Welcome to the TC-News and Updates, a continuation of the tc-Newsletter edited by Anne Fortune from 1980-1992. To submit materials on current developments, practice, teaching or research regarding the task-centered model, send an e-mail to naleppa@task-centered.com
William J. Reid, founder of the task-centered model
passed away in November 2003 in Albany New York. With the unexpected death of William J.
Reid, the world lost one of its most prominent and productive scholars of social welfare
and a devoted mentor and friend. A true
scientist of human problem solving, his work and its impact on the theory and practice of
social work around the world has been described as “path-breaking, pioneering and
ground-breaking.”
For 35 years, his
work shaped the agenda for research on social work services. His “Task Centered Practice” model is
widely used as the basis for delivering and managing social work services around the
world. Professor Reid authored over 20 books
and 160 scientific journal articles and book chapters.
He was the founding editor of Social Work Research, the first journal
of social work devoted to advancing the scientific knowledge base of the field, and a
member of many other editorial boards. He was
the principal architect of the University at Albany doctoral program in Social Welfare,
which he chaired since 1985, and which has been recognized as one of the top programs in
the country. His students hold major
appointments in academic institutions and service agencies in many countries.
William J. Reid
received his Baccalaureate and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of
Michigan in 1950 and 1952. He was awarded the
Doctor of Social Welfare degree from Columbia University in 1963. Beginning his career as a psychiatric social
worker in the United States Army, he went on to academic posts at Columbia University, the
University of Chicago and the University at Albany. He
was awarded every major research prize in social work including the George Herbert Jones
Professorship at the University of Chicago, the Award for Excellence in Research from the
National Association of Social Workers and the Distinguished Achievement Award of the
Society for Social Work and Research. In
addition, he was awarded the Chancellor’s Research Recognition Award from the State
University of New York. When he was named a
Distinguished Professor of the State University of New York, Chancellor Ryan quoted from
one of Reid’s nomination letters, “It is no exaggeration that there would be few
social workers in the world who would not know of and respect Reid’s work. There are few persons in our field of whom this
can be said.”
William J. Reid
was a devoted husband and father, a delighted grandfather and a friend and colleague to
many. He is survived by his wife, Anne E.
(Ricky) Fortune, with whom he shared his professional as well as personal life, his
daughter, Valerie Reid Twentyman of New Jersey, and her husband Mark. He leaves behind his grandson, Michael, the apple
of his eye, and two newborn twin granddaughters, Stephanie and Elizabeth. His son, Steven James, predeceased him. William Reid lived life to its fullest at every
moment. An avid athlete, sports fan,
birdwatcher and bridge player, he was an admirer of the arts, nature, and humankind. Those he left behind will miss his intellectual
curiosity, erudition, subtle humor, and caring that he showed to so many in so many ways.
This textbook applies the task-centered model to gerontological practice across various settings., inlcuding community-based, hospital-based home health care, and institutional seetings. It includes an in-depth coverage of specific client problems and needs faced by older adults and specific strategies to address them.
"The Task Planner" by William J. Reid takes an innovative look at the development of tasks in the task-centered model. It offers an extensive array of task planners for specific problem situation encountered in social work practice. Task Planners are descriptive step-by-step practice modules. They typically include a description of the problem or need, a citation of relevant literature and research, and a list of tasks and practice activities that client and/or practitioner may select to address the problem.
William J. Reid (2000). The Task Planner. New York: Columbia University Press.
Dr. Chris Trotter from Monash University in Australia has written a book entitled Working with Involuntary Clients published by Sage London internationally and by Allen & Unwin in Australia and Asia. The book applies task centered principles to work with clients in areas such as probation and child protection and focuses particularly on how to deal with different problem definitions between worker and client. More details are available at the Allen and Unwin website http://www.allen-unwin.com.au/academic/academic.htm
Laura Epstein's book "Brief Treatment and a New Look at the Task-Centered Approach" has been translated into Korean language. The translations were carried out by the Seoul Child Guidance and Counseling Center.
William J. Reid (2000). The Task Planner. New York: Columbia University Press.
Naleppa, M. J. & Reid, W. J. (2000). Integrating case management and brief treatment strategies: A hospital-based geriatric program. Social Work in Health Care.
Kinnevy, S. C.; Healey, B. P.; Pollio, D. E.; North, C. S. (1999). Bicycle WORKS: Task-centered group work with high-risk youth. Social-Work-with-Groups, 22, 33-48.
Nguyen, W. (1999). Using a task-centered approach with Vietnamese families. In Kit, S. (Ed). Counseling Asian families from a systems perspective. The family psychology and counseling series. (pp. 55-62). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
Wilson, K. & Petrie, S. (1998). No place like home: Lessons learned and lessons forgotten--the Children Act 1948. Child-and-Family-Social-Work, 3, 183-188.
Caspi, J. & Reid, W. J. (1998). The task-centered model for field instruction: An innovative approach. Journal of Social Work Education.
Naleppa, M. J. & Reid, W. J. (1998). Task-centered case management for the elderly: Developing a practice model. Research on Social Work Practice, 8, 63-85.
Reid, W. J (1997). Research on task-centered practice. Research in Social Work, 21, 132-137.
An International Conference on Task-Centered Social Work was held in April 1999 in Holland. William J. Reid delivered the key note address. The conference included workshops conducted by researchers and practitioners from around the world, including Peter Marsh (England), Ron Rooney (USA), and Lou Jagt (Netherlands).
Nam Soon Huh, a professor of social work at the Department of Social Welfare at Hallym University in South Korea recently completed a study on the adaptation of the geriatric task-centered case management model in a Korean community service setting. Dr. Huh used a task-centered case management approach to assist elderly client in accessing and coordinating needed services. The project was carried out at three sites in Chun Chon City: The Shin Rim Community Center, the Seung Sim Community Center, and the Han Gook Bok Gi Center. The project was funded by a grant from the Hallym University Foundation.
In her study, six social workers were trained in the model and then applied it in their work with 12 elderly clients living in the community. The field trial led to positive results, indicating the possibilities of adapting the task-centered model to Korean social work practice. A report on the study and its findings is being published under the title "A Task-Centered Approach for the Elderly in the Community" in the Korean Journal of Social Welfare. For further information on this study, you may contact the author at:
Several workshops on the task-centered model were held during the last years. Countries in which such workshops were conducted include South Korea, Belarus, the Netherlands, and Germany.
William J. Reid has conducted several workshops on task-centered treatment at the School of Social Welfare at Hallym University in South Korea. The full-day workshops were carried out at both the Seoul and the Chun Chon City locations of Hallym University. Session participants were graduate students of social work and social work practitioners from several practice settings. Matthias Naleppa of the Virginia Commonwealth University conducted a one-day workshop on task-centered case management at the School of Social Welfare at Hallym University in Chun Chon City, South Korea. The session was attended by graduate social work students and social work practitioners.
Marcia Harrigan, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Social Work and M.S.W. Program Director at the Virginia Commonwealth University conducted a one-week training on social work practice in early December in the former Soviet Republic of Belarus. The training focused on task-centered practice and crisis intervention. Emphasis was placed on the presentation of theory, exercises, and discussion on how the models can be applied to social work and social pedagogics with Belarussian families and children. The training is part of a three year joint program of the School of Social Work at the Virginia Commonwealth University, the Christian Children's Fund, and the International Federation of Social Work to develop training opportunities for social work and social pedagogics in Belarus. The project involves 4 schools of social work in Minsk and several Belarussian Social Service NGO's.
As part of the International Conference on Task-Centered Social Work in Breda, Holland, several workshop on the task-centered model were conducted. International presenters of these workshops included: William Reid (USA), Ron Rooney (USA), Cynthia Bailey-Dempsey (USA), and Peter Marsh (UK). Presenters from the Netherlands included: Lou Jagt (Netherlands), Mery Anne Lens (NIM Nijmegen), Ferry Sleebe (St. Maatschappelijk Werk Den Bosch), Helma Lyklama (St. Welzijn Oosterhout), Suzan de Smidt (Academisch Ziekenhuis Groningen) Karin Händeler (Maaslandziekenhuis Sittard), Iet Faber (St, Thuiszorg Kop van Noord-Holland) en Paul van Hoof (Reclassering Nederland Unit Breda), Leo van der Ark (directeur van de Nederlandse Vereniging van Maatschappelijk Werkers/NVMW).
Last updated November, 2004.