Understanding Social Welfare

by Dolgoff, Ralph; Feldstein, Donald

• ISBN13: 9780205360062
• ISBN10: 0205360068
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

Understanding Social Welfare introduces readers to the issues, historical influences, trends, methods of operation, and unresolved conflicts of American social welfare. This well-organized, comprehensive, and scholarly book is accessible to social workers and helps them acquire the basic tools for understanding, analyzing, and evaluating social welfare policies and programs. The book focuses on the impact of social structure on people's lives, emphasizing the current concerns of a diverse client population, and incorporating the latest social welfare legislation. For those involved with social welfare and policy.

Table of Contents

Preface	xv
About the Authors	xix
Socio-Economic Structure, Human Needs, and Mutual Responsibility	1	(14)
Overview	1	(1)
The Impact of Social and Economic Structures	2	(2)
Defining Social Welfare and Social Work	4	(1)
The American Myth of the Hero	5	(3)
Balancing Individual and Societal Responsibilities	8	(1)
The Authors' Perspective	9	(4)
Summary	13	(1)
Questions for Consideration	13	(1)
Notes	13	(2)
Social Values and Social Welfare	15	(21)
Overview	15	(1)
Modern Views of Humanity	16	(1)
Self-Actualization versus Irritation Response Theories	17	(1)
Economics and Human Motivation	18	(1)
An Overview of History	19	(2)
Altruism and Mutual Aid	19	(2)
Ancient Cultures	21	(8)
Egypt	21	(1)
Sumer and Babylonia	22	(1)
Hebrew and Judaic Societies	23	(2)
Greece and Rome	25	(2)
Early Christianity	27	(1)
Byzantium: Christianity in the East	28	(1)
Holy Poverty and Expectations of the Wealthy	29	(1)
Eastern Cultures	30	(3)
China	30	(1)
India	31	(1)
Islam	32	(1)
Summary: Evolving Values and Social Welfare	33	(1)
Questions for Consideration	33	(1)
Notes	34	(2)
Social values and Social Welfare: England from the Middle Ages Onward	36	(24)
Overview	36	(1)
The Early Middle Ages	36	(2)
The Middle Middle Ages	38	(1)
The Late Middle Ages to Elizabethan Poor Laws	39	(5)
Work and Religion	44	(4)
The Poor Laws	48	(1)
The Poor Law Compilation of 1601	48	(2)
Speenhamland	50	(2)
The Workhouse	52	(2)
The Poor Law of 1834	54	(1)
Principles of the Poor Laws	55	(2)
Summary	57	(1)
Questions for Consideration	57	(1)
Notes	58	(2)
Social values and Social Welfare: The American Experience I	60	(28)
Overview	60	(1)
American Poor Law Mentality	60	(1)
Settlements, Labor, and Imported ``Poor Laws''	61	(3)
The Early Spanish Influence, the Mexicans, and Other Latinos	64	(2)
Voluntary Mutual Aid Efforts	66	(3)
Mutual Aid Among African Americans	67	(2)
Voluntary and Public Responsibilities	69	(1)
The American Frontier: The Myth and Values	70	(3)
American Indians and U.S. History	73	(4)
The Federal Role in Social Welfare	77	(1)
The Freedmen's Bureau	78	(1)
Veterans and a Suspension of the Ethic	79	(2)
Social Darwinism	81	(1)
The Coming of Social Insurance	81	(2)
Society, Social Values, and Modern Views of Human Nature	83	(1)
Summary	84	(1)
Questions for Consideration	84	(1)
Notes	84	(4)
America, Poverty, Two Paths: The American Experience II	88	(20)
Three Discoveries of Poverty	88	(6)
First Discovery	89	(1)
The Fading of the First Discovery	90	(1)
Second Discovery	90	(1)
Third Discovery	91	(3)
The War on Poverty	94	(2)
Expectation and Delivery	94	(2)
The ``Skirmish'' against Poverty	96	(1)
Families, Children, and Poverty	97	(6)
Aid to Families with Dependent Children (``Welfare'')	98	(3)
An Old-New Path	101	(1)
Social Security	102	(1)
Contrasting Values and Aims	103	(1)
The Poor Laws Today	104	(1)
Human Nature and the American Dream	105	(1)
Summary	106	(1)
Questions for Consideration	107	(1)
Notes	107	(1)
Concepts for Social Welfare	108	(25)
Overview	108	(1)
What Is Social Welfare?	109	(2)
Social Policy, Social Services, and Social Work	111	(2)
Social Policy	111	(1)
Social Services	112	(1)
Social Work	112	(1)
Ideology, Social Policy, and Government Intervention	113	(6)
The Federal and Pluralist System	119	(1)
The Economic Sphere	120	(3)
Fiscal Policy	121	(1)
Monetary Policy	122	(1)
The Importance of Fiscal and Monetary Policy	123	(2)
An International Economy	125	(1)
A Second Welfare System-Corporate Welfare	126	(1)
A Changed World-New/Old Ideology, New Policies, New Economic Forces, New Social Policy, and New Social Services	127	(2)
A Changed Context	129	(2)
Summary	131	(1)
Questions for Consideration	131	(1)
Notes	131	(2)
Examining a Social Welfare Program: Structural Components, Alternative Program Characteristics, and Evaluation	133	(24)
Overview	133	(1)
Structural Components	134	(5)
What Are the Needs and Goals to & Met?	134	(1)
What Is the Form of Benefit That the Program Produces?	135	(1)
Who is Eligible for the Program?	135	(1)
How is the Program Financed?	136	(2)
What is the Level of Administration?	138	(1)
Alternative Program Characteristics	139	(12)
Residual, Institutional, Developmental, or Socio-Economic Asset Development	139	(3)
Selective or Universal	142	(4)
Benefits in Money Services, or Utilities	146	(1)
Public or Private	147	(1)
Central or Local	148	(2)
Lay or Professional	150	(1)
Evaluating the Program	151	(4)
Adequacy	151	(1)
Financing	151	(3)
Coherence	154	(1)
Latent Consequences	154	(1)
Summary	155	(1)
Questions for Consideration	155	(1)
Notes	155	(2)
The Welfare Society and Its Clients	157	(32)
Overview	157	(1)
Who is a Client of Social Welfare?	157	(2)
What is Poverty?	159	(4)
Absolute Poverty	159	(3)
Relative Comparison Poverty	162	(1)
A Description of the Poor	163	(5)
Income and Wealth Inequality	168	(3)
The Effect of Some Government Programs	171	(2)
The Near-Poor and Expectations	173	(1)
Other Views of Poverty	174	(4)
Relative Inequality	174	(1)
Lack of Power, Access, and Inclusion	175	(1)
The Underclass/Culture of Poverty Thesis	176	(2)
Strategies for Fighting Poverty	178	(5)
Social Utilities	178	(1)
Investment in Human Capital	178	(1)
Income Transfers	179	(1)
Rehabilitation	180	(1)
Aggregative and Selective Economic Measures	181	(1)
Participation and Organization	182	(1)
Ideology Revisited	183	(1)
The Bush Administration	184	(2)
Ideology Once Again	186	(1)
Summary	186	(1)
Questions for Consideration	187	(1)
Notes	187	(2)
Current Social Welfare Programs-Economic Security	189	(41)
Overview	189	(1)
Social Insurance Programs	190	(21)
Social Security (OASDI)	190	(11)
Unemployment Compensation	201	(6)
Workers' Compensation	207	(4)
Income Support Programs	211	(14)
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families	212	(5)
Supplemental Security Income	217	(4)
General Assistance	221	(2)
Named Income Tax Credit	223	(2)
Socio-Economic Asset Development	225	(3)
Summary	228	(1)
Questions for Consideration	228	(1)
Notes	228	(2)
Social Welfare Programs: Sustaining the Quality of Life	230	(48)
Overview	230	(1)
Managed Care: A Radical Change	231	(5)
Major Organizational Types	231	(1)
Impact on Services and Practitioners	232	(1)
Proponents	232	(1)
Criticisms	233	(1)
Research on Quality of Care	233	(1)
Strategies to Achieve Profits	234	(1)
Public Criticism and Legislation	234	(2)
Health Care Programs	236	(9)
Medicare	236	(5)
Medicaid	241	(4)
Nutrition Programs	245	(6)
The Food Stamp Program	246	(2)
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children	248	(2)
School Lunch and Breakfast Programs	250	(1)
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance	251	(1)
Housing	252	(3)
Veterans' Benefits	255	(3)
Employment Programs	258	(1)
Personal Social Services	259	(12)
Services to Families	261	(1)
Services to Children	262	(7)
Title XX	269	(2)
Mental Health Services	271	(2)
Corrections	273	(3)
Summary	276	(1)
Questions for Consideration	276	(1)
Notes	276	(2)
Nonprofit and Private Social Welfare	278	(23)
Overview	278	(1)
Early Patterns	278	(1)
The Nonprofit Sector	279	(2)
Types of Nonprofit Agencies	280	(1)
The Proprietary Private For-Profit Organization	281	(1)
Services of the Nonprofit and Private Sectors	282	(1)
Getting and Spending	283	(3)
Private and Nonprofit Agencies as Social Welfare Programs	286	(3)
Who is Eligible for the Program?	286	(1)
What is the Form of the Benefit?	287	(1)
How Are the Programs Financed?	287	(2)
What Are the Levels of Administration?	289	(1)
A Point of View	289	(1)
Leadership, Class, and Gender	290	(1)
Private and Public Spheres	291	(5)
Uses of Public Funds and Power	291	(2)
Tax Laws and Policy	293	(1)
Programmatic Links	293	(1)
Accountability	293	(1)
National Policy: Church and State	294	(2)
Marketplace and the Nonmarket Domain	296	(1)
Family and Friends	297	(1)
Toward the Future	297	(2)
Summary	299	(1)
Questions for Consideration	299	(1)
Notes	299	(2)
Social Work: The Emergence of a Profession	301	(21)
Overview	301	(1)
The Workers of ``Good Works''	302	(5)
The Process of Professionalization	307	(1)
A Brief History of Practice and Methods	308	(5)
Development of the Professional Association	313	(1)
Social Work with Groups	314	(1)
Community Organization and Social Planning	315	(3)
Toward a Unified Profession	318	(1)
Summary	319	(1)
Questions for Consideration	319	(1)
Notes	319	(3)
Social Work: Functions, Context, and Issues	322	(18)
Overview	322	(1)
The Purposes of Social Work	322	(2)
The Professional within Complex Organizations	324	(3)
Complex Organizations and Professional Culture	324	(1)
Complex Organizations and Authority	324	(1)
The Profession and Professional Autonomy	325	(1)
Alternative Roles and Settings	326	(1)
Society, the Functions of Social Work, and Services for People	327	(1)
The ``Bottom Line''	327	(1)
The Two Tracks of Social Work: Cause and Function	328	(4)
Generic-Specific Social Work	332	(2)
Professionals and volunteers	334	(1)
The Number of Social Workers	335	(1)
Racism, Sexism, and a Pluralistic Society	335	(2)
Summary	337	(1)
Questions for Consideration	337	(1)
Notes	338	(2)
Social Trends Affecting Social Welfare	340	(22)
Overview	340	(1)
National Society	340	(1)
Individual and Shared Goals	341	(1)
Trends	342	(1)
An International Economy	342	(1)
Population Growth and Resources	343	(3)
The United States: A Changing Population	346	(2)
Productivity and the Service Economy	348	(2)
Ethnicity and Pluralism	350	(3)
Gender	353	(1)
Gay Men and Lesbians	354	(4)
The Place of Social Welfare in a Changing Context	358	(1)
Summary	359	(1)
Questions for Consideration	360	(1)
Notes	360	(2)
Alternative Programs to Meet Social Welfare Needs	362	(33)
Overview	362	(1)
Female Heads of Household, Children, and Poverty	363	(6)
Mental Health Services for Children and Youth	369	(5)
A Second Welfare System: Corporate and Taxpayer Welfare	374	(4)
Persons with Disabilities	378	(6)
Alternatives Facing the Practitioner	384	(1)
Technology and Social Action	385	(2)
Where We Are	387	(2)
Two Scenarios	389	(1)
Our Proposal	390	(1)
Summary	391	(1)
Questions for Consideration	391	(1)
Notes	391	(4)
Appendix	395	(1)
Sources of Information	395	(6)
Index	401