Involuntary Clients in Social Work Practice ― A Research-Based Approach

Aimed at both practitioners and graduate students, this book describes social work practice with a challenging client population: those clients who do not voluntarily seek help from social workers. The authors present concepts, principles, and techniques for working effectively with involuntary clients at varying levels of restrictiveness in settings ranging from child protective services to mental health and criminal justice agencies.
Dr. Ivanoff and her colleagues describe research-based practice from the viewpoint of the practitioner, and illustrate its application in work with clients in those settings. The framework employed throughout is a phase model of practice, emphasizing key decisions that social workers make in each practice phase, from assessment through planning and implementing interventions to termination and follow-up. Such a model enables the practitioner to solve problems and achieve objectives at each of the interrelated phases.
Despite the growing numbers of involuntary clients in recent years, little attention has been paid to developing innovations in working with these client groups. Thus, Involuntary Clients will meet a perceived need in graduate training and practice. It is also hoped that it will stimulate clinical researchers to test the relative efficacy of different approaches for both voluntary and involuntary clients.

Andre Ivanoff is Associate Professor, Columbia University School of Social Work.