Marion - Hi Darren
Darren - Hello, Marion! Come on in. Well, I've got some good news. When we talked on the phone, I wasn't completely sure VR would fund your last couple of classes, but I thought we probably could. The problem I was afraid of was that the last case we had for you was supposed to fund that degree, even though you didn't finish it. We closed the case as "successful" because you were employed. I thought there might be a little trouble coming back and saying, "no, we didn't finish it after all." But I talked to my supervisor, and she said go ahead.
Marion - Good. I'm so relieved. Because I was kind of worrying about that. But Sheryl, my case manager at the Independent Living Center, said she was sure we could do it.
Darren - Well, I was pretty sure, too. It's not like you haven't shown your potential in school. Of course, that still leaves us with the forms to fill out. Let's see, your diagnosis has changed since the last time we did eligibility on you, so we'll need to do a new Health Assessment Questionnaire and re-establish eligibility.
Marion - I brought notes from my psychiatrist, Dr. DiMario, and from the University. The one from the University just describes the courses I have to finish to complete my degree.
Darren - Good! Those will help document that this one semester will accomplish what you need and that you are able to benefit from it. Now, we'll also need to do the financial application, but you've done that before. We should probably get a copy of your transcript, too.
Marion - I can get that from the University. I remember that there's some office there where you can go pick those up.
Darren - That would speed things up, if you don't mind doing that. I can ask for one officially, but it may take a while, and we probably need to get things rolling if you are going to register for this semester. Do you know when registration is?
Marion - I think it is the end of this month. I should probably check on that when I go to get the transcript - see who I need to talk to about enrolling. And I brought a copy of my tax form, because I remember that you needed that last time.
Darren - You are really on top of this, aren't you?
Marion - Well, I'm ready to move on with it. Dr. DiMario and Sheryl have helped me get motivated to get back on my feet, now that I'm getting stable on my medications again. Plus my friend Donita has been pushing me about it. Even Susie is getting on my case about it - "Mama, you've got to get back to school," she said.
Darren - Susie... that's your daughter? What grade is she in now?
Marion - She'll start ninth grade this fall.
Darren - Wow, ninth grade already. How's she doing?
Marion - Good. She didn't like her English and Math teachers last year, but she did OK in classes. She loves Biology. Over the summer she's in the city's summer track club, so she's always going to practices for that and what not. She wants to go to college herself, once she graduates, and be an ecologist. I think hearing me talk about going back has gotten her thinking more about it herself.
Darren - Then we better get you enrolled so you can set a good example for her. Now, tell me exactly what you need to do to finish your degree. You said there were two classes you need to take?
Marion - Well, kind of. When I took my last semester, I still had one paper to turn in for my Professional Practice Seminar. I got an "incomplete" so I could hand it in late, but then I never got to it. So I've got that to take care of, plus I've got a class in Welfare Policy that I need to take.
Darren - So, are you going to have to take the Professional Practice Seminar over then? They aren't going to let you hand in paper five years late are they?
Marion - Actually, they are! I talked to Dr. Elgel, who's the head of the Social Work Department, and explained my situation, you know. And she teaches that class now, so she said she would give me some readings to sort of get me back up to speed. Then I'll talk to her about what I had been working on for that paper, and we could sort of expand on it and have me finish it. After that she will go back and change the incomplete to a grade, so I won't have to take the entire semester over.
Darren - It sounds like you must have really impressed her.
Marion - Oh, I don't know about that. I just tried to be up front about what was going on, you know, and what I was doing. And she seemed really open to that.
Darren - Well, good. That'll help - to have the head of the department on your side. And I assume you've checked that they are offering the other class this semester?
Marion - Oh yes. It'll be on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Darren - Good. Then what I need to do is get all the paperwork together so we can declare you eligible and draw up and IWRP. Let's see, for the cost worksheet we'll need to cover your tuition and books for the one class. Do you think there will be anything else? Are you going to have any other extra expenses from the classes?
Marion - Not that I can think of.
Darren - What sort of income do you have now?
Marion - Well, I get about $850 Social Security Disability Income every month, and about $650 in housing subsidy and food stamps from the state.
Darren - OK, so this shouldn't effect that. Have you been working part-time anywhere or anything?
Marion - No. I've been doing some volunteer work at the Independent Living Center, but that's just volunteer.
Darren - What have you been doing there?
Marion - Oh, just helping folks figure out the system. Advocacy kinds of things. I figure, I've been through the system a few times, I kind of know how it works by now, so I try to help other people figure out, like what you need to apply for SSDI and SSI, where you go to do that, how you apply for housing - that sort of thing.
Darren - I'm always glad to hear people are doing advocacy work, not just for themselves, but for others, too.
Marion - I figure, while I'm getting myself back on my feet, I can help others do it too.
Darren - OK, well, on the cost worksheet I'll put you down to cover your own personal maintenance costs as your contribution. So I'll get these forms underway, and then you can stop by in a few days to sign them. We'll have the same sorts of client responsibilities as before - go to class, do the work, that sort of thing. It'll be just like what we did before. I'll write it for just this one semester, and for the goal I'll but completion of the MSW degree. One semester should be enough, right?
Marion - Oh I hope so! I don't see any reason it should take more than that. It's just the one course and that paper.
Darren - Do you feel like you've got your medication worked out well enough that you'll be able to handle the semester?
Marion - Sure. I mean, Dr. DiMario and I are still working on it, and I still have some bad days and such. You know, days when I just can't seem to think straight, can't decide about anything. I get confused about what I'm doing sometimes on those days. But they aren't happening so much now. Of course, whenever we try out a new medicine, I have to take it for a few weeks to see how it's going to work for me, so it can be a sort of slow process. But I check in with Dr. DiMario about every week or so, and we're getting it under control. I'm feeling better about everything than I have in years. And even on the bad days, I know now we can do something about it, so it doesn't get to me quite so much. So I can handle one class and a paper.
Darren - Then I'd say, other than getting these papers ready for you to sign, we need to go get you registered for the semester.
Marion - Great. Thanks Darren. This is going to make such a difference, because it's been sort of, just, bothering me that I didn't finish that, you know? So I'll just need to stop by in a few days to sign the forms?
Darren - Yes.
Marion - OK. Thanks again, and I'll talk to you later.
Darren - Bye, Marion.
Name of Client: Marion McKee
Contact made: [_] Home [X] Office [_] Phone [_] Other
Date: 8/9/97
Contact with: Marion
I talked with Marion today who is a former client of this counselor
Marion had received assistance to attend college and obtain what was thought to be her master's degree when her case was closed. As it turns out, she was been hired on a conditional basis at Dickinson Mental Health Center with the expectation that she would complete the requirements necessary for her degree which she never did do. Marion states that she "had the best of intentions", but she never did complete the requirements. Since then, as previously stated on an RC, she lost her job at Dickinson Mental Health Center due to her ongoing depression and bipolar disorder. She always had difficulty finding medications that worked for her particular disorder without causing other difficulties and that is still the case. So, medication tolerance and dosage and employer reluctance to hire her without the necessary M.S.W. credential are issues. She is drawing benefits from the State as well as from the Federal Government.
She verbalizes a desire to complete the 3 hour class necessary to get her degree and then look for suitable employment. Marion is being seen on a regular basis (3 to 4 times per month) by Dr. Charles DiMario, from who she brought a letter stating her diagnosis. She states they are still in the process of trying to get her medication fine-tuned, but in general she is feeling better and is doing much better than she has for quite some time. She is doing some volunteer work through Independent Living and enjoys that.
I will plan on opening her case and getting the necessary information together and write a plan for three hours of classes at the University along with books. Hopefully with attainment of her degree she will be able to find employment in her field.
Signed: Darren Howard
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