Often faced with ethical challenges that may appear extraordinary, military social workers comprise a distinctive subgroup of the social work profession. From the unique paradigms in which they practice their craft, obvious questions about how military social workers address the ethical challenges inherent to their wartime mission arise. Using a…

Psychiatric advance directives (PADs) are legal documents that allow individuals to express their wishes for future psychiatric care and to authorize a legally appointed proxy to make decisions on their behalf during incapacitating crises. PADs are viewed as an alternative to the coercive interventions that sometimes accompany mental health crises…

This article describes the experiences and perspectives of child welfare workers and maltreated children living in Japanese state care. Japanese adults emphasize supporting children's emotional well-being and empowerment through developmentally and ecologically focused socialization strategies. One developmental goal articulated by caregivers of…

This article illustrates some specific advantages and practical considerations in the use of cotherapy during the family therapy process. (Author/DOW)

Draws on experiential and theoretical aspects of in-home family therapy to outline the applications and benefits of the family home as a therapeutic setting. Presents actual case material and current practices to challenge service providers to expand service options. (Author/ABL)

There has been little interest in, and only slight illumination of, the impact of therapeutic camping for emotionally disturbed children. This study seeks to validate the belief that camping is therapeutic. Subjects were 52 boys, 5 to 11 1/2 years of age. Results support the hypothesis. (Author/HMV)

The social work profession must increase its efforts to eliminate the blocks to effective interaction between the white worker and minority client if its professed goal of serving all clients effectively is to be taken seriously. (Author)

Therapist's pregnancy creates new problems and opportunities for therapeutic relationships. Patient reactions relate to impending separation and psychological and physical events of pregnancy. Pregnant therapists also have new reactions to patients and must consider potential benefits of communicating something personal about themselves. (NRB)

The author, a psychiatric social worker, describes how he uses the automobile as a means of reaching uncooperative juvenile clients. (HMV)

In a treatment program developed at Mendota State Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, mental patients considered unready for discharge were placed in the community. With intensive help from the social worker and other hospital staff, the community became an effective treatment agent. The results of the program should encourage professionals who work…

After discharge from the hospital, many mental patients go back to the kind of environment that contributed to their breakdown. In the belief that new options should be available to mental patients when discharged, a hospital in New York City developed--with marked success--a plan for group living. (Author)

Two community-based treatment programs for troubled adolescents were located within the same city. Both utilized the group home concept. One program survived, the other did not. This article describes the organizational dynamics of their survival and demise. (Author)

Considers some of the issues involved in the debate over codes of ethics regarding the right to effective treatment. Offers suggestions for how ethical codes could be modified to include clients' right to receive effective treatment and social workers' obligation to be educated about and to provide such treatment. (RJM)

Addresses concept of the therapeutic contract in clinical social work and psychotherapy. Defines "contract," describing legal implications, and implications for the professional relationship and course of treatment. Discusses mutuality, penalty clauses, voluntary participation in contractual process, malpractice and professional negligence,…