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Significant differences in values between social workers and clients are widely understood to affect the efficacy of service provision. This study examines the degree of value similarity between social workers and consumers, specifically, members of the working and middle classes. Based on "new-class" theory, two hypotheses are proposed. (Contains 58 references and 2 tables.) (GCP)

This article reports on social workers' motivations to become field instructors. The findings from qualitative interviews indicate that current organizational culture has a powerful influence on social workers' motivations to volunteer to become field instructors. The implications of this shift are discussed in relation to rejuvenating the profession of social work. (Contains 21 references.) (GCP)

Discusses developments for practitioners in mental health care with the advent of managed care. With managed care's influence and new cost-containment strategies, the roles of clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists are evolving, creating role conflict and competition. This article outlines the changes that have occurred and provides projections for the future. (Contains 37 references.) (GCP)

This article introduces social workers to policy and practice innovations that address men's roles as fathers. Through a critical review of research and descriptive programmatic material, this article considers the mixed implications of these policy and practice interventions for family well being and recommends future directions for policy and practice. (Contains 63 references.) (GCP)

Explores the utility of the strengths perspective as a conceptual framework for research in a qualitative study of secondary trauma with counselors of battered women. An emphasis on strengths allowed the researcher to identify strategies and resources that prevented symptoms of secondary trauma in the majority of counselors. (Contains 27 references and 1 table.) (GCP)

Describes and analyzes an intervention program with social workers living and working in a situation of uncertainty created by political violence, such as war and terrorism. Uses a social constructionist perspective as a theoretical framework, emphasizing the effect of the social and political context in constructing the experience and a recognition of the personal and professional knowledge gained in the daily experience. (Contains 25 references.) (GCP)

Defines chemical contamination and reviews data regarding the ubiquity of toxic chemicals. Describes major risk pathways to fetuses and children at different developmental stages and discusses evidence regarding exposure and harm to children from chemical contamination. Reviews the roles for social workers in protecting current and future generations from environmental contaminants. (Contains 82 references.) (GCP)

Examines job-related, client-perpetrated threats or physical violence against social workers in general, and community outreach mental health professionals in particular. Highlights the critical role of supervisors and administrators in developing proactive prevention and postincident response policies and procedures that create an organizational climate of safety awareness, training and psychological support to traumatized worker-victims. (Contains 48 references and 1 table.) (GCP)

High levels of stress on low-income, inner-city women from ethnic minority groups often causes both poor maternal functioning and infant development outcomes. This article reviews literature that proposes using several social work treatment options instead a single approach to reduce maternal depression, expand mothers' social networks, and enhance their knowledge of child development. (JDM)

Discusses the importance of culturally-based interventions delivered by social workers with adequate professional skills to provide services to ethnic, racial, and cultural groups. Offers two examples of interventions based on traditional Hawaiian values and practices, which target direct practice and community practice. Explains how traditional indigenous healing practices, such as Ho'oponopono, can be applied to contemporary social work practice. (JDM)

Older people often do not receive the information needed to protect themselves from becoming infected with AIDS. The diverse working environments of social workers place them in an opportune position to work with adults of all sexual orientations. Guidelines and case studies are presented that social workers can use to provide prevention education to older adults. (JDM)

Nearly half the population who seeks mental health services in the century ahead will be ethnic minorities. Evidence suggests that Hispanics, who are the fastest growing minority group, present higher levels of psychiatric symptomatology and prevalence rates of disorders. A discussion is included on process variables that can inform social workers' culturally sensitive diagnosis of Hispanics. (JDM)

Social work practice and education have been influenced by trends in the US economy. An assessment is made of the implications of recent changes in patterns of economic production and the nature of work for the social work profession. Recommendations are provided on how schools of social work can address these implications in their curricula. (JDM)

Explores current social work practice and human service innovations based on interviews with practitioners in Chicago, New York City, and St. Louis. Offers rationale for reorientation of social workers' helping relationship and how it can contribute to human services reform. Examines strategies and innovations that can help professionals make this reorientation operational. (JDM)

Assesses social work students' (N=349) attitudes about sexual contact with clients and their perceptions about their training and education in this area. Results reveal relatively high levels of approval for sexual contact between social workers and clients, and that students did not feel that they had received adequate education or training on sexual ethics. (Contains 55 references and 3 tables.) (Author/GCP)

Discusses how social workers' ethical decisions are influenced by professional roles, practice experiences, individualized perspectives, personal preferences, motivations, and attitudes. Posits that through reflective self-awareness, social workers can recognize their value preferences and recognize the ways in which these values unknowingly influence the resolution of ethical dilemmas. Presents an approach to developing keener insight into value patterning. (Contains 31 references.) (Author/GCP)

Article reviews earlier research on violations of the NASW Code of Ethics and reports on a recent study reviewing allegations made against NASW members. Describes the frequency and types of behaviors that resulted in findings of ethical misconduct and offers suggestions for enhancing practice and reducing exposure to ethics complaints. (Contains 42 references and 1 table.) (Author/GCP)

Article integrates current knowledge on social work ethics and introduces the concept of a social work ethics audit to aid social workers in their efforts to identify pertinent ethical issues; review and assess the adequacy of their current ethics-related practices; modify their practices as needed; and monitor the implementation of these changes. (Contains 54 references.) (Author/GCP)

Article describes an evolving international effort using information age tools to monitor the status of children, and understand and improve their environments. Cross-cultural indicators include personal life skills, safety and physical status, and children's subculture. Social workers can contribute substantially to the design, collection, interpretation, and use of indicators in various arenas. (Author/MKA)

Addresses common critiques of Alcoholics Anonymous by offering a way of understanding it as a "normative narrative community" where identity transformation takes place through the use of metaphor and storytelling. Suggests alternative meanings of key metaphors, describes areas of program strength and potential barriers for social workers, and reviews current research on AA effectiveness. (Author/MKA)

Despite the profession's historic commitment to poor people, little advanced social work practice is reported in work-enhancement programs. Outlines employment-related needs among poor people in the context of economic and policy change. Discusses successful work programs. (Author/JDM)

Discusses 100-year-old debate about the primary function of the social work profession: to seek social reform or to provide individual treatment. Uses debate format to argue that these need not be mutually exclusive and divisive, and that they are increasingly evident in social work education and practice. (Author/JDM)

Provides a historical framework for defining peer sexual harassment as a sex discrimination issue and as a potential mental health issue. Reviews the research on teenage-peer sexual harassment. Explores a theoretical context in which to understand sexual harassment and discusses the implications for social work practice in education. (MKA)

Discusses the implications of Jaffee v. Redmond--a case involving privileged communication between counselor and client--for social workers involved in federal and nonfederal cases, for those who practice with Native Americans, and for those who practice in federal prisons. Discusses the positive and the negative implications of the decision. (RJM)

Focuses on the ethical dilemmas surrounding informed consent in court-mandated practice. Examines the principles of informed consent, being informed about legal requirements, coercion and consent, the power that social workers have over clients, and the therapeutic alliance. Discusses the implications of informed consent for social work practice. (RJM)

Considers some of the issues involved in the debate over codes of ethics regarding the right to effective treatment. Offers suggestions for how ethical codes could be modified to include clients' right to receive effective treatment and social workers' obligation to be educated about and to provide such treatment. (RJM)

Presents a framework of moral citizenship to guide ethical social work practice. The framework integrates the action philosophies of Hannah Arendt and Paul Tillich with professional responsibility and the contributions of social work pioneer Charlotte Towle. Social conscience and social consciousness--including awareness, thinking, feeling, and actions--constitute the framework. (RJM)

Examines the policies and procedures that home health care agencies have developed to handle incapacitated patients and life-sustaining treatment decisions. Although most directors, staff, and patients agree that patients know their legal rights, only 67% of agencies reported having existing policies on advance directives, and only 41.5% had policies on handling patients with questionable decision-making capacity. (JPS)