
Connecting Social Welfare Policy to Fields of Practice
Description
Alles über E-Books | Antworten auf Fragen rund um E-Books, Kopierschutz und Dateiformate finden Sie in unserem Info- & Hilfebereich.
More details
Other editions
Additional editions

Persons
Content
Preface xi
About the Editors xv
Contributors xvii
Chapter 1 Policy Practice 1
Rodney A. Ellis
Introduction 1
Policy Practice 2
Preparation of the Practitioner 6
Assembling a Team 8
Identification, Definition, and Legitimization of the Problem 9
Selecting an Approach 11
Conducting an Analysis 12
Evaluating the Outcomes 18
Conclusion 19
Key Terms 19
Review Questions for Critical Thinking 19
Online Resources 19
References 20
Chapter 2 Social Welfare Policy and Politics 21
Richard Hoefer
Introduction 21
Defining Social Welfare Policy 22
Defining Politics 22
Politics as Ideologies: Across the Spectrum of Right and Left 23
Politics as Process: How to Have an Effect on Social Policy 31
Conclusion 33
Key Terms 33
Review Questions for Critical Thinking 34
Online Resources 34
References 34
Chapter 3 New Federalism, New Freedom, and States' Rights: The Uncertain and Fragmented Direction of Public Mental Health Policy in the United States 37
King Davis and Hyejin Jung
Introduction 37
The Epidemiology and Burden of Mental Illness 38
Unresolved Federalism in Mental Health Policy 43
States' Rights and Control of Mental Health Policy 48
Federal Encroachment in State Mental Health Policy and Services 52
The Declining Financial Health of State Governments: Implications for the Future of State Mental Health Policy 64
Key Terms 70
Review Questions for Critical Thinking 70
Online Resources 71
References 71
Chapter 4 Aging in the United States: Challenges to Social Policy and Policy Practice 81
Enid Opal Cox
Introduction 81
The Political/Moral Economy Context of Aging Societies 83
Changing Social Perceptions, Expectations, and Policies 85
Overview of Selected Policy and Services 93
Implications for Social Work Policy Practitioners 102
Key Terms 106
Review Questions for Critical Thinking 106
Online Resources 106
References 107
Chapter 5 Explanatory Legitimacy and Disjuncture: A Multidimensional Model for Disability Policy Development and Analysis 113
Stephen French Gilson and Elizabeth DePoy
Introduction 113
Explanatory Legitimacy Theory 114
Looking Back 117
Explanatory Legitimacy Theory Analysis of Policy Exemplars 123
Conclusions 130
Key Terms 131
Review Questions for Critical Thinking 131
Online Resources 131
References 132
Chapter 6 Health Care Policy: Should Change Be Small or Large? 135
Pamela J. Miller
Introduction 135
Needed Background 138
Policy Topics 142
Policies/Programs Worth Exploring 152
Concluding Remarks and Future Directions 154
Key Terms 155
Review Questions for Critical Thinking 155
Online Resources 155
References 155
Chapter 7 Social Determinants of Health: 21st-Century Social Work Priorities 159
Gary Rosenberg
Introduction 159
Social Work at the End of the 19th Century 162
Social Work in the 20th Century 163
Conclusions 170
Key Terms 171
Review Questions for Critical Thinking 172
Online Resources 172
References 172
Chapter 8 Property for People or the Property of People: Urban Housing Policy and Practice in the Developing World 175
Sunil Kumar
Introduction 175
AnUrbanWorld-WhyFreshThinkingonUrbanHousingPractice and Policy in Less Developed Regions Matters 177
Planet of Slums-Why Poor Urban Housing Conditions Is Not All That Matters 180
The Good and the Great-International Development Organizations, Alliances, and Campaigns 181
Civil Society, Not-for-Profits, and Others of the Same Ilk, But With a Different Perspective 185
Property for People or the Property of People: The Politics of Tenure 190
Toward a Conclusion: The Challenge for Urban Housing Policy and Practice Lies in Asking the Right Questions 193
In Conclusion: Property for People or the Property of People 197
Key Terms 198
Review Questions for Critical Thinking 198
Online Resources 199
Notes 199
References 200
Chapter 9 Child Welfare Policy 209
Richard J. Gelles and Carol Wilson Spigner
A Brief History of Child Welfare Policy in the United States 211
The Initial Involvement of the Federal Government 214
The Impact of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974 215
Foster Care Drift and the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 219
The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 221
The Impact of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 222
The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 222
Applicable Supreme Court Rulings 223
Family Preservation and Family Support Act 224
The Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 and the Interethnic Adoption Provisions of the Small Business Job Protection Act 225
Reassessment of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 and the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 227
Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 229
Conclusion 231
Key Terms 232
Review Questions for Critical Thinking 232
Online Resources 233
Notes 234
References 234
Chapter 10 Public Funding of Sectarian Organizations for the Provision of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care: Discriminatory Issues for Gay Males 239
Christopher W. Blackwell and Sophia F. Dziegielewski
Introduction 239
Religious and Faith-Based Organizations Providing Social Services: Charitable Choice 240
Implications for Further Research and Policy Development 247
Key Terms 248
Review Questions for Critical Thinking 248
Online Resources 248
References 248
Chapter 11 Social Welfare and Economics: Redefining the Welfare State in a Global Economy 253
Howard Karger and Peter A. Kindle
Introduction 253
The Social Welfare State: A Legacy of the Industrial Era 255
The Postindustrial Economy 257
Employment in Postindustrial Society 258
Impoverishment and Debt in the Postindustrial Era 262
A New Welfare Agenda for the Global Economy 265
Conclusion 272
Key Terms 274
Review Questions for Critical Thinking 274
Online Resources 274
References 274
Author Index 277
Subject Index 283
Chapter 1
Policy Practice
Rodney A. Ellis
How should the social work profession proceed in the political arena? Is there a way for individual social workers to engage in policy practice without condemning those with whom we might disagree? How might the profession counter the trend of social workers not running for political office?
Introduction
Policy practice is an interesting practice construct, certainly different from the more traditional micro–macro practice spheres. In this chapter policy practice is viewed as an important practice area and one that fits nicely with the social work profession. In an ideal world policies would solve the problems they were intended to address…social workers are, by the nature of their profession and position, inherently involved in social policy. Yet social workers, for the most part, tend to stay away from the policy arena. For example, in the current 112th Congress, there is a total of 435 members of the House of Representatives. These individuals report a variety of professions: 170 are lawyers, 78 are educators, 175 are in business, 15 are physicians, 5 are ordained ministers, and 4 are peace corps volunteers, plus there are 7 accountants, 6 engineers, 15 farmers, 9 ranchers, and 7 social workers (Manning, 2011). According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in 2008, the last year NASW collected such data, approximately 165 individuals held elected offices at the local or state levels of government across the United States. What we can conclude is that social workers simply are not holding elective offices.
Yes, social workers are employed in key staff positions in elected officials' offices; for example, the long-term legislative director for U.S. Congressperson Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) is a social worker. Even so, social workers holding staff positions in federal, state, or local offices are not prominent. Social workers also are not commonplace in governmental relations offices, for example, lobbying firms.
What makes this confusing is that social workers, as evidenced by discussions at various state and national meetings as well as on LISTSERVs, seem to be engaged in constant “political” discussions. But for whatever reason, the discussions do not lead to the risks involved in pursuing a political career or direct engagement in political processes.
Without a doubt, social workers bring a unique, human perspective to policy discussions. Day in and day out, social workers work with people, groups, and communities around a variety of human issues in a way that is unique from other disciplines. The “practice wisdom” gleaned from such work allows social workers to put a human face on policy initiatives. We have seen the results of policies developed by and enacted by lawyers, farmers, and businesspeople. Little has changed as social issues remain fully embedded in our national human fabric. One can only wonder what would happen if there were 170 social workers in the U.S. House of Representatives rather than lawyers.
There are a variety of ways for social workers to engage in policy practice in ways other than holding an elective office. We all must understand—policy practice is not easy; it is slow, tedious, and certainly frustrating. Yet, to turn our professional collective backs on the political nature of our work is ignoring that which we know.
We also need to recognize that the social work political tent is big—social workers reflect a variety of political parties and philosophies including Democrat, Republican, Tea Party, Libertarian, Green, liberal, conservative, and radical. For every social issue you identify, social workers hold a variety of positions, often in conflict with each other. In other words, the social work profession does not nor should reflect one political ideology.
There is nothing wrong if a social worker subscribes to one particular ideology; the issue is when this same person, who believes in self-determination and individualism, penalizes others, be they students or colleagues, because they may hold a different political philosophy or argue from a different perspective. Personal ideological insecurity simply will not realize a just society.
Policy Practice
Benjamin is a BSSW-level social worker who is employed as a case manager in a mental health treatment facility. He loves his work and has an excellent record of effective practice with his clients. He is concerned, however, with one aspect of his agency's operation. He has noticed that many clients have recently discontinued their treatment despite substantial improvement in their reported issues. Curious as to why this might be occurring, Benjamin made a few phone calls to clients who had recently dropped out of treatment. He was astounded to discover that four of the five people he called had stopped attending sessions because their state-provided supplemental income benefits had been cut. These former clients reported a simple choice: They could either not pay their rent or stop attending treatment sessions. They had taken care of immediate necessities rather than their important, but less urgent, mental health needs.
Benjamin is disturbed that so many were leaving treatment, but he is even more disturbed that it was unnecessary that most of them do so. His agency had funding alternatives that would have allowed all the persons he called to remain in treatment. They had not taken advantage of those alternatives simply because they had not been aware of them. The agency had no means of assuring that the information was made available to them. Having discovered this problem, Benjamin resolves to find a way to solve it. Further, he wishes to institutionalize the solution, so that it is certain to remain in place into the foreseeable future.
Alma is the executive director of the same agency at which Benjamin is a case manager. She is unaware that her agency's clients are withdrawing from services because of the income cutbacks. She is aware, however, that the cutbacks are occurring. Alma is a part of a local coalition of social service providers that is concerned about the conditions area residents have begun to face as a result of the cuts. A community needs assessment conducted after the changes revealed that the number of persons becoming homeless had increased, the rate of the referral of children into the child welfare system had nearly doubled, and community health experts were predicting a surge in emergency room treatment and hospitalizations. Further investigation showed that all these conditions could be traced, at least in part, to the loss of income many families had experienced. Several other effects have been reported in the community including increased demand at food banks and a rising crime rate. No formal research has been conducted that could identify a link between these conditions and the cuts. There is, however, strong evidence from reports of residents that such a link exists. Further evidence is provided by the fact that these changes occurred in the wake of the cuts and have a logical relationship to them.
The coalition of agencies has been formed to study and to address the problem. Its mission is to develop and implement a plan to get the cuts reversed, and to assure a steady supply of supplemental income to the residents of its community and state. So far the coalition has met twice, collected available data about the cuts and their effects, and drafted a mission statement to guide future activities. The statement is short, simple, and to the point: “The mission of the Supplemental Income Reinstatement Coalition is to restore the level of each program recipient's supplemental income to pre-cut levels.”
Both Benjamin and Alma face issues created by current social welfare policy. The problems have a common cause, the supplemental income cuts, but the manifestations of the issue and the levels at which they hope to address the issue are very different. Benjamin faces a problem at the agency level. It is a policy issue, more specifically, one caused by the absence of any effective policy to assure that an undesirable condition does not arise. He will probably find it relatively easy to identify a solution, gain access to decision makers, and persuade those decision makers to take steps to address the problem. Alma, on the other hand, faces a problem generated at a higher level, and that affects many people in a variety of ways. Although ultimately the cause of the problems they want to address is the same, the scope and goals of their efforts will differ in significant ways.
Benjamin and Alma have chosen to engage in an important social work activity: policy practice. Janssen (1999) defined policy practice as “efforts to change policies in legislative, agency, and community settings, whether by establishing new policies, improving existing ones, or defeating the policy initiatives of other people.” Many social workers express little interest in policy, but their careers are intrinsically involved with social welfare policy. In fact, policy furnishes their careers. Problems are recognized by policy makers, policies written, social programs developed, and jobs created. Many are filled by social workers.
In an ideal world policies would solve the problems they were intended to address. In reality this is sometimes not the case. Take, for example, Benjamin's discovery. Policies related to mental health treatment are working well. Policies to provide alternative funding for services also exist. There is, however, a problem in agency policy. No policy has been written to assure that clients are aware of the financial supports. In...
System requirements
File format: ePUB
Copy protection: Adobe-DRM (Digital Rights Management)
System requirements:
- Computer (Windows; MacOS X; Linux): Install the free reader Adobe Digital Editions prior to download (see eBook Help).
- Tablet/smartphone (Android; iOS): Install the free app Adobe Digital Editions or the app PocketBook before downloading (see eBook Help).
- E-reader: Bookeen, Kobo, Pocketbook, Sony, Tolino and many more (not Kindle).
The file format ePub works well for novels and non-fiction books – i.e., „flowing” text without complex layout. On an e-reader or smartphone, line and page breaks automatically adjust to fit the small displays.
This eBook uses Adobe-DRM, a „hard” copy protection. If the necessary requirements are not met, unfortunately you will not be able to open the eBook. You will therefore need to prepare your reading hardware before downloading.
Please note: We strongly recommend that you authorise using your personal Adobe ID after installation of any reading software.
For more information, see our ebook Help page.