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CUA
THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA
National Catholic School of Social Service
Washington, DC 20064
202-319-5458
Fax 202-319-5093
SSS 597
Social Work with Active Duty Service Members, Veterans, and their Families
(3 Credits)
Fall 2013
Dorinda Williams, MSW, LCSW-C
©This course outline is the property of NCSSS
I. COURSE PURPOSE
This course introduces students to the military culture and lifestyle, with a focus on
stressors and challenges from both an individual and family perspective. Special
emphasis is placed on studies and literature emerging from Operation Enduring
Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) documenting the impact of sustained,
overseas efforts on individual and family functioning. The effects of repeated, extended
separation, as well as active duty service members’ and veterans’ physical, psychological,
and cognitive injury, are examined through the lens of the Cognitive Theory of Stress and
Coping, Family Stress Theory, and Ambiguous Loss Theory. Military-specific stressors
are viewed from a strengths-based perspective, underscoring how individuals’ and family
members’ internal and external resources may moderate or mediate the effects of
deployment-related separation, trauma, loss, and/or transition. Students will examine the
policies, programs, and services that contribute to military and veteran family health and
well-being and will be introduced to direct practice interventions that are being used with
active duty service members, veterans, and their families. Awareness-building
assignments are used to enable students to reconcile personal and professional values and
principles with the values and principles embedded within the military culture. Students
are provided with an historical overview of the critical role that social workers play in
serving the military and veteran population. Students are encouraged to consider how the
social work profession’s flexible skill-set may be particularly beneficial in responding to
the complex and evolving needs of today’s military and veteran families.
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II. COMPETENCIES AND PRACTICE BEHAVIORS
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), requires that students meet 10 core
competencies, which are operationalized as practice behaviors. Each course is designed
to cover one or more of the ten core competencies and each course is also designed to
cover some, but not all of the practice behaviors within a competency. Upon completion
of this course, students will able to demonstrate the following practice behaviors within
the noted competencies:
Competency
Professional Identity:
Identify as a clinical
social worker & conduct
self accordingly
Practice Behaviors
1. Social workers practice with a
clear understanding of the
professional strengths,
capacities, and limitations of
clinical social work.
Related Assignments
Practice Issue Paper
2. Social workers understand how
clinical theories from multiple
disciplines inform the practice
of clinical social work.
Ethical Practice: Apply
social work ethical
principles to guide
clinical practice
1. Social workers recognize and
manage personal biases as they
affect the clinical relationship in
the service of clients’ well-being.
Personal Reflection
Critical Thinking:
Apply critical thinking to
inform and communicate
clinical judgments
1. Social workers distinguish,
appraise, and integrate multiple
sources of knowledge, including
research-based knowledge, and
practice wisdom in an ongoing
process of assessment and
intervention.
Practice Issue Paper
2. Social workers demonstrate
effective oral and written
communication with clients and
other professionals.
3. Social workers include personal
reflection in clinical decision
making, are adept at differential
diagnosis, and articulate both
client strengths and
vulnerabilities in the diagnostic
process.
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1. Social workers view themselves
Diversity in Practice:
Engage diversity and
as cultural learners and engage
demonstrate awareness of
those with whom they work as
the complexities
collaborators and experts about
regarding identity
their own identity and life
differences and how they
experience.
play out in clinical
2. Social workers use their selfpractice
awareness to reflect on and
diminish the influence of their
personal biases and values in
working with others.
Personal Reflection
Practice Issue Paper
3. Social workers recognize and
communicate their understanding
of the importance of difference in
shaping the life experiences of
clients, themselves, and the
working alliance.
Human Rights &
Justice: Advance human
rights through
understanding how social
and economic justice
factors impact clinical
practice
1. Social workers use knowledge of
the effects of oppression,
discrimination and historical
trauma on the client and client
system to guide treatment
planning and intervention.
Practice Issue Paper
Resource Description
2. Social workers understand how
power and inequities are initiated
and reinforced, and are cognizant
not to replicate power
inequalities in the relationship.
3. Social workers advocate at
multiple levels for mental health
parity and the reduction of health
disparities for marginalized
populations, and they identify
social and economic inequalities
that exist in various populations
and advocate for justice in a
domestic and global context.
Research Based
Practice: Engage in
research-informed
practice and practiceinformed research
1. Social workers critically evaluate Practice Issue Paper
and utilize theoretical and
Resource Description
empirical research relevant to the
problems and/or populations seen
in clinical practice.
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Human Behavior:
Apply knowledge of
human behavior and the
social environment
1. Social workers synthesize and
Practice Issue Paper
differentially apply theories of
Resource Description
human behavior that address the
bio-psycho-social-spiritual nature
of clients and the social
environment to guide clinical
practice.
2. Social workers consult with other
professionals when assessing
clients, and partner with other
professionals to coordinate
treatment plans and monitor
progress and challenges.
Practice Contexts:
Respond to contexts that
shape clinical practice
1. Social workers continuously
assess and identity changing
locales, populations, scientific
and technological developments,
and emerging societal trends to
provide relevant services and
develop needed policies.
Practice Issue Paper
Resource Description
2. Social workers consult and
collaborate with colleagues from
other disciplines and demonstrate
an understanding of the social
worker's role in a
multidisciplinary context.
Engage, Assess,
Intervene, Evaluate:
Engage, assess, and
intervene with
individuals, families, and
groups.
1. Social workers use empathy,
active listening, and other
interpersonal skills to establish
therapeutic rapport, and set
treatment goals with the client
system.
2. Social workers develop culturally
responsive therapeutic
relationships.
3. Social workers attend to the
interpersonal dynamics and
contextual factors that may
strengthen or harm the
therapeutic working alliance.
4. Social workers co-construct and
select therapeutic interventions
that best address the client’s
Personal Reflection
Practice Issue Paper
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presenting problem and risk
factors, and use multiple
intervention plans to address
compound problems or complex
trauma.
5. Social workers incorporate client
strengths, capacities, and
protective factors in the
therapeutic intervention plan.
6. Social workers critically analyze,
monitor, and evaluate
interventions.
III. ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
At the completion of the course, the student should also be able to:
1. Articulate Cognitive Theory of Stress and Coping, Family Stress Theory, and
Ambiguous Loss Theory as frameworks for understanding, and responding to, active
duty service members’, veterans’, and families’ psychological health and functioning
in the context of deployment- and OPTEMPO (operational tempo as defined by time
away from home)-related stress, separation, injury, and loss.
2. Demonstrate foundational knowledge of combat deployment- engendered issues
affecting active duty active duty service members, veterans, and their families,
including post-traumatic stress responses, depression, substance use, traumatic brain
injury (TBI), physical injury, chronic pain or disability, suicide risk, and/or traumatic
death.
IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A. Required Text
All required readings are on the course BlackBoard, CUA library, or in the following
texts.)
Blaisure, K., Saathoff-Wells, T., Pereira, A., Wadsworth, S. M., & Dombro, A. L.
(2012). Serving military families in the 21st century. London, England:
Routledge Academic.
B. Recommended Text
Everson, R., & Figley, C. R. (2011). Families under fire: Systemic therapy with
military families.
New York, NY: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
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C. Course Assignments
The assignments for this course consist of active class participation, an exercise in
personal reflection, a formal group presentation to peers, and a scholarly paper. See
attached outline for details of the assignments.
D. Grading Policy and Weights of Assignments
Grades will be based on the CUA Grading Policy as described in the Graduate
Announcements. Assignments are to be submitted to the instructor on the date due.
Unless you have prior permission from the instructor, five points will be
deducted for each day the assignment is submitted late. Extensions will not be
granted the day an assignment is due. The paper is due at the beginning of class
and will be considered late if it is turned in later than that. If you should need an
extension, the student must discuss this with the instructor at least 48 hours ahead of
the due date (excluding weekends and/or holidays). No credit will be given for
assignments submitted after they have been reviewed in class. The following
provides weights for the various course assignments:
Assignment 1
Military Social Work:
Personal Reflection
20%
Assignment 2
Military, Veteran, or
Civilian Resource
Description (Group
Activity)
20%
Assignment 3
Military, Veteran, or
Civilian Resource Group
Presentation
10%
Assignment 4
Policy or Practice Issue
Paper
40%
Preparation, Attendance, and Participation
10%
Grading System
Letter Grade
Numeric Range
A
95 – 100
A90 – 94
B+
87 – 89
B
83 – 86
B80 – 82
C
70 – 79
F
E. Preparation, Attendance & Participation
0 – 69
Students are required to attend classes and are expected to participate meaningfully in
class discussion/exercises and online forums as required. The class participation
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grade will be determined by the instructor’s perception of the student’s preparation
for and contributions to class discussion/activities. Different students will make
different kinds of contributions. Some will have an easy time with spontaneous
interactions while others will be more comfortable making planned statements about
key ideas from the readings or other sources. Both types of contributions are valued.
F. Course and Instructor Evaluation
NCSSS requires electronic evaluation of this course and the instructor. At the end of
the semester, the evaluation form may be accessed at
http://evaluations.cua.edu/evaluations using your CUA username and password.
Additional, informal written or verbal feedback to the instructor during the semester
is encouraged and attempts will be made to respond to requests.
V. CLASS EXPECTATIONS
Please refer to NCSSS Announcements, or appropriate Program Handbook for
Academic Requirements (http://ncsss.cua.edu/courses/index.cfm), including
scholastic and behavioral requirements. NCSSS is committed to creating an open and
inclusive learning environment where all members - including students, faculty,
administrators, and staff – strive to listen to and learn from one another. We
recognize that in a multicultural society, it is inevitable that issues or tensions
relative to diversity and different life experiences will arise. It is how we handle these
events that matters. Therefore, when such issues occur – inside or outside of the
classroom - we agree to engage in respectful and productive discussion with one
another until learning is enhanced and understanding is deepened by all involved.
A. Scholastic Expectations
All written work should reflect the original thinking of the writer, cite references
where material is quoted or adapted from existing sources, adhere to APA format, and
should be carefully proof read by the student before submission to the instructor for
grading.
B. Behavioral Requirements:
Students are expected to maintain accepted standards of professional conduct and
personal integrity in the classroom. Students should:
 Attend all classes and contribute constructively to the classroom culture

Recognize and avoid behavior that jeopardizes the learning/teaching environment
of other students or the instructor

Demonstrate competence in planning academic activities and in following through
on those plans

Reasonably respond to and respect others’ reactions to one’s comments or actions
in the classroom

Use an appropriate level of class time and instructor’s time and attention in and out
of class

Behave in a manner that is consistent with the ethical principles of the social work
profession.
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C. Academic Honesty
Joining the community of scholars at CUA entails accepting the standards, living by
those standards, and upholding them. Please refer to University Policy
(http://graduatestudies.cua.edu/currentstudents/academintgrt.cfm) and appropriate
Program Handbooks.
D. Confidentiality
Each student is expected to adhere to the Confidentiality Agreement that is signed at
the beginning of every semester. This agreement covers “practice materials” in
classes, supervisory sessions, case conferences, seminars, and other educational
settings within the NCSSS BSW or MSW programs are for professional learning
purposes only and are subject to strict professional standards of confidentiality.
These same standards of confidentiality also extend to various forms of written
communication and peer consultation. Adherence to these standards means all
students refrain from communicating beyond the classroom setting about practice
material that is presented in class. Students will also refrain from using social media
outlets (blogs, twitter, Facebook, etc.) or email to discuss practice settings, program
responsibilities and projects with individuals who are not in teaching or supervision
roles directly related to the situation.
E. Accommodations
Students with physical, learning, psychological or other disabilities wishing to request
accommodations must identify with the Disability Support Services (DSS) and submit
documentation of a disability. If you have documented such a disability to DSS that
requires accommodations or an academic adjustment, you much present that
documentation to your instructors and arrange a meeting with as soon as possible to
discuss these accommodations.
F. Use of Electronic Devices
No laptops or other electronic devices are permitted in the classroom, unless you
have a specific documented learning disability. Please turn off all cell phones or other
devices that would disrupt the learning environment of the classroom and put them
away and removed from the classroom environment.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Class
TOPICS, READINGS, AND ASSIGNMENTS
Part I:
THE MILITARY CULTURE AND SYSTEM: OVERVIEW OF
MILITARY VALUES, PRINCIPLES, AND BASIC STRUCTURES
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Introduction to course; recognizing the military as a culture
Blaisure et al. An introduction to military culture and military families. Chapter
1.
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Blaisure et al. (2012). Individual and family development in the military.
Chapter 6.
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Military system: Rank, service, status; lifestyle, values, customs, and
diversity
Blaisure et al. (2012). An overview of military personnel and their families.
Chapter 2.
Catherall, D. (2011). Systemic therapy with families of U.S. Marines. In R. B.
Everson & C. R. Figley, Families under fire: Systemic therapy with
military families (pp. 99-114). New York, NY: Routledge Taylor &
Francis Group.
Coll, J. E., Weiss, E. L., & Yarvis, J. S. (2011). No one leaves unchanged:
Insights for civilian mental health care professionals into the military
experience and culture. Social Work in Health Care, 50(7), 487-500.
doi: 10.1080/00981389.2010.528727
Springer, C., & Wilme, C. M. (2011). Painting a moving train: Preparing
civilian community providers to serve returning warriors and their
families. In R. B. Everson & C. R. Figley, Families under fire: Systemic
therapy with military families (pp. 237-257). New York, NY: Routledge
Taylor & Francis Group.
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Role of the social worker in advancing the needs and interests of active duty
service members, veterans, and their families; practice and policy
perspectives
Knox, J., & Price, D. H. (1999). Total force and the new American military
family: Implications for social work practice. Families in society: The
Journal of Contemporary Services, 80(2), 128-136.
National Association of Social Workers (1996/2008). Code of ethics of the
National Association of Social Workers. Retrieved from
http://www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/code.asp
Savitsky, L., Illingworth, M., & DuLaney, M. (2009). Civilian social work:
Serving the military and veteran populations. Social Work, 54(4), 327339.
Wheeler, D. P., & Bragin, M. (2007). Bringing it all back home: Social work and
the challenge of returning veterans. Health and Social Work, 32(4), 297299.
Part II:
RESPONDING TO ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS,
AND THEIR FAMILIES AFFECTED BY PHYSICAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL INJURY
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Physical injury: Implications for family members
Blaisure et al. (2012). The effects of war on service members. Chapter 7.
Cozza, S. J., Guimond, J. M., McKibben, J. B., Chun, R. S., Arata-Maiers, T. L.,
Schneider, B., Maiers…Ursano, R. J. (2010). Combat-injured service
members and their families: The relationship of child distress and spouseperceived family distress and disruption. Journal of Traumatic Stress,
23(1), 112-115.
Goldman, R. L., Radnitz, C. L., & McGrath, R. E. (2008). Posttraumatic stress
disorder and major depression in veterans with spinal cord injury.
Rehabilitation Psychology, 53(2), 162-170. doi: 10.1037/00905550.53.2.162
Jennings, B. M., Yoder, L. H., Heiner, S. L., Loan, L. A., & Bingham, M. O.
(2008). Soldiers with musculoskeletal injuries. Journal of Nursing
Scholarship, 40(3), 268—274.
Messinger, S. D. (2010). Rehabilitating time: Multiple temporalities among
military clinicians and patients. Medical Anthropology, 29(2), 150-169.
doi: 10.1080/01459741003715383
Assignment # 1: Personal Reflection Due
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Psychological injury: Implications for family members; ambiguous loss;
moral injury
Blaisure et al. (2012). The effects of war on service members. Chapter 8.
Gewirtz, A. H., Polusny, M. A., Khaylis, A., Erbes, C. R., & DeGarmo, D. S.
(2010). Posttraumatic stress symptoms among National Guard soldiers
deployed to Iraq: Associations with parenting behaviors and couple
adjustment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(5), 599610. doi: 10.1037/a0020571
Huebner, A. J., Mancini, J. A., Wilcox, R. M., Grass, S. R., & Grass, G. A.
(2007). Parental deployment and youth in military families: Exploring
uncertainty and ambiguous loss. Family Relations, 56(2), 112-122.
Lester, P., Peterson, K., Reeves, J., Knauss, L., Glover, D., Mogil, C.,
…Beardslee, W. (2010). The long war and parental combat deployment:
Effects on military children and at-home spouses. Journal of the
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(4), 310-320.
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Psychological injury (cont’d); cognitive injury: Implications for the service
member/veteran and family members; ambiguous loss
Sharpless, B. A. & Barber, J. P. (2011). A clinician’s guide to PTSD treatments
for returning veterans. Professional Psychology; Research and Practice,
42(1), 8-15.
Kennedy, J. E., Jaffee, M. S., Leskin, G. A., Stokes, J. W., Leal, F. O., &
Fitzpatrick, P. J. (2007). Posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic
stress disorder-like symptoms and mild traumatic brain injury. Journal of
Rehabilitation Research & Development, 44(7), 895-920. doi:
10.1682/JRRD.2006.12.0166.
Okie, S. (2005). Traumatic brain injury in the war zone. The New England
Journal of Medicine, 252(20), 2043-2047.
Walker, R. L., Sanders, R. L., & Clark, M. E. (2010). The “Postdeployment
Multi-symptom Disorder”: An emerging syndrome in need of a new
treatment paradigm. Psychological Services, 7(3), 136-147. doi:
10.1037/a0019684
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Sexual injury; gender and equality issues in the military; same-sex partners;
veteran women; military sexual trauma (MST)
Skinner, K. M., Kressin, N., Frayne, S., Tripp, T. J., Handkin, C. S., Miller, D. R.,
& Sullivan, L. M. (2000). The prevalence of military sexual assault
among female veterans’ administration outpatients. Journal of
Interpersonal Violence, 15(3), 291-310.
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Suicide prevention in military and veteran populations; Family coping in the
face of service member’s injury-related death
Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of
the Armed Forces. (2010). The challenge and the promise:
Strengthening the force, preventing suicide and saving lives. Retrieved
from
http://www.health.mil/dhb/downloads/Suicide%20Prevention%20Task%2
0Force%20final%20report%208-23-10.pdf
Lamorie, J. H. Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom:
Exploring wartime death and bereavement. Social Work in Health Care.
50, 543-563. doi: 10.1080/00981389.2010.532050
National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2008). Traumatic grief in military
children: Information for educators. Los Angeles, CA, & Durham, NC:
National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. Retrieved from
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/military_grief_educator
s.pdf
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Ratnarajah, D., & Schofield, M. J. (2007). Parental suicide and its aftermath: A
review. Journal of Family Studies, 13(1), 78-93.
Part III:
RESEARCH AND THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF SOCIAL
WORK PRACTICE ON BEHALF OF MILITARY AND VETERAN
POPULATIONS
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Introduction of the Cognitive Theory of Stress and Coping as a lens for
practicing social work with military and veteran populations
Blaisure et al. (2012). Supporting military families; applying theory and research
to practice. Chapter 12.
BrintzenhofeSzoc, K. (2012). Theories and models to guide social work
assessments in health care settings. Unpublished manuscript. The
Catholic University of America.
Folkman, S. (2008). The case for positive emotions in the stress process.
Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 21(1), 3-14.
Nilsson, D. (2007). Adapting coping theory to explain the concept of adjustment.
Social Work in Health Care, 45(2), 1-20.
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Introduction of family stress theory as a lens for practicing military and
veterans’ families social work; Double ABCX Model of Family Behavior
Lavee, Y., McCubbin, H. I., Patterson, J. M. (1985). The Double ABCX Model
of Family Stress and Adaptation: An empirical test by analysis of
structural equations with latent variables. Journal of Marriage and the
Family, 47(4), 811-825.
Blaisure et al. (2012). Ways of thinking about family stress and resilience.
Chapter 5.
Chapin, M. (2011). Family resilience and the fortunes of war. Social Work in
Health Care, 50(7), 527-542.
Assignment 2: Overview of military/veteran program/service due class 11;
Also due Assignment 3: Presentations of Assignment 2
Part IV:
LOOKING AHEAD: ANTICIPATING THE LONG-TERM NEEDS OF
MILITARY AND VETERANS’ FAMILIES IN THE SHIFTING
SOCIOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE
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Examining policy decisions and implications for active duty service members,
veterans, and their families; current budget cuts/sequestration; quality
assurance and accreditation within DoD and VA.
Blaisure et al. (2012). Civilian supports for military families: Military policies
and programs. Chapter 10.
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Blaisure et al. (2012). Military support for military families: Military policies
and programs. Chapter 9.
Presentations of Assignment 2 (cont’d)
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VA-sponsored programs and services; public-private partnerships and
community- based resources; the expanding role of the Veterans Affairs
(VA) social worker in responding to the ongoing needs and interests of
veterans and their families across the lifespan
Amdur, D., Batres, A., Brown, J. H., Cornis-Pop, M., Mathewson-Chapman, M.,
Harms, G., …Kennedy, P. (2011). VA Integrated post-combat care: A
systemic approach to caring for returning combat veterans. Social Work in
Health Care. 50, 564-575. doi: 10.1080/00981389.2011.554275
Blaisure et al. (2012). Military support for military families: Military policies
and programs. Chapter 9.
Manske, J. E. (2006). Social work in the Department of Veterans Affairs:
Lessons learned. Health & Social Work, 31(3), 233-237.
Mathewson, J. (2011). In support of military women and families: Challenges
facing community therapists. In R. Everson C.R. & C. R. Figley (Eds.),
Families under fire: Systemic therapy with military families (pp. 215235). New York, NY: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
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Building bridges: The importance of military, VA, and civilian partnerships
in being fully responsive to military and veteran families; the value of the
collaborative social worker; compassion fatigue and professional resilience
Blaisure et al. (2012). Supporting military families: Recent and new programs.
Chapter 11.
Collins, S., & Long, A. (2003). Working with the psychological effects of trauma:
Consequences for mental health-care workers – A literature review.
Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 10, 417-424.
Voss Horrell, S. C., Holohan, D. R., Didion, L. M., & Vance, G. T. (2011).
Treating traumatized OEF/OIF veterans: How does trauma treatment
affect the clinician? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice,
42(1), 79-86. doi: 10.1037/a0022297
Williams, D., & Fraga, L. (2011). Coming together around military families. In
J. Osofsky (Ed.), Clinical work with traumatized young children (pp. 172195). New York, NY: The Guildford Press.
Final Assignment #4 due: Individual or Family Practice Issue Paper