Clinicians and caseworkers: issues in consultation and collaboration regarding protective service clients.
From a social systems and family systems perspective, this paper considers the relationships among protective service clients, caseworkers in protective service agencies and clinicians asked to provide mental health services. It argues that effective clinical services often depend on the clinician's understanding of the role of the caseworker, the caseworker's role-related stresses, and the larger system that serves as context for the caseworker-client relationship. Dynamics leading to inappropriate or collusive involvement of clinicians with families and caseworkers are discussed. Special consideration is given to four stress-related issues: issues of assessment and investigation; needs for validation; problems of responsibility and authority; and feelings towards clients. Strategies to help clinicians become more effective collaborators with caseworkers are suggested and the use of a team approach to the provision of clinical services is reviewed.
Molin
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R
Herskowitz
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S
D002055:Burnout, Professional; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002662:Child Health Services; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012947:Social Work