The Role of Social Work in Reintegration
Kathleen Ray, PhD, MSW, LCSW
Rita Torres, MSW, LCSWSocial Workers, NJ WRIISC
Goals of Talk
Identify determinants affecting reintegration Distinguish the social work process of
assessment Recognize the role of social work on the WRIISC
team Implement social work expertise within the PACT
Team setting
Reintegration
Transition from combat deployment and return to community life Active military service to civilian roles
and activities
Common pathway, but different for everyone Success depends on a multitude of individual
and environmental factors
Determinants of Reintegration
Participation
Body Function
Environmental Factors
Personal FactorsBody Structure
Activity
Social Work
Trained in identifying determinants of reintegration
Uses ecosystems framework
to understand relationships,
vocation, living circumstances
on bio-psycho social concerns Targets areas need to strengthen for
optimization of medical/psychological well being. Tailors discharge plan
Ecosystems Perspective
Framework of practice Concepts from ecology and
general systems theory Interaction and adaptation
between people and their environments
Implications for Change
Social Workers and clients join forces against problematic fit of client and environment rather than judge clients to be deficient
Change in one part of system will change other parts
Focus on strengths
WRIISC (War Related Illness and Injury Study Center)
What is the WRIISC?Clinical EvaluationResearchEducation
The Roles of Social Work at WRIISC
Part of the interdisciplinary
team
Advocate
Change agent
BrokerEducator
Case Manager
Liaison
The Tasks of Social Work at WRIISC
Chart review
Engage Veteran
Psychosocial assessment
Provide social work recommendations
Tasks (cont’d.)
Create treatment plan with interdisciplinary team members
Empower Veteran to assume responsibility for implementation of plan
Follow up with Veteran after WRIISC visit and track progress
Maintaining current library of resources
Treatment Plan
General Specific Goal – as close as possible to providing a
”seamless transition” between Veteran’s military lifestyle and re-integration to civilian life.
What Helps Make the Social Worker More Effective on a Team
Part of the team Inclusion from the beginning Access to both Veteran and
family to develop effective supports for treatment implementation
Recommendations must be practical and feasible
How PACT can Utilize Social Work Services **
Gather information not necessarily provided during a physical exam
Offer guidance for realistic recommendations Identify barriers to access care Provide supports to maximize Veteran ability to
implement WRIISC recommendations Empower Veteran to direct own health care Educate Veteran on navigating system and advocate for
Veteran as needed Follow up on recommendations