An Introduction to Human Services, 2nd Edition

Deborah P. Valentine, Cynthia Cannon Poindexter

Copyright 2007
{{checkPublicationMessage('Published', '2006-07-20T00:00:00+0000')}}

Quick Navigation

Overview
Meet the Authors
What's New
Features
Table of Contents
Pricing

Overview

This concise, useful guide introduces the necessary basic skills students need to effectively support and guide persons who need assistance from social services systems. A "must read" for human services workers, students, and volunteers, this book provides key information, values, and skills needed to be an effective helper. The authors cover topics such as helping persons living with HIV, working with persons with mental illness, and taking care of oneself. Authors Cynthia Poindexter and Deborah Valentine present an eclectic approach and provide useful information for students taking an introductory course in human services or interviewing or for professional facilitators teaching groups of helpers.

Meet the Authors

{{collapseContainerClosed['meet-the-author'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

Deborah P. Valentine

Deborah Valentine is currently a professor and director of the School of Social Work at Colorado State University. She teaches social work practice at the BSW, MSW and PhD levels. Her areas of research interest include social work practice with children and families and people with developmental disabilities. Dr. Valentine has published numerous articles and books based on her research, and has presented her work at national and international conferences. She has taught social work classes in Ecuador, Lithuania and Korea. She began a three-year term as the Editor-in-Chief of the JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION in May 2003.

Cynthia Cannon Poindexter

Dr. Poindexter is an associate professor in the School of Social Services at Fordham University. Her areas of research and interest include HIV/AIDS, Management, Community Practice, and Gerontology.

What's New

{{collapseContainerClosed['whats-new'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

Client-centered, community based, strengths-oriented practice themes are enhanced through additional examples, vignettes, and the Think About It sections.
New chapters on working with families (Chapter 9), groups (Chapter 10), and the revised communities chapter (11) provides students with the skills to work with all the systems sizes that they are likely to encounter in real practice.
The new chapter on program management and supervision (Chapter 12) addresses the information that helping professionals will need as they take on managerial and supervisory tasks in their practices.
The authors' emphasis on critical thinking and questioning stereotypes and biases in both reading and practice encourage students to formulate their own opinions and style of helping.
In keeping with current perspectives, the discussion of culture now includes the subject of oppression.

Features

{{collapseContainerClosed['features'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

Case studies in each chapter illustrate the helping techniques and difficulties that may arise for the people involved in human services.
"Think About It" sections provide an opportunity to further explore chapter topics.
Exercises which can be assigned or done independently help students grasp the techniques presented in the text.

{{collapseContainerClosed['table-of-contents'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

Section I. LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
1. Introduction: What Does It Mean To Be A Helper?
2. Attitudes And Values Of Helping.
3. Awareness Of Others: Addressing Oppression And Culture.
4. The Helping Relationship.
5. Active Listening Skills.
Section 2. FOUNDATIONS FOR HELPING.
6. The Helping Interview And Problem-Solving Process.
7. Crisis Intervention.
8. Case Management Or Service Coordination.
9. A Family Approach To Human Services.
10. A Group Approach To Human Services.
11. Class Advocacy And Community Organization.
12. Human Services Management And Supervision.
Section 3. APPLICATIONS TO SPECIAL AREAS.
13. Interpersonal Violence.
14. Aging.
15. HIV Disease.
16. Developmental Disabilities.
17. Working With Loss And Grief.
Section 4. CARING FOR THE CAREGIVER.
18. Attention To Self.
19. Putting It All Together.
References.