Read the 5 cases below:

CASE A: Mr. A and his family are political refugees from Ethiopia who have recently arrived in your city.  Mr. A and wife have 4 children ages 4, 9, 12, and 15.  They live in an apartment near Grand and I-44.  The family needs to learn English.  Mr. A needs a job, Mrs. A wants contact with other refugees from Ethiopia, and the children need shoes and clothes for school.  They have no car and must rely on public transportation.

CASE B: Mr. and Mrs. Smith, age 70, have a 24-year-old son with an identified emotional disability who has not been able to hold a job.  They would like to find an organization(s) that can help them.  They are concerned about how he can support himself and how he can eventually live on his own.  They live in the southern part of the city or county.

CASE C: Margaret is a single parent with two preschool children.  She has an adequate job and can pay for a daycare center.  She is very worried about how to choose a good one.  She has very little time to visit centers.  She lives in the northern part of the city.  What organization can tell her what to look for in a good center?  Find at least two licensed centers she might try for her 2- and 4-year olds.

CASE D: Joan has been married 10 years and has three children ages 4, 6, and 8.  The 6- and 8-year old children are having behavior problems at school and bedwetting at home.  Joan's husband has always drunk heavily and Joan has accepted it, but now she is beginning to see that his behavior is becoming more aggressive toward her and the children.  She wants a better life for their family before it is too late.  She also wants to know how to cope with the aggression.

CASE E:  Mr. and Mrs. Smith have a retarded and physically handicapped child who needs constant care.  They want a one-week vacation, but have no family or friends who are willing or able to care for this special child.  They can afford to pay someone but they need a person who is reliable and has adequate knowledge and skills to care for a child who has special eating and toileting needs.

Complete the assignment below.

2.         Assess the information you have about each person or family.  Write out observations about the cases.

3.         Decide which problems need to be worked on first, second, third, etc.

4.         Find resources for these consumers.  Consider geographic location, cost, types of service, etc. 

5.         Discuss how you chose a particular service.  Why was it appropriate?  Where did you find out about it or how did you know about it?

6.         If you can't find a service, you have discovered a "gap in services."  What kind of organization do you recommend?

 *These two activities were developed by Mary Kay Kreider, St. Louis Community College.  They have been adapted for more general use.