Assignment task: What would be an insight gained after reading the following passage:
Being sensitive to the financial needs of a family is very important as lack of financial means can cause stress and can exacerbate a mental health condition. The added stress of needing services for one area of support, but by receiving that support, adds another issue to worry about is not beneficial for the families we will serve. Many families have seen their household income reduce during the pandemic due to businesses shutting down and subsequently the layoffs that occurred. Per our weekly resources, "The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic created an economic tsunami. Massive unemployment, income loss and lost access to employer-provided health insurance have obvious negative effects on health beyond the virus." (LaPonsie, 2020) Our country has not fully recovered and will not for quite some time. Also, we are looking at increased inflation, so the money the family has is not going as far as it once was. With limited means, and any additional costs associated with services, could put them in more of a bind and could cause additional stressors for the family.
Even a relatively small, unexpected expense can have a negative effect on families. Something like a car repair can put a family over their allocated budget and add additional stressors on the family. Something that comes to my mind directly related to the reporting of all income. Many of the programs offered to families have eligibility guidelines concerning finances. If a family did not report income, such as tips, and this was revealed they could be responsible for paying all monies back. Even in extreme situations, they could face prosecution. To minimize this, I would meet with families and reiterate the guidelines prior to recommending services. As an HSPP, recommending any programs assisting with needs such as housing, transportation, food stamps, etc. Explaining the backlash that could happen if they falsified their income would help alleviate this.