Human Services professional
Eva is a 60-year-old Hispanic American woman living in the United States with her 22-year-old granddaughter, Elizabeth. Eva and Elizabeth receive housing assistance from a program that you manage. At their last appointment, Eva’s granddaughter asked you about what could be done to help Eva “feel better.” Elizabeth explained that Eva seems withdrawn, quiet, and uninterested in events. After some discussion, you recommend that Eva seek help from a mental health professional. Elizabeth and Eva question your recommendation, mentioning that Eva has recently seen her family doctor and attends church regularly.
Initial Post:
Discuss your initial reaction to the case. As the Human Services professional, how are you going to approach this situation? What role does ethnicity play? Give examples of specific things you would say to Eva and Elizabeth as well as things you would make sure to avoid saying.
Answer PreviewMy initial reaction to the case was shocking. This is because it came as a surprise that Elizabeth and Eva were offended with my recommendation to visit a mental health professional. As the human service professional, the best way to approach this situation is through showing Elizabeth and Eva the benefits of visiting a mental health professional (Gray, Dean, Agllias, Howard and Schubert, 2015). The role that ethnicity plays in this situation is the fact that most Hispanic Americans usually have a culture where the young people…