This article examines the benefits of in-home family therapy with severely distressed families through the analysis of four cases that demonstrate the creative use of this intervention with families whose children were placed in a full-time day care facility. Although the efficacy of home intervention with distressed families has been documented,…

Relates the experiences of a social worker in private practice who offered house calls as an ongoing setting for counseling and psychotherapy to individuals and families. Describes advantages and disadvantages, liability, and target populations. (JAC)

Interviewed 400 union members, majority of whom were low-income African American and Latina women who care for frail aged and disabled Medicaid recipients in their homes. Found that home care workers expressed need for better health care coverage, especially for stress-related illnesses, along with personal social services to assist with housing,…

Notes that ecological approach to social work, which is directed at interactions of individual with environment, provides framework for examining role that social work can play in home care. Descriptions of programs in several countries illustrate effectiveness of incorporating this perspective into services. Notes results: decreased rates of…

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)

Examines the policies and procedures that home health care agencies have developed to handle incapacitated patients and life-sustaining treatment decisions. Although most directors, staff, and patients agree that patients know their legal rights, only 67% of agencies reported having existing policies on advance directives, and only 41.5% had…

Presents a preliminary view of a continuing care substance abuse recovery services program designed to assist the substance-affected family. The program focuses on helping substance abusers and their families achieve relapse prevention by addressing functioning in four domains: individual actions and cognitions; individual recovery actions; family…

This article discusses the trend away from large institutional placement toward small residences for troubled youth. The purpose, success, and recommended specifications for urban homes are mentioned. Also discussed are community attitudes and economic factors. (BW)

Presents analysis and typology of community-based care for young Hispanic mother with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Develops conceptual framework that examines retrospectively needs generated by AIDS over time, appropriateness of services, and assessment of interventions. Presents conclusions regarding definition and implementation…

Describes a continuum of services to families in their homes to prevent the necessity of child placement. Presents four categories of services--general case management, the comprehensive social worker, the in-house team, and the intraagency team--to aid families who demonstrate psychological difficulty and resource deficits. (Author/JAC)

Proposes that social workers have specialized, skilled roles in the home health care system and that future legislative and reimbursement patterns must reflect these skills. Concludes social workers can work autonomously within an interdisciplinary framework, with other members of the home-care team. (RC)

Community care-givers can be identified by social service agencies through their visibility in helping others in the community. Professionals must be aware of community needs through the continued identification of indigenous care-givers and the integration of these helpers into the service delivery system. (Author)