THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Course Number: SW 387R4/ 360K Instructor: M. Peterson Armour, Ph.D. Unique Number: 61005 E-mail: [email protected] Semester: Spring 2002 Phone: 471 3197 Meeting Time: Thurs. 5:30-8:30 Office Room: 3.122C Meeting Place: 2.130 Office Hours: Tuesday 1:30-2:30, Thursday 4:30-5:30 or by appointment ETHICS AND SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE I. COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is designed to help students become more effective in dealing with ethical issues in social work practice. It provides a theoretical framework to examine value and ethical dilemmas in a systematic manner. The course is intended to both deepen awareness of new and emerging ethical issues and to provide tools and methodologies for reflection and analysis. A model for ethical decision-making which incorporates the basic components of reflection, analysis, evaluation, and the justification of an ethical position is presented. The orienting frames which organize the content include: philosophical systems underlying major ethical theories; models for ethical choice; codes of ethics; social ethics; organizational ethics; human rights issues; client, third parties, and colleague issues; the ethics of indirect practice—administration and supervision; and bioethics. II. COURSE OBJECTIVES By the end of the semester, students will be able to: 1. Broaden awareness of the range of subtleties of the value/ethical conflicts in social work practice. 2. Deepen understanding of ethical theory and methodology and its application to ethical conflicts in social work practice. 3. Develop a greater understanding of both individual ethics and the ethics of institutions and collectivities. 4. Develop a greater understanding of how to practice in a conscious and ethical manner.5. Further understanding of the need for knowledge building in professional social work ethics, including the concept of human rights as an integral component of ethical reasoning. 6. Further appreciation of the responsibility of the profession to utilize philosophical tools of reflections and analysis in a systematic way to critique the underlying values of contemporary social institutions and social policies. 7. Further develop skill in analyzing ethical systems which inform social institutions and organizational structures within which social workers function. III. TEACHING METHODS AND CLASS ORGANIZATION This class uses lectures, discussion, small group exercises, guest speakers, videos, written assignments, and class presentations. IV. REQUIRED AND OPTIONAL TEXTS/MATERIALS Corey, G., Corey, M.S. & Callanan, P. (1998). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions. Fifth Edition. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks-Cole. Peterson, M. (1992). At Personal Risk: Boundary Violations in Professional Client Relationships. New York: W. W. Norton. Readings are available in the LRC (in the basement of the School of Social Work). They are listed under “Armour” by title of the article. Readings are also available on electronic reserves. To access them, go to http://www.utexas.edu/. Click Libraries, click Library Services-Reserves, click Electronic Reserve, click Marilyn Armour on the drop-down menu under Instructor. The password for the class will be given at the first class. Check the Electronic Reserves frequently for important information about the class. V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS The following course requirements will be completed during the semester, with points given for each course requirement. Grading will be based on total points accrued by the end of the semester. All papers should be typed and follow APA format. A handout about the APA format is available in the LRC. 1. Power Dynamics Paper (8-10 pages) Each student will apply material from class readings, lectures, and discussions on power to their family of origin. a) Analyze the sociopolitical context for the power held or not held by different family members. b) What types of power did different family members hold? c) How did family members express their power?d) How did you react to the expression of power by different family members? e) Describe the boundaries that were present in the family to protect the vulnerability of family members relative to each other’s power. f) What attitudes do you hold about power? g) Given your experiences in your family of origin, what difficulties might you have managing your power in relationships with clients? Write a paper that a) summarizes the literature on power and b) applies the literature to your family of origin and your behavior as a professional. 20 Points Possible 2. Boundary Violation Paper (10 pages) Each student will select a boundary violation that occurred at any point in his/her life with an authority figure. Describe the incident. Analyze the experience using the four characteristics of a boundary violation described in Chapter 4 of At Personal Risk. Describe and analyze the damage to you and/or others using the theory in Chapter 5 of At Personal Risk. Describe what you did (or might need to do) to heal from the violation. 30 Points Possible 3. Ethics Presentation and Paper (20 pages) Each student will select an ethical standard or current topic that has ethical implications. The selection will be made from the list of ethical standards and current topics to be covered from week 7 to week 14. The student will read articles that address different aspects or manifestations of the ethical standard/topic. The articles for each standard/topic are available in the LRC. The student will present the standard/ topic to the class during the week appropriated in the course schedule, e.g. the presentation on “Assisted Suicide” would take place the 12th week of the course. The presentation will use the following outline: I. Overview of the standard/topic. a) Application of the NASW Code of Ethics: What does the NASW Code of Ethics say about the standard? What standards apply to the topic? b) Historical development of the standard/topic: What is known about the how this standard or interest in this topic develop? Where is it today? II. Manifestation of the standard/ topic. a) Review of the articles: What is happening in the practice community that makes it necessary to address this ethical standard/topic? What are the variety of ways thisstandard/ topic is manifesting itself? Are there pro and con positions on the standard/topic? III. Discussion of two fact