ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic, with its disproportionate health and social-economic effects on the African American community, mandates bold new models to ensure that vulnerable communities receive maximum support and services. This article highlights a social work practice innovation model adapted from a traditional social work casework model. A group of multidisciplinary leaders strategized about ways to meet the needs of older African-American adults as many traditional government agencies were not sending staff into the community due to COVID-19. The result birthed a faith-based virtual health ministry.

Using a faith-based virtual health ministry, church lay leaders and other professionals partnered with Master of Social Work (MSW) level social workers using a telehealth platform with technology tools to assist shut-in older adults in Washington, DC. The project uses a structured, coordinated care telehealth support model for a marginalized population. Telehealth within the rubric of healthcare models has not been demonstrated in African American communities, particularly older adults. Meeting the needs of shut-in older adults and marginalized groups within the COVID-19 pandemic may show innovation that can be translational for local governments and traditional safety net providers within a social work milieu.

摘要

COVID-19大流行对非裔美国人社区造成了不成比例的健康和社会经济影响，因此要求采取大胆的新模式，以确保脆弱的社区获得最大的支持和服务。本文重点介绍了从传统的社会工作案例工作模型改编而来的社会工作实践创新模型。一群多学科的领导人就如何满足年长的非洲裔美国人的需求制定了战略，因为由于COVID-19，许多传统的政府机构没有派遣人员进入社区。结果诞生了一个基于信仰的虚拟卫生部。

借助基于信仰的虚拟卫生部，教堂的领导者和其他专业人员与社会工作硕士（MSW）级的社会工作者合作，使用带有技术工具的远程医疗平台来协助华盛顿特区的被关押的老年人。该项目为边缘化人群使用了结构化，协调的护理远程医疗支持模型。在非裔美国人社区，尤其是老年人中，尚未证明医疗保健模式范围内的远程医疗。满足COVID-19大流行中封闭的老年人和边缘化群体的需求，可能表明创新可以为地方政府和社会工作环境中的传统安全网提供者带来转化。