DIVISION OF SOCIAL WORK
SW 150
Welfare in America
Fall 2008
Professor Ted Scott-Femenella, MSW/PPSC
Lecture Days: M, W, 7:30 – 8:45 a.m.; Location: 1014 Mariposa Hall
Office Hours: Monday 8:50 – 9:20 a.m.
Office: 2047 Mariposa Hall
E-mail: /
Phone: (916) 278-4090
Cell #: (916) 549-3437
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to examine social welfare policy constructs and their implications upon population-at-risk. This content supports the academic foundation for curriculum at the undergraduate level. This course addresses a myriad of social welfare and poverty issues and its complexity through the use of a multi-level approach, which includes looking at the interactions and dynamics from, within and between different social systems.
This course embraces the incorporation of strengths derived from a variety of theoretical frameworks. Students are guided in the exploration of paradigms shaping meanings and interpretations of experiences of social welfare policy development and demonstration, through the “lens” of dynamics such as "race," "ethnicity," "culture," "class," "gender," "sexual orientation," "socioeconomic status," "personal and social identities," "oppression," and "social justice."
This course will also provide students with an overview of the history, purpose, structure and costs of contemporary American social welfare policy and programs. The role of social work in policy development will be examined with attention given to the social, political and economic conditions which set the stage for development and evolution of the American welfare state. Students will analyze current welfare policies and examine their implications for social work practice. Equity building policies focusing on poverty, child welfare, mental health, disability, gender and race will offer core areas of substantive inquiry. The policy interests of students will direct the analysis process.
This course is required for all undergraduate social work majors. The course aims to:
- Provide an historical, economic, political and social framework for understanding the development of social welfare policies and social service programs at the local, state, national and international level;
- Present a framework for analyzing policy issues and demonstrating policy practice skills in social, political and economic arenas;
- Familiarize students with the role of policy development in service delivery in the areas of poverty prevention, child welfare, health and mental health, aging, disability, substance abuse, nutrition, gender, race, sexual orientation and immigration policy.
Objectives
Through attendance, journaling, completion of readings, assignments, and active participation, students will:
a. Demonstrate the ability to critically understand the programs, philosophy and assumptions of leading welfare policies, including strategies of empowerment, advocacy and social action;
b. Develop an awareness of the complex historical, political, social, economic and cultural factors that shape the process and outcomes of policy decision-making;
c. Understand the implications of social policies on diverse gender, ethnic and racial groups, families, low-income and oppressed communities;
d. Describe the historical development of the social work profession and demonstrate an understanding of the limitations and difficulties of social service programs;
e. Demonstrate an understanding of the centrality of diversity, specifically class stratification, institutional racism, sexism, and homophobia in both the practice and profession of social work.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
a. Demonstrate knowledge of the process, concepts and vocabulary of social policy;
b. Demonstrate an understanding of the complex forces and systems involved in the policy-making process;
c. Recognize the relationship between political ideology, policies and social welfare programs and practice;
d. Understand methods of advocacy for policies that promote the well-being of oppressed and vulnerable communities.
Required Texts & Readings
- Gilbert, N. & Terrell, P., (2005). Dimensions of Social Welfare Policy. (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
2. Chang, Scott-Femenella, et al. (2000). Walking the Walk: Principles for Building Community Capacity for Equity and Diversity. San Francisco, CA
IV. Requirements Points Percentage Due Date
a. Policy Reflection Paper3015Week 3
b. Group Poster Presentation 30 15 Weeks 6 - 11
c. Three Exams 7035 Weeks 5, 10, & 14
d. Reaction Journal 3015Weeks 10 & 15
e. Advocacy Paper 40 20 Week 16
Total 200 100
Teaching/Learning Modalities
This class will be taught with an emphasis on discussion. Students will be asked to share their own experiences, knowledge and opinions within the frameworks and concepts presented in class. The instructor will be a guide to, and participant in, the learning process. There will be a mid-term evaluation of the instructor so that feedback can be incorporated into the last half of the class.
Class Norms:
1.Students feel as if they have a voice.
2.Students feel that when they speak, people listen with open minds, open hearts and open ears.
3.Everyone -students and faculty - expects to learn from each other and change in the process.
4.Students realize that each has partial knowledge and therefore needs one another to develop a fuller understanding
5.Students feel they are is recognized, understood, and assumed to be a critical part of their capacity to learn.
6.Everyone assumes that dissent, debate, and disagreement are part of how we learn.
7.Everyone realizes that the class is one forum to express one's ignorance, misinformation, incomplete knowledge, and that voicing such ideas is one way of expanding learning.
8.Everyone recognizes the importance of the personal and the experiential as one source of knowledge in combination with other sources.
A note from the Course Instructor: For classroom learning to take place, there must be lively class discussion and tolerance for our differences. This must take place in a “safe” environment, where there is empathy and understanding for the personal pain that could exist for many individuals who may have experienced/or are experiencing one or more of the social issues discussed this semester. The primary responsibility for creating this safe space lies with the course instructor. However, all participants in this course will share this burden, through the respect and courtesy they demonstrate during every discussion. For many students, this course, because of the dynamic and meaningful content, can serve as a turning point in some unexpected ways. Students can be tremendously helpful to other students in sharing their feelings and realizations.
Attendance Policy
This class meets two times each week for 75 minutes. Whether excused or unexcused, students may have up to 3 absences without any impact on their grade. If additional classes are missed, the following deduction in points will occur based on the number of classes missed:
4= -5 5= -10 6= -157= -20 8= -30 9= -50 10= -75
11= -100 12 or more= -150
EVALUATION
There are several methods of evaluation. Your attendance and participation maximize your experience in the class. Excessive absences reduce the possibility of receiving a passing grade. Please see attendance policy above. It is expected that all assignments will be completed on time. Out of respect for your colleagues, late assignments will lose 1 mark per day, unless arrangements are made PRIOR to due date. All papers are expected to be of undergraduate student quality, which means concise, coherent, well-organized writing with citations for all data and other referenced ideas. Papers must follow APA (American Psychological Association) guidelines for references.
1. Policy Reflection Paper (30 points)Week 3
Using your family as an example, explore the impact of one social policy or program (e.g. public education, TANF/AFDC, food stamps, WIC, child welfare, immigration, housing, veterans, civil rights etc.) on your life. The paper should discuss the impact of the policy on various aspects of family life such as social class, values, interpersonal relationships, finance, educational and housing choices. In response to your family’s experience, discuss how essential you believe this policy or program to be. The paper should be 5 to 7 double spaced pages. Papers will be graded on clarity, organization and analysis, as well as your ability to be concise and use detailed examples to support your position.
2. Group Poster Presentation (30 points) Weeks 6 - 11
With a predetermined group, prepare a three panel poster presentation on a specific policy issue of your choice. The policy you choose can be of any type at any level. Your poster will pose a policy question and answer it with pictures, facts, figures and text. Presentations will be graded on visual impact, the breadth and depth of your analysis, the logic of your argument, use of any evidence to support your position, the organization of your presentation, and your ability to integrate and synthesize the content of your presentation. Presentations will occur during Friday classes.
3. Social Policy Exams (70 points – 20, 30 & 20 points) Weeks 5, 10 & 14
Multiple choice, short answer and essay exams focusing on social justice policy development, resource allocation and values as discussed in class and in the readings. Each exam may include multiple choice questions, matching or fill-in the blank questions and at least one essay from content covered throughout the semester. In some cases students will be presented with social policy case vignettes and asked to consider the issues and challenges involved with each, identify their own values, offer values based solutions and defend those solutions in their essays.
4. Reaction Journal (30 points) Weeks 10 & 15
Students are expected to attend all classes and come to class with reading assignments completed and prepared for writing, reflection and discussion. Students will keep a policy reaction journal to track their internal responses to the subject matter over the course of the semester. Each week students will engage in group activities during a portion of the class time to reinforce or highlight a topic. Your active participation in thoughtful discussions will be evaluated along with your class attendance and journal entries. You will be asked to use the first 10 minutes of class to respond in your policy journal to a question relevant to the readings or discussion. Each student must read aloud to the class at least one journal entry during the semester. Journals will be collected at the end of the semester for grading. Students highlight their top 15 journal entries for the professor to read. Students receive up to two points for each journal entry read with a maximum of 30 possible points to be received.
5. Advocacy Paper (40 points) Week 16
Select a social policy or program and present a detailed description of 1) how it came to be, 2) challenges it currently faces, 3) recommendations for improvement. The paper should be 7-10 double-spaced pages. The paper should use at least 8 academic references. References should be used to support facts and figures that explain the policy or place the issues in a broader context. Papers will be graded on clarity, organization, analysis and recommendations for policy change, as well as your ability to be concise and use evidence to support your argument.
Supportwith Writing Assignments
The College of Health and Human Services WritingCenter, located in SolanoHall5000, is a program designed to assist students with all stages of writing from pre-writing through editing a text utilizing a peer-tutoring environment. Graduate students from the English Department staff the Center. Hours will be posted at the beginning of theFall 2008 semester. If you have questions about the Center, please call (916) 278-7255.
Note:
Written work must be mechanically and stylistically acceptable. Serious deficiencies in areas such as spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and coherent organization will compromise your grade. Plagiarism (claiming the work of someone else as your own) will result in a grade of FAIL for the course and could severely compromise your academic career at this university.
Grading Structure
This course has a total of 210 possible points during the semester which includes 200 regular points and 10 extra credit points. The grading breakdown will be as follows:
A = 210-186 C = 153-146
A- = 185-180 C- = 145-140
B+ = 179-174 D+ = 139-134
B = 173-166 D = 133-126
B- = 165-160 D- = 125-120
C+ = 159-154 F = 119 or below
Students with Disabilities
All reasonable accommodations will be made for students with disabilities. Students who have a learning or physical disability certified by the office of Services for Students with Disabilities should present verification of the disability and request for specific accommodations to me as soon as possible and no later than week three of the semester.
Topical Outline
SECTION I: SOCIAL POLICY: HISTORY & MODELS
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Week 1:
Introductions & Overview
- Review course objectives & syllabus; complete introductions
- Lecture -
- Why study social policy?
- Scope of the impact of social welfare policy
- Micro-Macro practice divide
- Social work’s professional status dilemma
Audio presentation: Parental Guidance: The Gene Cheeks Story
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Week 2: Chapter 1
The Field of Social Welfare Policy
- Lecture –
- Defining social welfare policy & social work as a value based profession
- Categories of social welfare programs
- Progressive advocacy and the social work agenda
- Individualist vs. collectivist perspective
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Week 3: Chapter 2
The Modern Welfare State
POLICY REFLECTION PAPER DUE
- Lecture –
- Historical, social, economic, political, policy/program analysis
- Many methods of analysis
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Week 4: Chapter 3
A Framework for Social Welfare Policy Analysis
- Lecture -
- Significance of policy history to analysis
- Elements of an Analytic Framework: Dimensions of Choice
- Theories, Assumptions, and Social Choice
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Week 5:Chapter 4
The Basis of Social Allocations
EXAM I
- Lecture –
- Who Shall Benefit
- Child Support and AssetBuilding
- Social Effectiveness and Cost Effectiveness
- Emerging Issues: Generational Equity
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Week 6:Chapter 5
The Nature of Social Provision
- Lecture –
- Substance of Social Provision
- Social Provisions as Reflections of Policy Values
- Emerging Issues: Choice for Whom?
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Week 7:Chapter 6
The Design of the Delivery System
- Lecture –
- Public systems versus community-based efforts: An Exploration of System Change in SacramentoCounty
- An analysis of the “NeighborhoodServicesCenter”/”Mutual Assistance Network” versus the “Oak Park Model”
- The Advent of School-based approaches to Social Services: Healthy Start versus Comprehensive Student Support (SB 65)
- Walking The Walk: Principles For Building Community Capacity For Equity and Diversity
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Week 8: Chapter 7
Defining Poverty – Uncovering the Deserving Poor
- Lecture –
- Minimum wage
- Theories of poverty
- Poverty threshold
- Political economy ideology
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SECTION II: SOCIAL POLICY IN PRACTICE
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Week 9: Chapter 8
Ending Welfare as We Knew It: AFDC to TANF
EXAM II
- Lecture –
- Devolving Public Welfare: AFDC to TANF
- Face of Welfare: The Implications of Teen Pregnancy Post AFDC
- Mythology of Welfare of the “Welfare Queen”
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Week 10:
Health & Mental Health Care Policies
- Lecture –
- Medical care costs in the US
- Health care expenditures as a % of GDP
- Distribution of health care costs
- Sources of high medical care costs
- Asylum movement
- Mental Health Act / NIMH
- Public Health Model: Community Mental Health Centers Act
- Deinstitutionalization
- History, economics, social & political analysis of managed care
- Suicide, homicide & grave disability
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Week 11:
Helping the Aging Blind & Disabled
- Lecture –
- Needy through no fault of their own
- Social insurance conceptualized
- Characteristics of the US disabled
- Disabled workers
- ADA – complaints & concerns
- Construct a society - Exercise
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Week 12:
GROUP POSTER PRESENTATION
Nutrition Policy: Hunger, Obesity and Food Stamps
- Lecture –
- Nutrition & American values
- Food Insecurity
- Obesity, Food Access & Quality
- Food programs – Food stamps, WIC
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Week 13:
Vacation
- Thanksgiving Holiday
- Enjoy the holiday…
Do something special
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Week 14:
Child Welfare & Family Preservation Policy
REACTION JOURNAL DUE
- Lecture –
- Concerns of Child Protective Services
- Discipline vs. abuse
- Involuntary removal
- Snapshots of victims and perpetrators
- Foster Care
- Family preservation & reunification
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Week 15:
Chapter 9
Policy Dimensions: International Trends and Issues in the Twenty-First Century
ADVOCACY PAPER DUE
- Lecture:
- Pressures for Change
- Directions of Change
- Implications of Change
EXAM III
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