HD 385-01, Perspectives in Human Services
Fall 2008
Instructor Information:
Jackie McReynolds
Education/Human
Development Building, Room 228
Phone: 360-546-9740
Fax: 360-546-9076
Office Hours:
Tuesdays, 10:00 a.m. - Noon,
or by appointment (546-9721)
Email: mcreynol@vancouver.wsu.edu
Home page: http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/mcreynolds/mcreynolds.html
Course Information:
Schedule:
Monday, Wednesday, 9:10 - 10:25 a.m.
Location:
Multimedia Classroom Building, Room 217
Course Description:
This course provides an in-depth study of the human service system, theoretical perspectives in human services, and strategies for delivery of services to diverse clientele.
Prerequisites:
Six hours of Anthropology, Human Development, Psychology or Sociology.
Description:
This is a three-credit, upper-division course focusing on history, issues, and delivery options and perspectives in social and human service programs in the United States. Course content centers on cultural and contextual perspectives and highlights human ecological systems theory and applied aspects with emphasis on structures of change within a social context.
Course Objectives:
Students participating in this course will:
- acquire an understanding of traditional and emerging theoretical frameworks for the design and delivery of human services;
- identify current administrative, management and supervisory structures;
- analyze the impact of family, social, and physical environments on service delivery;
- demonstrate an understanding of the complex relationships between human developmental change and service design;
- identify best practice indicators for service delivery with special emphasis on how service delivery is influenced by and should reflect varying (multi) cultural perspectives; and
- apply theoretical concepts through analysis of case reviews, practice evaluation, observation, role play, and real-life conditions.
Top of Page
Required Texts and Other Materials:
Required Text:
Martin, M.E. (2007). Introduction to Human Services. Boston, MA: Pearson.
On-Line Resources:
www.nationalhumanservices.org/ (National Organization for Human Services)
www.usda.gov (United States Dept. of Agriculture)
www.hhs.gov (United States Dept. of Health and Human Services)
www.hud.gov (United States Dept. of Housing and Urban Development)
www.dol.gov (United States Dept. of Labor, see bls. gov web site)
www.ssa.gov (United States Social Security Administration)
www.211.org (Information and Referral for Human Services)
www.connectipedia.com/ (Connect+ipedia)
Top of Page
Classroom Requirements:
Required Assignments:
Exams: There will be three exams, each worth 100 points. Exams will be comprised of multiple/choice, true/false, and short answer questions that will measure understanding of the course material from the text, lectures, and presentations. There will be no review sheets distributed by the instructor prior to exams. Scantron forms will be required.
Case Studies: Each student will write up two (2) case study analyses, providing background, process, and explicit detail on appropriate case management technique and intervention rationale. One case study will be completed individually and the other will be done by students working in small groups. Complete instructions will be provided in class.
Context Projects: Human services impact and provide assistance to individuals and families every day in our country. For this project, each student will research a human service organization within their own community gather very specific information about that organization, and then prepare a short paper. A brief presentation will be made by each student to the class.
Top of Page
Grading:
Grading Procedure Summary:
| Requirement | Points | Grade Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Exams (3) | 100 each for total of 300 |
60% |
| Case Studies (2) | 50 each for total of 100 |
20% |
| Context Project (1) | total of 100l |
20% |
Grading Scale:
The standard Human Development grading scale is as follows:
| Grade | Percent | Points |
|---|---|---|
| A | 100-94 | 470-500 |
| A- | 93-90 | 450-469 |
| B+ | 89-87 | 435-449 |
| B | 86-83 | 415-434 |
| B- | 82-80 | 400-414 |
| C+ | 79-77 | 385-399 |
| C | 76-73 | 365-384 |
| C- | 72-70 | 350-364 |
| D+ | 69-67 | 335-349 |
| D | 66-60 | 300-334 |
| F | 59 or below | 299 and under |
Reasonable Accommodations:
Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have a documented disability. Please notify the instructor during the first week of class of any accommodations needed for the course. Late notification may cause the requested accommodations to be unavailable. Students requiring special accommodations should contact the Disability Services Program Coordinator, Student Services Center Lower Level or 360 546-9138, to make accommodations.
Procedure for Seeking Counseling Services:
WSU Vancouver provides counseling services through an on-campus counselor and through agencies in the region. Access to these services is by referral only. Referral forms are available from the Student Resource Center (VSSC). Please call (360) 546-9155 for more information.
Inclement Weather:
When students have questions about classes being held during inclement weather, please contact the faculty support for the department. Faculty support will have information regarding class closures and will post that information on their voice mail messages. Please see the faculty support telephone: Lynda Dezellem, Human Development, 360/546-9721.
Student Conduct and Academic Dishonesty:
Per the WSU Vancouver Student Handbook, students are, "Expected to show due respect for ... the rights of others". Students should be familiar with the Washington State University standards of conduct. The following web site for the WSU Vancouver Student Handbook provides information on student conduct and the academic integrity process: vancouver.wsu.edu/ss/handbook/conduct.html.
Academic Integrity:
Academic integrity is the cornerstone of the university and will be strongly enforced in this course. Any student caught cheating on any assignment will be given an “F” for the assignment and may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for disciplinary action.
Academic Calendar:
The WSU Vancouver Academic Calendar for the current semester is located at the following web site http://www.registrar.wsu.edu/Registrar/Apps/AcadCal.ASPX. Please refer to this document for important dates and deadlines throughout the semester.
Electronic Mail:
All students are required to be on email to further communication between students and instructor and to communicate in blackboard and group projects. Students at WSU Vancouver have access to free e-mail by going to the following web site: http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/vis/vit/accounts.htm. A home e-mail account is also acceptable, but students are encouraged to obtain a university email account and forward it to their home email account to facilitate receiving information regarding advising, registration, and course evaluations through My WSU.
Procedure for Submitting and Retrieving Papers and Assignments:
The Human Development Department maintains a student drop box for students submitting assignments to HD faculty. Students use the student drop box on the second floor of the EHD building. Directions are located on the top of the box. The box is checked several times daily and the contents distributed according to the faculty name you have placed on the envelope. DO NOT submit assignments by putting them in the file cabinet. The file cabinet is used only for returning graded assignments to students and for students to pick up copies of non-graded class materials such as class notes, etc. All graded material will be returned in an envelope with each student's name and the course number on the outside and placed in the alphabetical files by LAST name. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT A COPY OF ALL ASSIGNMENTS TURNED IN BE SAVED ELECTRONICALLY AND THAT YOU ALSO KEEP A PAPER (HARD) COPY. All student papers will be maintained in the HD file cabinet for six weeks following the posting of grades at the end of each semester. After six weeks, all papers, tests, etc. will be shredded.
Late assignments:
All assignments will be considered LATE if they are not received by the specified date and time. A late assignment is unacceptable unless a student has received the instructor’s permission for an extension prior to the due date; a daily penalty will apply to all late assignments. An exam cannot be made up unless the instructor gives permission to the student to take a late exam prior to administering that exam on the regular date.
Blackboard:
Lecture outlines, announcements, gradebook, and other course materials will be made available to students on Blackboard. The Blackboard site can be found at: www.blackboard.wsu.edu . Plan to bookmark this site in your computer.
Emergency Notification System:
WSU has made an emergency notification system available for faculty, students and staff. Please register at myWSU with emergency contact information (cell, email, text, etc). You may have been prompted to complete emergency contact information when registering for classes on RONet. In the event of a Building Evacuation, a map at each classroom entrance shows the evacuation point for each building. Please refer to it. Finally, in case of class cancellation campus-wide, please check local media, the WSU Vancouver web page and/or http://www.flashalert.net/. Individual class cancellations may be made at the discretion of the instructor. Each individual is expected to make the best decision for their personal circumstances, taking safety into account.
Schedule:
Tentative Course Outline
| Week | Date | Readings/Assignments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 25 | Review syllabus and course requirements; introduction to subject |
| Aug 27 | Introduction to the Profession, Chapter 1 | |
| 2 | Sept 1 | Labor Day Holiday, No Classes, Offices Closed |
| Sept 3 | History and Evolution, Chapter 2 | |
| 3 | Sept 8 | Skills and Intervention Strategies, Chapter 3 |
| Sept 10 | Chapter 3, continued | |
| 4 | Sept 15 | Child and Family Services, Chapter 4 |
| Sept 17 | Chapter 4, continued | |
| 5 | Sept 22 | Adolescent Services, Chapter 5 |
| Sept 24 | Chapter 5, continued Individual Case Study is due today |
|
| 6 | Sept 29 | Exam #1 |
| Oct 1 | Aging and Services for the Elderly, Chapter 6 | |
| 7 | Oct 6 | Chapter 6, continued |
| Oct 8 | Mental Health and Mental Illness, Chapter 7 | |
8 |
Oct 13 | Chapter 7, continued |
| Oct 15 | Homelessness, Chapter 8 | |
9 |
Oct 20 | Chapter 8, continued |
| Oct 22 | Health Care and Hospice, Chapter 9 | |
10 |
Oct 27 | Chapter 9, continued |
| Oct 29 | Substance Abuse and Treatment, Chapter 10 | |
11 |
Nov 3 | Chapter 10, continued |
| Nov 5 | Exam #2 | |
12 |
Nov 10 | Human Services in the Schools, Chapter 11 |
| Nov 11 | Veteran's Day Holiday, No Classes, Offices Closed | |
| Nov 12 | Faith-based Agencies, Chapter 12 | |
13 |
Nov 17 | Violence, Victim Advocacy, and Corrections, Chapter 13 |
| Nov 19 | Chapter 13, continued Group Case Study Due Today |
|
| Nov 24-28 | Thanksgiving Vacation, No Classes | |
14 |
Dec 1 | Macro Practice and International Social Justice, Chapter 14 |
| Dec 3 | Professional Ethics and Values, Chapter 15 | |
15 |
Dec 8 | Context Project presentations today in class |
| Dec 10 | Context Project presentations today in class | |
16 |
Dec 15-19 | Exam #3, Wednesday, Dec 17, 8:00-10:00 a.m. |
Useful Links:
You may find some useful information at web sites listed on the department resources page.