Case Study: John the Veteran

Introduction and Alignment

In this assignment, you will use the case of John the Veteran. You will practice your cumulative social work skills from the course (engagement, assessment, planning, and intervention), applying those skills in a dialogue with John. Next, you will create a written discharge plan for John. A thorough discharge plan ensures that a client or patient will have the appropriate support and resources in place after leaving a facility. Finally, you will create a written termination dialogue that could be used with John and that includes the necessary ethical components discussed throughout the workshop.

Upon completion of this assignment, you should be able to:

• Implement ethical, Christ-like attitudes, values, and worldview appropriate to context. (PO 1)
• Utilize reflection and self-regulation to manage effectively the intersection of personal and professional values. (PO 1)
• Create empathic client engagement that leads to empowerment and growth. (PO 6)
• Analyze intervention and program processes. (PO 9)
• Apply social work theories to client engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation at the micro practice level. (PO 6, 7, 8, 9)

Resources

• Textbook: Social Work Skills for Beginning Direct Practice
  
• Website: National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
• Interactive Media: Case Study – John the Veteran
• File: Interview Transcript.pdf
• File: Offender Classification Document.docx
• File: Transition Planning Notes I.docx
• File: Psychological Evaluation.docx
• File: Transition Planning Notes II.docx

Background Information

When a client or patient is ready to be discharged from a facility such as a hospital, rehabilitation center, or substance abuse treatment facility, it is extremely important that the social worker and client work together to put together a complete discharge plan. A discharge plan often addresses how the client will live on his or her own without the facility to support them. Social workers and clients work together to ensure that the client will have the appropriate resources and aftercare, if any is needed.

Instructions

1. Read the following files:
   1. Interview Transcript.pdf of John’s first interview with Dr. Brimmer
   2. Offender Classification Document.docx
   3. Transition Planning Notes I.docx
2. Engage in the interactive media: “Case Study – John the Veteran.”
   1. Apply what you have learned about engagement, assessment, planning, and intervention (Workshops 3-6), as well as ethical practice, to complete the dialogue successfully.
   2. Take good notes about John’s needs, risks, strengths, resources, and goals, just as you would if you were conducting this interview in a real-world scenario.
3. Read the follow-up files:
   1. Psychological Evaluation.docx
   2. Transition Planning Notes II.docx
4. Based on the prior interaction and all supporting documents, write a discharge plan for John. It should be between 200 and 300 words in length. Your discharge plan should ensure that John’s needs will be met as thoroughly as possibly once he leaves the treatment facility. Consider the following factors:
   1. Living arrangements
   2. Financial needs
   3. Transportation plans
   4. Vocational and/or educational plans
   5. Personal and professional support
   6. Cultural needs and resources
   7. Ongoing treatment needs and plans
   8. Medications and medical equipment needs
   9. Include any other factors you think relate to a discharge plan for this client, such as caring for his spiritual needs, if applicable.
5. Imagine that one week prior to John’s release, Dr. Brimmer and you (the intern) meet with John to review his discharge plan and discuss termination as noted in Transition Planning Notes II. Dr. Brimmer has worked with John for some time, and you have now been involved on his case, so the termination discussion is an important step in saying goodbye to this client. In the same document you produced to write the discharge plan, write a brief, skilled, and empathetic termination dialogue that is ethical and supports John’s continuing progress as he transitions from the prison. It should be between 200 and 300 words in length. In italics or brackets within the dialogue, describe attending behaviors and nonverbal communication that you could use to support engagement. Include the following talking points:
   1. Clarification about the end of the professional relationship
   2. Summary of the client’s accomplishments and strengths
   3. Summary of the client’s ongoing needs
   4. Summary of the client’s discharge plan
   5. Summary of the client’s resources and support people
   6. Well wishes and any positive sentiment