Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, August, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

The purpose of this thesis is to make an exploratory study of the British Columbia Mainland Travelling Child Guidance Clinic. One of the main goals is a more definitive statement and clarification of the current functions and services of the clinic. The study includes: (1) A description of travelling child guidance clinics generally, in terms of underlying theory and assumptions, historical development, and current problems and functioning; (2) A brief description of the travelling child guidance services in Canada; (3) A detailed description of the British Columbia Mainland Travelling Child Guidance Clinic: a. its historical development; b. its stated functions and goals; c. its operation "in the field." The above includes material drawn directly from a sample of clinic files, which describes: the characteristic group of clients referred for individual service; problems seen by the referral sources as indicating the need of clinical assessment and help; the channels of referral and presentation to the clinic; the professional members of the community who, through attendance at case conference, come into direct contact with clinical concepts and knowledge about the understanding and treatment within the community of behavior disorders in children, and general mental health methods in the alleviation and prevention of further similar difficulties; and the recommendations made for such community treatment of the disorder. A questionnaire circulated to all Social Welfare Branches indicated the field offices' concept of the effectiveness and adequacy of clinical services. The British Columbia Mainland Travelling Clinic has achieved a good beginning. Staff exigencies in both the clinic and the field have made ideal objectives impossible to achieve. The addition of another travelling clinic team together with more field personnel will alter this criticism. The success of any such undertaking will always depend on harmonious relationships among clinic staff, field health and welfare staff, and other citizens in the communities. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Evolution in the improved treatment of the mentally ill has been slow, and even today there is much variation in hospitals and communities. One of the most recent developments towards more effective treatment is the use of the treatment team. The members of this team, as a rule, are: doctor, nurse, psychologist, occupational therapist and social worker. Each one of these professional disciplines shares his knowledge of the patient with the others, so that all areas of the patient's life can be given full consideration. This thesis examines the role of the social worker in the treatment team that works with the mentally ill in two treatment centres - the Provincial Mental Hospital and the Crease Clinic of Psychological Medicine at Essondale, B.C. The study was undertaken to point up the social worker's area of competence and show where it can be used to the best advantage in the mental hospital program. The material used to evaluate the program was obtained through interviews with members of the social service staff, by attendance at staff meetings, reviewing, records of past staff, meetings, and by examining reports that have been prepared by various members of the staff on their casework activities. The study was meant to be more of a qualitative analysis and because of this a minimum of statistical material has been included. An examination of the treatment program shows that the social worker offers casework services to the patient and. his family from the time of the patient's admission to the Hospital or the Clinic until long after his discharge. Specifically, this means that social service is available, to the patient from the time of his reception; while he is under treatment on the ward; at the time that he is preparing for his return to his home; and also after his discharge in the form of counseling or rehabilitation services. The social worker offers further services in the areas of education and training (of social work and other professional staff); in research primarily to point out the needs in their own area of the treatment program; and also in community interpretation. Participation, to a limited extent, is seen in hospital administration. In concluding the study, it was pointed up that there is a need for more participation in the administrative aspects of treatment, the importance of social workers on the wards was stressed, and an increased emphasis on the rehabilitation of the patient was recommended. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Bibliography: pages 181-192. / Continued study towards understanding schizophrenia and the impairments it can cause, is regarded as essential in the meaningful fulfilment of the educative and diagnostic contributions which the social worker can make in a comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation programme (involving patients and their families). The first section of this descriptive dissertation focuses on aspects like terminology, definition, and the most recent diagnostic criteria, in an endeavour to contribute theoretically towards understanding the illness. The complexity of the diagnostic process is emphasized, and the recent revision of the criteria (1987) is seen as indicative of continuous efforts towards improved diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. Previous studies, improved pharmacology and more sophisticated neurophysiological examining led to a change in focus with regard to aetiology and the development of the vulnerability-stress-coping-competence model which brought new hope with regard to outcome of treatment. Section Two highlights several interventions which the clinical social worker can undertake as psychotherapist, group and family therapist, as well as educator on primary, secondary and tertiary levels, from this model and within the psycho-educative perspective. The Neuro B programme, Stikland Hospital, Bellville, is described in section Three, as an example of a presently operating, comprehensive programme where these interventions can be holistically implemented. Particulars about 56 patients who have been involved in the programme are highlighted in Section Four, while Section Five deals with the opinions of former patients and their families concerning involvement in the programme - elicited by two sets of questionnaires. The final chapter focuses on a summary of the dissertation, conclusions and implications for practice.

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M Social Work)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mental health is a fundamental aspect of social functioning which affects a significant portion of the population. The movement toward deinstitutionalization became the core focus of mental health policies such as the White Paper (1997) and the Mental Health Care Act (17 of 2002) post-apartheid. However, this process was implemented at a rapid rate, with poor corresponding development of necessary outpatient and community-based facilities and services. Social, cultural, and economic conditions have significant and measurable effects on both individual health status and the delivery of health care. As a result, there is a growing recognition of the need for social work services within the mental health outpatient and community-based care context. Research regarding the role of the social worker within mental health care, particularly within a South African context is poor and therefore a research gap with regard to examining the views of social workers on their role in mental health outpatient and community-based services exists. The overall objective of the study was to, in light of the above, examine the views of social workers on their role in mental health outpatient and community-based care. A combination of both qualitative and quantitative research approaches was employed for the study, with a stronger emphasis on the use of qualitative data. A combination of exploratory and descriptive research designs was utilized as the framework for the implementation of the research approach. This was appropriate for the utilization of both quantitative and qualitative design elements. A purposive sample of twenty social workers was compiled, and data was collected through the means of semi-structured interviews; a pilot study was implemented to test the measurement instrument with two social work participants. Two literature chapters are presented, focusing on the topic of mental health and its related policy, as well as expanding on mental health care and service rendering according to an ecological perspective. These chapters served to achieve established objectives of the study. Chapter four is a presentation of the empirical study. Data which was collected was both relayed and analyzed, in accordance also with the literature study. Data was analyzed, through both quantitative and qualitative analysis and was presented according to identified themes, sub-themes and categories. Relevant tables, figures and participant narratives were used to further substantiate the analysis of data. Chapter five gives an overview of relevant conclusions and recommendations, in terms specifically of the role of the social worker in mental health outpatient and community-based care, in light of the empirical study and data analysis. Five specific roles were identified as being significant for the social worker in mental health care, with regard to their role in therapeutic intervention, working with clients and families in a one-on-one, counseling capacity; supportive services, through linking of clients to necessary resources; advocacy, through fighting for, and protecting the rights of clients and related vulnerable groups within mental health; relational role, recognizing the importance of social and interpersonal aspects on the functioning of mentally ill clients; and finally their role as a holistic worker within a multidisciplinary team, incorporating key aspects of the ecological perspective into assessments and interventions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geestesgesondheid is ʼn fundamentele aspek van maatskaplikefunksionering wat ʼn beduidende gedeelte van die bevolking affekteer. Die beweging na deïnstitusionalisering het die kern fokus van verwysings na geestesgesondheidsbeleide soos vervat in die Witskrif (1997) en die Wet op Geestesgesondheidsorg (17 van 2002) geword. Hierdie proses is teen ʼn vinnige tempo geïmplementeer, wat die ooreenstemmende ontwikkeling tussen dienste aan buitepasiënte en gemeenskapsgebaseerde fasiliteite en dienste benadeel het. Maatskaplike, kulturele en ekonomiese toestande het ʼn groot en meetbare uitwerking op beide individue se gesondheidstatus en die lewering van gesondheidsorg. As gevolg hiervan, is daar ʼn groeiende erkenning van die behoefte aan maatskaplike dienste in die geestesgesondheidsorg van buitepasiënte en binne ʼn gemeenskapsgebaseerde konteks. Navorsing oor die rol van die maatskaplike werker in die geestesgesondheidsorg, veral binne ʼn Suid-Afrikaanse konteks is onvoldoende. ʼn Gaping bestaan veral in navorsing oormaatskaplike werkers se rol in geestesgesondheidsorg met betrekking tot buitepasiënte en die gemeenskapsgebaseerde dienste. Die oorkoepelende doel van die studie was om, in die lig van die bogenoemde, ondersoek te doen oor die sienings van maatskaplike werkers met betrekking tot hul rol in geestesgesondheidsorg van buitepasiënte en gemeenskapsgebaseerde dienste. ʼn Kombinasie van beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenaderings is gebruik vir die studie, met ʼn sterker klem op kwalitatiewe navorsing. ʼn Kombinasie van verkennende en beskrywende navorsingsontwerpe is gebruik as ʼn raamwerk vir die implementering van die navorsing benadering. 'n Doelgerigte steekproef, bestaande uit twintig maatskaplike werkers is saamgestel, en data is ingesamel deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met behulp van ʼn onderhoudskedule. Loodsonderhoude met twee deelnemende maatskaplike werkers is gevoer ten einde die onderhoudskedule te toets. Twee literatuurhoofstukke word aangebied, wat fokus op die onderwerp van geestesgesondheid en verwante beleide, sowel as geestesgesondheidsorg en -dienslewering volgens ʼn ekologiese perspektief. Hierdie hoofstukke dien as fondasie om die doelwitte van die studie te bereik. Hoofstuk vier dien as ʼn verslag oor die empiriese studie. Die data wat ingesamel is, is op grond van die literatuurstudie ontleed. Data is geanaliseer deur middel van beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe analise en is aangebied volgens geïdentifiseerde temas, sub-temas en kategorieë. Toepaslike tabelle, figure en narratiewe is gebruik om die analisering van data te substansieer. Hoofstuk vyf bied relevante gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings aan in terme van spesifiek die rol van die maatskaplike werker in geestesgesondheidsorg met betrekking tot buitepasiënte en gemeenskapsgebaseerde dienste. Vyf spesifieke rolle is geïdentifiseer as belangrik vir die maatskaplike werker in geestesgesondheidsorg: maatskaplike werkers se rol in die terapeutiese intervensie met betrekking totberading van individue en gesinne; ʼn ondersteunende rol wat kliënte met die nodige hulpbronne in verbinding bring; ʼn voorspraakrol, deur te beding vir die beskerming van die regte van kliënte en verwante kwesbare groepe in geestesgesondheidsorg; ʼn verhoudingsrol in die erkenning van die belangrikheid van sosiale en interpersoonlike aspekte in die funksionering van geestesgesondheidskliënte; en die rol as ʼn holistiese werker binne ʼn multidissiplinêre span, waarin belangrike aspekte van die ekologiese perspektief in assessering en intervensie geïnkorporeer word.

Thesis (M.A. (Social Work)) -- University of the North, 1981 / Refer to the document

Little is known about social work at psychiatric institutions in Canada. This research looks at patient records at Selkirk Mental Health Centre (SMHC) from 1947-1979 at Selkirk, Manitoba. Qualitative descriptive methods are employed to examine patient records (N=132) for the function and form of social work. A random selection of patient records at SMHC was performed where qualitative themes of social work related activities were identified and collected. Additional data included archival records of provincial and federal reports to provide context for the findings. Social work emerged from practice, becoming increasingly sophisticated as SMHC evolved and degreed social workers entered the field. Findings show that social work was an essential profession for SMHC to address a rising patient census as well as manage the transition to community located mental health care. While some social work related activities are performed by other staff, there is a qualitative difference when a social worker performs these. Findings also showed that social work has a relationship with severe and persistent mental illness as a population served at SMHC. Future historical research can benefit from this study as it includes a developed method for future patient record research. Future research could be in various professional disciplines as well as contribute to the growing knowledge around social work practice in Canada. Findings show that social work is a relevant and important role that has a historic connection in the field of mental health. This study contributes to the growing literature on the history of social work in Canada. / October 2015

Forensic social work is defined as the specialty that focuses on the interface between the legal system and the human service system. Forensic psychiatric social work is a subspecialty of forensic social work. Treatment issues arise in forensic social work due to the nature of working within the two systems, but some are specific to forensic psychiatric social work due to the nature of balancing the needs of the patient with the protection of society. Issues that are relevant to forensic psychiatric social work are, applying psychosocial rehabilitation strategies in a forensic setting, the paradox of custody vs. caring, issues surrounding confidentiality and the use of authority, bargaining and persuasion as tools for social work practice. The author identified these issues as each of them was raised during a specific case that the author was actively involved with. The focus of the study is to explore the issues by discussing them in relation to this case. The literature is reviewed and suggestions are made as to how the management of the case could have been improved. Recommendations are also made for the field of social work, specifically in the field of forensic psychiatry.