Social Work Department Master of Social Work Program Proposal

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Social Work Department

Master of Social Work Program

Proposal

Submitted by:

Terry Cluse-Tolar, Ph.D.

Department Chairperson

Social Work Department

2801 West Bancroft Street, MS 119

Toledo, OH 43606

Office: (419) 530-4140

Fax: (419) 530-4141

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The University of Toledo

MSW Program Proposal

SOCW 5910 (Foundation Social Work Field Placement) pg. 199-204 APPENDIX D (ADVANCED SYLLABI) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Page 205-316 SOCW 6030 (Research Methods for Macro Social Work Practice) pg. 206-211 SOCW 6040 (Research Methods for Micro Social Work Practice) pg. 212-215

SOCW 6110 (Advanced Generalist Practice I) pg. 216-223

SOCW 6120 (Advanced Generalist Practice II) pg. 224-227

SOCW 6130 (Advanced Generalist Practice III) pg. 228-233

SOCW 6140 (Advanced Social Work Assessment) pg. 234-239

SOCW 6410 (Child & Family Social Work Practice) pg. 240-243 SOCW 6430 (Social Work Policy Issues: Child and Family) pg. 244-247 SOCW 6460 (Social Work Journal Review Seminar I:

Child & Family Services) pg. 248-249

SOCW 6470 (Social Work Journal Review Seminar II:

Child & Family Practice) pg. 250-251

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iii Table of Contents (Cont’d)

APPENDIX D (ADVANCED SYLLABI) _ _ _ _ _ CONT’D)

SOCW 6530 (Social Work Policy Issues in Mental Health) pg. 264-270 SOCW 6560 (Social Work Journal Review Seminar I:

Mental Health Practice) pg. 271-272

SOCW 6570 (Social Work Journal Review Seminar II:

Mental Health Practice) pg. 273-274

SOCW 6610 (Social Work Practice in the Aging Community) pg. 275-283 SOCW 6630 (Social Work Policy Issues in Aging) pg. 284-293 SOCW 6660 (Social Work Journal Review Seminar I: Aging Services) pg. 294-295 SOCW 6670 (Social Work Journal Review Seminar II: Aging Services) pg. 296-297 SOCW 6900 (Advanced Social Work Field Placement I) pg. 298-306 SOCW 6910 (Advanced Social Work Field Placement II) pg. 307-316 APPENDIX E – LETTERS OF SUPPORT _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Page 317-346 APPENDIX F – CSWE COMMISSIONER REPORTS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Page 347-387

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1. Academic Quality

Adequacy of faculty, students, curriculum, computational resources, library, laboratories equipment, and other physical facilities, needed to mount the program. The University of Toledo has committed extensive time and resources toward the development of a high quality program of advanced study in Social Work. The proposed Master of Social Work Program meets, and in some cases, exceeds the standards of accreditation of MSW Programs as set forth by the Council on Social Work Education. These standards help to insure that all aspects of the program have the appropriate academic rigor and quality. The following description supports this.

FACULTY

The Social Work Department currently employs four associate professors and five assistant professors. Eight faculty members have experience teaching in a graduate social work program and have been awarded graduate faculty status at the University of Toledo. All but one faculty member has obtained both the MSW Degree as well as the Ph.D. Faculty vitae, indicating qualifications for teaching at the graduate level, can be found in Appendix A.

The faculty are involved in teaching in the undergraduate social work program. With the closing of the associate degree Social Work in the next year, faculty who are associated most heavily with the associate degree will assume more teaching and supervisory responsibilities in the four year baccalaureate program. Consequently, faculty now exclusively serving the undergraduate program will focus on graduate course for the MSW Program. Faculty resources are sufficient to begin the first year of the proposed program.

The department’s faculty provides leadership in many different aspects within the community. For example, members of our faculty serve on the Lucas County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board, the Children Services Board and the Mental Health Board, the Planned Parenthood Board, and Sophia Quinteros Cultural Arts Board. Additionally, we have become a respected provider of continuing education for social work professionals in Northwest Ohio.

Faculty Recruitment

As noted above, faculty resources are sufficient to offer the first year of the

proposed MSW program. Ultimately, we anticipate hiring one additional faculty member when the program is in full operation in the second year of the program. We also

anticipate the need for a second faculty member in the fourth year of the program. We have successfully recruited faculty over the past several years and do not anticipate that hiring the additional faculty member will present a problem. During academic year 2001-2002, the Social Work Department was successful in recruiting one new faculty member at the assistant professor level. Additionally, we have recruited two associate level professors during the 2002-2003 academic year and an additional

associate professor during the 2003-2004 academic year in anticipation of the

development of the MSW. The Council on Social Work Education recommends that MSW Programs have a faculty-to-student ratio of one-to-twelve and that a masters

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program must have six full-time equivalent faculty assigned to it. Field staff are counted as part of the ratio; those positions are discussed below.

It is the intent of the Social Work Department and the College of Health and Human Services to maintain a strong undergraduate social work program while building the master’s program. Keeping this in mind, and with the expectation that the MSW program will begin initial year offerings in Fall 2005, faculty will be recruited according to the following schedule:

Table 1.1 University of Toledo Faculty Recruitment Plan

Recruitment Year Start Year Faculty Request

2005-2006 2006-2007 1 Assistant/Associate

Professor

2007-2008 2008-2009 1 Assistant/Associate

Professor

The 2006-2007 academic year will see the ending of courses for the associate degree and the reassignment of faculty upper division courses of the bachelor’s degree to support the graduate program.

Faculty recruitment will correspond to program need as student enrollment in the graduate program increases. The following table demonstrates the expected enrollment of full-time students and part-time students. Based upon the required ratio for accredited social work program, faculty full-time equivalencies dedicated to the program are noted. It is expected that faculty will teach in both the undergraduate and graduate program, thus the need to report the faculty FTE’s.

Table 1.2

The University of Toledo

Student Enrollment Projections with Faculty Requirements Academic

Year

Program Component Student Enrollment Projections Faculty FTE’s Required 2005-2006 Full-time Part-time 15 15 3 2006-2007 Full-time Part-time 45 30 6 2007-2008 Full-time Part-time 45 45 6 2008-2009 Full-time Part-time 45 45 6 2

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Field Education Staff

Currently the Social Work Department employs a 12-month, full-time field director and one Field Associate. The Field Director is a 12-month, full-time position. The Field Associate is a 9-month, full-time position. This is sufficient staffing to operate the graduate program. However, in an effort to maintain the strength of the

undergraduate program, it is likely that one of the faculty members currently in the Associate degree program will work with our bachelor field students.

Both of the field staff have MSW degrees and several years of professional social work experience. They are both integrated in the community with extensive networks and have been successful identifying quality field placement opportunities for the Social Work students.

The Field Director’s and Field Associate’s vitae can be found in Appendix B. Support Staff

The Social Work Department is supported by of one full-time secretary. This person will work with both the undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition, student workers assist the secretary by providing additional clerical support. Additional student workers will aid the secretary as the MSW becomes active.

Administration

The chairperson for the Social Work Department serves as the Program Director for the undergraduate program. When the MSW Program begins, the Department Chair will serve as the Program Director for the graduate program and a faculty member will assume the duties of Program Director for the undergraduate program.

STUDENTS

We expect that the MSW Program will attract students of a similar quality as our undergraduate social work program. Our students have been recognized at the state level twice in the last five years as Social Work Student of the Year for the Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Last year one of our students won the first National Wahlberg Award of the Baccalaureate Program Directors Organization for undergraduate research. The award provided a total scholarship for the MSW Program at the University of Michigan. We have also been contacted by social work agencies across the state who have hired our graduates and would like to hire others graduating from our program.

About two years ago, we began to keep a list of people who inquired about the MSW Program. Persons were added to the list if they specified that they wanted to apply to the master’s program once it became available. To date, we have over 130 people on this list.

Adequacy of students is addressed more fully below when discussing both the admission criteria and student interest and demand.

CURRICULUM

Based on feedback from the statewide distribution of the Program Development Plan, the curriculum has been changed to be more consistent with our mission as well as

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Ohio with an MSW Program that has a significantly different focus than other programs in the state. Initially, we had proposed a traditional master’s program with the first year having a generalist focus and the second year having a specialized focus. We have considered comments from other institutions, hired faculty with interests in gerontology, social justice, and populations at-risk, and developed the curriculum to provide an Advanced Generalist focus. While the first year of the program remains generalist, as required by the Council on Social Work Education, the second year provides an advanced generalist focus providing students the option of selecting among three integrated

concentrations.

The curriculum, based on an advanced generalist model of social work education, is divided into foundation coursework and advanced level coursework. The curriculum is based on a liberal arts foundation gained through the students’ undergraduate experience. Students must successfully complete the foundation level courses before taking the advanced level courses. Students who have received an undergraduate degree in social work from an accredited social work program are eligible for advanced standing. This policy is consistent with the recommendations of the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE). Consequently, students completing the coursework in our accredited

undergraduate program are considered to have fulfilled the requirements of the foundation coursework.

Foundation Content

The foundation content of the program provides the base on which the advanced curriculum is built. All of the areas required by CSWE’s Education Policy are provided in the foundation year curriculum of the proposed program. Content areas including

values and ethics, diversity, international perspectives, and populations-at-risk and social and economic justice are infused through the foundation and advanced curriculum. Course syllabi/outlines are provided in Appendix C. All courses in the foundation year curriculum are 3 credit hours unless otherwise noted.

Human Behavior and the Social Environment (HBSE) content is found in the foundation year in “Micro Social Work Perspectives in Human Behavior in the Social Environment” and “Macro Social Work Perspectives in Human Behavior in the Social Environment.” The micro level course includes content on theories and knowledge related to biological, sociological, psychological, cultural, and spiritual development as they pertain to primarily individuals and families. The macro course contains similar content as it relates to groups, organizations, and communities. The critical piece of the HBSE courses is their linkage between varying systemic behaviors and varying systemic environments that either promote social and economic justice and well-being or create a block toward achieving social and economic justice and well being.

Social Welfare Policy and Services content at the foundation level is found in the “Policy Issues and Analysis in Social Work” class. This course provides content on the history of social work and social welfare as well as the critical link between social policy and social work practice. Students learn to analyze policy processes and issues of

particular concern to social workers and the people with whom they work. In addition to understanding and being able to apply the skills of policy analysis, students are further challenged by engaging in policy practice relative to the outcome of their analysis. For

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this purpose, students are given a clear understanding of the various levels policies are developed and enacted.

Content on social work practice is found in the first year primarily in the courses entitled “Social Work Practice I,” “Social Work Practice II,” and “Social Work Practice III.” Through these courses, the student understands the critical linkage between the practice of social work through both policy practice and research practice. While these are distinctive areas of the curriculum, we emphasize the interrelatedness of these areas by recognizing them as varying forms of social work practice.

The practice sequence follows a system size level of organization. Practice I deals primarily with practice with individuals and families, along with group work as it relates to work with individuals and families. Practice II focuses on practice within the organization, with group work theory included as it applies to the organization. Practice III content is centered on practice with communities, again, with group work theory and practice included as it relates to the community. All of the practice classes provide relevant theoretical underpinnings consistent with a strengths perspective, and also in the relevant empirical findings. Consistent with the goals and objectives of the program, assessment and advocacy as well as intervention are key to social work practice.

Research content in the foundation year is provided primarily through the “Social Work Research Methods and Analysis” course. This course provides the critical research knowledge social workers need to build more advanced level skills specifically related to the field of Social Work. This course includes content in both the methodological and the statistical aspects of research as used by social workers in practice. The methodological aspects of the course are designed to assist social workers in the basic content needed to evaluate practice effectiveness.

The foundation level field courses are “Foundation Social Work Field Lab I” and “Foundation Social Work Field Placement.” The Field Lab is offered during the first semester and is designed to prepare students to enter the field of Social Work. Students are informed of the various policies relative to field and the expectations of them in the field. This time is also used to match students to appropriate placements. It is expected that students will move into the placement setting midway through the course so that students actually begin their field experience during the first semester. The second semester is a continuation of the field experience in the same agency. Foundation level placements are designed to be reflective of the content of the foundation level courses and serve as settings where students apply the knowledge and skills they develop in the classroom.

Advanced Curriculum Content

The advanced curriculum reflects an advanced generalist framework. This framework is best suited to the program considering the program’s mission, goals, and objectives. When working to advance social and economic justice, students must be equipped with the advanced skills they need to practice at all system levels, while

understanding the more complex impact of the global environment in which people live. The advanced year curriculum builds from the bases provided in the foundation

curriculum.

Throughout the advanced year curriculum, content on values and ethics, diversity, and populations-at-risk and social and economic justice are infused in every course. All

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three areas of content are critical to our mission and the mission of the social work profession; consequently, these areas appear throughout the advanced curriculum.

Further content in the advanced year is separated into required courses and courses specific to the concentration or field of practice the student chooses.

Concentration choices include mental health, aging, and child and family. Advanced Year Syllabi are provided in Appendix D. All courses in the advanced year curriculum are 3 credit hours unless otherwise noted.

All students are required to take “Advanced Social Work Assessment” (offered in Spring semester of the foundation year or during the summer for advanced standing students), “Advanced Generalist Practice I,” “Advanced Generalist Practice II,” “Advanced Generalist Practice III,” and a research elective. The research elective is either “Research Methods for Micro Social Work Practice” or “Research Methods for Macro Social Work Practice” depending on student needs.

Practice content from the foundation year is built upon in the Advanced Generalist Practice courses. These courses are organized by system size, but provide more depth into the interrelatedness of the systems. The goal for these courses is to develop a higher level of skill in working with people and systems as well as a more in depth and complex knowledge base. While focusing on the ecological systems approach critical to generalist practice, higher level theoretical application that overlays the

ecological systems framework for the purpose of working toward social and economic justice will be developed.

Human Behavior and the Social Environment content from the foundation year are built upon specifically in the “Advanced Social Work Assessment” course. This course provides the student with a variety of assessment tools and their use with various system levels. This course builds from the basic theory and knowledge provided in the foundation year courses and is consistent with the biological, sociological, psychological, cultural and spiritual focus.

Students are permitted to choose either “Research Methods for Micro Social Work Practice” or “Research Methods for Macro Social Work Practice” to enhance the research knowledge gained at the foundation level. The micro class primarily focuses on single subject design methodologies as employed by social workers in practice. The macro class includes content on both needs assessment and social work program evaluation. Both classes provide advanced research knowledge and skills designed to further prepare the student for effective evidence-based practice.

The remaining courses required in the advanced year are specific to the students’ chosen field of practice or concentration. Three concentrations will be offered; those concentrations are based upon feedback received from a feasibility study conducted in the local area. The concentrations include mental health, aging, and child and family. The following describes the concentration objectives and curriculum supporting them.

Mental Health

Objectives for students completing the Mental Health Concentration include: 1. To gain competence through examining key values and confront ethical dilemmas that exists for social workers that practice in the mental health field, specifically with a focus on social and economic justice.

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2. To gain an understanding of the diversity among individuals and groups of individuals in regard to definitions of “mental health” and “mental illness.”

3. To understand the impact of the social, political, and economic context on the definition and development of mental illness, and on access to and delivery of mental health services, especially to those vulnerable populations including the socially and economically oppressed.

4. To develop an eco-systemic understanding of the nature and scope of “mental Illness” from a variety of theoretical orientations (e.g., systems, ecological, feminist, life-span development, cognitive, psychoanalytic) and their consistency with a strengths perspective.

5. To explore the impact of the biological revolution on the treatment of mental illness, and to be able to analyze and assess psychiatric disorders and psychosocial problems from the standpoint of the predominant bio-psychosocial model.

6. To understand the nature and rationale for the use of various assessment and treatment modalities by social workers in mental health settings consistent with the values and ethics of the profession.

7. To understand the roles and tasks social workers perform in various mental health settings, including clinician, educator, consultant, case manager, client advocate, supervisor, and administrator.

8. To explore the relationship of social workers to other helping professionals, to paraprofessionals and members of the mutual assistance and self-help community.

The curriculum designed to carry out these objectives includes Social Work Practice in Mental Health, Social Work Policy Issues in Mental Health, Mental Health Social Work Journal Review Seminar I & II, and the Advanced Field Placement. Social Work Practice in Mental Health includes content specific to social work practice in the mental health setting including cultural differences in understanding mental illness. Social Work Policy Issues in Mental Health includes content on the history of mental health services and the current policies at the local, national and international levels that are impacting the mental health system today.

Social Work Journal Review Seminar I and II provide students with a direct link to the current research and literature relative to social work practice in mental health settings. Students read and respond to current journal articles with an expressed focus on the applicability of the research to the practice arena. The Journal Review Seminar courses are one credit hour courses.

Finally, students choosing the mental health concentration are placed in mental health related field agencies. The advanced year placement requires students to spend 24 hours per week or 720 hours across the academic year in their assigned agency. Students in the advanced year are expected to gain competence in their field of practice. The advanced year field placement is an experiential learning environment where the student is expected to demonstrate the culmination of the knowledge and skills learned

throughout the program. As such, it incorporates the foundation year material, the advanced generalist material, and the concentration area material.

Aging

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1. To gain competence in ethnic-sensitive practice methods, including

assessment and intervention, that addresses strategies related to continuum of eldercare from well to frail.

2. To apply an ecological systems person-in-environment framework that takes into account an empowerment and strengths perspective in assessment and intervention with elders and their families.

3. To be able to intervene at all system levels, individual, family, group, organization, and community, to critically analyze, develop and apply the best combinations of prevention/intervention approaches with specific elder populations.

4. To gain an awareness that many elders experience social and economic injustice prior to becoming elderly and also as a result of aging/ageism with particular attention to the multiple layers of oppression experienced due to one’s race, gender, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and religion.

5. To understand the historical development of social work services for the elder population and the impact of the historical perspective today.

6. To critically analyze the policies that guide interventions with elder populations and engage in policy practice designed to enhance social and economic justice and general well being.

7. To evaluate and apply research findings relative to social work practice with elder populations.

The curriculum designed to carry out these objectives includes Social Work Practice in the Aging Community, Social Work Policy Issues in Aging, Social Work Journal Review Seminar I & II (Aging Services), and the Advanced Field Placement. Social Work Practice in the Aging Community includes content specific to social work practice in a setting with older adults including cultural differences in understanding the aging process. Social Work Policy Issues in Aging includes content on the history of elder care services and the current policies at the local, national and international levels that are impacting the elder care system today.

Social Work Journal Review Seminar I and II (Aging Services) provide students with a direct link to the current research and literature relative to social work practice in elder care settings. Students read and respond to current journal articles with an

expressed focus on the applicability of the research to the practice arena. The Journal Review Seminar courses are one credit hour courses.

Finally, students choosing the aging concentration are placed in elder care related field agencies. The advanced year placement requires students to spend 24 hours per week or 720 hours across the academic year in their assigned agency. Students in the advanced year are expected to gain competence in their field of practice. The advanced year field placement is an experiential learning environment where the student is

expected to demonstrate the culmination of the knowledge and skills learned throughout the program. As such, it incorporates the foundation year material, the advanced

generalist material, and the concentration area material. Child and Family

Objectives for students completing the Child and Family Concentration include:

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1. To gain knowledge of the historical roots of social work practice with children and families and the impact of that history of today.

2. To understand varying definitions of childhood and family based upon race, culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and spirituality.

3. To exhibit appropriate, strengths-based, assessment, intervention and

advocacy skills with children and families and the larger systems in which they interact. 4. To analyze policies at the organizational, local, and national levels with regard to children and families and to engage in policy practice designed to enhance social and economic justice.

5. To evaluate practice with children and families and applying research findings within the practice arena.

The curriculum designed to carry out these objectives includes Child and Family Social Work Practice, Social Work Policy Issues: Child and Family, Child and Family Social Work Journal Review Seminar I & II, and the Advanced Field Placement. Child and Family Social Work Practice includes content specific to social work practice in a setting with children and families including mandated and voluntary services. Social Work Policy Issues: Child and Family includes content on the history of services for children and families and the current policies at the local, national and international levels that are impacting those services today.

Social Work Journal Review Seminar I and II provide students with a direct link to the current research and literature relative to social work practice in child and family settings. Students read and respond to current journal articles with an expressed focus on the applicability of the research to the practice arena. The Journal Review Seminar courses are one credit hour courses.

Finally, students choosing the child and family concentration are placed in field agencies with a focus on children and families. The advanced year placement requires students to spend 24 hours per week or 720 hours across the academic year in their assigned agency. Students in the advanced year are expected to gain competence in their field of practice. The advanced year field placement is an experiential learning

environment where the student is expected to demonstrate the culmination of the knowledge and skills learned throughout the program. As such, it incorporates the foundation year material, the advanced generalist material, and the concentration area material.

Full-Time Curriculum Outline

Students without an undergraduate degree in social work, completing the full program, on a fulltime basis should expect their coursework to be taken as follows:

Fall Year 1 Spring Year 1

Social Work Practice I Social Work Practice II Micro Social Work Perspectives in Social Work Practice III Human Behavior in the Social Environment Macro Social Work Policy Issues and Analysis in Social Work Perspectives in Human Social Work Research Methods and Analysis Behavior & the Social Foundation Social Work Field Lab Advanced Social Work

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Assessment

Foundation Social Work Field Placement

Advanced Generalist Practice I Advanced Generalist Practice II Research Elective* Advanced Generalist Practice III Field of Practice – Practice** Field of Practice – Policy*** Social Work Journal Review Seminar I Social Work Journal Review Advanced Social Work Field Seminar II

Experience I Advanced Social Work Field Experience II

*Students may choose between Research Methods for Micro Social Work Practice and Research Methods for Macro Social Work Practice

**Students may choose between Social Work Practice in Mental Health, Social Work Practice in the Aging Community, and Child and Family Social Work Practice

***Students may choose between Social Work Policy Issues in Mental Health, Social Work Policy Issues in Aging, and Social Work Policy Issues: Child and Family Advanced Standing

Students applying to the program with a baccalaureate degree in social work from a CSWE accredited program may apply for advanced standing. Advanced standing recognizes that the foundation level classes will be repetitive of content of their complete undergraduate program.

The Advanced Standing Program is a full-time program and will begin the second year the MSW Program is in effect. Advanced standing students will be required to take the Advanced Social Work Assessment class and all of the classes listed in the advanced year curriculum. The curriculum plan for students admitted with advanced standing is as follows:

Summer

Advanced Social Work Assessment

Fall Spring

Advanced Generalist Practice I Advanced Generalist Practice II Research Elective Advanced Generalist Practice III Field of Practice - Practice Course Field of Practice Policy Course Social Work Journal Review Seminar I Social Work Journal Review Advanced Social Work Field Seminar II

Experience I Advanced Social Work Field

Experience II

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Part-time Program

It is expected that the program will serve a number of students who need to maintain their employment while going to school. For these students, the program will allow students to enroll in a part-time program. To insure the integration of course content with the field placement and the subsequent identification as an advanced

generalist social work professional, students must complete the part-time program within four years. Students admitted to the part-time program must sign an agreement stating that they understand that most field placement agencies operate in standard daytime hours. Students entering the program as part-time students are not guaranteed an evening or weekend field placement. Therefore, students enrolled on a part-time basis need to be flexible in the hours they have available during the day in order to complete the program.

The curriculum plan for students completing the MSW Program in three years is as follows:

Micro Social Work Perspectives Macro Social Work Perspectives in Human Behavior in the Social in Human Behavior in the

Environment Environment

Social Work Practice I Social Work Practice II Summer Year 1

Social Work Research Methods and Analysis

Policy Issues and Analysis in Social Work Social Work Practice III Foundation Social Work Field Lab Foundation Social Work Field

Placement Summer Year 2

Advanced Generalist Practice I Advanced Generalist Practice II Research elective Advanced Generalist Practice III Field of Practice - Practice Course Field of Practice Policy Course Social Work Journal Review Seminar I Social Work Journal Review Advanced Social Work Field Seminar II

Experience I Advanced Social Work Field

Experience II The curriculum plan for students completing the part-time program in four years is as follows:

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Human Behavior in the Social Human Behavior in the Social

Environment Environment

Social Work Practice I Social Work Practice II

Summer Year 1

Social Work Research Methods and Analysis

Policy Issues and Analysis in Social Work Social Work Practice III Foundation Social Work Field Lab Foundation Social Work Field

Placement Summer Year 2

Advanced Generalist Practice I Advanced Generalist Practice II Research Elective Advanced Generalist Practice III

Field of Practice - Practice Course Field of Practice Policy Course Social Work Journal Review Seminar I Social Work Journal Review Advanced Social Work Field Seminar II

Experience I Advanced Social Work Field Experience II

COMPUTATIONAL RESOURCES

Many computer laboratories are accessible throughout the campus for student use. Our building, the Health and Human Services Building, is home to two such laboratories for student use including a teaching laboratory for faculty use for classes. Students in our college also have access to a laptop checkout service where they can borrow a laptop. These laptops have wireless Internet connections that can be used in our building and some other places on campus. There is an ample supply of these computers to meet student need.

In addition to the larger laboratories, our department provides students with a Resource Room. This room is equipped with six laptop computers, wireless Internet connections, a scanner and a color laser copier. Additionally, students have access to digital camcorders and CD/DVD burners to enhance skill development and classroom presentations.

Recent renovations to our building have enabled every classroom to be equipped with Smartboard technology, computers and projectors.

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LIBRARIES

Carlson Library on the campus of the University of Toledo provides an extensive collection capable of supporting the Master in Social Work Program. The library reports 28,264 titles specific to the preparation of social work professionals. The total number of journals in the library collection specifically identified with social work is 36.

Currently, the library maintains an approval plan with the Yankee Book Peddler purchasing service. Use of this service has increased the number of social work related volumes held by the library as purchases are made that fit the profile of our interests. This service is based on interest and need rather than relying exclusively upon

size/budget considerations of a particular department.

Students at the University of Toledo also enjoy the services of OhioLINK. OhioLINK is a consortium of university, college and technical school libraries and the State Library of Ohio, with 40 libraries participating. Materials from each of these libraries are centrally cataloged and students at any of the participating universities have the ability to access book and journal holdings of the participating universities.

It should also be noted that five of the universities in Ohio offering MSW Programs have libraries that participate in OhioLINK. They include: The Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve University, the University of Cincinnati, Cleveland State/Akron Universities, and Ohio University.

Students are also able to access the ever increasing array of electronic resources for their research and classroom-learning enhancement. Students can access electronic databases such as Social Work Abstracts, Lexis-Nexus, Sociofile, PsychInfo, and others.

In addition, students have access to the library resources of the Medical University of Ohio that is located about five miles away from our campus as well as Bowling Green State University.

LABORATORIES, EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER PHYSICAL FACILITIES

While a social work program generally does not need traditional laboratories, our department has sufficient space allocated for students to engage in “hands-on” learning techniques. The interview room includes direct and remote observation of practice interviews as well as the ability to tape interview sessions for later analysis and

discussion. Due to the recent renovation of our building, we have gained ample space to provide for a variety of learning opportunities including a student resource area. In addition, the college has designed a collaborative clinic space for use by several different departments. This area has the potential to provide field placement opportunities for students in the MSW program.

Each of the faculty, staff, and graduate assistants has office space in the Health and Human Services Building. The second floor, south wing of the building has dedicated space for the Social Work Department. Overall, the program has sufficient space and equipment to support the proposed master’s program.

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In addition to this analysis, for entry-level graduate degree programs, academic quality assessment will focus on the adequacy of the answers provided in response to the following questions:

a. Is the program distinctly different, both conceptually and qualitatively, from the undergraduate degree programs in the same or related disciplines? If so, is there a detailed listing of the specific differences?

The proposed MSW program is an entry-level graduate degree program. Generally, the difference between an undergraduate degree in social work and a graduate degree in social work is mandated by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the accrediting body for social work programs. The undergraduate program is designed to be generalist in nature, meaning that students are equipped with a set of knowledge and skills that can be easily generalized from one client group/size to another. The undergraduate program has a strong liberal arts base from which the curriculum build and students complete fewer hours in a field placement.

The MSW Program has two avenues of entry. The first is a two-year program designed for people wanting the degree who do not already have an undergraduate social work degree from an accredited undergraduate social work program. Entry into the foundation year of the program requires that students have an undergraduate degree and that the undergraduate degree provides a liberal arts base. The first or foundation year of the two-year program will be generalist in nature; however, the coursework will be more condensed than the

undergraduate program, reflecting the level of intensity of graduate education and the maturity level of the graduate students.

The student will complete a minimum of 368 hours of supervised field placement in the foundation year. The second year of the degree provides a specialization in advanced generalist as well as offers the student the opportunity to select a concentration area. The student will complete a second field placement totaling 720 hours.

Recognizing that students who have obtained a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program will have attained the student outcomes included in the intensive foundation year while obtaining their four-year bachelors degrees, these students are invited to apply for advanced standing in the MSW Program. The advanced standing student would be required to take the advanced level classes including assessment and complete the advanced field placement of 720 hours. b. Does the program emphasize the theoretical basis of the discipline as

expressed in the methods of inquiry and ways of knowing in the discipline? Major theoretical perspectives emphasized in the program are consistent with the profession of social work. They include systems and ecological

perspectives and strengths based approach. In addition, social work utilizes theories of other disciplines as they pertain to the person-in-environment model. Theories from psychology and sociology are often borrowed in an attempt to

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understand human behavior. Specifically, our graduate program will have a strong focus on social and economic justice that lends itself well to the theoretical underpinnings of empowerment and social construction frameworks. While each MSW Program may define itself differently, the theoretical underpinnings

supporting our Advanced Generalist model are consistent with the discipline. Theory content is infused throughout the curriculum. Human behavior courses tend to be the avenue through which much of the theory is introduced. Practice, policy, field, and to some degree research classes follow through with the comprehensive application of the theoretical perspectives.

c. Does the program place emphasis on professional decision-making and teach the use of critical analysis in problem solving?

Professional decision-making and critical analysis are key aspects of the MSW Program. Work to develop and enhance these skills can be found in each area of the curriculum, including policy, practice, human behavior, research and field. Each of these courses involves the development of critical analysis skills through the use of projects that are specific to the course. For example, the various policy related classes, such as “Social Work Policy Issues: Child and Family,” requires students to engage in social policy analysis resulting in a complex evaluation of the policies that effect social work clients. The MSW is a professional degree that enables graduates to work with people troubled in many different ways. These skills are crucial to the graduate being able to perform even the least complex forms of professional social work.

d. Is the program designed to educate students broadly so that they have an understanding of the major issues and concerns in the discipline or professional area?

The advanced generalist framework for the master’s program was chosen to provide this broad understanding of the disciplines. This framework prepares students to work in areas related to their chosen concentration, while at the same time enabling them to view problem situations through the eyes of the individual client, the family, the school, work group, the agency, and the larger community. This approach provides a holistic perspective as the basis of problem solving, recognizing that there are many factors involved in the decisions that clients make and the outcomes of the decisions policy-makers make. This approach also prepares the student to work with the policy-maker in an effort to affect the maximum number of individuals.

Further, this broad perspective is also enforced through the liberal arts base which is required for admission to the program. Students must have some coursework in a variety of areas including psychology, sociology, economics, biology, and political science. It is on this broad base that the social work curriculum builds at the undergraduate level and with more depth at the graduate level.

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e. Does the design of the program include a capstone experience, such as an exit project (which would not necessarily be a research experience)?

The advanced year field placement is designed to be a capstone

experience. This experience requires students to apply the knowledge and skills gained in the program in an actual field experience that totals 720 hours over the second year of the program. The evaluation of this experience involves a

thorough application of all of the coursework the student has taken. While it is theoretically possible for a student to pass coursework and not the field

experience, students must pass both academic and field work to successfully exit the program.

One requirement of the capstone field experience is the development of a portfolio. The portfolio is the documentation of the achievement of the goals and objectives of the program. In the portfolio, the student collects evidence of the application and mastery of the knowledge base and skills developed in the courses during throughout the program. The portfolio is reviewed periodically during the second year of the program to make sure the student is making adequate progress. At the time of the final review of the portfolio, the student should have all student outcomes, course objectives, and individual identified professional goals well documented.

f. Does the proposed program identify faculty resources appropriate for the research component of the program?

Students take a foundation course that incorporates research methods with statistical applications. Students are also required at the advanced level to select between a micro-level research class that covers issues of single subject design and a macro-level class that covers needs assessment and program evaluation. Because there is a gap between social work research and practice in the practice community, students also enroll in two one-credit-hour Journal Review Seminar classes. These classes are designed to be specific to the student’s field of practice, prepare the student to evaluate research findings and use them in a practice setting to support an evidenced-based practice model. The faculty are also a resource through their interests and abilities to enhance the research component.

The program does not have a thesis requirement, although select students may elect to complete a thesis. There are sufficient faculty resources to provide this option and cover the other research responsibilities of the program.

g. Does the program curriculum offer what students need to know for competence at the expected level of professional expertise?

To maintain the relevance of the program, the program is developing a comprehensive assessment to insure that the program stays both current and relevant for our graduates. Further, we plan on continual assessment of the program, once it is in operation to insure our graduates maintain competence at the expected level for Masters’ prepared social workers.

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Further, the Association for Social Work Boards recently completed a massive practice analysis in the United States and Canada. As a result, there has been a shift in content representation on the licensing test, based on what social work professionals said they did in their jobs. We will have access to the scores our graduates earn on the licensing exam and plan to use that as one measure of our effectiveness in preparing graduate level professional social workers.

Additional means for insuring that our graduates are competent and well prepared include utilizing the expertise of our faculty, who together have more than 100 years of social work practice experience. We also have an Advisory Board made up of members of the local social work community who assist us in insuring the competence and relevance of our undergraduate program and will do so for the MSW Program.

h. What plans have been made to address standards and guidelines for professional accreditation, if applicable?

The Council on Social Work Education provides the standard for

professional social work programs. Accreditation is received through a series of steps or “Benchmarks.” Recognizing the importance of this professional approval process, the program has already begun the accreditation process, receiving “candidacy” status in June 2004. The Benchmark II document has recently been submitted to CSWE for approval and we completed our second site visit on February 2, 2005. At the end of the Benchmark I step, the program was found to be in compliance with the education standards with no corrective response required by the program. The site visitor for our most recent visit has recommended that we continue in candidacy. Approval for continuation of candidacy status will be made at the June 2005 meeting of the Commission on Accreditation of CSWE. It should be noted that programs are required to be in candidacy for no less than two years. Students are not in any jeopardy when enrolled in programs with candidacy status that are progressing satisfactorily. In addition to the analysis given in the first paragraph above under Section II.D.1., for professional graduate degree programs, academic quality assessment will focus on the adequacy of the answers provided in response to the following questions:

a. What admission criteria, in addition to the traditionally required transcripts, standardized test scores, letter of recommendation, and personal statements of purpose, will be used to assess the potential for academic and professional success of prospective students? The special consideration of student

experience and extant practical skills within the admission process should be specifically noted.

In addition to the traditional criteria established by the Graduate School at the University of Toledo, the applicant to the MSW Program must submit a personal statement that speaks to her/his commitment to social and economic justice as well as the applicant’s professional goals over the next ten years. The

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personal statement is important because the program is not designed to prepare graduates for work in private practice. As such, an applicant indicating that private practice is his/her professional goal will be advised to consider other MSW programs that will be better suited to meet this goal.

Additionally, the personal statement and references from both employers and prior faculty members will be evaluated for a “fit” with the social work profession and our program’s focus on social and economic justice. Applicants must convey their adherence to the values and ethics of the profession.

Applicants with no evidence of the above will not be admitted to the program. The Council on Social Work Education does not permit programs to provide course credit for work experience. It is our hope that each class admitted would have a mixture of students who have experience as well as those without much professional experience. However, this will not be a condition of

admission.

We do plan to encourage diversity among the students accepted to the program. This includes diversity of gender, age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, and experience in the profession, etc.

b. If field experience is subsumed within the academic experience, how does that experience relate to the academic goals of the professional degree program? Provide a description of the involvement of supervisory

personnel. Describe the level of communication between the field experience site and the academic department. Provide an outline of the anticipated student activities as well as student requirements.

The foundation year field placement is designed to give students a

beginning experience in a social work agency. During the first semester, students take “Foundation Social Work Field Lab.” In this course, students are introduced to the purpose and goals of the field experience as well as the mission, goals and objectives of the program overall. During this semester students are matched with an agency and begin to accrue field experience hours in the agency. The second semester, the students take “Foundation Social Work Field Placement,” where they continue their placement from the first semester. In total, students spend 368 hours in the foundation field placement.

The advanced year placement is designed to provide students with an opportunity to develop more complex skills in working as an advanced generalist social worker with systems of all sizes. Goals of the advanced placement are directly related to the advanced course work the students take. Ultimately, the students will be evaluated on their ability to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom as well as in the field setting.

The advanced year field placement is linked not only with the advanced generalist curriculum, but also with the concentration the student has chosen. For example, students in the mental health concentration will be placed in agencies providing mental health services. Students are required to demonstrate the knowledge and skills gained from the concentration curriculum as well.

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In the advanced year, students are in the field agency a total of 24 hours per week. This means that through the advanced year, they will spend 720 hours in the agency. Both “Advanced Social Work Field Experience I” and “Advanced Social Work Field Experience II” are five credit hour courses.

Students are required to develop a learning contract that is specifically linked to the program’s objectives, and in the advanced year, to the concentration objectives. The evaluation tool is directly derived from the program and

concentration objectives as well.

The program, in accordance with accreditation, requires that those who supervise our students in the field have an MSW degree with at least two years of post-MSW experience. Students will have on-site supervision sessions no less than one hour per week, with supervisors available as students encounter

questions or other concerns during their field experience. These supervisors will be required to attend orientation training as well as other trainings specifically developed to assist them in the supervisory task. Our field staff make visits to agencies at least once per semester and more often if a need is identified. On site supervisors are encouraged to contact the field staff whenever they feel it is needed. At the very least, the field staff make contact with the on site supervisors at least twice per semester.

c. If the faculty qualifications associated with the professional graduate degree program differ from national norms and the traditional standards of faculty experience, how do such qualifications differ and why do they differ?

Provide the specific qualifications of adjunct, part-time, and special faculty who do not hold traditional academic credentials. Also, give a rationale for such faculty without academic credentials to participate in the professional degree program as regular program faculty.

Faculty must have an MSW degree with at least two years of post-MSW experience in social work practice and a Ph.D. in social work or a related area. All of the faculty teaching in the graduate program have these qualifications which are consistent for MSW Programs nationally.

Persons with MSW degrees and no less than five years of social work practice experience manage our field program. They do not hold the Ph.D. degree. Because their duties are specific to field and do not hold the faculty requirement of research engagement, these are accepted qualifications. Again, these qualifications are consistent with those in MSW programs nationally and meets the standard set forth by CSWE.

We expect that the use of part-time and special faculty will be rare. Use of part-time faculty will only occur if the part-time faculty member has an MSW degree and extensive experience in the subject matter they will be teaching. The value of the faculty member’s experience will be weighed carefully against the qualifications of the traditional faculty member to determine which will provide the strongest learning experience for the students.

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d. How does accreditation by the appropriate professional organization relate to the academic experience outlined in the program plan? Describe the specific aspects of the program plan, if any, which are necessary for the purpose of achieving professional accreditation?

CSWE provides thorough guidelines for compliance by social work programs to insure the quality of graduates of those programs. As such, it has offered a framework on which we have developed our program. First, we are required to have a foundation year that is generalist in focus and an advanced year that offers a specialization. We have chosen the advanced generalist model as our specialization. We offer three field of practice concentrations, consistent with information gained from our feasibility study. They are child and family, mental health, and aging.

Additionally, we are required to offer coursework that fits into the

categories of policy, practice, human behavior in the social environment, research and field. All of our coursework fits into these curriculum areas. Content in the courses is designed to meet our specific mission, goals, and objectives, but also meet the required content of values and ethics, diversity, populations-at-risk and social and economic justice.

CSWE requires students finishing a graduate program to have completed 900 total hours of field education. Our students complete 368 hours at the

foundation level or have accrued 368 hours as undergraduate social work students and 720 hours at the advanced level. We exceed the minimum accreditation requirement.

CSWE also requires that faculty who teach practice and field have the MSW degree with post-MSW experience. It is also required that an MSW Program must have a minimum of 6 FTE faculty with the master’s program as their primary assignment. CSWE also provides an expected student-to-faculty ratio of 12:1. These requirements are met with our plan for implementing the MSW as outlined in this document and the Benchmark documents that have been submitted to CSWE.

e. What is the relationship between theory and practice as it is expressed through the proposed curriculum? Identify a set of core courses and show how the curriculum enhances the student’s professional preparation.

Ecological systems theory has long provided a theoretical base to the work of social worker. Understanding that personal challenges are rooted in systemic causes enables the social worker to work at multi-levels to enhance functioning and effect change. This multi-level approach requires the social worker to see the person in his/her environment, competently assessing both. It also requires the worker to be able to apply interventions with the person as well as with the environment.

At an undergraduate level, the systems model is presented in a somewhat linear, non-complex way. At the graduate level, this approach is introduced in its full complexity, identifying the multidimensional aspects of human interactions

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within the processes of their environments, recognizing that this is neither linear, nor static.

Using ecological systems theories as a base, students are also introduced to a variety of other theoretical models such as cognitive behavioral, solution focused, task-centered, empowerment, feminist, and social constructivism. Students learn how these theoretical models are put into action in their work with clients. They also learn to evaluate the utility of these models when working with different systems.

The best example of curriculum enhancing the student’s professional preparation can be seen when considering the practice classes that are taken in conjunction with the field placement. Students take Advanced Generalist Practice I, II and III concurrently with their two concentration courses. The field

placement requires that the student engage in practice that builds on what has been learned in the classroom. For example, in class students learn the theoretical applications and write papers involving assessment, intervention, and practice evaluation. In the concurrent field placement, students engage in actual

assessment, intervention, and practice evaluation. They have the ability to see an immediate transfer of learning.

f. Does the number of credit hours required for graduation differ significantly from traditional graduate degree program? How is the number of credit hours required for graduation influenced by mandated professional experience?

The proposed MSW Program requires 60 semester hours for graduation. This is more than many traditional graduate programs from a variety of

disciplines. However, it is consistent with MSW programs across the country. The number of required hours in the program is affected by two mandates of the program. First, foundation coursework is offered in the first year of the program and advanced coursework in the second year. Second, students must enroll in 16 credit hours of field education to obtain the required 900 hours required by CSWE. Six of these hours are taken during the foundation year and ten at the advanced year.

It should also be noted, however, that the program provides an advanced standing option for students who have completed a bachelor of social work degree from an accredited social work program. Students who are awarded advanced standing complete 33 credit hours to obtain the MSW degree. The advanced standing program that focuses on the advanced generalist courses and field placements is more closely aligned with the number of credit hours required by traditional graduate programs.

g. Can it be demonstrated that the culminating academic experience, such as an exit project, thesis, or dissertation, will contribute to the enhancement of the student’s professional preparation? In support of the response here, provide a list of possible research project, thesis, or dissertation topics.

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The culminating academic experience is the preparation of the portfolio associated with the advanced field placement. The portfolio contains assignments related to the student’s practice in field placement, demonstrating the ability to translate the knowledge and skills presented in the classroom to professional social work practice. The portfolio demonstrates that the student has made consistent linkages between the knowledge and skills of the social work profession thus demonstrating their professional preparation.

Students will not be required to complete a thesis or research project. However, if they choose to do so, they will be supported by the faculty in this endeavor. Students will be encouraged to engage in theses that promote the practice of social work through the creation of studies that promote evidence-based practice.

Topics students may select could include:

a. Impact of educational focus on the academic success of foster children b. Constituent perspectives on levy driven social services

c. Social workers as legislators

d. Impact of Medicaid reductions on client mental health e. Retirement preparation

2. Need

a. Student interest and demand Potential enrollment

Ability to maintain the critical mass of students.

The Social Work Department has collected various forms of data over the past eight years in an effort to document student need for the MSW Program at the University of Toledo. A survey was designed to measure the outcomes of our BSW Program. With 168 graduates of our undergraduate social work program from 1996 through 2001 responding to the question if they “would like to see an MSW Program at the University of Toledo,” 91% (153 respondents) indicated that they would.

A separate feasibility study surveying alumni of Bowling Green State University and University of Toledo was conducted between 1999-2001. Results from the 87 responses indicated that 75% (65) would attend an MSW Program at The University of Toledo, 19% (17) were undecided, and only 6% (5) indicated they would prefer attending an MSW Program elsewhere.

Currently, we have over 130 people in Northwest Ohio who have

requested to be on our mailing list waiting for an application to our proposed MSW program. This mailing list was developed over the past two years (2002-2004) from persons contacting the Department of Social Work to inquire about an MSW Program. Calls for the mailing list were not solicited.

At this time, there is not an MSW located in Ohio within 125 miles of the Toledo area. As a result, there are many people in the Northwest Ohio area who have shown significant interest in the development of this program.

The program expects to enroll 15 full-time and 15 part-time students in its inaugural class. Those students would not be eligible for advanced standing

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and would require the entire program, both the foundation and the advanced year. Consequently, only foundation level courses will be offered during the first year of the program. In the second year, 15 new full-time and 15 new part-time students would be admitted that require the full two year program as well as 15 students who would have successfully completed an undergraduate social work degree from an accredited social work program, needing to complete only the advanced year of the program. 15 full-time and 15 part-time continue from year one. It is expected that when the program is in full operation, there will be roughly 90 total students working toward graduation.

After the initial demand for the MSW is met, the program will maintain a critical mass of students based on ongoing factors. Our undergraduate program at the University of Toledo graduates approximately 60 students per year with over half indicating interest in pursuing a master’s degree in Social Work. There are five other accredited BSW programs in the Northwest Ohio area: Bluffton University, Bowling Green State University, Defiance College, Lourdes College, and the University of Findlay.

Not only are there a number of BSW programs in Northwest Ohio, there are also several BSW Programs in Michigan within an hour’s drive to Toledo. They include Madonna University in Livonia, Sienna Heights in Adrian, Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, University of Detroit Mercy, Wayne State University, and Marygrove College all in Detroit. It is expected that some of these graduates will be interested in attending our program.

A second ongoing factor are students who complete an undergraduate degree in related fields such as Sociology or Psychology who may want to complete an MSW degree to obtain employment in social work. Due to the licensing laws in Ohio, persons earning degrees in related fields after October 1992 are not eligible to be licensed as social workers. They must obtain a social work degree.

b) Institutional need

Plan for overall development of graduate programs at the proposing institutions.

The University of Toledo created the College of Health and Human Services in July 1999 with the Social Work Department created in August 2000. University level administration requested that the college and department move toward the development of the MSW Program. To that end the college has added faculty to the department including three at the associate professor level to

support a future graduate program. The faculty in the College of Health and Human Services had previously approved the Pre-proposal for the MSW program and has approved the proposed MSW program.

The University of Toledo is fully committed to the MSW program and, by approval of this document, has committed resources to its success. It is expected that the program will be self-sufficient, with most of the students paying tuition. The program is consistent with the mission of the university. These criteria are primary considerations when a new graduate program is proposed.