Class One: Wednesday, August 22, 2007:

• Read To the reader (page 1) in What would you do?
• Read Ethical decision making in human services (chapter one) in What would you do?
• Read Exploring your own values (chapter two) in What would you do?
  • What would you do? assignments: Exercises:  Page 23, page 29-30, page 31-34 except small group discussion, pages 35-36 (due in next class)
• Read introduction and overview (chapter one) in Social work values and ethics.

Class Two:  Wednesday, August 29, 2007:

• Read Ethical standards of human services professionals (chapter three) in What would you do?
  • What would you do? assignments: Exercises:  Pages 41-41, 43-44 (Write down your score and how well you feel that fits you), 48-50, 51-59, 62, 64-65 (due in next class)
• Read The NASW code of ethics (chapter two) in Social work values and ethics.
  • Take the quiz in chapter two in Social work values and ethics. Write about how you did on the quiz (You are not expected to do well on it at this point!) What answers surprised you the most? What was surprising about those answers?

Class Three:  Wednesday, September 5, 2007:

• Read Welfare reform impacts a student: A case study (chapter four) in What would you do?
  • What would you do? assignments: Exercises:  Pages 84-85 (due in next class)
• Read Values and social work principles (chapter three) in Social work values and ethics. Answer the following questions, based on your reading:

• On page 22 of your textbook, there is the case of Mrs. Smith. After reading that case, what would be your first instinct or your immediate response? Do you think it would be difficult for a human services worker who has experienced domestic violence him or herself to keep client self-determination as a primary value? Should there be limits to client self-determination?
• The textbook talks about the value of respecting the inherent dignity and worth of the person. How can you incorporate this value into your personal life on a daily basis?

Submit these answers as a homework assignment (due in next class)

Class Four:  Wednesday, September 12, 2007: 

• Read Ethical issues for students in the academic environment (chapter five) in What would you do?
• Read Social work dilemmas and the ETHIC Decision-Making Model (chapter four) in Social work values and ethics.

·        Using the ETHIC model, explain, IN DETAIL, how you would try to resolve the following ethical dilemma:

You are the human services worker assigned to interview the Smith family. The family consists of Mr. Smith, a 25-year-old male, Mrs. Smith, a 26-year-old female, Mr. Smith's 8 year old daughter from a previous relationship and Mr. And Mrs. Smiths three, four and five year old children. You are working for protective services and a report of neglect was called in. You are investigating this charge. When you get to the house, it appears well kept, with three bedrooms, and two late model cars. Mr. Smith states he is unemployed, but knows how to invest his money, and is able to stay at home and take care of the children. Mrs. Smith works as an exotic dancer at a club downtown. The complaint of neglect stated that the children were often home alone, with no adult supervision, that the parents partied a lot, and often had many people coming in and out of the house, and the person who made the complaint stated that the father dealt drugs. You don't see any evidence of neglect. The children seem healthy. They deny being left alone and say they have no complaints. You conduct interviews at the house. When you are leaving the house, a neighbor flags you down and asks to talk with you. He says that he is the one who called in the report and that he knows there is drug dealing going on in the house. He says he also knows that the chief of police is a customer of the neighbor so he has been afraid to call the police about the drug dealing. You are the sister of the chief of police. What do you do next? Again, use the ETHIC model and be specific in the steps you would take. Submit this in the next class.

Class Five:  Wednesday, September 19, 2007

• Read Personal issues and relationships (chapter six) in What would you do?
• Read Ethical dilemmas for the professional social worker: Dual relationships and impaired colleagues (chapter ten) in Social work values and ethics. Write a brief paper answering the following questions:
  • As a human services student, do you have the same ethical obligations to your fellow students as a social worker does to their colleagues? What should you do if you know a fellow student is abusing alcohol?
  • The book lists physical signs and behavioral patterns that may indicate that a colleague is impaired. What other reasons might there be for some of these signs (be specific in which signs might mean what).
  • Think about a time when you have tried to help someone and became too involved with helping that person or with the person themselves. Write about what happened, including the negative consequences of this situation. Then write about what you could have done differently to make the situation have a better resolution. If you cannot think about a single instance when this happened, write about what might lead you to get too involved, and how you can prevent that.