure is now working 
with trafficked children working within a large agency.  Sadly, all of us in 
child & adolescent psychiatry deal often with children who have survived 
abuse, sometimes horrid abuse, so one does not need to work for your state’s 
protective services to help these kids.

JD
-----Original Message----- 
From: Lisa Irving via Humanser
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2016 7:49 PM
To: 'Human Services Division Mailing List'
Cc: Lisa Irving
Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions regarding Masters Level SocialWork 
Practicum

Does this mean that blind persons do not work as Child or Adult Protective
Service workers? Are there other Human Service jobs where, in essence, sight
appears to be essential?

From,
Lisa Irving
-----Original Message-----
From: Humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael
Abell via Humanser
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2016 4:43 PM
To: 'Human Services Division Mailing List' <humanser at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Michael Abell <bigdog4744 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions regarding Masters Level Social Work
Practicum

Carly,
This is the balance of what is best for the client. The worker may
feel that the endangered child should be removed, but it is not what is true
that is defended in court; it is what you can prove. As the worker is the
expert, they must rely upon their own work (observations, notes, visits) as
they are called to testify. The worker cannot rely on other testimony (such
as a reader or other person that sees the bruising) or reports from other
workers. If called to testify, the worker will have to testify on what they
saw, not what was reported to them.
I once saw Dr. Michael Baden get ripped apart on cross examination
because he was testifying about a autopsy result that he had not preformed.
He was relying on the work of another doctor's reports. Basically, you
cannot testify about observations that you hace not made.

Warmly,

Rev. Michael "Big Dog" Abell

Helping individuals to find their eyes in the dark.
(480) 369-0805

-----Original Message-----
From: Humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Carly
Mihalakis via Humanser
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2016 3:05 PM
To: Human Services Division Mailing List
Cc: Carly Mihalakis
Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions regarding Masters Level Social Work
Practicum

Good afternoon, Rev. Michael "Big Dog" Abell,

Didn't even think of that very real truth  of how veryingly
shaded   legalities embodying such a presence as the social servant
seeks to practice. Yet, I still believe the decision to, say remove the
child fall upon you, the social worker. not necessarily even fall upon the
reader, right?

Car:
>Carly
>
>The practicum liaison was concerned about me getting accurate
>information from the sighted assistance.
>
>In a general update on how things are going. We had a meeting with the
>liaison and he brought up concerns about using a reader driver and
>having my license on the line if something went wrong.  He agreed to
>stop contacting agencies ahead of time and he agreed to look into
>private agencies as far as practicum placements. I have had a few
>interviews with these agencies. The most recent agency seems like the
>most useful and beneficial. I would be doing case management / therapy
>with adult clients which isn't my idea population but I could focus on
>one theory. this agency definitely seems accommodating and willing to
>work
with me above and beyond
>typical. They were coming up with ways to adapt things if need be.   I
>should find out hopefully next week from all the agencies that I have
>had interviews with.
>
>Yiska
>On May 1, 2016 11:25 AM, "Michael Abell via Humanser"
><humanser at nfbnet.org>
>wrote:
>
> > Hello Carly,
> >         The problem of identification of bruising is not about if
> > there are bruises, but what to do with that information. If a Human
> > Service Worker becomes aware of bruising, they must make a decision
> > about removal of the child. This is especially true in cases of CPS
> > workers vidsiting the homes of children. This then brings up the
> > most relevant issue related to the Human Service Worker that is
> > blind
and using a reader or assistant.
> >         When a person is called to testify in court about bruising,
> > it is the Human Service Worker that is called. If they did not see
> > the bruising, the case could be thrown out because the individual
> > making the decision could not actually testify to seeing the
> > bruising. The child might be returned to the home and cause harm to
> > the client. This is true of all observations. This is one of those
> > times
that the aide cannot be our eyes.
> >
> > Warmly,
> >
> > Rev. Michael "Big Dog" Abell
> >
> > Helping individuals to find their eyes in the dark.
> > (480) 369-0805
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> > Carly Mihalakis via Humanser
> > Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2016 10:05 AM
> > To: Human Services Division Mailing List; humanser at nfbnet.org
> > Cc: Carly Mihalakis
> > Subject: Re: [humanser] Questions regarding Masters Level Social
> > Work Practicum
> >
> > Good morning, Yiska,
> >
> > Is there something particularly, in the name of being a thorough
> > social worker, wrong with somebody's being there to inform you of
> > potential bruises on the bodies of your elder or child clients? And
> > yes, this reader would be bound to the same legalese as you are.
> > I mean, I don't think they religated you to shaddowing a sighted
> > social worker? I would imagine your agency guy was wondering the
> > same thing as I about seeing physical layers of your casework?
> > Car client's?
> > It remain doubtful that sound like the came up
> >   At 03:39 PM 3/17/2016, Lora :\) via humanser wrote:
> > >Hello List,
> > >
> > >I am new to the list. My name is Yiska. I am trying to get a
> > >practicum placement for fall and am running into some challenges
> > >related to blindness. I figured this would be a good place to ask
> > >my questions. I am getting my master's in social work. The
> > >practicum liaison and the agencies have some concerns about being
> > >able to fulfill the duties of the job. They are concerned that I
> > >will be unable to complete an assessment without vision. They are
> > >also concerned that if I use a driver in order to go to client's
> > >houses, courts etc that there will be confidentiality issues. I
> > >have informed the liaison that the driver would be bound by the
> > >same confidentiality rules that I would be. I have told them that
> > >there are other ways to get information besides vision such as
> > >vocal tone and questions. The placements that I am looking into are
> > >such things as dealing with severe mental health issues and child
> > >abuse cases. One agency will only accept me if I just shadow a
> > >social worker but this is not how other students have their
> > >placements. If you have any ideas or suggestions on how you would
> > >handle such a situation it would be greatly appreciated if you
> > >would
share those thoughts. Thank you for your time.
> > >
> > >Yiska
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
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> > >t.net
> >
> >
> >
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JD Townsend LCSW
Helping the light dependent to see.
Daytona Beach, Earth, Sol System 