Introduction to Human Services (HS101) CRN #3413
Housatonic Community College, Fall 2002

Thursday Evenings, 6:45 to 9:30PM,   Room A221
Instructor: Madeleine Burbank, M.A.
Office Hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays, 5 Pm to 6 PM; Wednesdays, 5 to 5:30 PM, Fridays 12 to 12:30 PM
Office location: Room 211A
Office phone: 332-5174
e-mail address: ho_burbank@commnet.edu
Website for course: go to housatonic.net
Course Catalogue Description:
An interdisciplinary orientation to major Human Services agencies and institutions in this region, including education, law enforcement, child care, mental health, recreation, geriatrics, etc. Participants will study the roles and functions of professionals in these types of Human Services careers. Instruction will include team teaching, guest speakers, and field visitations.                                                                                                          Prerequisites for course: none required
Course Objectives:
  • to expose and orient students to the broad field of Human Services
  • to develop appreciation for the complexity and interelatedness of human needs and problems
  • to understand the interface and interaction of various agencies in meeting these needs.
  • develop the ability to work collaboratively in groups
  • to develop the ability to observe carefully, think critically, and write clearly

Course Information:    
    1.    Text:  An Introduction to Human Services: Policy and Practice, 4th edition, by  B. Schram and B. Mandell. 
                 (Pub: Allyn and Bacon).
          We will be covering  Chapters 1-7 in this semester's course. 
  (The later chapters are the basis of the Human Services Skills and Methods course taught in the spring. so save the book) 


   2.   Absence/Tardiness and Class Participation: Attendance and class participation both correlate highly with learning, and will , together, contribute to the final grade for the course.

  • In order to encourage adequate class preparation, regular attendance and class participation, there will be an assignment to be handed in or carried out at the start of each class and attendance will be taken at the end of each class. Assignments will not be accepted late under normal circumstances, and their completion, as well as class participation, will contribute to the final grade.
  • Human Services is a field in which people usually conduct their work as part of a team; much of the class time is structured to expose students to this model of learning and working and to the dynamics of groups, a major topic in this field of study.   Thus, class participation is a vital component of this course and will contribute to the final grade.
  • However, in order to allow for illness and other unexpected difficulties, one assignment and one class may be missed without affecting the final  grade. If more than one class has to be missed for an unavoidable reason, please contact the instructor.

   3.     Grading: 
  • 25%  Preparation for class, class attendance and class participation in class will make up 25% of the grade.
  • 25%  Average of  test grades. A test will be given following each major section, with a total of four tests in all.   Correct test answers will be posted on the bulletin board outside my office. Tests will be graded as promptly as possible and grades will be posted by a 4 digit  number on the course web site as soon as they are available. No make-ups will be given, but the lowest test grade will be dropped from the average of these tests and this average will be worth 25% of the total grade
  • 25%  Group Project (to be explained later in semester)
  • 25%  Final Exam.  The final will be cumulative and will be based on the material covered in previous tests and materials from the group project reports. The final exam will make up the remaining 25% of the final grade for the course.
Class Date: Topic:      (SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS NEEDED) 
Sept. 5 Introductions and Overview of the course.   Handout: Human Services 'Encyclopedia' for Greater Bridgeport area.  What are 'Human Services'?    Human needs in the news...
Read and discussion of handout articles.
Assignment: Read  the Preface and Chapter 1.
Find out about an area human service agency or service not listed in the 'Encyclopedia'  (Copy on reserve in Library) Also bring in want ad for position in Human Services.
 

Sept. 12

 Discussion of  the events of 9/11/01: how did you respond as an individual and how did we as a society respond? What are the enduring affects of this event? What have we learned?
Lecture: More about the field of Human Service work in general. 
Handout and discussion of  "Confessions of a Welfare Mom".         
Assignment:  Read Chapter 4, "Attitudes/Values, Skills and Knowledge" .Write an analysis of your needs, interests, beliefs, attitudes and values that have led you to consider a career in Human Services. 
Sept. 19  Lecture: The professional helping relationship.
View film: "Lady Bird, Lady Bird".    Small group discussions.
Writing assignment:  Write about a)  your reaction to the film, and b) what you would do differently if you were the social worker for the woman in the film.
 Study for test # 1 on Chapters 1, 4 and the other materials covered so far.
Sept. 26 Test #1 on Chapters 1 and 4 as well as materials discussed in class.
Short lecture: Intro to the history of the helping professions: 
Explanation of group projects. Choosing topics and forming groups. Short lecture on group dynamics.
Assignment:    Read and outline Chapter 2, "The Changing Nature of the Helping Process". 
Start research for group topics. 
Oct. 3 Discussion of first test and homework assignments.
Lecture: Change and the Social Services. The history of the development of a 'human service' approach. 
Group project meetings.  
Assignment:  At the start of the next class, hand in bibliography of  individual research on small group topics.  Read  Chapter 6, "The Social Welfare System" and make up five True/False and five Multiple Choice test questions based on the chapter.
Oct. 10  Lecture: the eclectic approach to service delivery. Guest speaker.
Short small group project meetings. Weekly progress reports from small groups due.
Assignment: Review Chapters 2 and 6,  and  study for test #2 .
Oct. 17 Test #2 on Chapters 2 and 6. 
Short Lecture: Intro to Chapter 3: Multicausality to human needs. 
Small group project meetings. Weekly progress reports from small groups due.
Assignment: Read  Chapter 3, "Strategies of Intervention". 
Writing assignment: Write up strategies to address each of the multiple causes generated by your group for the human service problem that your group is studying. 
Oct. 24 Short lecture on methods and strategies. Please be prompt as we have to finish before the guest speaker.
Guest speaker: Carmen Lopez, Judge, speaking on the foster care system, Room A101 at 7:15
Short small group project meetings to follow. Weekly progress reports from small groups due. Assignment: Read  Chapter 7, "Working With Diversity".  Writing assignment: describe the strengths gained and damages done by society to members of minority groups. 
Oct. 31 Happy Halloween!               
Discussion of diversity's challenges and gifts. (Guest speaker will come next week..).
Small group project meetings. Weekly progress reports from small groups due.
Assignment:  Study for test #3 on Chapters 3 and 7.
Nov. 7 7:00 PM Guest Speakers: The Bridge House Clubhouse  Program
8:00 PM: Guest Speaker: Penny Joussainte, P.T. Barnum Resident Youth Council 
(We put off the test until next week...)
Small group project meetings. Weekly progress reports from small groups due.
Assignment:  Visit a human service agency. Using critical thinking skills, analyze agency visited from a) a client's point of view and b) an agency worker's point of view. 
Nov. 14 Test #3 on Chapters 3 and 7.        Reports on visits to human service agencies. 
Small group project meetings. Weekly progress reports from small groups due at end of class.
Assignment: Read  Chapter 5, "Values and Ethical Dilemmas"    Each person  constructs 5 True/false questions and 5 multiple choice questions for the final exam on your small group's topic. (Provide correct answers with your questions).
Nov. 21 Guest Speaker:  Delores Mandell, talking on her work with men who are alcoholic and mandated to treatment due to an incident of domestic violence.
Lecture : Ethical issues and conflicts in delivering human services.
Small group project meetings. Weekly progress reports from small groups due.
Assignment: Test #4:  Take-home.        Finish preparing for final presentations.
Nov. 27 THANKSGIVING!     Have a nice holiday...
Dec 5 Group Presentations   (Next week's presenters: Test #4 due today.) Written reports on projects due next week for today's presenters
   The school was  closed due to snow on Thursday night, SO:      
 ALL GROUPS WILL PRESENT NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT.               PLEASE PLAN TO COME PROMPTLY AND STAY LONGER THAN  USUAL  SO THAT EVERY GROUP CAN PRESENT.    
     PLEASE PLAN TO STAY TO THE END OF CLASS, AS MATERIAL FROM THE GROUP PRESENTATIONS WILL BE INCLUDED ON THE FINAL EXAM.
Dec.12 Group Presentations   (Last week's presenters: Test #4 due today.) Written reports on projects due next week for today's presenters.
Dec. 19 Final Exam from 6:30PM to 8:30 PM
  Notes about each class will be posted on the course web site as soon after class as possible. 
    To access test scores, click on GRADES.