Identifying Needs and Strengths

Identify needs and strengths, post them and discuss draft intake summaries. As you know from reading the first content guide in this module, your agency expects you and your colleagues to practice in a strengths-based, solution-focused way. In this module, you will begin your work with your team mates by identifying your role at the WSCC and the strengths and needs you noted after you reviewed Marv Brown’s scenario in Module 3.
After you identify strengths and needs, create a draft intake summary, using the form below. Use as much space as you need in the form, save it to your computer, then post it to the discussion.
Make sure that you use your client’s words by quoting him as often as possible. The point of sharing a draft intake summary with your team is to communicate your own perspective on your client with your team. When team mates share information on a regular basis, they are likelier to avoid service overlaps and documentation errors and to provide services in a coordinated manner, so keep the function of your assigned role in mind when completing your draft. If you note any errors in your intake summary after you post a draft in this discussion, you can correct the error so that your final submission in the assignment area for this module is accurate.
*My Role: Substance abuse counselor
In module 4, you will be assigned to participate in one of three teams of staff at the WSCC. Your team assignment will be provided in the announcement for week 6. You and your team will meet the first of two clients. You will remain in the same staff role that you received in week 2 of the course. If you don’t remember your role, review the week 2 announcements where role assignments were listed. Review the case scenario for your first client.
Case Scenario One – Marv Brown
Hi. My name is Marvin Brown but most people call me Marv. I am glad that I found your agency. I’ve a lot going on in my life and I hope you can help. I am 24 years old and single. I was just discharged from the Army with an honorable discharge. I joined the Army to make money to finish college. I made it through two years of a four year program but I had to drop out because I ran out of money and, I didn’t want to rack up a lot of loan debt. To be honest, I didn’t know what I wanted to study. So, I joined the Army and was stationed to a combat unit in Afghanistan. I had some good experiences and some very bad ones. Sometimes, it’s like I am back in Afghanistan. I have nightmares that are so real I am afraid to go back to sleep. Sometimes, I combine prescription sleeping pills and my antidepressant with beer just to get a little sleep. I know it’s dangerous. Half the time, I feel out of it. I work at a convenience store but the boss told me today that I’ll be fired if I fall asleep on the job one more time. I can’t afford to stay in my apartment and I am afraid that I will be homeless. My parents say that I can live with them but I don’t want to be a burden. I want my own place.
So, that’s it. I told you that I had a lot going on. I heard that you were a community-based, one-stop shopping kind of place. I know that I need help to get my life back on track. I really want to get stabilized so that I can start living again. I want to finish my education, too, and have a career. I just don’t know how and where to start.
Additional Information:
Mr. Brown’s date of birth is 3/29/1997. He lives on 50 Ten Broeck Rd. in Rensselaer NY 12144. His cell phone number is 518-452-9000. The last four digits of his social security number are 1234. He signed a form authorizing your agency to release information as needed. Agency staff explained the circumstances under which information can be released with consent. Staff also explained the circumstances under which information can be released without his consent. The release expires on 8/28/21.
Course books:
Kagle & Kopels pp. 93–197
Sidell pp. 89-168