SSW Community Resources 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A school social worker is helping a student whose family is experiencing housing instability. Which community resource is MOST appropriate to contact first?
- Local homeless shelter
- McKinney-Vento liaison at the district (Correct answer)
- Department of Children and Family Services
- Local food bank
Correct answer: McKinney-Vento liaison at the district
The McKinney-Vento Act requires districts to have a designated liaison to help students experiencing homelessness access services and remain enrolled.
Question 2: Which type of community agency primarily provides EMERGENCY financial assistance to families in crisis?
- Community mental health center
- Salvation Army or similar faith-based organization (Correct answer)
- Vocational rehabilitation office
- Early intervention program
Correct answer: Salvation Army or similar faith-based organization
Faith-based organizations like the Salvation Army commonly provide emergency financial assistance including utility bills, rent, and food for families in crisis.
Question 3: A student requires speech therapy but the school cannot fully meet the need. Which community resource should the school social worker explore?
- Local hospital outpatient therapy department (Correct answer)
- TANF office
- WIC program
- Head Start center
Correct answer: Local hospital outpatient therapy department
Hospital outpatient therapy departments provide speech, occupational, and physical therapy services covered by Medicaid or private insurance.
Question 4: What is the PRIMARY purpose of a 211 helpline in the context of community resource referrals?
- Reporting child abuse
- Connecting individuals to local health and human services (Correct answer)
- Scheduling psychiatric evaluations
- Filing for disability benefits
Correct answer: Connecting individuals to local health and human services
211 is a national helpline that connects callers to local community resources including food, housing, healthcare, and other social services.
Question 5: A student's family is undocumented and fears accessing public services. Which type of organization is BEST suited to assist them?
- State Department of Social Services
- Immigrant advocacy or community legal services organization (Correct answer)
- Public housing authority
- County welfare office
Correct answer: Immigrant advocacy or community legal services organization
Immigrant advocacy organizations and community legal services provide culturally competent, confidential assistance to undocumented families without immigration enforcement risk.
Question 6: Which federal program provides health insurance coverage for low-income children whose families do not qualify for Medicaid?
- SNAP
- CHIP (Correct answer)
- TANF
- LIHEAP
Correct answer: CHIP
CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance.
Question 7: When making a referral to a community mental health center for a student, what information is MOST critical to communicate?
- The student's GPA and attendance record
- Consent forms, presenting concerns, and insurance or funding information (Correct answer)
- Names of the student's teachers
- The student's standardized test scores
Correct answer: Consent forms, presenting concerns, and insurance or funding information
Effective referrals require signed consent, a clear description of the presenting concern, and insurance or Medicaid information to facilitate intake and billing.
SSW Community Resources 2
A school social worker is helping a student whose family is experiencing housing instability.
Which community resource is MOST appropriate to contact first?