It was much too expensive.

Below are three vignettes, each of which illustrate problems commonly encountered by social workers in social service agencies. Write a one paragraph response to each question.
B. Objectives:
You will be able to:
1. Discuss basic types of social worker interventions at micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
2. Recognize the complexity of many of the problems encountered in generalist social work practice.
3. Recognize the importance of interpersonal skills.
4. Identify some practice areas in which you could benefit from skill development.
Vignette #1
A fifteen-year-old can hardly make it through the morning until he can meet with his dealer and get some crack. He thinks briefly about how it didn’t used to be this bad, how he didn’t used to need it this much. But he doesn’t want to think about that for very long. It’s too uncomfortable. He rationalizes that life is short and he wants to make the most of it. Besides, all of his friends use drugs, too. He’s no different.
Questions (write one paragraph response to each question)
a. How might a social worker approach this young man regarding his drug use?
b. What questions might you as a social worker ask?
c. How might you encourage this young man to open up to you about his problems?
d. What if the young man won’t say anything?
e. What if the young man expresses hostility or anger toward you?
f. What types of resources might be available to help him at the micro and mezzo levels?
g. What types of programs and services at the macro level might be available?
h. What types of programs and services might be developed at the macro level?
Vignette #2
Forlorn, homeless people are starving in the streets. Public funding for a community mental health program has been drastically cut back. That program had provided a halfway house where people could stay, receive counseling, and have their medication monitored. Years ago, the long-term, inpatient mental institution had been shut down. It was much too expensive. Now with the cutbacks, the community program can barely exist. People with serious mental and emotional problems have been turned away and are roaming the streets with nowhere to go.
Questions (write one paragraph response to each question)
a. What services do you feel these people need at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels?
b. How might you as a generalist social work practitioner go about advocating for these people? What types of social service agencies and organizations could you target for such advocacy?
c. What programs could be developed?
d. What are some ideas for possible funding sources?
Vignette #3
A family of four who have lived on their family farm for five generations is dispossessed. They had several bad years of crop failures and were unable to pay back the loans they so desperately needed to survive at the time. They are living in their ’93 Chevy van now. They can’t find any housing they could possibly afford even while working full-time, minimum-wage jobs.
Questions (write one paragraph response to each question)
a. What services do you feel these people need at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels?
b. How might you as a generalist social work practitioner go about advocating for these people?
c. What types of social service agencies and organizations could you target for such advocacy?
d. What programs could be developed?
e. What are some ideas for possible funding sources?