Assignment task: The Martinez family, lives in Payson, AZ in a tight-knit community.
Maria (68) and Jose (70) are both retired, first generation Mexican Americans with limited English proficiency. Maria is a former nurse and Jose is a military veteran. They live with their daughter, Elena (42), a single mother working two jobs, and Miguel (45), their son, struggling with substance use. Elena's children, Carlos (15) and Isabella (12), also live in the home. The family lives in an aging home that is 60 years old.
Maria and Jose have a modest pension. Maria suffers from diabetes and arthritis and is consistently having to navigate the medicare system. Jose faces PTSD from his military service, and is reluctant to seek mental health support.
Elena works as a cashier and a part-time cleaner. The stress of juggling jobs and parenting is leading to some depressive symptoms. Elena is also a survivor of intimate partner violence, which has left emotional scars and contributes to her current mental health struggles. Carlos has been sent to the principal's office for behavior issues. He says school is boring, but Elena is concerned it could be in response to witnessing the intimate partner violence she has experienced. Isabella is a gifted student, but sometimes struggles with friends. She wishes she was able to keep up with the latest clothing and technology trends, but can't afford the latest and often gets items handed down from her cousins.
Miguel's substance use impacts his employment stability. He has a history of heroin use and recently released from jail. He is determined to stay clean and get his life together.
You need to address the following questions in your response:
1-What similarities and differences do you see between international students who just learned English two years a ago and the case study client? Why might it be important to be aware of our similarities and differences in social work? How does your own life experience shape your opinion about this case?
2-How would you demonstrate empathy for your client, (be specific to which client and how you would demonstrate empathy)? How is this different than showing sympathy to your client? Discuss if showing empathy would be challenging or not for you, and why.
3-Explain the differences between micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work. Give a specific, original example of how a social worker could support the client(s) in the case study on each level.
4-What client(s) is poverty a presenting concern for? How do you know this?
5-In what ways would a social worker be able to advocate for your client's civil rights/social justice? Consider the Advocacy Model in Action (Chapter 4)