Family Assessment

 

There are 2 parts to this assessment. In this assessment, you gather information for a family assessment and look at the medical history and social influences on a family unit. You will conduct a windshield survey of the community in which your chosen family resides.

Select a family within your community as the basis for the completion of assessments in this course. The family must have at least 1 child under the age of 18 living the home.

Complete and submit a signed Family Release of Confidentiality form to your course instructor prior to your first point of contact with the selected family.

Review the key points of therapeutic conversation.

Formulate key questions for obtaining valuable information.

Ensure your family assessment addresses:

Identifying data
Developmental stage and history of family
Environmental data
Family structure
Family functions
Family stress and coping
Family composition
Parenting styles
Provide a brief overview of the family members.

Define child abuse and neglect using your state’s terminology. Note any parenting weaknesses that might indicate possible abuse and/or neglect.

Write a minimum 875-word summary of Part 1.

Note: Remove all personally identifying information, such as the family members’ names. Refer to family members by initials only.

Part 2: Community Assessment

Review the Windshield Survey Aid.

Review the Windshield Survey Resources

Observe your family’s community by driving around the area.

Consider aspects of the community that could affect residents’ health and any HealthyPeople Leading Health Indicators that may be applicable to the community.

Conduct a windshield survey that addresses the following components:

The age, nature, and condition of the community’s available housing
Infrastructure needs—roads, bridges, streetlights, and so on
The presence or absence of functioning businesses and industrial facilities
The location, condition, and use of public spaces
The amount of activity on the streets at various times of the day, week, or year
The noise level in various parts of the community
The amount and movement of traffic at various times of day
The location and condition of public buildings—the city or town hall, courthouse, and so on
Walkability of community: walking paths/biking paths/safety and proximity for walkability to community resources

Family Assessment

 

Assessment is as essential to family therapy as it is to individual therapy. Although families often present with one person identified as the “problem,” the assessment process will help you better understand family roles and determine whether the identified problem client is in fact the root of the family’s issues.

To prepare:
• Download the Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation Note Template and review the requirements of the documentation. There is also an exemplar provided with detailed guidance and examples. ( See attachment)
• Be sure to review the resource on psychotherapy genograms. – See attachment
• View the Mother and Daughter: A Cultural Tale video in the Learning Resources and consider how you might assess the family in the case study. – See transcript – Attachment

The Assignment – Instructions

Document the following for the family in the video, using the Comprehensive Evaluation Note Template (attachment):
• Chief complaint
• History of present illness
• Past psychiatric history
• Substance use history
• Family psychiatric/substance use history
• Psychosocial history/Developmental history
• Medical history
• Review of systems (ROS)
• Physical assessment (if applicable)
• Mental status exam

Family Assessment

 

 

The first step in helping a client is conducting a thorough assessment. The clinical social worker must explore multiple perspectives in order to develop a complete understanding of the situation. From this understanding, the social worker is able to recognize the client’s strengths and develop effective strategies for change.

For this Discussion, review the “Cortez Family” case history.
Post your description of how micro-, mezzo-, or macro-levels of practice aid social workers in assessing families. Assess Paula Cortez’s situation using all three of these levels of practice, and identify two strengths and/or solutions in each of these levels.

Describe the value in strength-based solutions.