Micro
Define "micro practice" in social work and give one example of a setting where a micro social worker might work.
What does "mezzo practice" focus on in social work? Provide one example of a mezzo intervention.
ocuses on work with small groups, families, and organizations to improve functioning and relationships.
Example mezzo intervention: Facilitating a caregiver support group.
Define "macro practice" in social work and give one example of macro-level work.
Macro practice involves large-scale systems work—policy development, advocacy, community organizing, and social change.
Example: Lobbying for expanded mental health funding at the state level.
Confidentiality
Keeping clients information secret and secure unless there's is a safety reason to share.
Naming your feelings can help in what way?
It can reduce the intensity of your emotions
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Describe how a family systems approach might be used in mezzo practice.
A family systems approach views family members as interconnected. In mezzo practice, a social worker might help families identify communication patterns, restructure boundaries, and develop healthier interaction rules to reduce conflict and improve support for the identified client.
Name two policy areas that commonly affect mental health services at the macro level.
Two policy areas that affect mental health services:
Healthcare access/insurance coverage
Housing and homelessness policy
Advocacy
social worker standing up for, supporting, and championing the rights, dignity, and well-being of individuals, groups, or communities facing systemic challenges
The age of onset of schizophrenia appears earlier in men or women?
Men
Explain the difference between empathy and sympathy in client interactions and why empathy is important.
Empathy is understanding and reflecting the client’s feelings and perspective without judgment.
Sympathy expresses pity or sorrow for the client.
Why empathy matters: It strengthens rapport, increases client trust, and fosters a safe environment where change is more likely.
dentify three strategies a social worker could use when facilitating a support group for caregivers.
Three strategies for facilitating a caregiver support group:
Establish and enforce group norms (confidentiality, respect).
Use open-ended questions to encourage sharing and mutual support.
Provide psychoeducation on coping skills while encouraging peer learning.
Explain the role of advocacy in macro social work and provide one concrete example of an advocacy action.
Advocacy ensures that marginalized groups’ needs are represented in laws and systems.
Example action: Writing policy briefs or meeting with legislators to advocate for increased Medicaid reimbursement for therapy services.
Cultural competence
Ability to understand the core cultural differences of all types of people who are in need of social work services
How many U.S. youth ages 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
about 14%
A client presents with anxiety that interferes with daily functioning. Outline a brief initial assessment plan (3 key components) a micro social worker would use.
Clinical interview — explore symptoms, onset, duration, triggers, and functional impairment.
Screening tools — e.g., GAD-7, sleep questionnaires, daily functioning checklists.
Risk assessment — evaluate safety concerns (suicidality), substance use, and medical contributors.
Explain how school social workers operate at the mezzo level to support student mental health — include at least two specific programs or activities.
School social workers at the mezzo level support mental health by working with groups and systems such as:
Small-group interventions (anxiety management groups, social-skills groups).
School-wide programs (anti-bullying campaigns, mental health awareness weeks).
They collaborate with teachers, parents, and administrators to implement interventions that promote overall student well-being.
A local mental health clinic is underfunded. List three macro strategies social workers or organizations could pursue to increase funding or resources.
Three macro strategies to increase resources for an underfunded mental health clinic:
Coalition building with local nonprofits and hospitals to pursue shared grants.
Engaging media campaigns to raise awareness and community support.
Lobbying municipal or state government for budget increases or special appropriations.
Conflict of Interest
When they have a personal, financial or professional interest or obligation that may influence how they carry out their professional responsibilities.
How much more likely is it for members of the LGBTQ community to have a mental health condition.
Two times more likely
Describe a case formulation (brief) for a client with major depressive symptoms, including presenting problem, contributing factors, and a treatment goal.
Case formulation (brief):
Presenting problem: Persistent low mood, loss of interest, fatigue, difficulty concentrating.
Contributing factors: Recent job loss, social isolation, negative thought patterns, possible family history of depression.
Treatment goal: Increase daily functioning and mood through CBT, behavioral activation, and structured support to reestablish routines and social connections.
Design a short community workshop outline (3–4 steps) aimed at reducing stigma about mental illness among teens. Include objectives and one method of measuring success.
Community workshop outline — reducing teen mental-health stigma:
Objective: Increase understanding of mental illness and reduce misconceptions.
Step 1: Icebreaker + myth-vs-fact activity.
Step 2: Short video or teen-friendly presentation featuring lived experiences.
Step 3: Small-group discussion on how stigma shows up in school and social media.
Measurement: Pre-/post-workshop questionnaire on stigma attitudes.
Describe how a social worker might use data to influence policy changes for mental health services. Include one type of data to collect and one way to present it to policymakers. Ethics
A social worker might collect service-use data (e.g., waitlist lengths, unmet need, outcomes).
To influence policy, they could present findings in a visual dashboard or report using graphs that show disparities or cost-benefit projections, then submit it to policymakers or present at hearings.