This scenario is very concerning because the dependence on alcoholism can prevent caseworkers from coping with their major duties. These professionals should assist families that have children with complex behavioral health needs. The main problem is that a person, who is addicted to alcohol, may be reluctant to think about the challenges faced by these individuals. This caseworker may eventually lose his capacity for empathy.
This is one of the aspects that can be distinguished. Furthermore, this employee can eventually pose a threat to the life and health of other people. It should be kept in mind that this person was arrested for drunk driving. Thus, in the long-term, this individual can do harm to many innocent people. These are the main reasons why this scenario is concerning.
On the whole, this behavior can affect primarily people who seek the assistance of caseworkers. Provided that they do not receive adequate support of these professionals, their experiences can become excruciating. For instance, one can mention the parents of adolescents who take drugs. These people want to receive some piece of advice from caseworkers. They will feel completely helpless, if they have to deal with a caseworker who is drunk.
This is one of the details that can be singled out. Moreover, such attitudes can adversely affect the behavior of other caseworkers who may believe that alcoholism is acceptable. If this problem is not addressed, the behavior of this volunteer can be emulated. Thus, such actions can produce many adverse effects that should not be overlooked by the manager. So, it is important to find solutions to this problem.
Overall, this behavior can indicate that the beliefs, values, and morals of this individual could have changed. In particular, this person may believe that it is ethically acceptable for him to take alcoholic beverages in effort to cope with emotional problems. In his opinion, his actions do not harm other people.
Moreover, he may not attach much importance to the wellbeing of people who seek the assistance of caseworkers. Nevertheless, in order to learn more about the behavior of this employee, one should discuss these issues with him. In this way, one can learn more about the values and attitudes of this volunteer. This is one of the points that can be made.
At this point, it is not reasonable to terminate this employee immediately. Moreover, one should not threat this person with termination because he works in this organization as a volunteer. This is one of the arguments that can be advanced. Instead, it is necessary to understand the underlying causes of such behavior. It should be kept in mind that these people can suffer from emotional exhaustion and stress (Shelnutt, 2008, p. 14).
Alcoholism can be one of the responses to this emotional burnout. Such problems should be addressed with the help of training. Moreover, this individual may need to take a vacation. However, this caseworker can be dismissed provided that his deviant behavior is repeated in the future. This decision can be the only possible alternative if a person fails to serve the interests of parents and children. These are the main strategy that a manager can take under these circumstances.
It is possible to develop a training program for caseworkers. These people should practice healthy methods of relaxation (Wu, 2008, p. 127). Very often, people, who are not aware of these techniques, often prefer to take drugs or take alcoholic beverages. This is why the volunteers should learn more about various stress management techniques.
In particular, they should more about the benefits of physical activities or deep breathing that can help a person to cope with stress (Hoeger, 2010, p. 361).
In addition to that, these people should learn more about time management techniques. The problem is that people can experience stress when they feel that they are pressed for time (Wu, 2008, p. 127). Finally, these people should be able to practice various conflict resolution techniques because workplace conflicts are one of the reasons why people may drink alcoholic beverages (Wu, 2008, p. 127).
These are the main elements of this training program. It is aimed at reducing the influence of stressful situations. Moreover, new volunteers should be gradually introduced to casework. In this way, they can better understand the needs of parents and children who may be affected various emotional or behavioral problems. This is another detail that should be considered.
Every caseworker may take part in this program because it can help an individual develop various skills. In the long term, this initiative can reduce the risk of various threats. However, this training will be oriented to the needs of those people who cannot cope with stress because they are more vulnerable.
Additionally, one should pay attention to the needs of new hires who should adjust to the challenging work environment. These are the main details that should be considered. This discussion shows that caseworkers should be ready for various challenges, especially emotional stress.
Reference List
Hoeger, W. (2010). Principles and Labs for Physical Fitness. New York, NY: Cengage Learning.
Shelnutt, B. (2008). The Role of Child Protective Services Workers: An Examination of Caseworker and UTA Student Personality Traits Through Symbolic Interaction. New York, NY: ProQuest.
Wu, H. (2008). Experiences and Coping Among Female Caseworkers at Women’s Shelters: A Qualitative Study. New York, NY: ProQuest.