Chat with us, powered by LiveChat Based on your analysis of the social justice problem in the assignment from Unit 2, select a currently enacted federal policy that is currently a law to analyze using the - Writeden

Based on your analysis of the social justice problem in the assignment from Unit 2, select a currently enacted federal policy that is currently a law to analyze using the United States Congress website, Congress.gov. It must also address the problem that affects your chosen diverse cultural group (for example, based on race, religion, disabilities, gender orientation, socioeconomic status, or access to services). This will be the policy you analyze for the entire the course project. Be sure to incorporate constructs that have been covered in this course into your analysis. You will compile all parts of the course project in Unit 10, so as you receive feedback for each assignment, revise your work as necessary.

Assignment Instructions

To complete this assignment, select a federal policy from Congress.gov that targets the form of oppression and discrimination you described in Unit 2 (for example, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Veterans Millennium Healthcare Act, Affordable Care Act (ACA), Adoption and Safe Families Act, Medicare, Medicaid, Temporary Aid to Needy Families Act, or Social Security Act). Then, complete the following:

  1. Describe the policy you have chosen and its connection to the social justice problem that was the focus of the previous assignment. This policy must be enacted—in other words, it must be passed legislation.
    • Describe the purpose of this policy.
    • Describe the programs and services that are provided through the policy.
    • Connect the policy to the social justice problem you selected by giving a brief description of the problem. Is it a new problem, something that has recently arisen, or an old problem that never got resolved?
  2. Describe the historical issues and context that lead to the creation of the social problem and policy development.
    • Include information about the voting outcomes for the policy and the legislative leaders who influenced the policy historically and in the present.
    • Include the impact of these historical features have had on the policy's implementation.

Guidelines

  • Use scholarly, peer-reviewed literature to support your claims.
  • Before completing this assignment, make sure you also refer to the scoring guide that will be used to grade you.
  • Remember that your instructor will be providing feedback on your assignments. Use that feedback to improve the content of your Federal Policy Analysis and Recommendations course project.

Example assignment: You may use the assignment example, linked in the Resources, to give you an idea of what a Proficient or higher rating on the scoring guide would look like.

  • Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
  • APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style and formatting standards.
  • Cited resources: Minimum of five scholarly sources. All literature cited should be current, with publication dates within the past five years.
  • Length of paper: Four to six double-spaced, typed pages.
  • Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Socioeconomic Status

Kiara Bonds

Capella University

SWK5002 sec03

4/23/2023

Socioeconomic Status

The combination of social and economic indicators of a person's job history and social and economic standing concerning others is their socioeconomic status. It may depend on factors including occupation, income, and education. There are three social status groups—the lower, medium, and higher classes—and these variables affect how people are divided into these groups. Numerous mental and physical health disorders can be predicted based on an individual's socioeconomic level. People with bad health circumstances, low incomes, and education levels are the most affected. Policies have been developed to address this issue and other problems like health while enhancing the lives of those affected. The following work will analyze the socioeconomic status issue and how effectively it is being addressed.

African Americans are among the most discriminated against groups in America due to their socioeconomic status. Discrimination is seen in all areas starting with the low quality of education they receive compared to white Americans. African Americans are also discriminated against due to their race and have been considered inferior for a long time. The inferiority has been reflected in their lives for a long time, from lack of enough representation in the government and being offered manual jobs with poor payments (Davis, Wetherell, & Henry, 2018). The discrimination due to socioeconomic status has left most African Americans with problems such as mental conditions. The situation worsens due to the lack of access to medical treatment, as the group lacks resources. African Americans are mostly placed in the lower social status, but through various policies, they have improved lives.

There are various ethical problems related to the social justice problem. Discrimination in healthcare, for example, is unethical. The African Americans faced segregation in medical institutions, where they had to wait longer than white Americans. The number of deaths among black Americans due to lack of immediate medical care has been high than that of white Americans (Lewis & Van Dyke, 2018). Another issue is denying college entrance to African American students, as white Americans are always given chances before white can be considered. The same dilemma is witnessed in the job market, with qualified black people being denied better-paying jobs due to their color. These acts have denied black people chances to elevate their lives, leaving most impoverished and involved in crime to maintain their lives.

Various policies have been made currently to address the socioeconomic status problem. Healthcare insurance policies require all Americans to have insurance to access healthcare services. The individual's race does not matter; as long as they have insurance, they can receive healthcare from any institution. Promoting Civil Rights has been the other approach where African Americans are supposed to be treated equally to white Americans. Black people can now attend any school, socialize with any person and even fight for the highest positions in leadership. The election of Barrack Obama as the first black American president was a motivation for black Americans. It increased their opportunities to compete fairly as it was clear that they had equal chances despite the earlier discrimination cases. Employability laws have increased the chances of black Americans being hired without facing discrimination or less pay (Bowman, Comer, & Johns, 2018).

Policies have effectively solved the socioeconomic status problem faced by African Americans. The employability laws have made it easier for African Americans to get hired without being forced to work for long hours and with unfair compensation. Black American employees are free to choose where they want to work, and the law represents them in case of discrimination. The healthcare insurance policy has improved the health status of black Americans. As long as one has insurance, they can access medical care in any institution, and there is no long waiting period or being denied drugs. The education policy has allowed children to attend school from a young age and offered equal education to white children, thus increasing competitive chances.

These policies have impacted African Americans in different ways. The social status of black Americans has improved. They have education chances which makes them competitive. They can study and secure the best positions in organizations and the government. Education has also made African Americans fight for their leadership positions, and through representation, they can solve most social issues facing the groups. Education has also improved wealth, with most educated people getting rich and living a better life. African Americans are now distributed in the lower, middle, and upper social statuses. The health status of black Americans has also improved, and it has reduced the mortality rates. The sick and people with chronic conditions can access medical care and drugs at any time, thus reducing the chances of death due to negligence (Assari, Preiser, Lankarani, & Caldwell, 2018).

Advocacy for socioeconomic status can be done by creating educational programs on equality and its effects on the lives of all Americans, despite their race. The Civil Rights Act can be enacted anytime, and people and organizations need to learn how they should treat people despite their race or economic status. If a complaint against discrimination is reported, the individual or company must take accountability and compensate the victim (Anyiwo, Bañales, Rowley, Watkins, & Richards‐Schuster, 2018). Appreciating the achievements of black people is another way of creating advocacy. It will educate all Americans that even black can compete fairly. In that way, the stereotype of black Americans being inferior will be solved over time, and respect will grow among all races.

The current healthcare, education, and Civil Rights policies effectively solve the discrimination against socioeconomic status. African Americans have been given a chance to compete fairly and show what they can do. The Black groups are empowered through education and secure certification they can use when seeking job opportunities. Since black people have suffered for a long time, they ensure that they utilize the options provided to them in the best way possible to improve their lives. African Americans can now be seen in leadership positions, even in the government. The cases of discrimination against African Americans have decreased significantly.

References

Anyiwo, N., Bañales, J., Rowley, S. J., Watkins, D. C., & Richards‐Schuster, K. (2018). Sociocultural Influences on the Sociopolitical Development of African American Youth. Child Development Perspectives.

Assari, S., Preiser, B., Lankarani, M. M., & Caldwell, C. H. (2018). Subjective socioeconomic status moderates the association between discrimination and depression in African American Youth. Brain Sciences, 8(4), 71.

Bowman, B., Comer, J., & Johns, D. (2018). Addressing the African American Achievement Gap: Three Leading Educators Issue a Call to Action. Young Children, 73(2), 12-21.

Davis, J., Wetherell, G., & Henry, P. J. (2018). Social devaluation of African Americans and race‐related conspiracy theories. European Journal of Social Psychology, 48(7), 999-1010.

Lewis, T. T., & Van Dyke, M. E. (2018). Discrimination and the health of African Americans: The potential importance of intersectionalities. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(3), 176-182.