Chapter Eight:  Working within the system

1. To work effectively in a geographic area, it is important to understand the context and ______________ of the area in which you will be working.
2. Another part of working effectively is knowledge of available ______________  resources.
3. Agencies and communities are constantly shifting in response to social, political and economic change; they are ______________.

The agency environment

4. Mission and goals – one of the first questions you ask about the agency is “what does this agency ______________?”
   1. The mission statement communicates the ______________  of the agency by summarizing its guiding ______________.

                                                               i.      It is relatively brief

                                                             ii.      It is usually included in all agency ______________

                                                            iii.      It may identify the population served, the broad goals of the agency, sources of funding, the ______________  that influence decision making, the agency structure and agency priorities.

                                                           iv.      It is also an important source of information about the agency’s function and ______________.

2. Other documents shed light on the agency by ______________  rules and regulations, the work of the staff and ______________  of practice.  These documents include:

                                                               i.      Goal statements

                                                             ii.      Job descriptions

1.      To find out more about the position, you can request the ______________  job description of the position, which provides more extensive information.

a.       It is important to remember, however, that job descriptions may ______________  over time.

                                                            iii.      Policies and procedures

1.      An agency policy reflects standards of ______________

2.      Policies and procedures also influence the organizational ______________, or the conditions in which people work.

5. Structure – Another way to understand a human services agency is to learn about the way it is ______________.
   1. This refers to the relationship between the people who work there and the departments to which they are assigned.

                                                               i.      Chain of command – this is the layer of ______________  in an agency, or who you go to first when you need guidance or assistance.

1.      For many agencies, this is ______________  with each person responsible for those people under her supervision.

2.      Other agencies may have fewer layers of authority, with decision making more of a ______________  responsibility; this is a flatter chain of command.

3.      An organizational chart illustrates chain of command and also information flow, lines of authority and ______________.

6. Resources – this generally refers to the sources of ______________  for the agency
   1. There is not always a clear ______________  between public and not for profit agencies because not for profit agencies are increasingly providing services on a ______________  basis for public agencies.
   2. Revenue means money that an agency receives from four primary sources of funding:

                                                               i.      Federal, ______________ and local governments

                                                             ii.      Grants and ______________

                                                            iii.      Fees

                                                           iv.      ______________

3. Agencies may receive funding from multiple sources
4. For profit agencies are supported by ______________  and fees

                                                               i.      Organizations such as prison systems that are run by for profit agencies are part of a trend toward ______________.

5. Much of the planning and service delivery within an agency depends on the funding; ______________, number of clients ______________  and programs and services provided directly related to funding.
6. Other resources that can be used to develop and deliver services to clients include available goods such as land, ______________, funds, etc. but there are also more subtle resources, such as:  volunteers, creativity, artistic talent, talent for ______________, etc. 
6. The community context – Understanding the larger ______________  in which the agency works also helps you understand the complexities of the human services delivery system.
   1. The shared ______________  of the community are also an influence on the agency.
   2. Community ______________  may help the human services professionals and the agency they represent to better understand their setting.
   3. To be an effective human services agency, the people of the agency will become a ______________ of the community where they are located.
   4. Agencies can also connect with the community through ______________  in the community with residents, clients and other professionals.

                                                               i.      The interaction makes ______________; it is important for the professional to know the resources in the community; knowing the resources is the first step to ______________  them.

                                                             ii.      This also helps document the ______________ of the community and assess how the ______________  can be used to attack the problem.

Using available services

8. The concept of referral relates directly to the idea of using the network of human services by ______________  the client to the appropriate service through the use of the network.
9. ______________  is the process of referring a client to another agency or service after assessing the client’s problems and needs and providing a link between the client and the needed services.
10. Effective referral is dependent on two factors: ______________ s and cooperation.
11. To make a successful referral, the helper needs to have ______________  about a service or agency.
12. The process of referral
    1. When to refer: There are several reasons a client might be referred including:

                                                               i.      The client may ______________  the referral

                                                             ii.      The helper may not be able to provide the ______________  needed to solve the client’s problem

                                                            iii.      The client may require more ______________  services than can be required in that setting

                                                           iv.      The helper may decide on a referral because of a lack of ______________  with that client

2. How to refer: The key word in the referral process is ______________

                                                               i.      It is important to start out by ______________, even if the client initiates the referral

                                                             ii.      Describes the services so that the client has a lot of information about the referral; the more ______________ the client has about the referral, the more comfortable they will be with it.

                                                            iii.      It is important for the human services worker to know the contact at the referring agency and help the client make the first ______________.

                                                           iv.      When transmitting the information needed to the agency, it is helpful to consider what information is needed to ______________  up the process.

3. Where to refer:  A client’s problem must first be determined to decide where to refer, using both formal and informal networks to find the best ______________  for services.
4. Evaluating the referral means systematic ______________ to determine client satisfaction and the match between problem and service

Building an Information Network

5. It is important for the helper to develop a ______________  way of building a file of information about the human services network, for referral purposes.

                                                               i.      This involves first deciding how to ______________  the information gathered.

                                                             ii.      The helper then begins building a ______________ from the information gathered.

                                                            iii.      This information needs to include a description of the services provided, the ______________ of clients served, the types of payment required and accepted, contact information and a contact person.

                                                           iv.      The more ______________  information you have about the agency, the better off you will be.

                                                             v.      Having the information is only one part of building the network; another important part is having ______________  contacts with people at the agency

                                                           vi.      It is difficult to maintain a network but vital to human services work; information is constantly being ______________ and changed.

Knowing the formal and informal networks

6. The formal network is composed of entities such as public and private human service organizations, ______________ groups, businesses, and governmental agencies
7. The informal network is determined by an established history of working ______________
8. The three types of formal and informal networks are personal, professional, and organizational.

                                                               i.      Personal networks consist of individuals, families and groups who are a part of the helper’s family or ______________  system.

                                                             ii.      Professional and organizational networks consist of individuals with who you work and include colleagues, teachers and ______________.