Arab American Client

Case Study

·
Michael is a 45 year old African
American male who is a counselor at an inner city mental health center. Michael
has never worked with an Arab American client before but noticed that Hasna is
scheduled for her first session today. He has studied about Arab American
culture in his master’s program, but does not feel he is current on present
issues facing this special population presently.
·
Hasna is a 42-year-old Muslim woman
who emigrated from Jordan to San Francisco with her husband Aamir when she was
20 years old. She has sought counseling at the advice of a White neighbor due
to feelings of depression over the past 3 years. She has two children, a
daughter (age 16) and son (age 15). She has never been employed outside of the
home, although she is considering finding employment now that the children are
older and her family and additional income could be useful to her family. There
has recently been significant conflict between her and her husband concerning
her daughter’s career goals (to be a physician) and Hasna’s own desire to work
outside of the home. Over the past 20 years, Hasna has had significant contact
with Western culture and has an ambivalent relationship with the role of women
in both Islamic and Western cultures and is considering adopting more Western
practices. Both of her children have attended public schools in the US and have
moved away from Islamic traditions. She worries a great deal for her daughter,
both that she will not make appropriate choices and that her father may refuse
to support her in her goals as a result. While Hasna stays in close contact
with her family, both in Jordan and with others who have immigrated to the U.S.
(including her brother, who lives in the Northeast U.S.), she feels socially
isolated and confused about how to approach her present situation.
·
Applying Reamer’s (2005)
ethical decision model below, please explore any ethical considerations
(specific codes as well as dilemmas) as well as including any cultural issues
related to Michael or Hasna’s present situation.
·
1 – Identify the conflicts
between the ethical and legal expectations and requirements, including the
social work values and duties that conflict.
·
2- Identify the individuals,
groups, and organizations that are likely to be affected by the ultimate ethical
decision
·
3- Tentatively identify all
possible courses of action and the participants involved in each, along with
possible benefits and risks for each
·
4 – Thoroughly examine the
reasons in favor of and opposed to each possible course of action, considering
relevant (a) ethical theories (for example, deontological and teleological
perspectives), principles, and guidelines from literature on professional
ethics; (b) codes of ethics (especially the NASW code of ethics); (c)
constitutional provisions, statutes, regulations, court decisions, and
executive orders; and (d) personal values (including religious, cultural, and
ethnic values).
·
5 – Consult with colleagues
and appropriate experts (such as professional colleagues, supervisors, agency
administrators, attorneys, ethics scholars and consultants, agency-based ethics
committees).
·
6 – Make the decision and
document the decision-making process.
·
7- Monitor and evaluate
the decision.
·
Additionally in thinking about the
Assaf family and this week’s readings
and resources, what are some specific cultural considerations unique to the
Arab American community which might influence Michael’s role as an intake
coordinator when assigning providers to work with the Assaf family?

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