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SWPS
160/161. Introduction to Social Welfare Policy
This is the foundation course, representing two of three policy courses required of M.S.W. students. The course is designed as an introduction to the field of social welfare in the United States and the development of the social work profession. The course provides a framework for the analysis of social welfare policy and then uses that framework to explore selected social policy areas. Part of the framework involves an examination of the history both of social welfare in the United States and of the social work profession. Finally, the course offers an opportunity to view social work in an international context. Attention will also be paid to ways in which social workers can advocate for needed policy changes. Required
course first summer. Two quarter-hours each term.
SWPS
360. Mental Health Policy and Services
This course explores the social context in which emotional
problems are defined and treated. Contrasting paradigms will
be examined including the contribution made by each in understanding
the etiology of mental health problems and the functions of
treatment. Attention will be given to the special situation
of women and people of color and current dilemmas in mental
health policy. Current national and state laws, funding arrangements,
and judicial decisions that impact on mental health programs
as they affect the role of social workers in the delivery
of services will be explored as well. Elective course second
or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
SWPS
361. Families and Social Policies
This course examines the context of public policy as it affects
diverse families and influences family composition, structure,
family functions and the role families play in contemporary
society. Throughout this five-week course, students examine
the changes in the nature of the family as a result of industrialization
and other economic trends, current debates about the proper
role of government intervention in family life, the differential
impacts of various social policies on a diversity of families,
historical and current trends in the development of family
policy and comparative analyses of American and international
policies. Elective course second or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
SWPS
362. Health Policy and Services
In this course, we examine the U.S. health care system, its sociopolitical origins and evolution, and its complex service delivery system and financing. The topics we discuss include: (1) factors in disease causation; (2) the structure and processes of health care organizations; (3) approaches to financing medical care; (4) healhcare outcomes, including disparities. Elective course second or third
summer. Two quarter-hours.
SWPS
363. Child Welfare Policy and Services
This course focuses on major social and demographic changes
in the family and the economy that affect the development
of and impact on the construction of national and state policies
designed to protect and provide for the care of children.
Particular emphasis will be placed on understanding the current
trends and policy issues emerging in foster care, adoption,
and child abuse and neglect services. Elective course second
or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
SWPS
368. Law and Social Work
This course is designed to focus on those instances when legal
mandates or concerns interact with and affect the practice
of social work. It will begin with an overview of the sources
of legal authority, the judicial system, and the legal standards
applicable to particular proceedings. The course will then
examine the legal implications of the social worker-client
relationship. Specific emphasis will be placed on an examination
of the statutes and judicial decisions that govern the confidentiality
implicit in a social worker-client relationship and which
permit or place an obligation on social workers to breach
client confidentiality. Other topics include social workers
as expert witnesses, risk management, and anti-discrimination
laws. Elective course second or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
SWPS
371. Family Law
This course will focus on the intersection between the law and families; how the legal system impacts families both directly and indirectly. The work of social workers around the hurricane Katrina disaster provides a unique context for the intersection of social work and the law. Legal cases will be presented, reviewed and analyzed both from a legal and from a clinical social work perspective. From the beginning students will be encouraged to broaden their notions of how laws, policies, and legislation impacted families both during and after these community crises. Discussion will reflect specific cases and articles involving topics of criminal law, children in families, employment, defensive social work practice, social advocacy, and the role of social worker as a witness and/or defendant. Attention will be given to both traditional and non-traditional issues. Students will be encouraged to participate in a modified Socratic method of exchange in class. Students will be introduced to the legal world and how social workers can best advocate for their clients when dealing with lawyers. A moot court exercise culminates the learning experience. Elective course second or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
SWPS 372. International Perspectives on Social Problems and Social Policy
The purpose of this course is to expose students to some of the social, economic, and political factors that inform social policies and programs in development and transitional (i.e. conflict-affected) settings around the world, and to explore some of the key international social problems that have particular relevance to the field of social work. The course is accordingly organized in two parts: the first part broadly examines globalization and its effect on social welfare and human need, the fields of comparative social welfare and social development, and the linkages between human rights and social work. The second part of the course takes a closer look at selected social problems and the responses that have been developed at the international, regional, and local levels to address them. During the second part of the course and particularly in the final class, students will be encouraged to consider some of the challenges that arise when integrating western psychosocial programming and expectations with non-western cultural norms. Elective course second or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
SWPS
373. Lobbying and Grant Writing
This course is intended to provide students with tools for
advocating for their clients, their agencies and the profession.
In an environment characterized by scarce resources, it is
critical to identify means to increase our capacity to influence
the decisions that affect us and to develop the means to pursue
program initiatives. In this course, students will learn:
(a) lobbying and other approaches to influencing the policy
process; and (b) principles of effective proposal writing.
Elective course second or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
SWPS
375. Social Justice and the Law: Public Policy and the Civil
Rights
Laws of the United States
In order to be an effective social change agent, one must
understand the values and historical determinants of our current
social/public policies and institutions. One should be able
to critique and contribute to the reform of current public
policy on the basis of an understanding of consistent and
recurrent patterns of oppression of poor people, and discrimination
against and exclusion of women, people of color, and
other minority group members. This course examines the historical,
philosophical, economic, and value determinants of civil rights
laws in
the United States and is intended to help students develop
the analytical skills and knowledge base about the civil rights
laws necessary for implementing direct practice activities
and ethical approaches to social justice issues with clients. Elective course second ot third summer. Two quarter-hours.
SWPS
533. Senior Integrative Seminar: Dismantling Institutional
Racism: The Challenge for Social Workers (SWPS/HBSE/PRAC/RESH)
This course will serve as a Senior Integrative Seminar and
will combine aspects of policy, HBSE, practice and research.
It is designed for those students who have a strong interest
in combating institutional racism and a commitment to engage
in this work. Students will consider the various forms and
types of institutional racism and the many areas where institutional
racism is manifest. This will include examining the interaction
of racism with other forms of oppression. The profession's
commitment to social justice and the variety of roles that
social workers can play in the fight against racism will be
explored. The course will help students analyze the manifestations
of racism through the use of research as well as drawing on
their personal and professional experiences and will help
to prepare students to engage in anti-racism activities as
clinical practitioners, activists, policy practitioners, teachers
and scholars. Elective course third summer. Two quarter-hours.
SWPS
561. Substance Abuse Policy and Services
Recent years have witnessed increased attention to the problems
of alcohol and drug abuse in society. This course will examine
theories, research, and policies on alcohol and drug use,
abuse, and addiction. There will also be an examination of
emerging issues surrounding other addictions such as tobacco
use, prescription drug use and misuse, and gambling. Among
the topics to be covered are: historical perspectives on addiction;
multidisciplinary theories of the etiology of addiction; epidemiology
of alcohol, drug, and tobacco use; prevention, treatment,
and intervention strategies; special populations; the relationship
between substance abuse and other social problems such as
crime and domestic violence; the "War on Drugs"
and law enforcement efforts including interdiction and street-level
enforcement; laws and social policies on alcohol and drug
use; addiction in an international perspective; and, the debate
over the legalization of drugs. Special attention will be
devoted to society's ambivalent attitudes toward the addictions
and addicts as evidenced by state-sponsored gambling, alcohol
advertising, tobacco subsidies, and prescription drug use.
Elective course second or third summer. Two quarter-hours.
SWPS
562. Women and Social Policy in a Postmodern World
This course focuses on the impact of multiculturalism and globalization on women’s equality and empowerment from a postmodern perspective. Students will first be introduced to an analytical framework for an analysis of key social policy areas affecting women in the U.S. and around the world. The analytical framework will then be used to explore the intersectionality of economic security, access to education, protection from gender-based violence, (reproductive) health, and participation in civic leadership as well as peace building. The exploration will include the intersection between gender and other aspects of identity, such as race, ethnicity, culture, class, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and immigration status. Concrete policy interventions for addressing discriminatory laws, policies and practices are discussed for each policy area. Students will also consider the role of clinical social work in ensuring that remedial policy interventions are equitable, empowering women, and sustainable. Elective course second or third summer.
Two quarter-hours.
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last updated 2/27/09 |
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