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Case Study Analysis
Note: These vignettes have been created for the purpose of providing case examples for
admission essays only and do not represent any particular individual or family. The names are
fictitious. Any resemblance the vignette may bear to a real family is pure coincidence.
Applicants are to choose one case study and analyze it as outlined in the instructions.
Case #1:
You are employed full time as a hospital social worker on an inpatient psychiatric unit. You
have been given the following patient on your caseload and need to help in the discharge plan.
Even though your responsibilities revolve around Ruby, there are other significant factors that
need to be considered in order for any plans surrounding Ruby to be successful.
Ruby is a 59-year old Hispanic woman diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and takes
medications to help control hallucinations and delusions. She is also diagnosed with diabetes
and needs to take insulin. She is morbidly obese. It has been many years since she was last
employed. She attended high school through the 10
th
grade and can read and write at basic levels
only. Due to her financial situation and her documented mental illness she receives Social
Security (SSD) benefits as a disabled person, has Medicaid coverage for her medical and mental
health needs, and qualifies for several low-income programs, such as housing and food
assistance.
Ruby was admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit at a local hospital after her daughters took her
to the emergency room saying she was “acting crazy” and that she shouldn’t be allowed to return
to the apartment because “she can’t take care of herself.” Ruby was expressing thoughts of
suicide at the time of her admission to the hospital seven days ago but is no longer expressing
these thoughts and seems ready for discharge back to the community. Ruby reports that she
does not know where she will live when she is discharged from the hospital because her landlord
is evicting her from the apartment. The lease is terminating at the end of the month (15 days)
and her landlord has given her notice that he will not renew the lease with her. It is a one
bedroom apartment with rent subsidized by the government. She needs to vacate the apartment
in 15 days or eviction proceedings will commence.
Ruby has two unmarried adult daughters. Her daughters are both homeless and they each have
two children. The children range in age from 1½ to 4 years old. It appears that the daughters
and children have been living with Ruby on and off for the past several months. The neighbors
have been complaining to the landlord about the children running unsupervised around the
apartment building and about visitors coming and going from the building at all hours of the day
and night. Her neighbors also say they suspect that the daughters are involved with illegal drug
use and dealing. It is unclear if Ruby would be able to renew her lease if her daughters were not
staying with her. Ruby, however, maintains that her family is very important to her and that she
intends to help them in any way she can and wants to find a place to live where she can stay
close with her children and grandchildren. As Ruby’s social worker on the inpatient psychiatric
unit, what would you do?