Accessible Syllabus Template s14

San José State University School of Social Work Social Work 263, Social Work and the Law, Section, Summer 2013

Instructor: Mae Conroy Office Location: WSQ 217 P Telephone: (408) (741-4602) Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Tuesday 4:00-5:00 Class Days/Time: Tuesday and Thursday 5:00-9:30 Classroom: CL 243

Catalog Description Analytical skills to understand the legal system, its functions, organization, jurisdiction and case processing methods. An examination of the legal environment of social work practice in selected settings: domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, sexual abuse and education. (This is a 3 unit elective course; it also meets requirements of licensure and requirements for Title IV-E and Pupil Personnel Services Credential.)

Course Description SW 263 is an advanced level course in which students examine the role of the law and its influence on children and families. The course places specific focus on the family and juvenile court systems in California and laws relating to divorce, adoption, custody, child abuse, and juvenile justice. Students will examine and analyze critically the impact of specific court decisions and their impact on current practice.

Course Student Learning Objectives Upon completion of ScWk 263 the Master of Social Work student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of substantive administrative, legislative, and judicial decisions that have an impact on the social welfare services being provided to the children and families with whom they work. M3.5 (Policy/History/Social Justice).

2. Identify key aspects of the legal system that guide social work practice with all children and families, and in particular ethnically/racially diverse, disenfranchised, oppressed and marginalized children and families. M3.5 (Policy/History/Social Justice).

SW 263, Social Work and the Law, Summer 2013 Page 1 of 12 3. Analyze the impact of legislative and judicial processes, and use information from analyses to advocate on behalf of children and families, in particular the children and families who are disproportionately represented in public child welfare, juvenile justice, mental health, and other governmental systems. M1.5 (Apply transcultural/multisystems in field of practice); M3.5 (Policy/History/Social Justice); M3.6 (Multi-systems knowledge and skills with communities).

4. Demonstrate their understanding of the social worker’s role in the court setting and how to be effective in that setting. M3.5 (Policy/History/Social Justice)M3.6 (Multi-systems knowledge and skills with communities).

5. Identify situations of professional liability and demonstrate an understanding of how to use consultation to resolve concerns in a manner that does not violate social work values and protects clients to the fullest extent possible. M1.4 (Ethics).

IV-E Competencies

This class addresses the following IV-E Competencies: 1.5, 2.6, 2.8, 2.9, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14, 2.15, 2.16, 2.18, 2.19, 2.20, 2.21, 4.5, 4.7, 6.1, 6.5, 7.1, 7.4, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, & 8.9.

Required Texts/Readings Textbook Other Readings

Library Liaison (Highly Recommended) For assistance in the library go to the King Library Reference Desk (2nd floor; 808-2100) and/or utilize the Social Work Research Guide available at http://libguides.sjsu.edu/scwk. The Social Work Library Liaison is: Teresa Slobuski, who may be reached by phone (408.808.2015) or email ([email protected]). Additionally the course website has a specifically created legal research guide for use in legal research.

Classroom Protocol (Insert your expectations for participation, attendance, arrival times, behavior, safety, cell phone use, etc. here.) SAMPLE: Students are expected to arrive on time, participate in class discussions and exercises, and to be attentive to lectures and discussions. It is important to be courteous and respectful to ones peers as well as to the instructors. Students are asked to refrain from using cell phones, earphones or other devices. Students are expected to use laptop computers for classroom related work.

SW 263, Social Work and the Law, Summer 2013 Page 2 of 12 Dropping and Adding Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drops, academic renewal, etc. Refer to the current semester’s Catalog Policies section at http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the current academic calendar web page located at http://www.sjsu.edu/academic_programs/calendars/academic_calendar/. The Late Drop Policy is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be aware of the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes.

Assignments and Grading Policy Learning Experiences The course is a seminar and will utilize 1) lectures by the instructor and guest speakers, 2) class discussions about current policy issues; 3) group exercise, discussion and project collaboration and 4) assigned textbook readings, case studies and exercises as teaching/learning tools. Class attendance and participation are essential.

Grading And Evaluation The grading and evaluation distribution for the class is outlined below. Your grade in this course will be based on your presentations, written work, tests and participation as follows:

Assignment Points Course Student Learning Objective/Competency (SLO) Case Law Analysis 25 SLO: Case Law Analysis 15 SLO: Presentation Policy Analysis 20 SLO: Policy Analysis 10 SLO: Presentation Curriculum Vitae 10 Court Report 10 SLO: Class Participation 10 SLO: Assignments 100

Penalty for Late Work All assignments will be turned at the start of class by the due date. Assignments turned in after the due date will be subject to an automatic 5% deduction. Errors in spelling, grammar and syntax will also be subject to a grade penalty.

SW 263, Social Work and the Law, Summer 2013 Page 3 of 12 Assignment 1 Case Law Analysis includes selection and analysis of case law related to children youth and family law. The analysis will include research, legal analysis, and comprehensive review of legal precedent, review of federal state and local policy or legislation regarding the case law. A detailed description of the assignment and rubric will be available on the course website. The use of the specifically designed library guide for legal research provided on the course website is critical to complete this assignment.

Assignment 2 Case Law Analysis Presentation includes student oral presentation of the summary of the Case Law Analysis Assignment. The presentation will include history of the law, concurrent federal, state and local policy or legislation regarding the case law and analysis. A detailed description of the assignment will be accessible on the course website. Students will self- select to present on one of several class sessions. The case law presentation is seven minutes in length with two additional minutes provided for questions from the class.

Assignment 3 Policy Analysis Paper focuses on the analysis of a piece of legislated or judicial policy that has an effect on children and their families. The policy can be federal, state or local policy or legislation. Topics will be discussed in class. A more detailed assignment description and rubric is available on the course website.

Your analysis should do the following: 1. Review the rubric for the assignment that is located on the course website. 2. Identify and define the problem (or problems) the policy was intended to address; identify those intended to benefit from the policy, as well as unintended beneficiaries and unintended consequences of the policy. 3. Discuss the social and political values involved in the policy. 4. Discuss the history of the policy including the political and legislative history, precedent and key timeframes in the history of the policy. A timeline or flow chart will be helpful here. 5. Explain how effective the policy has been at addressing the problems it was designed to resolve and identify what problems remain. 6. Propose an alternative policy solution to the identified problem and explain how the alternately proposed policy could be effective at resolving the problem for children and families, and identify unintended problems that could possibly develop as a result of the alternatively suggested policy.

The paper should be no more than 10 pages. APA format required for citations, format of paper and reference page.

Assignment 4 Policy Analysis Presentation, 10 minutes summary of the Policy Analysis Paper. Submit the Policy Analysis Presentation Sheet (located on the course website) at the time of your

SW 263, Social Work and the Law, Summer 2013 Page 4 of 12 presentation. Multimedia or creative presentation is encouraged. The time limit is firmly 10 minutes, timed by the instructor.

Assignment 5 Court report, students are to prepare a report that could be presented to the court. Using a past or present case, students should incorporate guidelines and requirements for reporting the court covered in class. Names and identifying feature of the case are to be altered to protect client confidentiality. Detailed assignment information will be provided on the course website and will be provided in class.

Assignment 6 Curriculum vitae-students are to create a curriculum vita that lists their education, training and experience that could potentially be used to justify expert witness status, or provided to court prior to testimony. Required elements include employment and educational experience, as well as a list of all specialized trainings attended. Detailed assignment provided on the course website and discussed in class.

Class Participation: Students will be assessed on the frequency, quality, and depth of their in-class participation in class discussions. As part of class participation, students are expected to critically analyze information that is presented/discussed, bring examples and applications of the concepts being covered, be prepared to discuss readings, and provide additional insights on issues from their own special knowledge and expertise. Students should notify the instructor in advance if they are not able to attend class or if they need to leave class early.

APA Format and Writing Requirements: All papers, unless indicated, must follow current American Psychological Association (APA) format guidelines (6th edition) with the following exceptions: the use of running heads is optional. All papers must use standard, 12-point fonts (e.g., Times Roman) and be free of typographical, formatting, spelling, and content errors, as the quality of the writing will be evaluated as part of the grade for all written assignments. Be sure to carefully review and edit all drafts prior to submission. All ideas, quotes, and information taken or derived from other sources must be appropriately cited and referenced in accordance with APA rules.

Use of Turnitin.com: Due to the increase of scholarly works being plagiarized, San José State University and its faculty are beginning to implement safeguards, one of which is an electronic anti- plagiarism service called Turnitin.com. For the protection and education of all students, using an anti-plagiarism service will add your scholarly papers to the academic database so that others cannot plagiarize your hard work. Details will be discussed in class. Grading The grading and evaluation distribution for the class is outlined below. Percentage. Grade. 97-100%. A + 93-96%. A.

SW 263, Social Work and the Law, Summer 2013 Page 5 of 12 90-92%. A - 87-89%. B + 83-86%. B. 80-82%. B - 77-79%. C + 73-76%. C. 70-72%. C - 67-69%. D + 63-66%. D. 60-62%. D - Below 60%. F..

University Policies

Academic integrity

Your commitment as a student to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University. The University’s Academic Integrity policy, located at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S07-2.htm, requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical Development website is available at http://www.sa.sjsu.edu/judicial_affairs/index.html.

Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism (presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person’s ideas without giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For this class, all assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise specified. If you would like to include your assignment or any material you have submitted, or plan to submit for another class, please note that SJSU’s Academic Policy S07-2 requires approval of instructors.

Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at http://www.drc.sjsu.edu/ to establish a record of their disability.

School of Social Work Policies School of Social Work Writing Policy The Instructor will return selected assignments (as specified elsewhere in the syllabus) ungraded if at least five unique errors are found in grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, typos, APA style, or other basic writing errors. Late penalty points may apply, as specified in the syllabus.

SW 263, Social Work and the Law, Summer 2013 Page 6 of 12 A unique error is an error that will be counted 1 time. For example, if a possessive apostrophe is left off of a word 5 times in a paper, it will be counted as 1 error (i.e. a possessive apostrophe error). It is the student’s responsibility to make corrections throughout the paper and ensure there are no additional instances of the error in the paper before re-submitting the paper and submitting next assignments.

University Resources Student Technology Resources Computer labs for student use are available in the Academic Success Center located on the 1st floor of Clark Hall and on the 2nd floor of the Student Union. Additional computer labs may be available in your department/college. Computers are also available in the Martin Luther King Library. A wide variety of audio-visual equipment is available for student checkout from Media Services located in IRC 112. These items include digital and VHS camcorders, VHS and Beta video players, 16 mm, slide, overhead, DVD, CD, and audiotape players, sound systems, wireless microphones, projection screens and monitors. Learning Assistance Resource Center The Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) is located in Room 600 in the Student Services Center. It is designed to assist students in the development of their full academic potential and to inspire them to become independent learners. The Center's tutors are trained and nationally certified by the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA). They provide content-based tutoring in many lower division courses (some upper division) as well as writing and study skills assistance. Small group, individual, and drop-in tutoring are available. Please visit the LARC website for more information at http://www.sjsu.edu/larc/. SJSU Writing Center The SJSU Writing Center is located in Room 126 in Clark Hall. It is staffed by professional instructors and upper-division or graduate-level writing specialists from each of the seven SJSU colleges. Our writing specialists have met a rigorous GPA requirement, and they are well trained to assist all students at all levels within all disciplines to become better writers. The Writing Center website is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/about/staff/. Peer Mentor Center The Peer Mentor Center is located on the 1st floor of Clark Hall in the Academic Success Center. The Peer Mentor Center is staffed with Peer Mentors who excel in helping students manage university life, tackling problems that range from academic challenges to interpersonal struggles. On the road to graduation, Peer Mentors are navigators, offering “roadside assistance” to peers who feel a bit lost or simply need help mapping out the locations of campus resources. Peer Mentor services are free and available on a drop –in basis, no reservation required. The Peer Mentor Center website is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/muse/peermentor/

SW 263, Social Work and the Law, Summer 2013 Page 7 of 12 Social Work 263, Social Work and the Law, Summer 2013

This schedule is subject to change with fair notice. I will announce any changes in class. Additional readings will be provided and possibly substituted for each topic.

Table 1 Course Schedule Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines

1 6/4/13 Introduction and Overview of the Course Introductions; Course outline; Discussion of assignments; Class expectations. “Is it legal or is it ethical”. Ethics in social work practice; overview of codes, laws and policies governing social work practice. Including but not limited to: confidentiality, duty to warn, informed consent, scope of practice, standard of practice.

Overview of the American Legal System and the Court Hearing Process The three branches of government; The federal legislative process; The federal district courts; The Supreme Court; The appeals process.

Readings None due first evening.

6/6/13 Doing Legal Research The difference between legal research and general academic research; Using West and the California Code website; Using statutes, court opinions, and secondary sources.

Readings (see course website for readings) Constitution of the United States

Handbook-US Department of Health and Human Services “Working With Courts In Child Protection” (to be utilized throughout the course)

Court Cases: BROWN ET AL. v. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA ET AL ROE ET AL. v. WADE, DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF DALLAS COUNTY SONNY B. SOUTHERLAND, SR., , -v.- CITY OF NEW YORK, 07-4449-cv (L)

Madden, R.G, and Wayne, Social Work and The Law, A Therapeutic Jurisprudence Perspective (2003)

SW 263, Social Work and the Law, Summer 2013 Page 8 of 12 Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines

Wayne, R., Best Interests of The Child. Journal of Public Child Welfare, Vol. 2(1) 2008

Review “web links page” on course website for links to Federal, State and Local court research of case law, codes and opinions.

2 6/11/13 Laws and Legal Issues Regarding Child Protection Review of important legal cases in the child protection arena; Policy issues in the child protection arena such as the rights of parents, removal of children from parental care; Related federal and state policies. Cultural issues will be examined.

Laws and Legal Issues Regarding Adoption Review of important legal cases in the adoption arena; Policy issues in the adoption arena such as voluntary relinquishment, termination 6/13/13 of parental rights, issues for LGBT families, international adoptions, and transracial adoptions; Related federal and state policies. Readings (see course website for readings) “A Dogbook” Administrative Office of the Courts Sandra J. Hall (2010): Gauging the Gatekeepers: How do Adoption Workers Assess the Suitability of Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Prospective Parents?, Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 6:3, 265-293 An Examination of ICWA Child Adolesc Soc Work J (2008) 25:99– 110 DOI 10.1007/s10560-008-0114-4 Case Law Presentations 6/18/13 Educational Legislation and Rights 3 Review of important legal cases in the educational arena; Policy issues in the educational arena such as segregation, integration, unequal funding, legal status, sex and disability, attendance and discipline issues, and disabled children; Related federal and state policies.

Readings See Course Website Readings Week 4 Homeless and Disabled: Rights Responsibilities and Recommendations for Serving Young Children with Special Needs, Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 33, No. 5, April 2006 ( 2006) DOI: 10.1007/s10643-006-0067-1 Individualized Education Plans Essay by Kerri Phillips, SLP.D., CCC-SLP Zhang, C. et al. Facilitating the Meaningful Participation of

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families in the IFSP and IEP Process, vol.1 sp. 2003 Meyers, S. Inclusive Education Laws, EBSCO 2008 Services to Homeless Students-McKinney Vento CCCCode: 1532- 8759/06 S3.00 O2006 National Association of 5ocial Workers Case Law Presentations 6/20/13 Legal Issues Regarding Juvenile Justice Review of important legal cases in the juvenile justice arena; Policy issues in the juvenile justice arena such as delinquency vs. crime, status offenses, transfer to adult court, and gang involvement; Related federal and state policies.

Readings (see course website for readings) Contesting Childhood in the US Justice System: The transfer of juveniles to adult criminal court Childhood November 2005 12: 461-478, Forum on Public Policy: The Impact of Poverty on African American Children in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems Rudolph Alexander, Jr., Professor, College of Social Work, The Ohio State University Practitioner Views of Priorities, Policies, and Practices in Juvenile Justice Crime & Delinquency October 2010 56: 535-563, first published on October 10, 2008 Case Law Presentations

6/25/13 Marriage, Divorce, Child Custody and Support 4 Review of important legal cases in the marriage and child custody and support arena; Policy issues in the marriage and child custody and support arena such as gay and lesbian couples, step-parent families, and common law marriage; Related federal and state policies. Cultural issues will be examined.

Readings (see course website for readings) Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration by Court-Ordered Men: Distinctions and Intersections Among Physical Violence, Sexual Violence, Psychological Abuse, and Stalking J Interpers Violence January 2011 26: 230-253, first published on April 21, 2010

Cultural Influences on Help Seeking Latina Am J Community Psychol (2012) 49:347–363 DOI 10.1007/s10464-011-9462-x Friendly Fire Julie C. Tolleson (2006): Friendly Fire, Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 2:2, 125-139

Defining the "Fit": The Impact of Gender and Servicemember Status on Child Custody Determinations Paquin, Rachelle L The Journal of Gender, Race, and Justice; Spring 2011; 14, 2; GenderWatch pg. 533

Expanding Consultation, IMHJ, Vol. 33(3), 283–293 (2012)C 2012 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health

Assignments Policy Analysis Due Dealing with Domestic Violence Review of important legal cases in the domestic violence arena; Policy issues in the domestic violence arena such as issues mandated screening, protection orders, the “Battered Woman Syndrome,” and various protection strategies; Related federal and state policies.

Case Law Presentations 6/27/13 Laws Regulating Medical Care and Consent for Treatment Review of important legal cases in the medical care arena; Policy issues in the medical care arena such as informed consent and the commitment and treatment process for the mentally ill or developmentally disabled; Related federal and state policies. Informed Consent, Records, Documentation, HIPPA; Elder/Dependent Abuse Reporting. Cultural issues will be examined.

Readings (see course website for readings) Working Within the Courts Preparing and presenting legal testimony; The process of testifying; Qualifying as an expert witness; Writing reports for the court; Differences in legal and social work cultures; Guidelines for working with lawyers. Assignments Court report and CV due

Case Law Presentations Laws and Policies Governing Social Work Practice 5 7/2/13 The bounds of liability; types of liability; The credentialing of social work; Laws and policies regulating social work practice; Client confidentiality; Dealing with requests to testify. Cultural issues will be examined.

Readings (see course website for readings)

SW 263, Social Work and the Law, Summer 2013 Page 12 of 12