Integrative Case

The case involve M, a 35-year-old mother with three children from two fathers. He most recent boyfriend, the father of the youngest child, has beaten her twice, been arrested and jailed, but is about to be released. Despite a restraining order, Melissa is terrified. Her economic situation is dire -- she lives at an inexpensive motel, works part-time for under the table wages, and relies on WIC services. Most recently, her 12-year-old son was arrested for shoplifting and suspended from school for fighting. Melissa is aghast about her lifestyle, and heard about my sliding scale fees from a previous client whom I saw when I interned at a public mental health center.

Challenging Aspects -- There are several challenging aspects to this case: 1) Decisions on pro-bono work; 2) Services for those in need; 3) Family in crisis, son acting out, mother feeling frightened and family potentially in...
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