THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
COURSE NO. & SECTION:
SOWO 530 (Section 002)
COURSE TITLE &YEAR:
Foundations of Social Welfare & Social Work
Fall Semester 2011
MEETING TIME:
Mondays 9:00 – 11:50 am
INSTRUCTOR:
Laurie Selz Campbell, MS, CPRP
Tate Turner Kuralt Bldg. Room 354
Phone: 843-6394
lauriesc@unc.edu
OFFICE HOURS:
Mondays 12:30 – 1:30 and by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Introduces public welfare policy through lecture and
discussion of the purposes of public welfare and describes the most important programs
created by those policies.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: By the end of this course, students will:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Demonstrate knowledge of current social welfare policies and programs in the
U.S. and the ideals which shaped existing public welfare structures;
Identify and describe the social concerns which those structures have or have
not been able to address successfully. Special attention will be given to their
impact on various family types.
Demonstrate an understanding of the role of social work and effects of social
policy on historic and contemporary patterns of social welfare service
provision;
Rigorously evaluate existing research related to social welfare policy and
demonstrate knowledge of the development and implementation of
contemporary social welfare policy;
Demonstrate an understanding of the values and ethics of social work that
guide professional behavior in the conduct of public policy activities;
Demonstrate skill in strategies for advocacy and social change that advance
social and economic justice;
Identify conditions that promote or deter equal access to resources for
minorities and women and be able to discuss concerns related to race,
disability, gender and sexual orientation.
SKILLS BASE ADDRESSED: By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Describe the origins and unique characteristics of the social work profession.
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2. Assess clients for eligibility for major publicly funded programs and/or benefits.
3. Analyze the effects of social welfare policies on well-being and opportunities for
lower-income individuals and families, as well as for other vulnerable populations.
4. Articulate the underlying values and principles shaping major public welfare
policies.
5. Describe how legislative and administrative policy is made and how to influence
policy development.
TEXTS:
Required: Blau, J. & Abramovitz, M. (2010). Dynamics of social welfare policy.
Oxford University Press. (Blau in syllabus)
Additional required readings will be posted on Sakai.
Recommended (chapters will be posted on Sakai, but both are excellent books if you
are interested in expanding your library):
Carlton-LaNey, I. (2001). African American leadership: An empowerment tradition
in social welfare history. Washington, DC: NASW Press. (ICL in syllabus)
Davis, K. E. & Bent-Goodley, T. B. (eds). (2004). The color of social policy.
Alexandria, VA: Council on Social Work Education. (DBG in syllabus)
TEACHING METHODS AND EXPECTATIONS:
Teaching methods will include lecture and class discussion, multimedia presentations,
and small group activities. My perspective is that we all have much to learn AND
much to teach. Full participation is essential to your learning in the class, and will
allow you to successfully apply the course material in a way that is personally and
professionally meaningful.
You are expected to attend all classes and to complete the readings before class
begins. You are expected to participate in discussions by sharing information from
their reading and/or field experiences. I ask that you contact me, in advance, if you
will miss a class. Any student with significant difficulty with these requirements
should speak with me at the beginning of the semester so that alternative forms of
contribution can be identified.
POLICIES ON THE USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN THE CLASSROOM:
I expect that we will all be invested in creating a learning environment of respect and
engagement. During class, cell phones should be turned off or silenced. I welcome
the use of laptops in class for taking notes or completing small group tasks. However,
I ask that you use them only for relevant activities – not for checking email or surfing
the Web. If distracting use of electronics is observed, I will need to strictly limit their
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use to specific times during class. Your attention during class time is an important
sign of respect to your colleagues, and an important part of your learning.
OVERVIEW OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:
Reflection Papers (2)
These 4-5 page papers that will assess your integration of readings, class discussions,
and personal thinking about some of the substantive and complex issues addressed in
the course. Each paper will be guided by a question to which you will respond with
references to relevant readings.
Budget Exercise
This exercise is intended to help you learn more about the struggles and dilemmas
that families face to meet their basic needs and the public and private sector resources
that may be available to them. You will be provided with a “story” of a family living in
a North Carolina county, along with their income and other resources. You will
conduct research (abundant resources will be posted on Sakai) to estimate what the
family will require to meet its basic needs, and what sources of assistance are
available. You will enter your information on a Budget Worksheet (to be provided).
Accompanying your worksheet will be a brief (3 pages) paper addressing your
assumptions, conclusions about the bottom line, challenges encountered, and
learning reflections.
Letter to the Editor or Blog Entry
For this assignment, you will identify an editorial, blog, or news article addressing a
social welfare issue, and will post a brief response, including (a) your personal
reactions, and (b) the ways in which the piece reflects concepts or content contained
in the readings or in our class discussions.
Expert Panels & Policy Briefs: Social Welfare & Social Justice Intersections
This assignment will give you the opportunity to develop competence in (a)
researching social policy legislation, (b) analyzing bodies of legislation related to a
particular issue, (c) developing and articulating a position on a given policy, and (d)
designing social work advocacy agendas. Below are brief descriptions of issues to be
considered (these are negotiable, depending on students’ interests):
Disability
Issues: Inclusion, equal rights, employment, education
Examples of legislation: ADA, Ryan White, mental health parity, IDEA
Criminal Justice: Focus on Adults
Issues: Racial profiling & disproportionalities, criminalization of mental illness
&/or homelessness, hate crimes, war on drugs
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Examples of legislation: Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act (1994);
Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (2009); syringe exchange
policies
Criminal Justice: Focus on Youth
Issues: School violence, juvenile sentencing policies
Examples of legislation: Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (2001)
Family Violence & Child Welfare
Issues: Child abuse (physical, sexual) & neglect, partner violence, adoption for
GLBTQ families, inter-ethnic adoptions
Examples of legislation: Adoption & Safe Families Act, sex offender registry laws;
Violence Against Women Act (part of Crime Control Act above); Indian Child
Welfare Act
Reproductive Rights & Health
Issues: Abortion, parental consent, sex education, reproductive rights in the
military
Examples of legislation: Abstinence-only education; TANF provisions re: teen
parents
Immigration
Issues: migrant worker policies, health care, education, citizenship,
criminalization, amnesty
Examples of legislation: 287 g; DREAM Act; amnesty/refugee resettlement
legislation
The assignment has a group component and an individual component, summarized
here:
Group Component:
You will team up with classmates based on shared interests in social welfare policy
issues with significant history, landmark legislation, continued social injustices,
advocacy efforts, & success stories. You will work in teams to develop a 60-90
minute presentation that:
1. Addresses the history or evolution of the social welfare system’s response to
the population
2. Summarizes multiple perspectives on the issue
3. Analyzes key legislation relative to the issue (one piece of legislation per
student) -- including political, economic, ethical, and practice dimensions –
critically appraises that legislation in terms of its underlying assumptions
and internal consistency/inconsistency.
4. Describes advocacy efforts and successes; and
5. Proposes an agenda for action that is consistent with the NASW Code of
Ethics
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Individual Component:
You will write a policy brief related to the piece of legislation that you selected to
focus on for your portion of the group presentation. The policy brief should be
factual and evidence-based, and should clearly articulate a recommendation or
position on the issue.
Assignments will be scored as follows:
Reflection Paper #1
Reflection Paper #2
Blog Response
Budget Exercise
Policy Brief
Expert Panel Presentation
Participation
Total:
H:
P:
L:
F:
15 points
15 points
10 points
15 points
20 points
20 points
5 points
100 points
94 and above
93-80
79-70
69 and below
Expectations for written assignments: You are expected to adhere to appropriate
scholarly writing guidelines. A portion of the points for each assignment will be
allocated to writing issues. Please use the resources provided at orientation to help
yourself to master academic writing skills. The web sites listed below provide
additional information:



http://ssw.unc.edu/index.php?q=students/academic/advising (Academic
resources from the School of Social Work, including an APA quick reference
guide)
http://www.apastyle.org/apa-style-help.aspx (APA Style basics)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html (general
information about documentation using APA style)
POLICY ON INCOMPLETES AND LATE ASSIGNMENTS:
Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day noted. You must notify me
at least 3 days before a due date if you would like to request an extension. If this does
not happen, you will lose 10% of the assignment’s points per day (including weekends,
and including the date on which the assignment was due, if you submit it after the
beginning of class).
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Incompletes may be granted if (a) there are extreme and unforeseeable circumstances
that affect your ability to complete the semester’s work, and (b) you meet with me in
advance to develop a plan and timeline for completing your work.
POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
I assume that all students follow the UNC Honor Code. Please ensure that the Honor
Code statement “I have neither given nor received any unauthorized assistance in
completing this assignment”, with your signature, is on all assignments turned in. In
keeping with the Honor Code, if reason exists to believe that academic dishonesty has
occurred, a referral will be made to the Office of the Student Attorney General for
investigation and further action as required.
Please refer to the APA Style Guide, the SSW Manual, and the SSW Writing Guide for
information on attribution of quotes, plagiarism, and the appropriate use of assistance
in preparing assignments.
POLICY ON ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
If you have a disability that affects your participation in the course and you wish to
receive accommodations, you should contact the University’s Disabilities Services.
They will then notify me of the documented disability, and we can meet to design the
appropriate accommodations to support your learning.
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CLASS SCHEDULE & ASSIGNED READINGS
Date
8/29
Topics Addressed
Overview,
Introductions
9/5
9/12
Readings
Due
None
** NO CLASS – LABOR DAY HOLIDAY **
Context, Framework for
Exploring Social
Welfare
Blau:
Ch. 1: Introduction: Social Problems, Social Policy,
Social Change
Ch. 2: Definitions & Functions of Social Welfare
Policy: Setting the Stage for Social Change
Schneider A & Ingram, H. (1993) Social construction
of target populations: Implications for politics
and policy. The American Political Science
Review 87(2), 334-347.
Go to
www.political
compass.org
& complete
online
inventory.
No need to
hand in.
Thyer, B. A.(2010) Social justice: A conservative
perspective, Journal of Comparative Social
Welfare, 26(2), 261 – 274.
9/19
History to 1900
 English Poor Laws
 Charity
Organization
Societies
 Settlement Houses
Blau:
Ch. 5: Ideological Perspectives & Conflicts
Ch. 7: Social Welfare History in the United States (pp.
237-257)
9/26
Progressive Era
 Industrialization
 Immigration
 Social Darwinism
 Eugenics
 African American
Pioneers
Blau:
Ch. 7: Social Welfare History in the United States (pp.
257-271)
ICL:
Chapter 2: African Americans & Social Work in
Philadelphia, 1900–1930
Depression Era
 New Deal
 Social Security Act
10/3
WWII & Postwar
War on Poverty
New Federalism
Welfare Reform
Blau:
Ch. 7: Social Welfare History in the United States (pp.
271-294)
Ch. 8: Income Support: Programs & Policies
DBG:
Chapter 5: Social Security Reform & people of Color
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Reflection
Paper # 1
Date
10/10
Topics Addressed
Poverty:
 Poverty rates &
definitions
 Defining poverty
 Impact of poverty
Social Welfare System:
 Types of welfare
 Universal/selective
 Universal elements:
- Social Security
- Medicare
 Selective elements:
- TANF
- Food assistance
- Housing
- Medicaid,
Medicare, SSI
- General
assistance
10/17
Critique of welfare &
governmental response
to poverty
Note: Please meet in
auditorium for guest
speaker Kate
Mitchell, MDC Benefit
Bank
Readings
Due
Blau:
Ch. 3: The Economy & Social Welfare
Abramovitz, M. (2001). Everyone is still on welfare:
The role of redistribution in social policy. Social
Work, 46, 297-308.
Action for Children North Carolina (2011). Children in
the recession (Economic Security Issue Brief).
Read pp. 4-16.
Boushey, H. & Weller, C.E. (2005). What the numbers
tell us. In J. Lardner & D.A. Smith (Eds.),
Inequality matters, (pp. 27-40). New York: The
New Press.
Will also post on Sakai online guides to eligibility for
each of the major social welfare programs. Review
these to become familiar with (a) how eligibility is
typically defined, and (b) the general scope of
benefits.
Blau:
Ch. 9: Jobs & Job Training: Programs & Policies
Beimers, D., & Fischer, R. L. (2007). Pathways to
Employment: The Experiences of TANF
Recipients With Employment Services. Families
in Society, 88(3), 391-400.
Besharov, D. (2006). Two cheers for welfare reform.
University of Maryland, School of Public Policy:
http://www.welfareacademy.org/pubs/welfare/t
wocheersforwelfarereform.pdf
Rector, R. & Johnson, K. (2004). Understanding
poverty in America. Washington, DC: Heritage
Foundation.
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/uplo
ad/53977_1.pdf
Sawhill, Isabel V (2003). The behavioral aspects of
poverty. The Public Interest (153) 79-93.
10/24
Toward Real Solutions
for Poverty
Note: Please meet in
auditorium for guest
Berlin, G. (2010). Rethinking Welfare In the Great
Recession: Issues in the Reauthorization of
Temporary Aid to Needy Families. Washington,
DC: MDRC.
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Reflection
Paper # 2
Date
Topics Addressed
speaker Andrea
Taylor, UNC SSW
Readings
Due
Cooney, K. & Shanks, T. R. (2010) New approaches to
old problems: Market‐based strategies for
poverty alleviation. Social Services Review 84(1)
29-56.
Gooden, S. (2007). Addressing racial disparities in
social welfare programs. Journal Of Health &
Social Policy, 22(2), 1-12.
Grinstein-Weiss, M., & Irish, K., (2009). Individual
Development Accounts: Frequently Asked
Questions. Center for Social Development
Perspective, 7, 1-16.
Loprest, P. & Martinson, K. (2008). Supporting work
for low-income people with significant challenges
(New Safety Net Paper 5). Washington, DC:
The Urban Institute.
http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411726_su
pporting_work.pdf
Shapiro, T. (2004). Assets for equality (pp. 183-204). In
The hidden cost of being African-American: How
wealth perpetuates inequality. New York:
Oxford.
10/31
Social Policy & Policy
Analysis:
 Advocacy
 Informal
policy/street level
bureaucracy
Note: Please meet in
auditorium for guest
speaker Alex Miller,
MS, from Equality NC
Blau:
Ch. 4: The Politics of Social Welfare Policy
Ch. 6: Social Movements & Social Change
Dickson-Gomez, J., Convey, M., Hilario, H., Corbett,
A., & Weeks, M. (2007). Unofficial policy:
Access to housing, housing information & social
services among homeless drug users in Hartford,
Connecticut. Substance Abuse Treatment,
Prevention, & Policy, 2(8), 1-14.
Faulkner, A., & Lindsey, A. (2004). Grassroots meets
homophobia: A rocky mountain success story.
Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 16(3/4),
113-128.
11/7
Budget assignment
discussion
Blau:
Ch. 11: Health Care: Programs & Policies
The Current Health
Care Safety Net:
 Healthcare
coverage & reform
DBG:
Chapter 9: What will Ensure Mexican Americans
Equal Access to Health Care?
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Budget
Assignment
Date
Topics Addressed
Readings
 Health disparities
 Public health
interventions
(maternal/child;
HIV/AIDS; others)
Horton, S. (2006). The double burden on safety net
providers: Placing health disparities in the
context of the privatization of health care in the
US. Social Science & Medicine, 63(10), 2702-2714.
Due
Keefe, R. H. (2010). Health disparities: A primer for
public health social workers. Social Work in
Public Health, 25(3/4), 237-257.
Woolf, S. H. (2009). Social policy as health policy.
[Opinion]. JAMA: Journal of the American
Medical Association, 301(11), 1166-1169.
11/14
The Current Mental
Health & Substance
Abuse Safety Net
 MH reform in
North Carolina
 Intersections with
homelessness,
criminal justice,
welfare, child
protection, & other
safety net systems
DBG:
Chapter 7: Mental Health Policy & People of Color
Baillargeon, J., Hoge, S., & Penn, J. V. (2010).
Addressing the challenge of community reentry
among released inmates with serious mental
illness. American Journal of Community
Psychology, 46(3/4), 361-375.
Newman, S., & Goldman, H. (2008). Putting housing
first, making housing last: housing policy for
persons with severe mental illness. American
Journal of Psychiatry, 165(10), 1242-1248
Scheid, T. L. (2008). Competing institutional
demands: A framework for understanding
mental health policy. Social Theory & Health,
6(4), 291-308.
11/21
Expert Panel 1 & 2 Presentations
11/28
Expert Panel 3 & 4 Presentations
12/5
Expert Panel 5 & 6 Presentations
Policy Briefs
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