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Does anybody here work in the Social Services fields?

Ok, here's my problem... I work for a charitable, non profit organization, running a transitional living center. We house around 100 people, singles and families, and provide supportive services to them (ie; case management). Because our organization believes in hiring people who deserve a second chance (which I support), I have staff under me who do not fully understand "best practices" in social service work.

For example, issues like an agency will come to us to check on one of their clients (DHS or parole and probation), and my staff thinking our release of information covers casual conversations, and will just start chatting with them regarding their cleints behavior on our property. (Not understanding their are appropriate/inappropriate things to share, and only certain staff should be sharing them).

Another issue would be poor boundaries with clients. Not understanding how to be staff, friendly yet professional, and not be drawn into the clients drama.

I have been using every staff meeting to cover these topics, and I feel I am getting nowhere....

Do any of you know of a resource I could use to help me train my staff? It can't be a full out training they attend as we dont have the resources. But I can purchase pretty much anything.

Have any of you ran into this yourself?

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Nimue930

Asked by Nimue930 at 3:00 PM on Jan. 28, 2013 in Money & Work

35972 Level 28
Answers (6)
  • Would it go under HIPPA guidelines? I worked in a similar situation before, I ran a unit in a non-profit organization designed to provide work & life skills to mentally ill adults. Mine was the clerical unit, they answered the agency's phones, made copies, wrote our newsletter, etc. And, they would occasionally give out info they shouldn't over the phone. So, I arranged for a person from HIPPA to come give a class to them.

    3libras

    Answer by 3libras at 3:07 PM on Jan. 28, 2013

    Credits: 370633 Level 50 1 star1 star Money & Work Minor
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  • yeah, that might work... we are bound by HIPPA... Let me look into that. Thanks...
    Nimue930

    Comment by Nimue930 (original poster) at 3:42 PM on Jan. 28, 2013

    Credits: 35972 Level 28 1 star Money & Work 101
  • I had this exact same problem when I worked in a clinic on a reservation in the Midwest. What ultimately worked for me was two pronged:

    1. Small group meetings with mock scenarios. This was I was able to develop the scenarios that fit our organization like a glove. Otherwise, I would have spent a chunk of change on resources that I would have had to tailor to us, and

    2. Train the trainer - So, once we finished the mock scenarios (and this took a lot more than one meeting) I would chose 3 or 4 people to hold the next session. This was empowering and it gave my most eager employees a boost in morale. A secondary benefit was that often, these individual were much better able to get the point across to others because they were contemporaries.
    Mrs_Prissy

    Answer by Mrs_Prissy at 5:16 PM on Jan. 28, 2013

    Credits: 32358 Level 27 1 star Money & Work 101
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  • I apologize for apparently no longer being able to speak anything more that rudimentary English lol
    Mrs_Prissy

    Answer by Mrs_Prissy at 5:17 PM on Jan. 28, 2013

    Credits: 32358 Level 27 1 star Money & Work 101
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  • I would draft some policies and a confidentiality agreement that all staff are required to sign and adhere to. I have worked in this area zas an Administrator for 25 years and as a consultant on this very issue. Here is a sample http://socialwork.uw.edu/research/research-toolkit/human-subjects/sample-confidentiality-agreement
    booklover545

    Answer by booklover545 at 6:25 PM on Jan. 28, 2013

    Credits: 104696 Level 38 1 star1 star1 star Money & Work Major
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  • It's unfortunate that organizations like this will just "hire anyone' to do the job, because it's "cheap labor". I've been there, done that, and KNOW exactly how frustrating it is to try to educate on the job someone that doesn't have the comprehension of a banana.
    romanceparty4u

    Answer by romanceparty4u at 12:05 PM on Feb. 2, 2013

    Credits: 1827 Level 14 1 star1 star Money & Work Minor
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