Family Focused Clinical Practice

Ms. Tamika Jenkins is a 30 y/o African American single mother of three children and resides in an economically disadvantaged housing project in the inner city. She frequently visits the Health Center with a multitude of complaints typically focused around injury. In the past six months Miss Jenkins has been seen for a miscarriage, a fractured wrist related to a fall while rollerblading, and a head injury related to an altercation with another woman for unknown reasons. Miss Jenkins states that her husband is incarcerated, is she has no family support; her mother died of HIV when she was a teenager, and she doesn’t speak to her father. When she presents to the Health Center she is anxious and desponded and seeks pain medication. She seems to have little insight into her problems. She is currently being investigated by the Department of Children and Families for child neglect. Question: Consider the Family Capacity Model: Outline the families strengths, function, needs, goals and supports needed to maximize the family potential. Locate local agencies to refer patients a. who are in psychiatric crisis b. who needs social support for family problems c. who need hotline numbers for relieving stress due to flashbacks from childhood sexual abuse d. who asked about Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous