Description
Read the following case study on Jessi and answer the following questions. Main themes from student responses will be addressed during the live session, so come prepared to share your thoughts.What individual and family strengths do you notice? What do you see as the presenting problem(s)?What information is missing? What questions do you have of the family in order to better understand their situation?What cultural factors do you want to be aware of and what potential issues of bias, and/or overidentification, might come up for you? What work will you need to do in order to view this family from a positive multicultural/social justice/feminist lens?Using the Functional Behavior Analysis worksheet you read for this week, what target behavior changes would it be appropriate for you to work on with the family? What questions might you ask to gauge frequency, intensity, and duration of one of the target behaviors you’ve noted above?Background information.https://youtu.be/-6KzZKuQ1lkhttps://youtu.be/yhvaSEJtOV8
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SOWK 4003: Clinical Social Work Theory and Practice
University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work
The Case of Jessi
Jessi Sanchez, a biracial (Native American, Mexican American) 15-year-old youth, is in the
process of being released home after serving a four-week detainment at Gilliam Youth Services
Center. He lives near Abraham Lincoln High School where he attends as a freshman. His most
recent charge, just prior to being detained, was for bringing a marijuana joint to school and
smoking it in the gym locker room with some friends. His two other charges included
Misdemeanor Trespassing and Misdemeanor Obstructing and Hindering an Officer. Today is
Jessi’s first meeting with the recently appointed in-home family therapist and his family
(appointed by the courts). This initial session is being held at the detention center in their family
conference room, which is customary prior to releasing a child back into the community. Jessi
lives with his biological father, Samuel (31 years old) and paternal grandmother, Rosa (48 years
old). Jessi is nervous about having to participate in therapy with his family because his father
also uses marijuana recreationally, which means there is marijuana in the home on most days.
Jessi and his father enjoy playing PS4 together in the afternoons after school, they also enjoy
rebuilding and selling used low-rider bikes on the weekends. Jessi is a “B” student and enjoys
attending school. He is well liked by his teachers and is seen as the class clown by his peers.
Jessi’s father left Jessi’s mother when Jessi was 7 years old; his mother identifies as Native
American (the Arapahoe nation). Jessi knows that he needs help with quitting his smoking habit
in order to remain at his school of choice, which he actually likes. His probation officer reports
that he will be forced to attend an alternative school if he does not remain out of legal trouble
upon being released from the detention center in two days.
Jessi has been feeling “down” lately. Rosa, his grandmother, is worried about him because his
marijuana use has increased over the past several months and because his motivation to complete
his schoolwork has been steadily declining. She also worries that Jessi has so few friends his age
and often isolates himself in his room, “the only time he comes out is when he wants to play
video games with his dad in the living room.” Jessi is also significantly obese, which is of great
concern to his grandmother and his primary care physician (PCP). He says he does not like
vegetables or fruit, and that he usually has chips with a soft drink for lunch. Jessi has a few
friends he talks to at school, but doesn’t really spend time with kids his age outside of school. He
reports he is not interested in football, which his teachers are always encouraging him to play. He
says he prefers being at home with his dad than with friends his age. Additionally, Jessi reports
that he has often wondered about his mother’s side of the family and that he would love to get to
know them better: “I haven’t seen my mom since I was four, but I don’t remember anything
about her. I asked my grandma and dad why they won’t let me see her and all of them (maternal
side of the family), but all my dad says is that she’s not a good influence for me. And my
grandma doesn’t even answer or say anything when I bring it up. I don’t think that’s cool, but
I’m just a kid and I can’t drive yet.”
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