Chapter One Defining the Human Service Professional

Theory, Practice, and Trends in Human ServicesPages 1-15

The Human Service Degree Emerges•The war on poverty and Johnson’s Great Society Programs in the 1960s•The expansion of the social welfare system•The need for a generalist human service professional

–Associates Degree•Paraprofessional worker•Over 380 programs

–Bachelor’s Degree•Professional Career•Over 400 degree programs in the U.S.

Who is the Human Service Professional?

• Human Service Professionals are generalist that work side by side with specialists in the helping professions in 13 primary roles/functions:

1. Outreach Worker2. Broker 3. Advocate4. Evaluator5. Teacher/educator6. Behavior Change

Who is the Human Service Professional?

• Human Service Professionals are generalist that work side by side with specialists in the helping professions in 13 primary roles/functions:

7. Mobilizer8. Consultant9. Community Planner10. Caregiver11. Data Manager12. Administrator13. Assistant to Specialist

Skills, Standards, and Competencies of the Human Service Professional

1. Participant Empowerment2. Communication3. Assessment4. Community and service

networking5. Facilitation of services6. Community and living skills7. Education, training, and self-

development

Skills, Standards, and Competencies of the Human Service Professional

8. Advocacy9. Vocational, educational, and

career support10. Crisis intervention11. organizational participation12. documentation

These will be discussed in more detail in chapter 2

Other Professions• Psychiatrist• Psychologist• Social Worker• Psychiatric Nurse• Psychotherapist• Counselor

– School– Rehabilitation– Career– Marriage– Family

Important Professional Associations

• The National Organization for Human Service Education (NOHSE) http://www.nohse.org/

• Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE) http://www.cshse.org/

• The American Counseling Association (ACA) http://www.counseling.org/

Important Professional Associations

• The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) http://www.naswdc.org/

• The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMF) http://www.aamft.org/

Characteristics of the Effective Human Service Professional

• Empathy– Have a deep understanding of the

other person’s point of view

• Open-Mindedness– Allow others to express their point

of view– Can I listen to others in certain

situations

• Acceptance– Have a high regard for others and

their differences– Unconditional positive regard

Characteristics of the Effective Human Service Professional

• Cognitive Complexity– Understand the world and the

complexities of social forces acting on individual behavior

• Psychological Adjustment– Looking deeply within– Self awareness

• Genuineness– Saying and acting the way you feel

rather than the way you think another person wants you to be

– Congruent actions with feelings– Transparent readily show feelings to

others

Characteristics of the Effective Human Service Professional

• Relationship Building– Client change is dependent on the

relationship between client and helper

• Competence– Helper expertise– Desire for continual learning

Content Pyramid

Knowledge

Skills

Attitudes/Values

Content Pyramid

• Knowledge: Familiarity, awareness, or understanding gained through experience or study

• Skills: proficiency, facility, or dexterity that is acquired or developed through training or experience and ability

• Attitudes: Feelings or thoughts about people or things

• Values: The worth we place on something.