LMSW LICENSING EXAM| 170 QUESTIONS| RATIONALE| WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS

1) A 35-year-old individual has recently experienced the death of a parent and the loss of a job and has increased consumption of alcohol. Which of the following areas should be assessed FIRST by the social worker? A. Financial resource availability B. Potential for suicidal behavior C. Need for grief counseling D. Extent of substance abuse correct answer: B. Potential for suicidal behavior Rationale: FIRST, the social worker would act to determine the client's safety. The only option that addresses the client's safety is (Key B.) Options a, C, & D may be appropriate later, once the safety of the client has been addressed. 2) The ability to keep personal feelings and needs separate from work relationships BEST represents which social work ethical standard? A. Professional discretion B. Responsibility to the profession C. Professional Boundaries D. Responsibility to colleagues correct answer: C. Professional Boundaries Rationale: This requires knowledge of the definition of professional boundaries (key C). Since the question asks for the BEST response, the secondary responsibilities in the other options are not correct. 3. A social worker has been treating a client for two months in an agency setting and is experiencing intense sexual attraction toward the client. The social worker's BEST response is to: A. Consult with an agency supervisor about the case B. Reveal the attraction to the client C. Transfer the client to another agency worker D. Work toward ending the client's services at the agency correct answer: A. Consult with an agency supervisor about the case Rationale: Consulting with a supervisor (key A) is the BEST response because it assists in helping to understand and address the situation. Options (B) & (D) are clearly unethical. Transferring the client (C) may be done later, but it is unclear if this action is required at this point and there is not enough information in the stem to conclude this. 4. In a routine review of case records at a mental health center, a social worker supervisor discovers that case managers routinely after all Native American/First Nations clients to either Alcoholics Anonymous or Al-Anon. In discussing this practice with the case managers, the supervisor learns that the referrals are made without obtaining information about the clients' use or abuse of substances. How can the supervisor effectively address the practice? A. Reprimand case managers about providing client services based on stereotyping B. Educate the staff about services provided by Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon C. Provide staff training in culturally competent social work practice. D. Allow no referrals to be made without approval from the supervisor correct answer: C. Provide staff training about culturally competent social work practice. 5. At an intake session, a client requests medication for sleep. Since becoming unemployed, the client has used alcohol as a sedative. The client is worried about finances and is afraid of being evicted. The social worker should FIRST: A. Refer the client for evaluation for sleep medication B. Refer the client to public assistance C. Obtain more information about the client's use of alcohol D. Refer the client to the local unemployment office correct answer: C. Obtain more information about the client's use of alcohol Rationale: While options A, B & D may all be appropriate actions for the social worker to take, none would be the first. As a part of the assessment process, the social worker needs to FIRST further explore the issue of alcohol use (key C). 6. A client with whom a social worker has worked for several years suddenly dies. The social worker is very distressed by the death. During supervision, the supervisor encourages expressional and ventilation of feelings. The supervisor is providing: A. Education B. Consultation C. Therapy D. Support correct answer: D. Support Rationale: The correct answer is (key D) because ventilation is one of the techniques used in providing support. 7. A school-age boy is being beaten almost daily by his father, who has