Nancy has been working as a caseworker at the Harrison agency which serves individuals with mental disorders. She has been working there for the past 5 years and currently has a caseload of 15 individuals. Nancy noticed that 5 women in her caseload have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and are having some challenges in parenting their children. These clients include Nina, a 40-year-old White woman who is recently divorced and in a custody battle for her 10-year-old son. Nina has trouble sleeping and is often irritable and short with her son. Toria is a 38-year-old African American woman who has a daughter, Felicia, who is 5, and another daughter, Tonya, who is 3. She often finds it difficult to concentrate and occasionally feels unable to cope with her children. Toria is married to Jocelyn who is White. They have been married for the past two years and Toria’s daughters’ father, who is African American, is no longer involved with his daughters, which is something that upsets Toria. Lynnette is a 35-year-old Native American woman who has a son, Tony who is 15. She shares custody with her ex-husband Jim, who is White. On occasion when she has not taken her medication Lynnette stops sleeping and hears her ancestors calling to her. Lynnette has been working with an elder in her community along with being involved in the agency. Jalicia is a 25-year-old African American woman who has a 2-year-old daughter and lives her daughter’s father who is Mexican American. She has found support and strength through her family and her church. Carol is a 30-year-old White woman who has a son, Joshua age 10, and a daughter, Mary age 2. Carol has been married to her husband Roger for the past 12 years. Carol has a distant relationship with her family who did not approve of her marriage to Roger. Lately, Carol and Roger have been arguing more than usual since Carol was diagnosed with bipolar disorder
Nancy thinks it would be beneficial for the women to be able to meet and talk to one another about their mutual challenge. Nancy also thinks that the group should include education on medication management. Nancy comes to you, excited by the prospect of leading a group but also anxious since she has never led a group before. She asks you for help in going through the steps in putting a group together. You discuss steps Nancy needs to take based on Toseland and Rivas’s planning model and what she’s told you about the composition of her potential group.