Submit a 5page paper that addresses the following:
The social problem/issue
- Identify a social problem/issue you would like to address.
- Describe the context—historical and/or contemporary—of society’s perception and approach to this social problem/issue.
- What current research (including facts and statistics) supports the need to address the social problem/issue?
The policy
- Identify a specific policy that addresses the selected social problem/issue.
- Describe the historical context of the policy.
- Briefly provide enough detail about the social, economic, and political circumstances that inspired action.
- Include reputable references/resources to support current updates, implementation, and/or changes related to the policy.
The population and programs
- Identify the population served by the policy.
- What qualifies a client for inclusion in the policy?
- What successful or widely accepted programs have come out of the policy?
In practice
- What role(s) do social workers play in the success of the program?
- Does the policy work in practice as intended? Why or why not?
- Does the policy achieve its goals?
Social change
- Does the policy contribute to social justice? How? If not, explain how or why it does not contribute to social justice.
- Identify opportunities for improvement in the policy.
- Explain how you would go about improving the policy.
Sources
- You must reference a minimum of eight scholarly references, which may include electronic government documents and reputable websites.
- Your reference list should appear on a separate page, and it is not included in the 5- to 8-page requirement.
3
Tackling Homelessness form the Social Worker Perspectives
Describe one or two goals for addressing the larger problem.
Homelessness is a significant issue I care about fixing as a social worker. It is a complex issue that is caused by diverse factors, and these include economic instability, high housing costs, mental struggles, drug use, and unfair systems. Homelessness impacts all sorts of people, often leading to more poverty and feeling left out or marginalized (Chhabra et al., 2019). It takes away human dignity and worsens the health status of the affected persons. It increases the levels of health disparities and perpetuates social exclusion. Therefore, my main goal is to push for long-term solutions focused on stable housing, supportive services, and opportunities to improve the financial status of individuals.
Identify a policy that exists to address the social issue/problem.
In 1987, Congress passed the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The law supports the allocation of funds towards helping the homeless people. The financial support targets creating emergency shelter grants, transitional housing programs, supportive services, and prevention programs. McKinney-Vento has assisted many individuals experiencing homelessness. Nevertheless, the law cannot fully help address these vulnerable individuals' complex needs. There are issues with long-term housing solutions (Richards, 2019). Some groups face barriers to accessing equity services, and resources may run low during economic troubles or emergencies. So while helpful, McKinney-Vento has limitations in tackling homelessness comprehensively. There is still a need to ensure the existence of comprehensive reforms and additional resources to help tackle the complex challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness effectively.
Determine if there is a gap in the way in which the policy serves the population it is intended for.
One noteworthy flaw in the McKinney-Vento Act is its lack of emphasis on addressing the underlying causes of homelessness, such as affordable housing shortages and economic inequality. While the Act provides cash for emergency shelters and temporary homes, it frequently fails to provide long-term solutions to homelessness (Richards, 2019). Furthermore, access to services varies by demographic, including veterans, children, families, and people suffering from mental health or substance use disorders. Furthermore, the Act's funding allocations may not always be sufficient to fulfill the rising need for homeless services, particularly during economic downturns or crises.
Explain how you, as a social worker, could contribute to addressing the issue/problem through policy.
Social workers play an important role in helping to deal with the issue of homelessness. The role of social workers in dealing with the issue involves advocacy for policy reform, program creation, and directly providing the required services. Therefore, as a social worker, I have the responsibility of pushing for laws that prioritize housing as a basic human right. This means demanding more funding for affordable housing projects, rental support, and permanent housing programs (Lee. 2022). Working with officials, groups, and advocates will help in spotting the existing gaps in the present homeless assistance programs and proposing solutions to fill gaps. It is possible to deal with this issue through advocacy, development work, and assistance.
Secondly, I can help develop and implement comprehensive intervention techniques that address the unique needs of those facing homelessness. This could entail working with interdisciplinary teams to provide complete assessments, case management, mental health care, substance addiction treatment, job placement aid, and other supportive services (Garcia-Jorda et al., 2022). Social workers may assist people suffering homelessness to achieve stability, self-confidence, and a sense of belonging in their communities by taking a strengths-based approach and encouraging them to participate in decision-making processes.
Conclusions
Homelessness is a significant societal issue that need collaboration across a wide range of stakeholders, including social workers, lawmakers, community organizations, and people who have gone through it. While measures such as the McKinney-Vento Act have made great progress in reducing homelessness, much more work remains to be done to ensure that all people have access to safe, stable, and affordable housing. As a social worker, I am dedicated to fighting for legislative changes, developing new treatments, and offering compassionate support to help homeless individuals and families rebuild their lives and reach their full potential.
References
Chhabra, M., Sorrentino, A. E., Cusack, M., Dichter, M. E., Montgomery, A. E., & True, G. (2019). Screening for housing instability: providers’ reflections on addressing a social determinant of health. Journal of general internal medicine, 34, 1213-1219.
Garcia-Jorda, D., Fabreau, G. E., Li, Q. K. W., Polachek, A., Milaney, K., McLane, P., & McBrien, K. A. (2022). Being a member of a novel transitional case management team for patients with unstable housing: an ethnographic study. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), 232. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-07590-6
Lee, S. (2022). Social Inclusion and the role of social workers. In Handbook of Social Inclusion: Research and practices in health and social sciences (pp. 2107-2122). Cham: Springer International Publishing
Richards, L. (2019). The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act: A Policy Analysis. California State University, Long Beach.