Lopez Family At The Macro Level

This article will discuss the intervention use with the Lopez Family at the macro level. The therapist needs to understand the family background and culture to know the type of intervention will best work for the family. This article will discuss what theory and why the theory was used; how social policy at the local, state, and federal level affect this family, with regard to access to social services, service delivery, and client wellbeing; and issues of human rights and of social, economic, and environmental justice.
Mr. Lopez, Mrs. Lopez, Tomas, Gabriela, and David are the members of the Lopez Family. The decided to get professional help after they received a referral from Tomas’ High School. Tomas’ behavior has change dramatically and the school is concern because Tomas was a well-behave boy. After interviewing the family, the therapist identified the family’s culture, background, and each member’s role. Mr. Lopez along with Tomas migrated from Guatemala when Tomas was two years old; in their trip to the United States, Gabriela was born and unfortunately Mr. Lopez first wife, Clara, died while giving birth to Gabriela. Gabriela legal status is undetermined because they do not know if Gabriela was born in Mexico or in the United States.
Four years after, Mr. Lopez remarried to Mrs. Lopez and had David. Mrs. Lopez and David are US citizens. The family has several stressors that have interfere with their daily lives. Mrs. Lopez’s family recently got deported to Mexico, they struggle financially, and have struggle for Mr. Lopez, Tomas, and Gabriela legal status. The family does not have any other family members who can provide support; they only have neighbors who could possibly support them.
The Lopez Family needs to find help and support at the macro level. The macro level consists on the family’s community, city, and any major organizations such as immigration organizations. Immigration organizations can help promote and advocate for a resolution on immigration laws at the congress level. The family can help other families just like them, and also find emotional support with them. The community and city can also help this family by accepting them and promoting change as well. Every community/town have different activities that they invite everyone, and individuals have the opportunity to meet others members of the community. When individuals are more active in their community or in organizations to be able to know what type of help is in their community and possibly ask for a different type of help that needs to be provided. The individuals also have the opportunity to let the other community members about their concerns and ideas. The community will be able to come up with a solution.
Conflict Theory
Conflict Theory will be able to help understand the problem and possible solution for the Lopez Family at the macro level.
Conflict theory was first brought up by Karl Marx, he noticed the deviation between the poor and the rich. His theory was that history was driven by a constant conflict between the poor and the rich. He believed that the wealth should be divided equally between the two (RESOURCE). Marx argued that the rich individuals use their power to exploit the poor; as a result, the poor had a constant conflict with each other over resources, including money, jobs, and housing. Power unequally divided, and some powerful individuals take advantage of others. For example, majorities taking advantage of the
minorities.
The Lopez Family are considered the minority in the United States, because they belong to the Hispanic heritage. Some members of the family migrated from Guatemala to the United states, while other members come from parents who migrated as well. Conflict theory was chosen because the theory focuses on the powerful individuals taking advantage of the less powerful individuals; the Lopez Family not only struggle financially, but also belong to a minority group. Conflict theory will help to understand the macro issues this family has and to find different strategies to help them. Conflict theory origins from the inequality of society; because of inequality is where conflict begins in society. The conflict of the Lopez Family are consequences of cultural injustice which the unequal access to services. Conflict theory views individuals as victims of the social relations. Unfortunately, individuals are punish based on social status; race, class, and gender play an important role on society. Conflict theory views all inequality in society as part of the conflict. The resolution for this conflict would be a distribute all goods and services to everyone equally.
The Lopez family have several macro issues; they suffer from legalization status, financial problems, and possible lack of services; which all fall into conflict theory, the inequality distribution of services. Mr. Lopez, Tomas, and Gabriela do not have their legal resident card that allows them to stay legally in the United States. This would prevent them from getting several services in the United States. This can also prevent the family from trying to get any services for the fear of being deported back to Guatemala. Especially since Mrs. Lopez’ family was recently deported to Mexico. Do to their legal status in the United States, the family has to deal with oppression. In the United States, there are several services that are only provided to people who are legal, but others do not request a legal status. The family could possibly fear deportation if they request any type of services. As for Mr. Lopez legal status, he cannot apply for a better paying job. As stated in the family assessment, Mr. Lopez’ job its only seasonal, there are several months where he does not bring any income to the family, and Mrs. Lopez is responsible for all the bills during those months. Because of Mr. Lopez legal status, he cannot apply for unemployment, and help Mrs. Lopez on those months that he does not work. On the assessment done on the family, it not specified the residency of the family. Some rural areas do not have much services for migrate families. The assessment stated that everyone in the family spoke English and Spanish; the concern will be how influence is Mr. Lopez on English, or is the family would rather have all services in Spanish since its everyone first language. There are several individuals who come to the United States at an older age that after several years they are able to communicate with basic English, but they fully do not understand the language. Conflict theory will see this as an inequality of distribution of services. The Lopez family might not feel comfortable looking for professional help for two reasons, society could possibly see them as intruders as they are getting “their” services, and their culture do not see this as acceptable. When individuals come from Hispanic heritage, many of them do not see services as something acceptable, because they will right away think that the family is crazy or weak to not been able to handle their problems within the family.