SOCW 6520 WK 5 responses 

Respond to the blog post of three colleagues Has to be responded to separately and different responses in one or more of the following ways: Name first and references after every person

Respond to the blog post of three colleagues in one or more of the following ways:

• Make a      suggestion to your colleague’s post.
• Expand on your      colleague’s posting.

Peer 1:

Sasha Ritchie – 

Infinity Hospice follows the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). The NHPCO offers professionals in hospice care a ‘Guide to Organizational Ethics in Hospice Care as a resource to hospice programs and professionals” (NHPCO, 2016). The organization’s core policies are driven by their values and mission statement. Infinity Hospice priority is to enhance their patient’s quality of life and help them live in dignity and comfort.  They offer ‘dependability’ to the patient and to their loved one during their time of need for 24/7 care. Infinity Hospice Care’s mission is to bring comfort and value to our community. Our core values guide our team in providing the best family hospice and palliative care possible. If you and your family find balance with our mission and core values, we encourage you to speak to us.

The organizations second core policy is having a trusting team of experts. They have an interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, counselors, and volunteers who work together to support each patient and their family. To accomplish this, Infinity Hospice provides the following hospice home services:

• Medical care
• Pain management needs
• Spiritual counseling
• Bereavement and grief counseling
• Medical supplies and durable equipment

Every two weeks, all professionals from each discipline meet to discuss cases to find solutions for the challenges to the patients care. The third policy is ‘a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of others.’ This organization understands that at times caring for an individual and providing a supportive system to their family will mean going above and beyond care standards to deliver excellence. Infinity Hospice policy is committed to making the patient’s life better through the following actions:

• Assess each patient’s pain and comfort during each in house      hospice visit
• Attentively listen and take action on family needs
• Continually search for creative ways to enhance your loved      one’s quality of life
• Nurture the desire to make a difference in our team’s lives      by supporting a healthy work/life balance

Unavoidably in healthcare there are policy implication and barriers that arise in care. Infinity is driven to enrich the lives of those who are at the end-of-life. However, barriers to Medicaid, Medicare and in the state of Nevada, Culinary Health insurance all have their own policies in which patient eligibility often factors into their quality of life. Social workers could greatly improve the effectiveness of policy and service efforts designed to ameliorate persistent poverty and growing inequality if all social workers, regardless of specialization, were better prepared to understand and act on the policy implications of their work. The Policy Practice in Field Education Initiative provided schools of social work with grants to seed innovation and develop new models for an integrated approach to heighten the policy skill set of all undergraduate and graduate level social work students, regardless of specialization (The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), 2020). When working as a medical social worker and presented with higher level policies that often-presented challenges to the patients care, the social worker has to obtain the knowledge of what other supportive services and resources may be available in their community. Working with like-mind organization that service the same population and can wrap the patient in the needed services, helps to alleviate the red tape often seen in health and wellness setting in social services.

Reference

The Council on Social Work Education. (2020). Policy Practice in Field Education Initiative.

https://www.cswe.org/Centers-Initiatives/Initiatives/Policy-Practice-in-Field-Education-Initiative/CSWE-Policy-Practice-in-Field-Education-Summary-Re.aspx

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. (2016). Guide to Organizational Ethics in Hospice Care. https://www.nhpco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Ethics_Guidelines

Peer 2:

Joyce Humerickhouse  

An explanation of organizational policy in your field education experience

The Sterling Area Health Clinic is a Federal Qualified Health Center that is governed by a Board of Directors.  Policies and procedures are approved by the board of directors.  Any evidence-based assessment tools used, must be approved by the board of directors.  An example is, a doctor in the clinic who chooses to use the Vanderbilt Assessment Scales; however, has expanded upon the questionnaire, needed to have the expanded questionnaire approved, prior to using it. 

The Health Center receives federal grant monies to help serve the under served.  In addition to the annually renewable grants, the Center has an option to bid for other grants.  As a result, the SAHC must comply with the stipulations of the grant monies and use them exactly as it was indicated, when they applied for each specified grant.

There are many organizational policies with the Sterling Area Health Clinic.  The clinic has integrated collaborative health care between the medical professionals and behavior health professionals.  When a client calls in to schedule an appointment, an organizational policy is that they are sent a packet to complete and return that consists of a comprehensive medical and behavioral health history as well as a releases for collaborative care.  If the packet is not completed and returned in advance of their appointment, their appointment will be rescheduled.  If the patient is not willing to sign the 2 releases, they are not seen at the clinic.

Other organizational rules include adhering to NASW Code of Ethics (NASW, 2017), using the DSM-5 (APA, 2013) for assessments and billing codes when working with the patients, other collaborative organizations that coordinate services within our area.  HIPPA laws must be adhered to.  Clients must fulfill their obligation to participate in their appointments or cancel in advance.  If they have 3 no-call no-show appointments, their case can be closed.  In addition, there are organizational rules regarding providing protected mental health information for a court hearing (Birkenmaier & Berg-Weger, 2018); the subpoena must be signed by a Judge.  The information released must be approved by the Director.  

References

:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).

Arlington, VA: Author.

Birkenmaier, J., & Berg-Weger, M. (2018). The practicum companion for social work: Integrating class and fieldwork (4th ed.).

New York, NY: Pearson (pp. 186-206)

Laureate Education. (Producer). (2013d). Social Work Values and Ethics [Audio file]. Retrieved

From https://class.waldenu.edu

NASW. (2017). National Association of Social Workers (NASW). NASW – National Association of Social Workers.

https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-

Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English.

Peer 3:

Alicia Simpkins 

As previously mentioned, the organization that I am with is Community Solutions. The organization has spent the last two decades offering community based and substance abuse services to the surrounding area. Though originally founded to help vulnerable youth overcome barriers preventing them from long-term success, the organization has expanded to provide mentorship and substance abuse services for both adults and youth. This organization serves such a large community which means I am likely to be exposed to various cultures throughout my time here. The text mentions how “utilizing cultural humility in community practice involves the same self-awareness and understanding at the community level, which may mean learning about several populations within the community” (Birkenmaier & Berg-Weger, 2018). As I learn more about the population that this organization serves, I find myself wanting to learn more about policies in place both within the organization and beyond in order to adequately serve these individuals.

As far as this organization’s board/staff is concerned, the leadership team of the organization consists of the president and vice presidents, as well as a community based services director, the clinical director for substance abuse services and the program director for substance abuse services. Weekly leadership meetings are conducted on Wednesdays, during which they determine services that are working and what needs to be modified, funding sources, and so on. Funding comes from federal grants and other donors.

Other regulations for services are presented during beginning intakes. For example, parents and students who receive mentor services often have to have been referred by the court system in order for services. Also, for substance abuse services, clients are required to complete the detox period before coming to our organization for placement within the independent living placement area. During the intake for the independent living, clients are required to fill out paperwork confirming that they will adhere to all rules and regulations for the placement. They also must be willing to fill out a weekly discharge planning packet so that they and the program director are aware of their plans following their release from the independent living facility. Clients are also encouraged to obtain a sponsor/peer support, and are required to attend weekly intensive outpatient meetings as well as AA or NA meetings. Failure to adhere to these rules may result in termination of services.

References

Birkenmaier, J., & Berg-Weger, M. (2018). The practicum companion for social work: Integrating class and fieldwork.New York, NY: Pearson.