ABSTRACT
Contemporary family social work is influenced by a variety of factors, one of the primary ones being managed behavioral care. With its emphasis on brief, efficacious, and evidence-based interventions, managed behavioral care has influenced social work practice with families by focusing the social worker clearly, systematically, and succinctly on identifying and assessing the problem or concerns; developing and implementing an intervention plan; terminating; and evaluating the working relationship. This chapter highlights theoretical frameworks and skills and behaviors for social work practice interventions with families that include the processes of termination, evaluation, and follow-up. Family social work practice interventions may focus on: reinforcing family strengths to prepare families for long-term change, such as a member arriving, leaving, needing care, or dying. It also focuses on creating concrete changes in family functioning to sustain effective and satisfying daily routines independent of formal helpers; providing additional support to family therapy so that families maintain effective family functioning.
