Rick Csiernik

Trauma Exposure and the Social Work Practicum

In this study, 58 undergraduate and graduate students at 1 Canadian school of social work voluntarily completed a survey at the conclusion of their academic year consisting of open- and closed-ended questions intended to examine their exposure to trauma during the course of their field practice. The authors discovered that the majority of students entered the program having already experienced or been exposed to at least 1 significant traumatic incident. These ranged from verbal and sexual harassment, to having been stalked, to having experienced the death of a child or partner. Likewise, during their field practicum, the majority of these social work students experienced, or were exposed to, at least 1 incident that was emotionally or physically distressing. Although most instances neither occurred on a regular basis, nor had an overwhelming effect, a small number of social work students were exposed to traumatic incidents that were of significance to them. This fact was the result of the actions and beh...

A Review of EAP Evaluation in the 1990s

Abstract A review of the literature found 39 published EAP evaluations during the 1990s: four examining needs assessments, 12 case studies, nine cost-benefit analyses, five on client satisfaction along with nine process evaluations. The majority of evaluations were produced by organizations with internal EAPs located in the United States though there were 12 conducted by organizations employing external service providers and also a few from other nations, notably Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, found in the review. A variety of methodologies from key informant interviews to formal controlled experiments were used in the 39 evaluations employing both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and from one to five distinct data sources. While this indicates a growing robustness in EAP evaluation and the ongoing awareness of the importance of conducting and publishing evaluations, it also underscores the lack of uniformity in systematically examining this dynamic practice area.

Labour Welfare in Canada: An Examination of Occupational Assistance

This article explores labour welfare in Canada across three distinct periods of occupational assistance: welfare capitalism that began with the Industrial Revolution and persisted through the depression of the 1930s; occupational alcoholism programming that emerged during World War II and the typically unreported domestic labour strife of the 1940s, lasting through the postwar economic boom into the 1960s; and the employee assistance programming era with the introduction of the broad-brush approach to workplace-based assistance that also witnessed organised labour in Canada provide fundamental supports to workers that were originally introduced by workplace owners during the welfare capitalism period, though now to benefit workers rather than to control them. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and into the new information and technological era of work, organised labour has had a distinct role in shaping and providing services to enhance worker and community wellness in Canada.

A Process Evaluation of a Canadian Public Sector Employee Assistance Program

This Canadian Public Service Employee Assistance Program (EAP) was initiated in 1990, and over the course of the past two decades since its implementation great changes have occurred in the public service and in EAP. In response a comprehensive process evaluation was conducted to determine if the current mandate, objectives, services, and processes were still meeting the needs of employees and if the EAP had the capacity to meet the future needs of the employees and organization. A mixed methods data collection approach was used in the evaluation including a comparative best practice literature review, a review of program utilization data, an online survey of employees and managers across the entire public service system, and a series of qualitative interviews with program stakeholders, members of the EAP Advisory Committee, EAP counselors, and employees who had used the program. As well a review of the current governance model and organization structure was undertaken. The evaluation data indicated that the existing EAP program was well integrated into the organization, well utilized, and generated high ratings of user satisfaction and helpfulness. Its governance structure included involvement and input from all key public sector stakeholders including the various public service unions. However, several areas for enhancement were also discovered specifically in terms of revising the EAP policy, providing 24-hour service and the need to further increase the program profile and visibility across the broad public sector. As well, it was assessed that additional resources would have to be allocated if the EAP staff were to fully address worksite education, early intervention, prevention, and wellness promotion to the extent desired by the stakeholders.

Applying the Generalist Model of Social Work Practice for a Catholic Church Parish Team

It has been argued that social workers would make valuable additions to Catholic church parish teams. A plan for how this could occur is presented using the tenets of the generalist model of social work practice, which consists of seven components: engagement, assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, termination, and follow‐up. The addition of social workers to a parish team would not only enhance the wellness of individual parishes, but also has the potential to enhance the wellness of the broader community.

Substance Use of Homeless and Precariously Housed Youth in a Canadian Context

Substance use is common among homeless and precariously housed youth, yet few longitudinal studies track their usage over time. This paper analyzes data from a study of 187 youth and reports on their substance usage in the preceding month, year, and over their lifetime. The results are compared within the sample by sex and against a sample of similarly located housed youth. Findings suggest that female homeless and precariously housed youth report lower substance use, but that with interventions substance use decreases for both sexes. Compared to housed youth, those who are homeless and precariously housed begin substance use at a significantly younger age.

Applying the Logic Model Process to Employee Assistance Programming

Logic Models are a program development and evaluation process that evolved in the latter half of the 20th century. As well as having the capacity to be a planning tool, Logic Models also allow for an in depth, multi-layered examination of an existing program. This article outlines the purpose, historic development, and strengths and weaknesses of this contemporary evaluation approach that has been increasingly utilized in the social services. An example of how the Logic Model evaluation process can be applied to an Employee Assistance Program is also provided.

Meeting Professional Competencies through Specialized Distance Education: The McMaster University Addiction Studies Program

Historically, addiction has been an area in which Canadian social workers have received limited formal education. This reality led to the development of 18 core technical competencies through the auspices of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse in 2006. A survey of Canadian schools and faculties of social work found that social work students might obtain a grounding in many of these competencies, however, there was no certainty of this. An option now for those interested in becoming more proficient in this field of addiction is a specialized distance education program developed by McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Along with meeting the majority of the core competencies, there are several other attributes that make this program unique. It offers 27 distinct addiction-specific course options at both an introductory and an advanced level; has continuous enrollment allowing students to begin a course at the beginning of any month; has no minimum course load requirement; and meets the academic requirements for optional certification through the Canadian Addiction Counselors Certification Federation. In a nation like Canada, with a small population spread across a large geographic area, the Addiction Studies Program may serve as a template for offering specialized distance education to enhance professional competencies and thus better prepare social workers to serve community needs.

Appointment Choice and Outcome at a Supported Employment Agency

A 3-month study of 94 clients at a supported employment agency in London, Ontario, examined the significance of appointment choice in successful job placement. Clients who had been in conflict with the law were least likely to be appointment compliant, while social assistance recipients mandated to attend were the most likely to put off their initial agency visit and also most likely to terminate contact with the employment support service within 60 days. Younger clients were given more choice selecting a meeting time in the study than were older clients. Likewise, clients with a developmental delay or learning disability had more choice in selecting an initial appointment than did those with no disability, a physical challenge, or a mental health issue. It was observed that clients who were given a choice of meeting dates who selected an earlier rather than a later initial appointment did not have greater success in finding employment compared to those who opted for a later meeting date.

An Examination of Universal Drug Education Programming in Ontario, Canada’s Elementary School System

School-based drug education initiatives are designed and marketed to prevent substance use and misuse. Over the past several decades, school-based drug education has evolved from delivering only information about drugs and the negative outcomes of their use to a multi-faceted, interactive approach, with several programs now using a combination of information, decision-making, social competency and to a lesser extent, harm minimization. Our study using a case study of a sample of Ontario, Canada elementary schools, found that the majority of programs that are being offered are selected less by empirically supported outcome studies than popular belief and marketing. Based on our findings we recommend that a consistent set of criteria be established based upon best practices to assist educational decision makers select prevention programs rather than allowing marketing or ideological positions govern what is delivered.