Stephanie Garahana, Melanie Rangel, Marissa Sanchez, Alyssa Smith

SW 3400 Impact of Child Abuse

Group Portfolio Part II
December 7th, 2023
Recommendations

Educational: Our group recommends that Mr. and Mrs. Jopper attend a Newborn Parenting
Class or other parenting education classes to promote a collaborative relationship between them
in caring for their newborn, John. Mrs. Jopper has expressed feelings of being solely responsible
for preparations for John's birth and Mr. Jopper has expressed a desire to be more supportive.
One option that we have provided is called the Bringing Baby Home program. Beth Goss of the
Gottman Institute (2022) teaches parents how to make the transition from partners to parents and
strengthen their relationships. We recommend that Mr. Jopper attend a postpartum education
class to better understand the symptoms of postpartum depression and provide support to Mrs.
Jopper. We will also provide educational resources concerning opioid addiction for Mrs and Mr
Jopper. These resources will include how opioid use affects the user as well as the developing
fetus.
Mrs. Jopper has expressed that tennis has been a great stress reliever for her in the past but she
has been unable to participate due to her injury. Some alternatives to tennis that Mrs. Jopper
should consider are table tennis, racquetball, and golf. These are low-impact sports that would
not put too much strain on her ankle. We want Mrs. Jopper to try out some different low-impact
sports or exercises to increase enjoyment and manage her stress. The nearby community college
has several physical education classes for her to consider, and there are also classes at the
Community Center.
Mental health or clinical treatment: We are recommending that Mrs. Jopper be referred to a
mental health specialist. During her pregnancy, she was experiencing depression and after the
birth of her son, she was exhibiting signs of postpartum mental health issues. Mrs. Jopper and
her healthcare can create the best treatment plan for her. Some treatment options that we
recommend Mrs. Jopper consider are, one-on-one counseling/therapy, attending support groups,
starting antidepressants, and practicing self-care (OASH, 2023).
Social support: The Jopper family has been described as being active in their community and
church. In addition, Mrs. Jopper has a close relationship with her parents, Alex and Betty Brown,
who live in the same city. Our group recommends that Mrs. and Mr. Jopper continue
participating in community activities. They should discuss with Mrs. and Mr. Brown the
possibility of providing some respite when a “break” is needed and if agreed to, schedule time
with John to develop a closer relationship between grandparents and child. We also recommend
that they utilize the church community for connection and support. We want to encourage them
to find a childcare provider for short periods so they can enjoy one-on-one time.
When Mrs. Jopper finds an activity of interest, like one of the alternative sports aforementioned,
having a childcare provider available will allow her to participate worry-free. Among her current
circle of friends, the Joppers are the only ones with a child, so joining a “new mothers/parents”
group can help her/them find and join a supportive community.
If it is determined that Mrs. Jopper has a substance use disorder, we recommend that she attend
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Mr. Jopper NA-Anon, to provide an expanded support
framework. This will also allow them to have a safe place where they can connect with others
with similar experiences, receive encouragement, and take accountability (Carmona, 2023).
Immediate safety: Our group recommends that Mrs. Jopper seek a mental health examination
from the hospital’s mental health specialist or a social worker. The healthcare professionals
should examine Mrs. Jopper before she and baby John leave the hospital to ensure Mrs.Joppers
and John’s safety. If needed, getting a mental health evaluation will allow Mrs. Joppers to
receive the help she will need before going home with her newborn.
Physical health: The hospital has stated that John is not currently showing any signs of
addiction. While he remains in the hospital for Jaundice treatment, his healthcare team will
monitor him for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). If John does show signs of NAS,
treatment options include putting him on a higher-calorie diet, intravenous therapy, and taking
medication to manage severe withdrawal symptoms (March of Dimes, 2019). As for Mrs.
Jopper, she is doing well after the delivery of her son and is not showing signs regarding her
physical health. She states that she is not dependent on OxyContin and will stop using the
medication, but we still believe that it would be beneficial for her to see her primary care doctor
and get a physical exam.
Safety: Until Mrs. Jopper shows that she can maintain healthier habits, we recommend that she
should not be alone with baby John. She has been experiencing depressive moods and has
expressed that she feels like she will “break” John or that she will not be able to care for him. For
the safety of John and Mrs. Jopper, we would like to see her improve her current mental health.
For the best interest of John, we recommend that another responsible adult be with her while she
is caring for John.
Substance abuse: Our group recommends that both Mr. and Mrs. Jopper be assessed for
possible drug use, specifically narcotic use. For the safety of John, it may be best that both
parents are not alone with him until their results are processed. We will provide Mrs. Jopper with
some resources about substance abuse relapse. Having options that she can turn to when she is
experiencing the difficulty of emotions, hormone imbalances, etc, of just having a baby will help
her avoid turning to opioids again.

References

Carmona, M. (2023). Types of Drug and Alcohol Addiction Support Groups & How To Find
Them. The Recovery Village Drug and Alcohol Rehab.
https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/treatment-program/aftercare/support-groups/
Goss, B. (2022). The transition to parenthood: Relationship tips for new parents. The Gottman
Institute. https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-transition-to-parenthood-relationship-tips-
for-new-parents/

March of Dimes. (2019). Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).

https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/planning-baby/neonatal-abstinence-
syndrome-nas

OASH. (2023). Postpartum depression. Office on Women’s Health.

https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/mental-health-conditions/postpartum-
depression