HUSS 360 BSC Communication and Interviewing Discussion

Part A ( 150 words )

As you write your initial post, imagine that you have had an extremely stressful day, and have a challenging meeting coming up. Already this morning, you had a flat tire, lost your keys, and were told by your supervisor that you made a mistake on a past case. Now, you are about to attend a meeting with your client, their lawyer, a teacher, and your supervisor to discuss whether your client should get to have extended visits with their daughter at home. You know that most of the attendees will be under a lot of stress, and that there is not currently agreement about what should happen.

In your initial post, please address the following prompts:

• Explain what strategies you will use to prepare for this meeting and give examples of ways you might try to decrease your stress level.
• Outline how you would adjust your communication style during the course of the meeting.
• Create a list of questions you might ask of the other parties involved in the meeting. Indicate why you think each of these questions would be important to ask.

PART B

This week you will write a memo and a corresponding narrative in which you detail how your memo is consistent with the values, ethics, and legal requirements of the human and social services profession.As you draft your memo, imagine you are working as an assistant in a behavioral health office.Your memo should accomplish one of the following tasks:

• Referring a client to services outside of your office and communicating pertinent details of the client’s case and treatment plan to another professional or agency in the field.
• Asking another professional or agency for advice on a client’s case and treatment plan, while also communicating pertinent details of the client’s case and treatment plan to the professional or agency.

HUSS360 – Communication and Interviewing Skills for Human Services
Memo
This assessment is worth 15% of your grade.
Deadline
Due by the end of Week 3 at 11:59 pm, ET.
Completing this Assessment will help you to meet the following:
Course Outcome
• Communicate clearly with other professionals and agencies typically involved in the human and social
services profession while sustaining behaviors that are congruent with the values, ethics and legal
requirements of the profession.
Directions
This week you will write a memo and a corresponding narrative in which you detail
how your memo is consistent with the values, ethics, and legal requirements of the
human and social services profession. As you draft your memo, imagine you are
working as an assistant in a behavioral health office. Your memo should accomplish
one of the following tasks:
1. Referring a client to services outside of your office and communicating pertinent
details of the client’s case and treatment plan to another professional or agency in
the field.
2. Asking another professional or agency for advice on a client’s case and treatment
plan, while also communicating pertinent details of the client’s case and
treatment plan to the professional or agency.
Memo Content and Formatting
Before you begin your memo, please select one of clients from Appendix A (at the end
of this document) to form the basis of your memo. You will want to address your
memo to an agency in your area whose services could benefit your client or who would
be knowledgeable about your client’s concerns.
Once you have selected your client and the recipient of your memo, write a memo in
which you address the following:
•
Briefly summarize your client’s case and detail the concerns or symptoms that
caused them to present for treatment.
HUSS360 – Memo
•
2
o In completing this portion of your memo, you may need to conduct
outside research on the client’s condition or concern. If you do so, be sure
to provide APA style citations and a reference list in your memo.
Explain the purpose of your memo. Outline what you are hoping to gain from
the memo recipient. For instance, are you referring the client to the memo
recipient for treatment or are you hoping to receive help and guidance on the
case from the memo recipient?
o Ensure that you provide enough detail on the client’s case that the
recipient can do whatever it is you are asking of them.
You may have written a memo in a previous course (such as INFT124). You can use
this existing knowledge or any of the examples/templates available in Word to help
you in constructing your memo. A template is also provided in Appendix B at the end
of this document. If you choose to use this template, you should replace the prompts
surrounded by [brackets] with the text required by the prompts. For instance, you will
complete the from line with your own name and remove the text that says “[Your
name].” No matter which template or example you choose to use, your memo should
be formatted to include to, from, CC, date, and subject lines and a body.
Narrative Content
After completing your memo, write a narrative, at least 250 words in length, in which
you explain how your memo is consistent with the values, ethics, and legal
responsibilities of professionals in the human and social services field. Justify your
rationale.
Upload your completed memo and narrative to Blackboard for grading.
HUSS360 – Memo
Criteria
Memo Content
35 points
Memo Formatting
10 points
Memo Spelling,
Grammar, and
Organization
10 points
3
HUSS360 – Memo Grading Rubric
Excellent
Average
Needs Improvement
31 – 35 points
Body of memo
thoroughly summarizes
client concerns and
reasons for presenting
for treatment. The
memo’s purpose and
what is
expected/desired from
the recipient is clearly
spelled out and enough
detail is provided to
enable memo recipient
to fulfill this purpose.
Memo content
obviously fits with the
values, ethics, and legal
responsibilities of
professionals in the
field.
9 – 10 points
Provided memo
template is utilized and
filled in completely
and/or memo is
formatted to include to,
from, CC, date, subject
line, and body.
9 – 10 points
The memo includes two
or fewer errors in
grammar, spelling, or
punctuation. The
memo flows well and
follows a logical order.
21 – 30 points
Body of memo briefly
mentions client concerns
and reasons for
presenting for treatment.
The memo’s purpose and
what is
expected/desired from
the recipient is included,
but may be a bit vague.
Additional detail or
clarity is needed on the
client’s case and/or the
memo’s purpose. Memo
content mostly fits with
the values, ethics, and
legal responsibilities of
professionals in the field.
0 – 20 points
A summary of the
client’s concerns and
reasons for presenting
for treatment is either
missing or inaccurate.
Memo’s purpose and
what is
expected/desired from
the recipient is not clear
or not included. Memo
content is ineffective or
would violate ethical or
legal responsibilities of a
professional in the field.
6 – 8 points
Provided memo
template is utilized but
may not be filled in
completely and/or
memo is missing one or
two of the following
sections: to, from, CC,
date, subject line.
6 – 8 points
The memo includes
minimal errors (3-4) in
spelling, grammar, or
punctuation. The errors
do not cloud the
meaning of the message.
Most of the memo
follows a logical order.
0 – 5 points
Provided memo template
is utilized but several
sections are not filled in
and/or memo is missing
three or more of the
following sections: to,
from, CC, date, subject
line.
0 – 5 points
Memo contains 5 or more
errors in spelling,
grammar, or
punctuation. Errors
cloud the meaning of the
message. The memo
does not follow a logical
order. The organization
of the memo makes
reading difficult and
confusing.
Points
HUSS360 – Memo
Narrative Content
35 points
Narrative Spelling
and Grammar
10 points
4
31 – 35 points
In narrative content, it
is obvious and well
explained how memo
fits with the values,
ethics, and legal
responsibilities of
professionals in the
field.
21 – 30 points
Narrative offers surfacelevel explanation of how
memo fits with the
values, ethics, and legal
responsibilities of
professionals in the field.
0 – 20 points
Narrative is unclear or
poorly worded.
Narrative does not detail
how memo fits with the
values, ethics, and legal
responsibilities of
professionals in the field
or reasoning given is
incorrect/inaccurate.
8 – 10 Points
Narrative contains
minimal errors in
grammar, spelling, and
punctuation. Errors do
not distract the reader
and/or cloud the
meaning of the
information.
5 – 7 points
Narrative contains
several errors in
grammar, spelling, and
punctuation. At times,
errors may distract the
reader and/or cloud the
meaning of the
information. However,
overall content of the
narrative is still
understood.
0 – 4 points
Narrative contains many
serious errors in
grammar, spelling, and
punctuation. Writing is
unclear.
Total Points:
Instructor
Comments:
HUSS360 – Memo
5
Appendix A – Possible Clients
Please select one of the following clients to form the basis of your memo:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Nicholas Walters is looking to discontinue his use of welfare services, better his
education and job-related skills, and secure employment.
Sasha Clark has been struggling with symptoms of depression and has recently
begun self-medicating with alcohol and marijuana.
Samuel Nelson recently returned from Army duties abroad. He has become
concerned with his ability to function in civilian life and is worried he may be
experiencing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Lauren Matthews has been struggling with her weight. She reports seeking
comfort from food and feeling hopeless in her weight loss efforts.
William Quinn has a four-year-old son who was diagnosed with Down
Syndrome. He wants to ensure his son is receiving all the beneficial services that
are available to him and double check that he understands his options when it
comes to schooling.
Ruth Green is a 77-year-old woman who lives alone. Her children are all grown
and do not live in the area. Ruth wants to continue to live independently but is
concerned about how long she will be able to do so and worries about how she
will maintain her quality of life and remain active in the community.
HUSS360 – Memo
6
Appendix B – Memo Template
Memo
To: [Name of local agency where you are referring client or soliciting advice]
From: [Your name]
CC: [Make up name/title of your supervisor]
Date: [Today’s date]
Subject: [Appropriate subject line that maintains privacy and confidentiality of the
client]
[Type the body of your memo here. In the body of your memo do the following:
•
•
Briefly summarize your client’s case and detail the concerns or symptoms that
caused them to present for treatment.
o In completing this portion of your memo, you may need to conduct
outside research on the client’s condition or concern. If you do so, be sure
to provide APA style citations and a reference list in your memo.
Explain the purpose of your memo. Outline what you are hoping to gain from
the memo recipient. For instance, are you referring the client to the memo
recipient for treatment or are you hoping to receive help and guidance on the
case from the memo recipient?
o Ensure that you provide enough detail on the client’s case that the
recipient can do whatever it is you are asking of them.]