Social Welfare Initiative

Barbara J. Beaman

Capella University

HMSV 5402

Most social welfare policies, procedures, and laws were made before and in the 19th century by those individuals and leaders who had their own desires and hope of how today’s world become. As we stand here in the 21st century there are a few factors we must agree to accept regardless of our opinions, thoughts, and even life experiences: (1) We cannot change or re-write America’s history, with a mindset we must learn to accept all our history as to be known. (2) We must realize that most individuals in today’s world would not have partaken of the ways, laws, and unhuman behaviors of their ancestors. Yes, we are still faced with individuals, and societies that have taught and/or reacted based on their ancestor’s way of thinking. and (3) We must acknowledge and agree on one matter, we want to change for all humans regardless of their descriptions. Social Welfare is very important as it guides the government and our legislative system. Social Welfare Policies are created, designed, and choices on behalf of the citizens of America. As we investigate the past couple of centuries, we understand that the government is also the same people who create the first social welfare, and the facts show that it was not always to help those whom it was said as the target audience but served as much as it was to cover and provide security for those in selective wealth brackets and or power positions of power. Today we will look at the development guidelines of Health & Human Services. Within this policy there are several discrepancies that play major impacts on todays world. The HHS known as the Health Human Services is a Federal Policy that was created as the Department of Health, Education & Welfare on April 11, 1953, under the leadership of President Eisenhower. The HHS was created “to enhance the health and well-being of all American”. This policy was created 30 years ago we are still faced with the same issues even with education being separated due to how this now known as Public Health & Safety Policy is based on Poverty Guidelines and changes yearly. In the HHS Action Plan most disparities included Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities.

As I think about the gaps and the flaws in the current social welfare policies, I reflected on the basic needs of life that are designed to make one self-sufficient. These basic components include shelter, food, education, employment, income, and healthcare to just live in today's world. Then I consider our barriers in life which include race, gender, and economic support, and then the obstacles that today’s generation has heard more negatively about that put most recipient who needs the resources in more struggles such as political engagement, spiritual guidance, justice and criminal laws, environment, and social engagement. As I indicate the importance of each of the three areas that view and develop most social welfare policies, I develop a “10 Steps to Strengthen All Helping Hands”. Strengthening All Helping Hand’s mission would give everyone access to become the best version of themselves. In this paper, my attempt will be to show the steps, face the challenges and learn how to grow from each phase of this new reform social welfare initiative.

This initiative will take place over a 5–10-year period but would take the support of two cycle of officials from a local, state, and federal level to engage in and promote within its position held and by those who have the access of making decisions. The first step would be to expose and educate lobbyists, advocate, and officials of the initiative program. We would develop focus groups based on the topic areas of needs: shelter (housing), food, employment, education, income, and healthcare. We would use the most current Census report for data collection and to create our strategic plan. As we develop 6 focus groups, begin with a foundation that builds boundaries with current resource currently used. If in they are receiving Housing, SNAP, TANF, Medical Benefits they will be held responsible for all their required stipulations that agree upon for their current benefits. This phase of the program will be the first phase of 4 phases. This will be communicated through advertisement, training human services providers on how to help and collaborate with other nonprofits organization to help these individuals, gain other resources to become stable. Each state will find baseline in what in the medium of income, cost of living, and required support to help the individual gradually remove themselves to stability living over the next four years not required their current resources. This will allow the focus groups develops the first 2 steps in the “10 Steps of Helping Hands” define focus area and identify their desire future state. Each focus group will be required to focus only on those who are up to 200% in poverty, individuals who earns are less the 125K a year and in 50% debt that includes student loans debt, 25% medical debt and any household includes any minor children. We will see some major obstacles as we incorporate this first phase of our goals to change or redevelop social resources in a positive experience for all. The wealthy will not like this because it could affect their opportunities of making money off humans in areas of strengthen others in their ability to not create and continue unhealthy cycles of life. As I reflected on the reading from the article “The Sociology of Inner-City Functionality for Practice” we are prepare for the challenges we will face is the cycle of generation poverty mindset. The fact that the focus groups will use Step 3., Accessing Current State and Step 4., Propose Target State this will help develop facts and ideals why this is important and how long-term we will be able to see stronger individuals, healthier families, and better communities. In these moves, we will change the process of application process, we will tell facts, we will display all public records and treat all as fair. In the new application process gender driven hiring position, school, program or otherwise resources it will state it in the application, all employers, school, and medical applications will remove the following from their application process: name, gender, race, age, and address will be removed from applications and resumes. The new process will consider the following hard and soft skills, education, and certifications and trainings. This gives individuals the opportunities to see the framework and not the prospective image of what one subjective mindset is for who they are.

As we look and walk into phase 2 of our initiative program, our current social welfare policies, procedures, and laws we can take some of the policies set in place and just make them fair. “The Social Investment States’, to understand key aspects of New Laboure’s policies in relation to welfare reform. It argues that ‘investing in children’ and creating ‘responsible parents’ are vital features of many of the policies and service initiative.” (Featherstone. 2006). As we can reference back to 1997, we have seen growth minorities challenges have change drastically, but we cannot and should not stop there. Fairness is one of the hugest downfalls of the policies and laws that are put into place. This gives us the opportunity to stop and reevaluate the current implementation of step phase 1, and steps 1- 4 that have been execute so far from the focus groups. Now that we have mostly seen some new officials in the selective offices, we should be able to create Step 5., which is new Actions Plans for locals, state, and federals to implement and Step 6., Develop Boundaries to enforce. This is a difficult time in the initiative program (phase 3) because this is when accountability comes in, along with repercussion must be applied. This affects everyone for examples 1). Recruitment and marketing policies must be change in the hiring and acceptance into position and program must be appraise, those who are providing the services and resources must attempt to provide quality information, resources, and support to truly help their focus client, participant, employee and/or other succeed. Then those who do not move forward in the opportunity that stands before them to be recognize for who they are and not based on what makes them. Let’s that about how this disturbs the possibilities of decreasing crime rates but then this changes labor and capitalizing of having individuals incarcerated. As the agency who provide resources for the government such as WIC, Public Housing and Welfare partner up with non-profit organizations that provide free or low-cost support such as funding for vocational training, counseling for financial literacy and understanding finances. This is going to be some major concerns that now that you have better home life, strong career choice, and children are getting quality education you are creating hope for tomorrow. Now it is time to push new reform social policies, which is our Step 7.

As I read the article previous about Jewish Women develop “activities of organizations addressing women’s needs usually did not challenge traditional links connecting women and the state, but added additional layers, mainly by the identification and politicization of certain problems: new areas of women’s need and wants which were perceived as belonging to the private sphere.,” (Almog-Bar, & Ajzenstadt, M. 2010). I want to ensure that the focus group should be individuals who live and reside in the selective areas of interest. As we create and design the last phase 4, would include the focus groups remain why we started the initiative and remain loyal to the vision and mission for all humans regardless of identities to be treated fair and equal. Step 8., Review and Analysis what has happened in the past 7 steps. Begin Step 9., Monitoring the Progress of all parties involved and now create a new focus group with new mindset, ideas and help them learn how to always create an American Dream that all individuals could set at the table and not be inferior based on their descriptions. This new develop team (previous and current) as the evaluate they should begin to prepare for the next 10 years and how to continue to enhance humans and the world we yearn to live in as productive and successful citizens.

As we have displayed 10 Steps to Strengthen Helping Hands Initiative for the Social Welfare Policies in recognizing the gaps and flaws of our current system this is for all to succeed. We must recognize that not everyone will jump in with hope, faith, and especial trust but what I do believe through research and experience is that we have the capability to create a common world through creating positive actions. As we develop these positive actions, giving individuals the platform to create opportunity also gives us a chance to change our overall view on crime, assets and now generation wealth does not cycle. As a educator, a bi-racial (identify as Black), woman, Christian, Democrat, child of a single mother, became a single mother, seen and understand poverty, has be degrade by inferiority, has walked in a position beyond my own worthy my favorite peer article reading this week was “I Hope Nobody Feels Harassed”. Imagine living in a world were everyone felt free to be themselves within the boundaries of respecting and obeying the laws but not because the color of your skin, your age, where you live, who your serve or choice not to serve.

References

1. Featherstone. (2006). Rethinking family support in the current policy context. In The British journal of social work. (Vol. 36, pp. 5–19). British Association of Social Workers,.

2. Almog-Bar, & Ajzenstadt, M. (2010). Women, Welfare and Civil Society Organizations: Creating an Alternative Women’s Welfare Sphere in Israel. Social Policy & Administration., 44(6), 673–688.

3. Endo, C. (2020). Creating a common world through action: What participation in community activities means to older people.  Ageing and Society, 40(6), 1175-1194.

4. Chester. (1977). The Effects of a Redistribution of Wealth on Property Crime. Crime & Delinquency., 23(3), 272–289.

5. McCullough, S. (2017). “I hope nobody feels harassed”: Teacher complicity in gender inequality in a middle school.  Girlhood Studies, 10(1), 55-70. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.3167/ghs.2017.100105

6. Cheng, L. (2020). Centralized policymaking and informational lobbying.  Social Choice and Welfare, 54(4), 527-557.

7. Echols. (1974). THE SOCIOLOGY OF THE INNER CITY–FUNCTIONALITY FOR PRACTICE. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare., 2(1), 50–62.