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BEM 200 3 of 5 FAMILY INDEPENDENCE SPECIALIST PHILOSOPHY AND FAMILY CONTRACT BPB 2019-006 4-1-2019
BRIDGES ELIGIBILITY MANUAL STATE OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Interviews Interviews provide the best opportunity to interact with a client. Interviews help establish a trusting relationship which will open the door to an increased level of participation and willingness to discuss the family concerns. While doing the interview, you can celebrate successes and identify challenges the family faces. Review and monitor the FSSP goals and activities and help the clients make a plan for removing any obstacles they perceive. Topics for Discussion When talking with a client, there are numerous topics for you to discuss, such as: • The successes each adult has had since the previous contact for example, a plan for employment and, if they are employed, what progress have they made toward a raise, promotion, increased hours, or the results of any evaluations? This discussion will also give you an opportunity to make sure the correct earned income is in the benefit budgets. • Any concerns or challenges that have come up which slowed down or hindered the family’s movement to self-sufficiency. To meet those challenges, develop a plan. Compliment the family on any successes they had in dealing with the challenges or concerns. If a challenge or concern continues to exist, discuss and create a plan using the Solution Focused Approach to help the family meet these challenges. • Discuss goals that the adults have for themselves which they believe will lead to self-sufficiency, what steps they need to take to achieve these goals, and how confident and motivated they are in achieving these goals (scaling questions). • Involve the family in a discussion of the children and the importance of education. Ask the adult and the children, if present, how each child is doing in school, what their interests are and what extra-curricular activities they are participating in. Together with the family, talk about resources or opportunities for the children in their areas of interest.