UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK

 

 

 

 

SYLLABUS

 

Course:  SOWK  778

Social Programs and Services in Health/Mental Health

Instructors:   Leon Ginsberg and Marvin “Reg” Hutchinson

Phone:  Ginsberg (803-777-4886) Hutchinson (803-898-0812)

 

Purpose/Rationale

 

Health and mental health services exist along a continuum, beginning with prevention, through various forms of direct treatment, rehabilitation or use of aftercare services, and participation in the management and administration of health services.  Social work plays an integral role in the delivery and effectiveness of health and mental health services.

 

Content

 

This course investigates the social service components of the health and mental health delivery systems, including the constraints on and opportunities for social work practice, interventions and treatment modalities, and ethical considerations.  Attention is given to ethnic, cultural, sexual, and religious variations that effect the effective delivery of social work services.  The course will also provide an overview of the diverse professions that provide services in this field.  Particular attention will be given to the role of social workers.  The course  examines how health services are funded and will focus on special target populations and issues. The biological elements of health and mental health problems are covered.

 

Course Objectives

 

The learning objectives include:

 

To learn how health and mental health services evolved in the United States.

 

To become familiar with the human biology components of social work.

 

To identify various professions which provide health and mental health services and how those professions differ in their values, training, and practice modalities.

 

To acquire knowledge about the actual and potential contributions of social workers to the delivery of health and mental health services.

 

To acquire knowledge of current health and mental health service systems.

 

To learn about special issues and/or populations served in the health and mental health field.

 

To examine how health and mental services are funded.

 

Required Readings

 

 Ginsberg, Nackerud, and Larrison, Human Biology For Social Workers, 2004.  Other reading materials will be provided by the instructors, visiting lecturers, or will be easily obtainable on the Internet or other sources.

 

 

 

Course Requirements and Grading

 

Students are expected to complete the assigned readings and contribute to class discussions.  Extensions for completing graded assignments will be given only when there are extenuating circumstances.  Any problems with meeting assigned deadlines should be discussed with the instructor as soon as possible.

 

There are three graded assignments:

 

  • A paper that describes services provided by a health or mental health organization.   The paper should identify how the services are organized, funded,  how the organization relates to other providers of similar services, some information about the clientele served, what disciplines provide services, differences in discipline practice, and where applicable, the roles social workers perform in the organization. (5-7 pages) (due February 26)
  • Mid-term examination (March 18)
  • A paper that describes a vulnerable population/condition/issue.  The paper should examine the nature of vulnerable population/condition/issue, health/mental health concerns, extent of the circumstances, (data) special needs, and resources available to serve them. (5-7 pages)  The instructor will assist students in selecting topics id needed. (due April 22)

 

Each paper and the examination will constitute one-third of the final grade. 

 

Course Outline

 

Unit I         A.   Introduction to, and review of the history of, current health and mental health       

                           -delivery systems.

                           -provider organizations

                           -roles performed by social workers

                     B.  Basics of biology

                              -Why study biology?

                              -Social work and biology

                              -Sexuality

                              -Anatomy and physiology

 

                

Unit II        A.   Management of health and mental health service systems.

                             -leadership

                             -quality assurance

                             -funding

                             -role of the social worker

                             -professional issues

                             -technology

                             -interdisciplinary collaboration

                             -planning

                    B.     Human problems, issues, and biology

                              -health/public health

                              -mental illness

 

 

Unit III         Vulnerable Populations/Issues

                      -identification of populations/issues

                      -needs

                      -resources

                      -program development

                      -disabilities

                         -genetics

                         -aging

 

 

Unit IV           Future of Health and Mental Health Systems

                       -future role of social workers in the field

                       -role of professional organizations

                       -using biology in social work practice