1. The Role of Social Work in Reintegration
Kathleen Ray, PhD, MSW, LCSW Rita Torres, MSW, LCSW
Social Workers, NJ WRIISC

2. Goals of Talk Identify determinants affecting reintegration
Distinguish the social work process of assessment
Recognize the role of social work on the WRIISC team
Implement social work expertise within the PACT Team setting

3. Reintegration
Transition from combat deployment and return to community life
Active military service to civilian roles and activities
Common pathway, but different for everyone
Success depends on a multitude of individual and environmental factors

4. Determinants of Reintegration
Participation
Body Function
Environmental Factors
Personal Factors
Body Structure
Activity

5. Determinants of Reintegration Body Function
Pain
Mental Health
Sleep

6. Determinants of Reintegration Body Structure
Obesity
Physical Injuries/ limitations

7. Determinants of Reintegration Environmental Factors
Social Support
Health Care
Housing
Work

8. Determinants of Reintegration Personal Factors
Self-efficacy
Alcohol/drug use
Life philosophy

9. Determinants of Reintegration Activity
Activities of Daily Living
ADL’s
iADL’s
Physical Activities

10. Social Work Trained in identifying determinants of reintegration
Uses ecosystems framework
to understand relationships,
vocation, living circumstances
on bio-psycho social concerns
Targets areas need to strengthen for optimization of medical/psychological well being.
Tailors discharge plan

11. Ecosystems Perspective
Framework of practice
Concepts from ecology and general systems theory
Interaction and adaptation between people and their environments

12. Implications for Change
Social Workers and clients join forces against problematic fit of client and environment rather than judge clients to be deficient
Change in one part of system will change other parts
Focus on strengths

13. WRIISC (War Related Illness and Injury Study Center)
What is the WRIISC?
Clinical Evaluation
Research
Education

14. Part of the interdisciplinary team
The Roles of Social Work at WRIISC
Part of the interdisciplinary team
Advocate
Change agent
Broker
Educator
Case Manager
Liaison

15. The Tasks of Social Work at WRIISC
Chart review
Engage Veteran
Psychosocial assessment
Provide social work recommendations

16. Tasks (cont’d.)
Create treatment plan with interdisciplinary team members
Empower Veteran to assume responsibility for implementation of plan
Follow up with Veteran after WRIISC visit and track progress
Maintaining current library of resources

17. Treatment Plan General Specific
Goal – as close as possible to providing a ”seamless transition” between Veteran’s military lifestyle and re-integration to civilian life.

18. What Helps Make the Social Worker More Effective on a Team
Part of the team
Inclusion from the beginning
Access to both Veteran and
family to develop effective supports for treatment implementation
Recommendations must be practical and feasible

19. How PACT can Utilize Social Work Services **
Gather information not necessarily provided during a physical exam
Offer guidance for realistic recommendations
Identify barriers to access care
Provide supports to maximize Veteran ability to implement WRIISC recommendations
Empower Veteran to direct own health care
Educate Veteran on navigating system and advocate for Veteran as needed
Follow up on recommendations