Discussion: Meeting the Needs of Service Users From Diverse Cultures

Matthew is a single 40-year-old African American male. He was admitted to the Hart City Rehabilitation Facility (HCRF) following a brain injury. His complex medical history includes alcohol and cocaine abuse, lung disease, and other problems. He has a criminal record for theft, experienced chronic unemployment, and lived alone in a home owned by a relative who occasionally provided him with a meal. Matthew lacks financial resources, such as a bank account or social service benefits. He cannot verbalize any long-term goals or plans for himself. Upon admission to the HCRF, Matthew requested that an advanced human services professional practitioner assist him with applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. He also reported that there had been a fire at his relative’s house and that he was eligible for $7,500 in insurance claims for the loss of his personal belongings in the fire. He did not want the relative contacted and, instead, requested that the advanced human services professional practitioner contact the insurance company, file the claim, and collect the benefits. Matthew is clearly vulnerable, and he needs assistance. However, given Matthew’s history and recent brain injury, there is a very strong possibility that Matthew’s claim is not valid, as it does not look like Matthew had $7,500 in personal possessions. The advanced human services professional practitioner may participate in fraud if they help file Matthew’s claim.