In order to apply their understanding of a systems approach to working with traumatized clients in community settings, students will select a trauma-related topic (e.g., domestic violence, sexual assault, natural disaster). Then they are asked to write a 4-5 page (double-spaced) case conceptualization utilizing a systems approach to describe the various systems impacting this community mental health client, their experience of trauma, their presenting problem, and diagnosis. Identify social, institutional, and legislative barriers this client may face. Write about how a counselor could advocate for them to be able to access needed treatment, receive equitable treatment, and experience success. Describe how if you were this client’s counselor you would help them to understand and gain access to community resources. Identify how to utilize either crisis intervention, trauma-informed approaches, and/or community-based strategies, such as Psychological First Aid, to meet this client’s needs. Address relevant legislation and government policy as related to this client’s situation and advocacy needs. Address how counselors working with this client would work in collaboration both within their agency and with other community resources. Address how the client’s needs could be met over time within the continuum of care of the mental health delivery system (for example first, hospitalization, then partial hospitalization). Include how a counselor would consult on behalf of this client. Then design personalized comprehensive treatment plan for your identified client. Then, write a S.O.A.P. note (or other type of progress note) for a counseling session with this client. Please note that this assignment does not assess the student’s ability to copy/paste from the text, but requires critical thinking to synthesize multiple sources of data for a case conceptualization. Use the detailed instructions and grading rubric contained in the syllabus appendices to complete this assignment.
