The tri-level approach

The tri-level approach is a way of looking at the person and their environment. It focuses on three systems:

• personality systems include impairments, mood, adjustment, insight
  about brain injury, beliefs, values and hopes
• interactional system includes family, rehabilitation, environment,
  relationships with spouses or partners, children, friends
• socio-cultural system includes cultural background, community issues
  and supports for people with disabilities

The tri-level approach (DeHoyos, G. 1989) acknowledges the importance of the person and their environment for the assessment process.

It also recognises that a person's psycho-social functioning
is influenced by both internal and external factors.

Focusing on the three systems this structure helps the case manager to organise the information they gather during the assessment process, develop goals and plan resources.

(DeHoyes, G. (1989). Person-in-environment: A tri-level practice model. Social
Casework, 70, 131–18)