Week 4 assignment Smorra

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Walden University *

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6311

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Sociology

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Jan 9, 2024

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6

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Needs Assessment Nagesca Joseph Walden University: Masters in social work SOCW 6311: Social Policy: Analysis and Advocacy Dr. Corrine Smorra December 24, 2023
A brief description of the program to be developed. The main topic of discussion will be the challenges associated with continuing treatment and offering outpatient psychological services to registered sex offenders. Although I initially spoke on the transportation issue in the agency, I also ran into another issue that I felt needed to be addressed. Ensuring the mental health needs of this specific demographic must be prioritized alongside public safety measures. A comprehensive and tailored approach must be developed for this problem to be adequately addressed. Delivering outpatient mental health therapy and continuity of care to registered sexual offenders while acknowledging their unique circumstances and needs is the goal of the program that is being suggested . The following components will be part of the program: Registered sexual offenders will be able to get mental health therapy from specialized mental health centers. These clinics will employ a team of specialists, including psychologists, social workers, counselors, and psychiatrists, who have received specialized training in working with this population (Dudley, J. R. 2020). Every client will also undergo a comprehensive assessment to determine their particular needs in terms of mental health. According to the evaluation, individualized treatment plans will be developed, accounting for factors such as crime-related requirements, risk evaluation, and trauma history (Dudley, J. R. 2020). treatment plan may include psychological counseling, medication administration, therapy, and career development initiatives. The initiative will employ a cooperative approach with several stakeholders. This calls for cooperation with law enforcement agencies, victim advocacy organizations, and probation and parole authorities to provide thorough assistance and adherence to legal requirements. As a result, an essential part of the treatment will involve putting relapse prevention strategies into place. This might mean teaching coping mechanisms, tackling the underlying issues that led to the offender's behavior, and encouraging them to live a healthy, constructive life. Criteria for inclusion in the program (which clients and why)
Registered sexual offenders who satisfy the following requirements will be the program's target audience: Lawful Requirement: The program will only accept participants who are required by law to register as sexual offenders. This guarantees that the program focuses on those who have a history of verified sexual crimes. Mental Health Needs will be another topic of attention. Particular attention will be given to clients with mental health needs, which includes those with drug addiction issues, symptoms associated with trauma, or other mental health issues that may be a contributing component in their criminal activities. Justification for the Proposed Program: A few best practices may be applied to obtain reliable data demonstrating the program's necessity. Among these techniques are: A comprehensive analysis of relevant research papers and peer-reviewed academic journal publications will shed light on the mental health needs of registered sexual offenders (Biringer, E., Hartveit, M., Sundfør, B., et al., 2017). Evaluation of research literature. This research review (Dudley, J. R. 2020) may be utilized to highlight the value of continuity of care, the impact of untreated mental health issues on the prevalence of recidivism, and the effectiveness of specialized treatment programs. To get a deeper understanding of the needs, challenges, and preferences of the target audience, focus groups involving mental health professionals, registered sex offenders, and representatives of community organizations might be organized (Gerstein, D. R., & Harwood, H. J. 1990). Using this qualitative approach, the program may be enhanced to satisfy their concerns better. Surveys: It is feasible to gather a range of opinions about the importance of outpatient mental health services and continuity of care for registered sex offenders by creating and disseminating questionnaires to mental health professionals, justice system stakeholders, and the general public. According to Gerstein and Harwood (1990), surveys can provide quantitative data on expected service gaps, feelings about providing care, and potential program benefits. Information Gathering:
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It would be necessary to consult various sources to acquire information for the suggested program. Encompassing Mental health professionals who specialize in forensic psychology or who work with populations of sex offenders can have a better understanding of the needs and challenges that registered sexual offenders face about their mental health. Their expertise may aid in creating programs and guarantee the use of evidence-based techniques (Biringer, E., Hartveit, M., Sundfør, B., et al. 2017). On the other hand, probation and parole authorities who oversee registered sexual offenders can advise you of the particular difficulties this group encounters in obtaining mental health therapies and maintaining continuity of care. Their observations might help identify gaps in the current framework and guide the development of strategies to eliminate barriers. Finally, by providing outpatient mental health treatments and continuity of treatment for registered sexual offenders, the program that's being suggested aims to solve the issue. By creating specialized mental health clinics, customizing treatment plans, embracing a collaborative approach, and implementing relapse prevention strategies, this program can effectively address the unique requirements of this group (Gerstein, D. R., & Harwood, H. J. 1990). Suppose credible data is obtained through literature studies, expert interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires. In that case, the treatment program will prove to be evidence-based and sensitive to the needs of registered sex offenders and public safety concerns. A comprehensive and knowledgeable program may be established by speaking with academic experts, criminal justice and parole officers, victim advocates, and mental health professionals.
References Dudley, J. R. (2020). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. Chapter 4, “Common Types of Evaluations” Read “Common Program Evaluations” (pp. 78–89). Chapter 5, “Focusing an Evaluation” (pp. 96–111) Chapter 6, “Needs Assessments” (pp. 115–147) Gerstein, D. R., & Harwood, H. J. (1990). 5 The effectiveness of treatment. In Treating drug problems: Volume 1. essay, National Academy Press. Biringer, E., Hartveit, M., Sundfør, B. et al. Continuity of care as experienced by mental health service users - a qualitative study. BMC Health Serv Res 17, 763 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-017- 2719-9
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