The Olivares family consists of four members, including two adults and two young children. Joaquín Olivares has been recently laid-off from the factory where he had worked for five years. Currently both adults work hard to make ends meet. Mr. Olivares feels that he let his family down, that results into drinking problem, which he denies. Although the Olivares have lived in the U.S. for eight years, neither of adults speaks English well.
There are three major concerns that arise with the Olivares. The first one relates to the unstable financial position of the family, as both adults have to work hard in order to keep body and soul together. Another fundamental issue relates to the drinking problem of the husband, which he denies. Poor command of the English language can also be attributed to the major concerns of this family, as it may negatively influence the social aspect of their living. According to Furman et al (2009), "a language-based one barrier" is a major challenge "for Latinos seeking social assistance" (p. 170).
It is quite difficult to classify accurately Mr. Olivares' drinking, as the exact amount of alcohol he consumes remains unknown. However, considering that he drinks every weekend on a regular basis, his drinking might be classified as excessive.
The major strength of the Olivares' situation is that both adult members are currently employed. Another positive aspect is that there is no evidence of family abuse resulting from the drinking problem of Mr. Olivares. More importantly, it is a positive sign that the Olivares family realizes the existing family problems and turned to a family services agency.
According to the handbook produced by the National Organization for Human Services (2011), there is a wide range of nonprofit human service organizations, "some of which focus on working with a particular population or alleviating a specific type of problem" (p. 25). There are two major agencies which can help improve the Olivares' situation, including employment agencies and services related to treatment of substance abuse. All of these social recourses can be easily found by the family on the Internet or with the aid of a local social worker.
If I were the support worker for the Olivares family, I would determine particular needs of the family and make relevant referrals in the community. Being completely aware of the service options available, I would make a referral to alcohol support services and employment agencies. The fundamental goals of such intervention is not only to help Mr. Olivares realize and conquer his alcohol addiction, but also to improve the financial well-being of the family.
Although there is no direct evidence, one might assume that the Olivares' original nationality matters to the case. In the first place, their poor knowledge of English might prevent them from receiving necessary social help and assistance. Unfortunately, as of today, not all social workers and other community professionals can address the issues of non-English speakers in an effective manner. Another crucial issue, which indirectly proves that the nationality matters to the case, is associated with employment. Statistical data from various studies and researches clearly demonstrates that low-skilled workers of Latino decent typically earn less and experience more difficulties in finding employment as opposed to the native U.S. citizens.
Speaking from the perspective of community intervention, it is of fundamental importance to indentify accurately the existing family problems and address them in the most effective manner. Within the context of prevention, it is crucial to prevent potential domestic abuse, which might result from Mr. Olivares’ excessive drinking. Generally speaking the social policy reform and advocacy should be aimed at improving the living and working conditions for all people in the community regardless of their nationality and ethnical descent.
References
Furman, R., Negi, N. J., Iwamoto, D. K., Rowan, D., Shukraft, A., & Gragg, J. (2009). Social Work Practice with Latinos: Key Issues for Social Workers. Social Work,54(2), 167-174. doi:10.1093/sw/54.2.167
National Organization for Human Services. (2011). Helping those in need: Human service workers. Occupational Outlook Quarterly , 23-32. Retrieved February 3, 2017, from https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2011/fall/art03.pdf.
