Collaborating and Advocating for Diverse Clients - Case 1

Case 1

Collaborating and to Serve Diverse Clients If you have not already done so, review the media presentation, Consultation Scenarios and the assigned readings and links from this unit's studies to prepare you for this discussion. In your discussion post, present a plan for collaborating with other professionals and advocating on behalf of a client. Please use case 1 for your analysis for this discussion.

For the case, assume that the client has signed a consent for treatment that included permission to consult with other experts on an as-needed basis. Consider and reference your assigned readings when building your plan for how to collaborate and advocate for your client.

Parents have been referred to you about counseling for their teenager. The family immigrated to the United States as refugees when their child was two years old. Despite some trauma in their previous life, and some challenges adapting to their new community, they feel their family has made a positive adjustment to living in a new culture. Now, however, they are concerned about their teen's poor academic performance, which has plummeted since the beginning of ninth grade. They are also distressed, because a beloved grandmother, who lived with the family, recently passed away. This happened at about the same time their teen's grades began to drop. Their teen has also withdrawn from friends and usual social activities and has expressed self-consciousness about being "different." The parents are very concerned but are not sure how to proceed. They hope that you can speak to the school counselor, because they feel intimidated about going to their teenager's school themselves. First, briefly identify the case you will use as your focus in this discussion. You may fill in hypothetical details so that the case resembles one with which you might work in the future. Then, analyze the case.

With whom would you find it useful to collaborate regarding this case?

What institutional or social barriers can you identify that might impede access, equity, or success for your clients in this case?

What local-, state-, and national-level policies may impede or enhance your clients' adjustment and access to mental health care?

What strategies can you utilize in your work to advocate for your clients in this case? Support your ideas by citing readings and Internet sites from this unit, using APA style.

Reply to a learner who selected a different case for analysis in this discussion than you did. From the role of a peer consultant, identify strategies and considerations for consultation and client advocacy that you see as particularly useful. Offer additional strategies that your peer could use to provide comprehensive care in this case. Learning Components This activity will help you achieve the following learning components: Describe how a client in an area of practice could be served by counselors across the continuum of care in a mental health counseling services network. Describe roles and processes of the professional counselor advocating on behalf of the profession. Describe why it is important to support counselor advocacy and influence public policy and government relations on local, state, and national levels. Identify how counseling organizations advocate to enhance equity, increase funding, and promote programs that affect the practice of clinical mental health counseling. Resources Discussion Participation Scoring Guide. Consultation Scenarios. Refugee Trauma: Culturally Responsive Counseling Interventions.

Collaborative Practice Skills for Mental Health Professionals. Older Adults and Integrated Health Settings. Collaboration and integrated services for perinatal mental health: An integrative review. APA Style and Format.