Students will review a social welfare policy and its associated programming in a substantive area covered in the course (i.e., income, housing, civil rights, physical and mental health). A list of suggested policies is included in this syllabus. Students must identify a policy related to their field education placement.
The ten to twelve (10-12) page double-spaced, APA format paper should include an introduction, an overview of the history of the policy, and an analysis of the contemporary policy and future directions using the guide provided below.
The paper should address all of the topics outlined below, use proper APA format, and reference at least five (5) scholarly sources.
A. Introduction (1 page)
a. Identify the policy under review. Provide the full official and colloquial name as well as policy number.
b. Describe the issue(s) the policy was designed to address.
c. Describe the policy’s primary goals related to the identified issue(s).
d. Provide a brief overview of what the paper will cover.
B. History of Policy (3-5 pages)
a. How did the policy come to be developed?
b. What was going on in the nation at the time? Discuss relevant social, economic, political, governing, and/or cultural context.
c. Who is most likely to be affected (directly or indirectly) by the policy?
d. What were the political ideologies, assumptions, and values embedded within the policy?
e. In what ways, if any, did the policy seek to combat inequities, oppression and discrimination; advance social, economic, and environmental justice; and/or human rights? Is the policy consistent with social work values?
f. How was the policy structured? What departments, programs, and/or activities were developed to support its implementation?
g. Why was this policy a big deal at the time? Describe at least two (2) innovations.
h. What didn’t go as planned and/or was missed? Describe at least one (1) unintended consequence.
C. Contemporary Policy (3-5 pages)
a. What other policies, including amendments, emerged as a result of this policy?
b. What evidence suggests the policy was a success? Describe at least two (2) successes.
c. What evidence suggests the policy was a failure? Describe at least two (2) failures.
d. What issues remain? Specify at least two (2) possible improvements that need to be made to the policy or its related programming.
e. How might one go about advocating for these improvements? Describe at least three (3) specific strategies.
D. Conclusion (1 page)