Smokin’ in the boys’ room: Ethical Decision Making in School Social Work Part 2

1. Smokin’ in the boys’ room: Ethical Decision Making in School Social WorkPart 2 Presented by: Laura Richard, PhD, LCSW University of Southern Mississippi

2. Part 2 Schedule • Technology and School Social Work • Ethical Dilemmas • Ethical Decision Making Steps • Practice Scenarios

3. Technology and Social Work Practice

5. Definition: Technology • “… any electronically mediated activity used in the conduct of competent and ethical delivery of services.” (NASW & ASWB, 2005)

6. Generation Y • Baby Boomers 49-67 • Generation X 33-49 • Generation Y 13-32 • Born 1980-2000 • Largest generation since baby boomers • 20% of today’s population (70 million)

7. Introducing the ‘Net generation’ • Students today are digital, social, multi-task masters • They pay “continuous, partial attention” • They are online all day seeking communication and virtual contact • Expressing themselves online is done so frequently and effortlessly, that it is not differentiated from face-to-face contact • Accustomed to information arriving in instant video, Audio, and text extractions • They are used to processing an assortment of information coming from both the electronic and physical world simultaneously

8. Generation Y Strengths • Confidence • Sociability • Morality • Street smarts • Diversity • Technologically savvy • Needs knowledge

9. Generation YWeaknesses • Doesn’t retain knowledge like past generations • Collective action (always need groups) • Heroic spirit • Tenacity/persistence • Lack of skills when working with difficult people • Multi-tasking • Need flexibility • Wants everything quickly

10. Technology: The Possibilities • Email, Fax, Voicemail, Blogging • Skype • Text, Twitter and Tweet • Social Network • Facebook & My Space • Flickr & Friendster • LinkedIn • YouTube • Electronic recordkeeping • Shared servers • Case management programs • Electronic IEPs

11. NASW Code of Ethics References to Technology

12. Duty to Inform • Social workers who provide services via electronic media (such as computer, telephone, radio, and television) should inform recipients of the limitations and risks associated with such services. (1.03[c])

13. Confidentiality • Social workers should protect the confidentiality of clients’ written and electronic records and other sensitive information. Social workers should take reasonable steps to ensure that clients’ records are stored in a secure location and that clients’ records are not available to others who are not authorized to have access. (1.07[l])

14. Privacy • Social workers should take precautions to ensure and maintain the confidentiality of information transmitted to other parties through the use of computers, electronic mail, facsimile machines, telephones and telephone answering machines, and other electronic or computer technology. Disclosure of identifying information should be avoided whenever possible. (1.07[m])

15. Technology and Social Work Practice National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Association of Boards of Social Work (ASWB) 2005 https://www.socialworkers.org/practice/standards/NASWTechnologyStandards.pdf

16. STANDARDS Goals of Standards • Maintain and improve quality of technology-related to social work services • Guide for social workers incorporating technology into practice • Guidelines for monitoring and evaluating technology used in service delivery • Inform individuals and agencies about professional standards

17. Standard 1: Ethics & Values • Social workers providing services via the telephone or other electronic means shall act ethically, ensure professional competence, protect clients, and uphold values of the profession.

18. Standard 2: Access • Social workers shall have access to technology and appropriate support systems to ensure competent practice, and shall take action to ensure client access to technology. .

19. What technology do you have access to? What about your clients?

20. Members of team From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW

21. Standard 3: Cultural Competence • Social workers shall select and develop appropriate online methods, skills, and techniques that are attuned to their clients’ cultural, bicultural, or marginalized experiences in their environments.

22. Who uses technology? • 46% of Americans owned smartphones by 2011 • 49% Latino • 47% African American • 42% Caucasian • 78% of adults and 93% of teenagers use the internet • 80% Caucasian • 71% African American • 68% Latino • 7% who do not equals 1.5 million teenagers • Education of Online Users • 43% No high school diploma • 71% High school graduate • 88% Some college • 94% College + From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW

23. Generational Technology From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW

24. Generational Technology From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW

25. Standard 4: Technical Competence • Social workers shall be responsible for becoming proficient in the technological skills and tools required for competent and ethical practice and for seeking appropriate training and consultation to stay current in emerging technologies.

26. Engagement with Technology Utilize client knowledge to enhance the therapeutic process • Try different types of technology for support • Cultivate a database of online educational videos • Empower clients with projects • Encourage critical thinking with problem solving through Internet resources • Educate on quality resources

27. Engagement with Technology and Students • Blogging/Journaling • YouTube • Wiki’s for vision boards • Picture essays • Pinterest • Apps

28. Electronic Advocacy/Support • It Gets Better GLBT support • Teen Line TEEN LINE is a confidential telephone helpline for teenaged callers. It operates every evening from 6:00pm to 10:00pm PST

29. School Therapeutic Apps • School 26 HD - a unique game of empathy, strategy and relationship building. From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW

30. High School Apps • Bully Block From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW

31. Standard 5: Regulatory Competence • Social workers who use telephonic or other electronic means to provide services shall abide by all regulation of their professional practice with the understanding that their practice may be subject to regulation in both the jurisdiction in which the client receives services as well as the jurisdiction in which the social worker provides services.

32. Standard 7: Privacy, Confidentiality, Documentation & Security • Social workers shall protect client privacy when using technology in their practice and document all services, taking special safeguards to protect client information in the electronic record.

33. To Text or not to Text Is it ethical not to text students (digital natives) when this is their primary and preferred method of contact? From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW

34. Email Communications-Pros • Parental communication • Teacher communication • Administrative communication • Outside service providers • Case management • Supervision & consultation

35. Email Communication - Cons • Ethical dilemma for school social workers who email students • Fail to recognize email is a written document • Confidentiality • Emails misdirected • Violating student trust by emailing parents and/or teacher

36. Ethical Issues about E-mail • Every e-mail should go out with an electronic signature at the bottom-an automatic enclosure with a statement of the school e-mail policy • E-mails • Part of client record • Access of e-mails to others? • Suicide and other issues • CC, BC, Reply All • Technology Dept. can choose a client’s name and program will search for the clients name in all e-mail (Complaints about parents will surface) • Some parents only want to be e-mailed

37. Encryption • General e-mail services are not encrypted (Gmail, yahoo, aol, etc.) • www.hushmail.com – HIPAA compliant • http://www.rpost.com/esecurity

38. Electronic Records • Recording, storing, maintaining, using and transmitting electronic data according to legal and ethical requirements • Use of appropriate procedures • Is client informed • Documentation of informed consent

39. On-line IEP Systems-Pros • Streamline • Uniformity • More efficient • Easy to update • Easy access by other school professionals • Case management at a glance

40. Online IEP Systems-Cons • Glitches in computer system • Loss of information • Breaches • Inability to access • Confidentiality • Unauthorized access • Updates that are specific to an individuals and become part of record

41. Internet Access-Pros • Easy availability of up-to-date research • Connection to other school social workers • Support • Collaboration • Problem Solving • Collaboration • Education on a variety of topics • Webinars

42. Internet Access-Cons • Students searching without supervision • Students surfing without appropriate filters • Students seeing other students’ confidential information

43. Standard 8. Risk Management • Social workers providing services through the use of the telephone or other electronic means shall ensure high-quality practices and procedures that are legally sound and ethical to protect clients and safeguard against litigation.

44. FERPA & HIPPA • Loss of federal funds to any group that releases student information without parental consent • Even when services are billed out to service providers and covered under HIPAA, records themselves protected under FERPA • Some states provide greater security than required by federal law-be familiar with state laws • Due to frequent changes in statutes and regulations these sites need to be checked often • Document, document, document

45. Administration • It is the administrations responsibility to interpret FERPA and Your state’s Department of Education rules to include digital guidelines for school personnel. From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW

46. Professional Profile • Search Engines • A survey of 332 clients (Kolmes and Taube, 2011) revealed that 70% found personal information about their therapist on the internet. • http://justdelete.me/ • Google Clients? From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW

47. When the Internet Turns Against You – Consumer Reviews • Article about how to guard your reputation http://business.time.com/2013/09/25/guard-your-online-reputation/ • Consultation • http://www.privacyrights.org/(to find out how to contact services to get off their lists) From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW

48. Professional Development • Linkedin From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW

49. Professional Development • Scoop.it!

50. Professional Development • Blogs From Technology and Ethics in School Social Work Practice by Ellen Belluomini, LCSW