Competency 3

Are there other professionals within the setting as well as other community agencies with whom the social worker collaborates in order to help their clients? If so, explain.
Yes, Mrs. Burrell collaborates with other professionals, and community agencies. The other professionals she collaborates with are home service agencies. The home agencies are services that the patient may need when they are discharged. They also come in to see the patients before they leave to give them a description of the services that they will be receiving, and what to expect. When they come in to see the patients they also come to see Mrs. Burrell to let her know that they have spoken with the patient. The community agencies that Mrs. Burrell collaborates with are
agencies that help patients find equipment when they do not have any insurance.

What are the boundaries of the social worker within this setting?
The boundaries of the social worker within this setting is not to become too personal involve with the patients. Once the patient leave the rehab Mrs. Burrell is not allowed to call and check on the patient unless the patient or the patient’s family contact her first. The reason is because Mrs. Burrell makes sure her patients have all the resources they need once they leave the rehab. She also gives them the phone numbers of who they need to contact if any problems may arise.

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Choose 2 of the professional social work competencies you believe are especially important to have when practicing in this setting and explain why you believe they are important.
The two competencies that I believe are especially important to have when practicing in this setting is first competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice.
The second one is competency 7: Asses Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities. Competency 3 is “advocating for human rights at the individual and system levels” (), and that’s exactly what Mrs. Burrell does. Advocating on behalf of the patients is very important because Mrs. Burrell becomes that voice for the patients. A lot of times patients does not know what is in the best interest of their health and wellbeing, but specialist does. By being that extra voice Mrs. Burrell is able to make sure that her patients receive the best care possible, and make sure that once the patient leaves that they have everything they need in order to continue working on their progress. Competency 7, “is developing mutually agreed-on intervention goals, and objectives based on the critical assessment of strengths, needs, and challenges within clients and constituencies” (). Competency 7 is important because it make sure that the patients agree with the services that are needed. Mrs. Burrell and the specialist team always keep their patients updated on their progress, and updated on plans one they are discharged. They do to ensure that everyone is on the same page. This is extremely important because it allows the patients to voice any concerns or issues. It also allows the patient
to work towards the same goals of regaining their independence back.

Relate 1–2 experiences described in the textbook chapter(s) with the experiences discussed by the agency representative(s). What are the similarities? What are the differences?
The story in the textbook that I have read that is most similar to the agency that I shadowed is Courtney Barrett story. The similarities in her story is the first agency she worked with at the Outpatient clinic. Courtney begins her day with an assessment of her patients “social wellbeing” (). “Courtney would sometime meet with patients alone; often, however, she included caregivers, spouses, children, or whoever was providing the patients daily care, to discuss her assessment as well as other diagnostic information” (). That exactly what I observed Mrs. Burrell doing with