due in 48 hours

Mrs. Harjo and Tony: Mrs. Harjo is 65 year old female who identifies as Latina. She lives in

Globe, Arizona, and subsists on Supplemental Security Income, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition

Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps), and her garden. Mrs. Harjo has been

living alone since the death of her husband five years ago. She is the daughter of Mexican

immigrants, and visits her hometown in Mexico for Semana Santa every other year. Mrs. Harjo

identifies as Catholic by has not participated in organized religion since the age of 14, when she

relocated to Globe, AZ.

A paternal grandson, Tony (age 13), recently moved in with Mrs. Harjo following his mother's

death from cirrhosis of the liver due to alcoholism. Tony's biological father is serving five years

in prison on a second conviction for possession of drug paraphernalia, a class six felony in

Arizona (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03415.htm) . Tony's biological parents were never

married, and his mother did not obtain a legal divorce from her first husband. When Tony was

born, the hospital registrar accidentally listed the first husband as the legal father on his birth

certificate.

Mrs. Harjo went to Tony's school to give notice of a change of address and to put her name on

file as guardian and emergency contact. School officials pointed out that Tony was not legally

related to Mrs. Harjo, and that therefore she had no authority to authorize medical care, or to

enroll Tony in school.

The principal referred Mrs. Harjo to an attorney, where she appealed for help in getting Tony's

paternity corrected. The attorney advised that the biological father adopt Tony in order to change

the legal parent, but refused to take the case because Tony's father was incarcerated, and the

likelihood of an adoption by an incarcerated parent was too low (Garcia, Bain, Avera, Armenta,

2005).

Tony’s grades have dipped to a C average (he typically earns A’s and B’s) since the death of his

mother. He is on the freshman baseball team, and cites this as one of his favorite activities, but

will be barred from playing should his grades continue to decline. Tony has no specific academic

interests but wants to remain eligible to play baseball. Teachers report that Tony has always been

quiet, but has had difficulty concentrating in school since his mother' death two months ago.

Three months ago, he suffered a knee injury playing baseball and is slowly returning to practice,

and was prescribed Percocet (an opioid) for the severed pain. Tony complains that he still has

lingering pain and continues to take the prescribed Purcocet. He also shared a few of his pain

killers with a friend.

Mrs. Harjo followed up with the principal for a recommendation to get Tony in to see a

counselor, but has not received a reply. She is unsure where to go to find something she might be

able to afford.Tony has no known medical issues, and has seen a doctor regularly. Tony reports

he does not remember the last time he has seen a dentist, and is worried that he may need braces.