Question

In sessions with a social worker, a client has established the goals of empowerment and structure in family life. Each week the client mentions concurrent involvement with homeopathic treatment, from which the client derives benefit. The social worker' PRIMARY responsibility in this situation is to:

A. discourage the client's use of nontraditional methods
B. explain that social work intervention is less effective when combined with other therapies
C. ask the client for permission to contact the other therapist for information
D. continue working with the client toward the treatment goals

Answer 1

The social worker's primary responsibility is to continue working with the client toward their goals of empowerment and structure in family life, respecting the client's choice in homeopathic involvement.

Step-by-step explanation:

The social worker's PRIMARY responsibility in the situation where a client is concurrently involved with homeopathic treatment is to continue working with the client toward the established treatment goals of empowerment and structure in family life. This approach is consistent with empowerment theory which emphasizes psychological empowerment in the client's lived experience and is central to the practice of social work, where the client's autonomy and self-determination are respected. The curriculum designed to achieve these goals draws from the components of psychological empowerment, incorporates systems thinking, and supports the work of case managers. Therefore, the social worker should focus on the client's goals and the strategies that have been collaboratively agreed upon, rather than discouraging nontraditional methods or complaining about the efficacy of combined therapies.