Chapter 8 Working Within A System

Describe how the client empowerment model for change effectively impacts a client’s well-being status? Include what the professional would do to implement the model in the counseling session.

A professional helps the client’s well being by empowering them with a model for change. This is because the client is receiving the appropriate attention that he/she requires either from the professional or other agencies that they have been referred to. When clients receive adequate care they start developing self-sufficiency, and they can potentially solve their own problems. The professional will implement the model in counseling session by asking series of appropriate questions to the client in order to understand what his/her needs are. Then, the professional will analyze all of the client’s response and figure out what resources the client needs.

Describe how a community-based agency’s mission and goals promotes well-being and happiness for their clients.

The agency’s mission and goals allow the human service professional to have a clear understanding of how to help the client. When the human service professional knows the goals of the agency, he/she will have a set of policies and procedures to be guided by. Since the organizational climate is influenced by policies and procedures, the human service professional will perform its best in order to help the client. Therefore, the client will receive better established counseling, which will help his/her well-being.

Describe how an agency’s organizational chart promotes well-being through the chain of command.

An organizational chart helps to balance the authority within the chain of command. Therefore, if the authority is balanced between offices, departments and human services professionals then everyone is able to provide the clients with better assistance. It might be better when there is a flatter chain of command because the level of decision making is even among the agency. This balance of authority clearly promotes well-being.

Describe how the referral process is utilized in relation to the client’s well-being.

A human service professional uses the referral process when he/she  cannot give the needed service or think that other professional will be of better help for the client. However, the professional needs to think first about what are the problems the client has and what other professional or agency can help with these problems. This is so the client is being given the adequate care. Moreover, the services that are going to be provided for the client need to be geographically available for them so they can constantly be there when is needed. Also, the clients need to be well informed of why they are being referred so they are able to follow up with the other professional or agency. Furthermore, the other professional or agency need to know information about the client so they can plan how to help. After making the referral, the professional must follow up with the client in order for the client to trust that the professional truly cares and therefore they will have more confidence in the system.

Describe how an informal network can aid in the referral and well-being goals.

Formal and informal networks are essential for the human service professional. The formal network includes public or private human service agencies, schools, churches, local government agencies and so on. Informal networks are formed by the professional’s family, friends, professional colleagues, and so on. When a human service professional needs to make a referral about a client to other agency, an informal network would be of great help. The professional might have a good relationship with a professional from the other agency and due to this good relationship, the other professional might be willing to speed up the help for the client. Therefore with informal networks the human service professional can improve their service quality for the client.

Describe how documentation and paperwork requirements aid in the well-being of the client.

There is a lot of paperwork that needs to be done by a human service professional. The paperwork includes social history, intake interview, and medical, educational and mental health records. However, all the paperwork helps the professional to be organized with its clients. When a professional is going over the paperwork of the client, he/she is analyzing what the client needs and what resources are available for them. Therefore, when paperwork is done there is more careful thought of how to help the client: which is how the well- being of the client improves.

Describe how stress and “burnout” of the worker can impact the client’s well being.

A human service professional could experience stress and burnout when they have been working for constantly long shifts. When this happens, the professional looses interest for the job, is less psychological involved with the client, and is deep self-concerned. Also, some physical changes may occur such as frequent colds, stomach pain, back pain and so on. In the result of this change, the client is affected by not receiving enough care for their problems. The tolerance and acceptance that the client requires for his/her problems, is gone due to the burnout or stress from the professional. The client might start to have even more negative feelings than he/she already had because he/she is not receiving adequate therapy. The trust that the professional needed to gain from the client will be gone, because the client will lose hope in receiving care.

Describe how professional development activities can impact the well-being of the worker. Describe how it also impacts service delivery to the client.

As a human service professional it is essential to always keep learning. There is always change in the community or new methods of counseling that need to be learned. Therefore, professionals need to keep updating themselves with this new information by going to workshops, conferences or doing their masters and more. If professionals constantly participate in developmental activities, then they will become more competent and have more qualifications. Moreover, the service delivery to the client will be more effective due to the appropriate knowledge acquired by the professional.

Describe how a human service worker can utilize client empowerment as a tool in the well-being of a client.

There are various ways for a human service worker to utilize client empowerment as a tool for their well being of the client.  The worker can support the client by helping them to develop their own agenda, support structure and plan for change. Also, reaching out to other professionals in order to help certain needs of the client that they can’t help with. The client will eventually feel better about themselves, will trust the system, and as time goes by they will be good off by themselves.