Social workers need to be able to identify cultural conceptions of illness and mental illness. Because studies show that anxiety and depression differ from culture to culture and within cultures, it is important to build skill using the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) to elicit how an individual has actually incorporated their cultural beliefs. While the core interview is a set of 16 questions, more detailed versions expand on each area. In this Assignment, you sensitively apply the CFI to your case collaboration partner as well as research how to address and individualize anxiety resources for your partner’s culture and needs.
To prepare:
Read the Diaz (2017) article and take note of their experience using the CFI and the advantages they found in the process. Also note the minority stress concerns that arise in those working with anxiety issues in different cultures.
Review the CFI questions and readings in the DSM-5 on cultural variations, syndromes, and idioms.
Meet your collaboration partner and take turns administering the CFI questions (and any needed subsections) to each other. Your partner will role-play an anxiety issue but otherwise be as true to their own situation as possible. Make sure to record the session. See Collaborate Ultra Assignment Guide in Required Resources.
Observe how the CFI administration process goes and take any notes needed. Based on what you learn about your partner’s needs and culture, you may need to do further research in the suggested readings and library before submitting your Assignment.
Review the recording and identify a 3-5 minute segment where you are the interviewer that you would like your instructor to use to evaluate the assessment skills you demonstrate.
By Day 7
Submit a 4-page paper, using the Diaz article as well as additional resources about culture, in which you do the following:
Describe the skills or techniques you used to engage your partner during the CFI.
Identify a 3-5 minute segment in your recorded role-play that best demonstrates your ability to apply culturally sensitive assessment skills.
Explain which aspects of the CFI were the most helpful in learning about your partner’s personal view of the problem and situation from a cultural perspective.
Describe the cultural components (e.g., race/ethnicity, religion, geographic region, socio-economic status, etc.) that may influence your partner, and analyze how those cultural components influence their mental health experience.
Identify which relevant subsections of the CFI you used. Explain why you did (or did not) use a subsection as part of your assessment.
Analyze how you, as a social work treatment provider, might adjust interventions for the client (your partner), their individualized circumstances, and culture of origin. Be specific and demonstrate critical thought through application of concepts in resources.
Recommend a specific evidence-based measurement instrument to validate the diagnosis and assess outcomes of treatment. Explain any cultural considerations you made when determining an appropriate instrument, including whether or not the instrument was validated with diverse populations

Social workers take particular care when diagnosing anxiety due to its similarity to other conditions. In this Discussion, you carefully assess a client with anxiety disorder using the steps of differential diagnosis. You also recommend an intervention for treating the disorder.
To prepare: Read the case provided by your instructor for this week’s Discussion. Review the decision trees for anxiety and OCD in the Morrison (2014) text and the podcasts on anxiety. Then access the Walden Library and research interventions for anxiety.
By Day 3
Post a 300- to 500-word response in which you address the following:
Provide the full DSM-5 diagnosis for the client. Remember, a full diagnosis should include the name of the disorder, ICD-10-CM code, specifiers, severity, and the Z codes (other conditions that may be a focus of clinical attention).  Keep in mind a diagnosis covers the most recent 12 months.
Explain the diagnosis by matching the symptoms identified in the case to the specific criteria for the diagnosis.
Discuss other disorders you considered for this diagnosis and eliminated (the differential diagnoses).
Describe an evidence-based assessment scale that would assist in ongoing validation of your diagnosis.
Recommend a specific intervention and explain why this intervention may be effective in treating the client. Support your recommendation with scholarly references and resources.

Each member of a group contributes to the group’s dynamic even if the member is silent. As a clinical social worker, it is important to understand the dynamics you bring to a group and the role you tend to assume in a group setting. Every individual has his or her own way of interacting. Knowing your own personal style and the role you tend to choose will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses when working within a group.
For this Assignment, describe the dynamics of your Wiki Group. By this time, your group should have developed the family case study and defined the scope of the problem.
Reflect on your participation in the dynamics. What role have you assumed in the group? Have you used any empowerment strategies in moving the group forward? If not, what strategy could you implement?
Group Process Assignments should integrate course concepts related to group process. Assignments should demonstrate critical thought when applying course material to your group experience. Support ideas in your Assignment with APA citations from this week’s required resources.

When working with families and groups the priority is for the social worker to understand the process that is taking place.  In both situations there is the overt (clearly stated) dynamics and the covert (hidden) dynamics.  The content (what is being said) in both settings is what is open and stated.  The process (how it is being said) is the unspoken information; what is underneath the interaction is what the social worker needs to explore in both groups and family systems.
For this Discussion, watch the video segments of a group and a family session provided in required resources.
By Day 3
Post the following:
Describe the group dynamic (communication, cohesion, social integration, influence) of the group shown in the required media.
Explain how this group’s dynamics may influence treatment.
A description of the family dynamic (communication, cohesion, social integration, influence) of the family shown in the required media.
Explain how this family’s dynamics may influence treatment.
Explain any similarities or differences when assessing dynamics in a group versus a family and how those dynamics may affect treatment.

Post a 300- to 500-word response in which you address the following:
Provide a full DSM-5 diagnosis of the client. Remember, a full diagnosis should include the name of the disorder, ICD-10-CM code, specifiers, severity, and the Z codes (other conditions that may be a focus of clinical attention). Keep in mind a diagnosis covers the most recent 12 months.
Explain the diagnosis by matching the symptoms identified in the case to the specific criteria for the diagnosis.
Identify which four diagnoses you initially considered in the case of the client, using the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria to explain why you selected these four items. In one or two sentences each, explain why three of these diagnoses were excluded.
Explain any obvious eliminations that could be made from within the neurodevelopmental spectrum.
Describe in detail how the client’s symptoms match up with the specific diagnostic criteria for the primary disorder that you finally selected for him. Note two other relevant DSM-5 criteria for that illness from the sections on “diagnostic features” and “development and course” that fit this case.

Assignment: Group Typology
As a clinical social worker it is important to understand group typology in order to choose the appropriate group method for a specific population or problem. Each type of group has its own approach and purpose. Two of the more frequently used types of groups are task groups and intervention groups.
For this Assignment, review the “Cortez Multimedia” case study, and identify a target behavior or issue that needs to be ameliorated, decreased, or increased. In a 2- to 4-page report, complete the following:
Choose either a treatment group or task group as your intervention for Paula Cortez.
Identify the model of treatment group (i.e., support, education, teams, or treatment conferences).
Using the typologies described in the Toseland & Rivas (2017) piece, describe the characteristics of your group. For instance, if you choose a treatment group that is a support group, what would be the purpose, leadership, focus, bond, composition, and communication?
Include the advantages and disadvantages of using this type of group as an intervention.

. Dr. Sommers-Flanagan’s suicide risk assessment identifies where Tommi is currently: cognitively, physically, and socially because a negative affective impacts these three main areas of an individual’s life. After the cognitive triad, physical, and social relationships assessment; Dr. Sommers-Flanagan begin to ask more direct questions about Tommi’s thoughts on suicide. He mentioned in the review that he wished he assessed for frequency, duration, and intensity (Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R., 2014) . However, I believe he did somewhat touch on these points. He asked Tommi how often did she think about suicide: “most of the day, part of the day etc..”; he asked her if her suicidal thoughts were active (here’s how I think I might kill myself) or less active (I kinda wish i was dead) (Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R., 2014). I believe that this type of assessment is very thorough and important to gather necessary information.
For Tommi’s safety plan, for the first week, I would ask her to start with creating a regular workout routine. She expressed interest in working out and I believe that is something that is within her control and at her leisure, thus it could be done at anytime, whereas calling her sister might not be effective if her sister is unavailable. Also, I would give her a mood log, to record when she is feeling some type of way because maybe there is a pattern or unidentified triggers.
The risk assessment I would use is the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0, this would be effective because this assessment examines six domains: understanding/communicating, getting around, self- care, getting along with people, life activities, and participation in society (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Tommi being active in these area will reduce her risk of suicide, thus using this assessment throughout the treatment will be a great tool to keep up with Tommi’s progression. The article indicates this measure can be used overtime (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
Considering Tommi’s cultural background, I would adjust the social aspect of pushing her to talk about her bouts of depression with her friends, just because of the strong stigma around mental disorders in many minority communities. It would be best to allow Tommi to decide when and who she is ready to disclose information.
Omega Green

To prepare:
Watch the video describing an MSE. Then watch the Sommers-Flanagan (2014) “Mental Status Exam” video clip. Make sure to take notes on the nine domains of the interview.
Review the Morrison (2014) reading on the elements of a diagnostic interview.
Review the 9 Areas to evaluate for a Mental Status Exam and example diagnostic summary write-up provided in this Week’s resources.
Review the case example of a diagnostic summary write-up provided in this Week’s resources.
Write up a Diagnostic Summary including the Mental Status Exam for Carl based upon his interview with Dr. Sommers-Flanagan.
By Day 7
Submit a 2- to 3-page case presentation paper in which you complete both parts outlined below:   
Part I: Diagnostic Summary and MSE
Provide a diagnostic summary of the client, Carl. Within this summary include:
Identifying Data/Client demographics
Chief complaint/Presenting Problem
Present illness
Past psychiatric illness
Substance use history
Past medical history
Family history
Mental Status Exam (Be professional and concise for all nine areas)
Appearance
Behavior or psychomotor activity
Attitudes toward the interviewer or examiner
Affect and mood
Speech and thought
Perceptual disturbances
Orientation and consciousness
Memory and intelligence
Reliability, judgment, and insight
Part II: Analysis of MSE
After completing Part I of the Assignment, provide an analysis and demonstrate critical thought (supported by references) in your response to the following:
Identify any areas in your MSE that require follow-up data collection.
Explain how using the cross-cutting measure would add to the information gathered.
Do Carl’s answers add to your ability to diagnose him in any specific way? Why or why not?
Would you discuss a possible diagnosis with Carl at this point in time? Why?

To prepare:
Watch the video describing an MSE. Then watch the Sommers-Flanagan (2014) “Mental Status Exam” video clip. Make sure to take notes on the nine domains of the interview.
Review the Morrison (2014) reading on the elements of a diagnostic interview.
Review the 9 Areas to evaluate for a Mental Status Exam and example diagnostic summary write-up provided in this Week’s resources.
Review the case example of a diagnostic summary write-up provided in this Week’s resources.
Write up a Diagnostic Summary including the Mental Status Exam for Carl based upon his interview with Dr. Sommers-Flanagan.
By Day 7
Submit a 2- to 3-page case presentation paper in which you complete both parts outlined below:   
Part I: Diagnostic Summary and MSE
Provide a diagnostic summary of the client, Carl. Within this summary include:
Identifying Data/Client demographics
Chief complaint/Presenting Problem
Present illness
Past psychiatric illness
Substance use history
Past medical history
Family history
Mental Status Exam (Be professional and concise for all nine areas)
Appearance
Behavior or psychomotor activity
Attitudes toward the interviewer or examiner
Affect and mood
Speech and thought
Perceptual disturbances
Orientation and consciousness
Memory and intelligence
Reliability, judgment, and insight
Part II: Analysis of MSE
After completing Part I of the Assignment, provide an analysis and demonstrate critical thought (supported by references) in your response to the following:
Identify any areas in your MSE that require follow-up data collection.
Explain how using the cross-cutting measure would add to the information gathered.
Do Carl’s answers add to your ability to diagnose him in any specific way? Why or why not?
Would you discuss a possible diagnosis with Carl at this point in time? Why?