UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
SOWK 535
Spring 2010
Professor: Michael Todd Kilmer, LCSW, M.S.W.
Office Hours: By scheduled appointment
Telephone: 619-889-6955
Email: or
Social Welfare Policy
The purpose of this course is to understand why and how social welfare policy is developed and implemented in the United States, the roles of social workers in all areas of practice in promoting social justice, and the integration of practice with policy.
Understanding social welfare policy is vital to the practice of social work because it fundamentally affects the lives of those who are served by the profession. Social welfare policy defines who gets what services, resources and opportunities and shapes service delivery systems. For these reasons it is essential that social workers know about the issues and choices that are embedded in various responses to social problems, guided by an understanding of the ethical responsibilities as expressed in the NASW Code of Ethics, and by the analysis of processes that lead to the formulation and delivery of social welfare policies, to more effectively comprehend the ways in which you can be instrumental in shaping policy choices.
This course builds on the substantive understanding of policy development and critical thinking skills acquired in SoWk 534, and focuses attention on the analysis of selected current policy issues in key sectors of social welfare as well as in the processes and strategies of policy advocacy to redress various forms of social and economic injustice and empower less advantaged groups in our society.
SoWk 535 provides a foundation for second year, concentration specific, policy courses (SoWk 630’s) in which students will apply policy analytic and policy advocacy skills to develop specific policy proposals in a particular service sector.
Course Objectives
The learning objectives for the course are:
1.To understand the general provisions of major social welfare policies in several key institutional sectors as well as current pivotal issues that are central to the policy discourse in each sector.
2.To analyze various policy options for addressing social problems and the social, political and economic issues that are involved in decision making.
3.To learn to make ethically based, reasoned arguments for policy proposals.
4.To acquire a detailed knowledge of how culturally sensitive social welfare policies are developed in response to social needs.
5.To learn the roles and skills that social workers use to influence the policy process at organizational, community and institutional levels.
6. To develop tools for monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of social welfare programs.
Specific Objectives for Spring, 2010 classes:
In Spring, 2010, SOWK 535 students will help to shape new policies within the area of homelessness. You will build on the work of the 2009 cohort of SW535 students who brought a bill to Congress, establishing the right of a child, wherever appropriate, to be housed with her/his parent. That resolution (HR 582) is now pending in the House Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunities.
The mission of the 2010 cohort of SW 535 students is to develop understanding and support for housing and transition for the homeless wherever appropriate and to reform institutional practices and policies accordingly. We will focus on Southern California, the state legislators who shape those policies, candidates for such offices, and their constituencies.
This is the beginning of a two year effort. In 2010, the state legislature will be struggling with a massive deficit and the need to slash billions from the state budget. All Assembly members and half the seats for state senate will be voted on. It is unlikely that any new social legislation could be achieved, but the policies sought here need to be placed on the agenda for 2011, and the best way to do that is to secure commitments from candidates that they will support a policy that can become law in the 2011 session. The work of this 2010 cohort is to build community support and secure such commitments from those running for office.
Our focus will be on homeless veterans who are either in shelter or chronic. It is the intent of this course to provide students various opportunities individually and through group exercise. Students will develop various reports to local leaders, which may be used to educate and further develop policies.
Our effort in Spring, 2010, will be to build on the effort of prior cohorts in 535 to recognize the right of the homeless and their right to adequate housing and to establish a program that will offer a way to do that.
We will document the need, the value, and feasibility of an alternative program, will help to bring public recognition and support for it, and advocate legislation to implement programs to assist homeless veterans.
We shall analyze current policy in the existing social systems which fail to provide adequate housing for homeless families/children/veterans. Their plight may be due to any of various factors: insufficient income, mental illness, chemical dependencies, flight from domestic violence, bureaucratic rigidities, shuffling from correctional facilities, foster care, or health institutions, restrictions and bias against them due to race, national origin, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, or other characteristics.
We shall analyze the distribution of resources and mobilize support for a proposed pilot program to test a solution to this consuming social problem in Southern California. We will provide evidence of the need, develop analyses of the problem(s), get the policy proposal on the agendas of advocacy groups, develop community-based support, hone skills and put political strategy into action. Finally, we shall assess our progress and recommend steps for the 2011 cohort of SW 535 students.
Our goal is to lay the groundwork for legislation to be introduced and passed in the California Assembly and State Senate that would either transfer funds outright or at least set up pilot programs in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties.
We will research, document, and publicize the facts on the true costs of homelessness. Such costs include dollars spent, social and personal distress, vulnerability to poor school attendance and high drop-out rates, to addictive substances, mental and physical illness, joblessness, and further chronic homelessness.
We will inject our findings and recommendations into the election campaigns of Assembly members and State Senators so that those who are elected in the June primaries will be committed to legislation for the 2011 session of the state Legislature. .
Required Readings for the Course
Two primary texts are required for this course.
Jansson, B. S. (2008). Becoming an Effective Policy Advocate: From Policy Practice to Social Justice. Fifth Edition. Brooks-Cole.
This book is the updated seminal text on “social work policy practice” and “policy advocacy.” It sets forth the historic basis, rationales, the context for social work policy practice and advocacy, and walks you through an understanding of the skills required, the procedures to be undertaken, the development of proposals, use of power, how to strategize and activate, finally how to assess your efforts.
Handler, J. F. & Hasenfeld, Y. (2007). Blame Welfare, Ignore Poverty and Inequality. Cambridge University Press, 2007
The transcendent factor in homelessness, whatever else appears (also) to be causative, is the lack of funds for the homeless and for programs that seek to house them. Handler and Hasenfeld present a model of analysis for the public agency response to the state of poverty that characterizes the homelessness of families and children. They examine the forces that blocked a more logical, coherent, or humane response to poverty, factors that we shall have to engage in our advocacy for programs to house homeless families and children.
Recommended Supplement
DiNitto, D. M. (2007).Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy. Sixth Edition, Pearson Education, Inc.
Shultz, J. (2002). The Democracy Owner’s Manual. Rutgers University Press.
Other required readings are available through the internet; some may be acquired upon request:
1. Vital Mission Ending Homelessness Among Veterans, National Alliance to End Homelessness, November 2007. (http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/1837)
2. Interagency Council on the Homeless, “Homelessness: Programs and the People They Serve: Findings of the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients, December, 1999.
3. National Alliance to End Homelessness, “A Plan: Not a Dream: How to End Homelessness in Ten Years.
Supplemental readings to be distributed or made available electronically will be required but need not be purchased. They will amplify the texts, addressed to a complex issue: that of homelessness: its history, the demography of the homeless, their sources of income, employment, social and health care, food, where they settle, day and night, and their special needs. Students will discover programs that aid the homeless and evaluate the feasibility and potential effectiveness of plans that are underway in the public, private non-profit, faith, and private-for-profit sectors, pending legislation and appropriations, and the groups that are supporting them. Students will learn what other communities have done/ are doing to deal with their homeless.
Class Format
This class will include a variety of teaching learning modalities. The instructor will provide lectures but classes will be designed to be interactive and students will be encouraged to bring questions and comments for discussion. Selected sessions may feature videotapes or speakers to illustrate the topic under examination. Students will be engaged on panels focused on specific tasks or components of the particular problem of homeless families and children addressed by the class as outlined in the syllabus and may engage in role playing exercises or present testimony on pending legislation or before neighborhood groups or coalitions.
Course Expectations
Students are expected to attend and participate in all class sessions and to select a project for program development which will emerge from the class and include at least fifteen hours outside of class in an experiential dimension of social welfare advocacy.
Grading Policy
Within the School of Social Work, grades are determined in each class based on the following standards which have been established by the faculty of the School:
(1) Grades of A or A- are reserved for student work which not only demonstrates very good mastery of content but which also shows that the student has undertaken a complex task, has applied critical thinking skills to the assignment, and/or has demonstrated creativity in her or his approach to the assignment. The difference between these two grades would be determined by the degree to which these skills have been demonstrated by the student.
(2) A grade of B+ will be given to work that is judged to be very good. This grade denotes that a student has demonstrated a more-than-competent understanding of the material being tested in the assignment.
(3) A grade of B will be given to student work that meets the basic requirements of the assignment. It denotes that the student has done adequate work on the assignment and meets basic course expectations.
(4) A grade of B- will denote that a student’s performance was less than adequate on an assignment, reflecting only moderate grasp of content and/or expectations.
(5) A grade of C would reflect a minimal grasp of the assignments, poor organization of ideas and/or several significant areas requiring improvement.
(6) Grades between C- and F will be applied to denote a failure to meet minimum standards, reflecting serious deficiencies in all aspects of a student’s performance on the assignment.
You are expected to attend class regularly, participate in class discussions, and submit work promptly.
(NOTE: Please refer to the Student Handbook and the grading procedures.)University Catalogue for additional discussion of grades and grading.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend all sessions of all classes.The social work program is one of professional preparation. In addition to acquiring theoretical knowledge, students are expected to acquire professional values, to integrate knowledge from a range of courses, to develop professional skills and be socialized into the profession. The faculty of this School of Social Work is convinced that this cannot be accomplished through independent study alone. Thus, attendance at classes is suggested unless legitimate and special reasons exist for absences or tardiness. Any absences or tardiness may be discussed directly with the course instructor.
University of Southern California policy permits students to be excused from class, without penalty, for the observance of religious holy days. This policy also covers scheduled final examinations that conflict with students’ observance of a holy day. Students must make arrangements in advance to complete class work, which will be missed, or to reschedule an examination, due to holy days observance.
Grade Allocation:
Descriptive paper(Week Feb 2nd) 10%
Midterm Hx Analysis and Proposal (Week Mar 9th) 30%
Experiential dimension (including reports to class) 20%
Final including Assessment of project (Week April 26th) 30%
Class participation 10%
Aggregating Student Input for Social Transformation (ASIST)
While studying how to become an effective policy advocate through the assigned readings, you will also get some hands-on experience, geared to illustrate and amplify the concepts presented in the literature. We have developed the ASIST model (Aggregating Student Input for Social Transformation) specifically for Soc.Wk 535 students at USC.
In order to effectively engage in any campaign, one must first understand the nature and dimensions of the problem, what social agencies are and are not doing about it, analyze possible solutions, know who is doing what to contest or compound the problem, and select an appropriate course of action. Through ASIST, we will take our findings to the community and seek changes in public policies to address the problem.
In the 2006 and 2007 sessions of Soc. Wk. 535, students campaigned for legislation introduced by California State Senator Gil Cedillo which mandated all jurisdictions in the state to survey their homeless populations and develop a plan to provide [social service] assisted housing while becoming familiar with current emergency shelter and transitional housing programs and the policies that impact the homeless.
In 2008, classes presented testimony and organized support for a Los Angeles ordinance for mixed income housing which is pending now before the City Council.
The Spring, 2009 classes focused on the right of children to be housed, wherever appropriate, with their parent(s), and a resolution to establish that right was presented to Congress in testimony called for by the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunities at a special hearing. That bill, HR 582, is now pending.