Prelims

Half Title Page

Social Justice Case Studies

Title Page

Social Justice Case Studies

Interdisciplinary and Non-Traditional Interdisciplinary Approaches

By

Cheryl Green

Southern Connecticut State University, USA

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Copyright Page

Emerald Publishing Limited

Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA, UK

First edition 2023

Copyright © 2023 Cheryl Green.

Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited.

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-80455-747-1 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-80455-746-4 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-80455-748-8 (Epub)

Purpose of This Book

The purpose of this book is to provide individuals who desire to learn more about social justice, the ability to discuss and engage in the traditional interdisciplinary and non-traditional interdisciplinary processes as they work on case studies addressing multiple social justice issues. Examples of social justice case studies that will be presented include: the recognition of “fright” in a man of Caribbean descent who is also experiencing depression, a widowed mother and physician who now identifies as a transgender male, a veteran returning from combat, Espiritismo and its impact on a college student, and a Christian requested not to openly pray.

Individuals interested in exploring the varied roles of interdisciplinary and non-traditional interdisciplinary teams, will learn how these roles positively and negatively impact the lives of others. Approaches to the management of complex case studies will be discussed, as well as ethical dilemmas, facilitation of family meetings, community-based interventions, discharge planning, and cultural consideration in health care, education, and the community will be addressed. Case studies, concept maps, review questions, and concise chapter learning objectives, will enhance individuals' openness to developing relationships to others that are different from themselves.

Publication Statement for Case Study

This book provides individuals whom simply have a desire to explore how social injustices can impact the lives of their fellow human beings, an opportunity to read and discuss case scenarios. The ability to discuss and engage within interdisciplinary and non-traditional interdisciplinary exploration processes as one reads these case studies, provides the opportunity to proactively address multiple social justice issues. Examples of social justice case studies that will be presented include: a gentleman who experienced a health care misdiagnosis leading to a late stage diagnosis of cancer and the recognition of “fright” in a gentleman of Caribbean descent. The varied roles of interdisciplinary and non-traditional interdisciplinary team members, and how these roles positively and negatively impact health, social interactions, and quality of life outcomes will be considered. Approaches to the management of complex social justice cases will be discussed, as well as ethical dilemmas, facilitation of family meetings, discharge planning, cultural consideration in health care, prejudgment, discrimination, and bias. Case studies, concept maps, review questions, and concise chapter learning objectives, will enhance application to real-life occurrences of social injustices.

Dr Cheryl Green

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all individuals who are committed to ensuring that all human beings are provided respect and dignity. Social justice case studies are presented that stir discussion on societal situations and personal conflicts that implore persons to explore the psychological, psychosocial, physiological, and spiritual needs of persons that are different from themselves. Openness to that which is uncomfortable is the goal of each chapter, for the facilitation of respectful and dignified perspectives of diversity that inform the value of equity and inclusion.

About the Author

Cheryl Green, PhD, DNP, RN, LCSW, CNL, CNE, ACUE, MAC, FAPA is Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Southern Connecticut State University, USA and an off-shift Nurse Leader at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. Dr Green has been a registered nurse for over 32 years and a licensed clinical social worker for over 28 years. Her areas of research include mental illness, medication error prevention, medical-surgical health issues, incivility and discrimination, prayer and spirituality, self-care, distraction, stress and anxiety, nursing education, death and dying, health disparities, addictions, simulation, and mindfulness.

Foreword

The National Association of Social Workers, Social Work Dictionary, 2014 defines Social Justice as “An ideal condition in which all members of a society have the same basic rights, protection, opportunities, obligations, and social benefits. Implicit in this concept is the notion that historical inequities should be acknowledged and remedied through specific measures. A key social work value, social justice entails advocacy to confront discrimination, oppression, and institutional inequities.” The ideals of social justice must be an underpinning of our work in social services and health that includes mental, physical, and social determinants.

My personal view of social justice is aspirational. Our careers are spent as social advocates working toward eliminating inequities both in society and service delivery. It is imperative that our goal is to become intersectional in our advocacy for vulnerable populations. It requires collaboration with our clients as individuals, in groups, organizations, and communities. Our job as advocates includes assuring consumer voices are heard at the table where decisions about their lives are being discussed and perhaps decided.

The past few years have seen growing divides in our nation (and internationally) politically, racially, and economically. The COVID-19 pandemic and racism have created racial and economic tensions bringing to the forefront the inequities existing in our nation. In this environment the call for interdisciplinary social justice is critical.

In my 40 plus years as a professional social worker, I continue to strive to take actions that advance issues of social justice, primarily in the legislative and electoral arenas. Changes here are often incremental, flowing, and waning, depending on who is in governmental power. Keeping my eye on the prize, being persistent, ready to take advantage when the window of opportunity opens, and not becoming discouraged when the window closes, that is the arduous process that social justice demands of us.

My social work career has included fighting for healthcare coverage for all, mental health parity, voting rights, income supports that address poverty, and social work licensure. Furthermore, I worked for 25 years to achieve preference in employment of public service professional social workers as social justice demands the highest quality workforce for all. My work has undertaken coalition approaches and involvement of related disciplines to avoid professional turf wars. In Dr Cheryl Green's Social Justice Case Studies: Interdisciplinary and Non-Traditional Interdisciplinary Approaches, the author recognizes the vital importance of interdisciplinary social action.

Over the years I have also taught as an adjunct faculty member and frequent guest lecturer in both baccalaureate social work (BSW) and master social work (MSW) programs. In these lectures I have found that actual practice examples and case studies have the greatest learning benefits. Social Justice Case Studies: Interdisciplinary and Non-Traditional Interdisciplinary Approaches utilizes case studies to realistically introduce to the reader recipient experiences of service delivery. It takes on issues such as individuals' rights to self-determination, pregnancy, language barriers, limited options because of poverty, and lack of human respect. The case studies presented in this book will bring to life the gravity of the issues impacting people's daily lives.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”. The important work we undertake in our profession and our personal lives is to bend toward social justice. Social Justice Case Studies: Interdisciplinary and Non-Traditional Interdisciplinary Approaches by Dr. Cheryl Green is significant to individuals and students' training as her emphasis is an interdisciplinary practice perspective with a social justice lens.

Stephen Wanczyk-Karp, LMSW

Executive Director

National Association of Social Workers, Connecticut Chapter

Preface

Social justice can be a vague set of words that seem trivial to those impacted by what these words imply. Social relates to society and justice to the impartiality that some people in society receive and others do not. The impartiality of social justice in itself is conditional to how interactions are purposefully intended to not be respectful of the targeted persons or populations affected. For those who choose to not acknowledge social justice, it is easy to state that there is equality for all human beings. However, in taking time to listen to the stories of others' lives, humbleness and respect can evolve in the unbeliever. As one's story is their own truth, mutual respect for one another's truths is social justice.

Acknowledgment

I would like to personally thank my husband, William C. Green and sons, Joshua W. Green, and Elijah M. Green for their love, support, and prayers.