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Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: Social Welfare, Social Policy and Social Work

Course Title:	SW580 - Social Welfare, Social Policy and Social Work
Department:	Social Work
Instructor:	Rosalind Griffin, DSW, MSW, LCSW-C E-Mail - Vita

This social policy course will enable students to understand the multiple factors that influence the development of social welfare policies and programs. The student will gain as awareness of how social policy decisions affect social work practice and prepare students to achieve beginning competency to analyze social policies and their impact on client systems. Social workers need an understanding of the foundations for current programs and how they implemented. In addition, they must be knowledgeable of the inadequacies, gaps and inequities inherent in the American social welfare system. Policy analysis necessitates problem solving skills and conscious commitment to make changes consistent with client system needs.

Texts: Online Bookstore

Understanding Social Welfare (6th Ed), by Dolgoff, R., Feldstein, D and Skolnik, L. Allyn & Bacon (2003).
ISBN-13: 9780801330360 ISBN: 080133036X

From Poor Law To Welfare State (6th Ed), by Trattner, Walter I.. Free Press (1999). Supplementary text.
ISBN-13: 9780029327135 ISBN: 002932713X

Expected Outcomes:

1. An understanding of the dynamics of the American social welfare system.
2. Knowledge of specific programs designed to deal with poverty and ohter risks to populations and to prevent family dissolution.
3. Become familiar with a method for analyzing and assessing social programs.
4. Become aware of the activities involved in policy making with respect to values, policies, economics, and history.

Knowledge Objectives:

1. Knowledge of the principles, foundation and provisions of the primary social welfare programs in the social welfare system.
2. Understanding of major social policy, analytical concepts, and the different alternatives to meeting social needs.
3. Knowledge of the effects of social policy on social work practice.
4. Beginning awareness of the basic process of policy development and change.

Unit I Introduction: Societal Context of Social Policy and Social Welfare, Dolgoff & Feldstein: Chapters 1-2.

Unit II:Historical Context of American Social Welfare Programs and social values, Dolgoff & Feldstein: Chapters 3-4.

Unit III: Social Welfare Concepts, Dolgoff & Feldstein: Chapters 6

Unit IV: Tools for Analyzing Social Policy and Programs, Dolgoff & Feldstein: Chapter 7.

Unit V: Poverty and the Welfare State, Dolgoff & Feldstein: Chapters 5 & 8.

Unit VI: Examining Contemporary Social Welfare Programs, Dolgoff & Feldstein: Chapters 9-11.

Unit VII: Historical Context, Role, Function, and Current Status of the Social Work Profession, Dolgoff & Feldstein: Chapters 12-13.

Unit VIII: Trends and Related Social Welfare Programs, Dolgoff & Feldstein: Chapters 14-15.

Assignments:

There will be three assignments for this course. Each assignment will count for a third of the final grade. Each is an applicatin assignment requiring the student to employ the information read and other resources to complete the assignment.

1. A contemporary program should be selected from the national or local context. The program and the social welfare problem/issue expected to be improved or eliminated should be described in detail. Then, the program should be critiqued regarding the social values, philosophy, and historical context that influence the existance of the program and the population addressed.
   
   This assignment is due one week following completion unit 3.
   
   
2. Describe and critique a social welfare program. Comprehensive information should be collected on the program so that the student is very familiar with the program. The framework for analysis is in chapter 7. The criteria in the schema must be specified and explained as they pertain to the program not simply listed.
   
   The second assignment is due one week following the completion of unit 6.
   
   
3. Select and describe an inequity, inadequacy and or a gap in a specific social welfare program. This can relate to the coverage, unintended consequences, etc. Delineate and explain the strategies, techniques and activities a social work practitioner could take to deal with the situation. Whom would you engage, how and why? A rationable for the actions must be supported. This assignment concerns ways of changing social policy and not doing counseling with clients although clients may be involved in the policy change process.
   
   This assignement is due at the completion of unit 8.
   
   

Each assignment requires a diffrent topic and sources beyond the text must employed. Appropriate documentation and citation techniques are necessary using a reference such as the American Psychological Association Publication Manual. Each assignment must have a reference/bibliography and should not exceed 10 typed pages excluding the references or bibliography.

Revised 11/11/07

Rosalind Griffin, DSW, LCSW-C