I. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course defines poverty and examines groups in poverty in the United States. It traces poverty in America from a historical perspective, reviews major social welfare programs designed to respond to poverty and examines their effectiveness. Special populations and groups at risk encountered by social workers in practice will be examined with emphasis on viewing individual, family, and community functioning from a person-in-environment perspective. Major oppressive institutions and their effects on people in poverty are examined. Social work methods for social change to prevent, alleviate and resolve poverty are introduced. Prerequisite: SWK 100, Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare or permission of the instructor.
3 credit hours, 3 clock hours
II. RATIONALE
This course is an existing Kutztown University approved course. Many social workers and other human service professionals are working with the poor. It is therefore necessary for our graduates to have an understanding of the magnitude, dynamics, causes, social welfare policy and social work practice issues of poverty and social welfare.
III. COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course the students will:
1. exhibit competence in defining poverty according to economic, psychological, and socio-cultural theories;
2. identify the major groups traditionally in poverty and the effects of poverty individual, family and community functioning;
3. identify new groups in poverty;
4. trace the evolution of major social welfare policies designed to fight poverty;
5. exhibit awareness of the economics of poverty;
6. identify systems of institutional oppression influencing poverty and social policy in the United States;
7. become aware of basic professional social work interventions to fight poverty.
IV. COURSE OUTLINE
Session #1 Introduction
Session #2 Poverty in America Defined
Relative vs. Absolute definitions of poverty.
A statistical and anecdotal picture of the extent of poverty in America.
Session #3 The Nature of Poverty
Schools of thought regarding the nature and function of poverty. Conservative and liberal views on poverty--social welfare policy implications.
Session #4 Counting the Poor
US Government methods of counting the poor. Issues and implications.
Session #5 Employment and Income: Labor Force Participation, Unemployment
Understanding labor force concepts such as labor force participation, unemployment, sub-employment, underemployment. Types of unemployment. Relationship between unemployment and inflation. The relationship between income and labor force participation is examined. Implication for policy making and for social work practice. Social work with unemployed people and communities experiencing unemployment.
Session #6 Motivation for Work vs. Macroeconomic Forces
Is poverty a sign of lack of individual motivation or is it a matter of restricted employment opportunities? Implications for social work practice and advocacy for social policy development.
Session # 7 Not All Poor are Unemployed: The Case of the Working Poor
The growing phenomenon of working poor. Why are there working poor? What policy directions have been taken and their effect on working poor. The effects of minimum wage, poor jobs, and increased family needs including health insurance on the families of working poor.
Session # 8 The Case of the Working Poor II
Policy directions. Tax credits, job training, and other policy measures to help the working poor. What do social workers do with working poor.
Session # 9 Poverty and Age: The Poor Senior Citizens I
Poverty among aged--A downward trend but still problematic. Economics of aging and sources of economic pressure. The role of social security and Medicaid and Medicare in reducing poverty among elderly. Health care coverage and gaps. Local taxation shifts affecting the economics of the aged. Income maintenance programs for older people.
Session # 10 Poverty and Age: The Poor Senior Citizens II
Issues related to long term care, community living alternatives, elder abuse. Lessons to be learned by other groups on the effective use of political power by the elderly. Associations established to advocate for the rights of the elderly. Social Work's roles and functions in keeping elderly in the community. Social work with families and advocacy on behalf of older people.
Session # 11 Poverty and Age: Poverty and Children
Children in poverty statistical and anecdotal pictures. Economic, social, and psychological implication of children in poverty. Why are poor children poor? Poor single headed households. Poor parents can be good parents with proper supports. Child abuse and neglect a growing phenomenon. The issue of child care and its consequences on the availability of adult members to participate in the labor force.
Session # 12 Poverty and Child Welfare System
Income maintenance programs for poor children. In-kind programs. The child welfare system and social work's historical and current involvement in the system.
Session # 13,14 The Feminization of Poverty
Defining feminization of poverty. Feminization of poverty a growing problem or is it? Whose problem is it-- Conservative and liberal points of view. Explanations of the feminization of poverty--facts and ideology. Economic and social implications of the phenomenon.
The feminist perspective. The relationship of children in poverty and feminization of poverty. Edfare and Workfare approaches to dealing with AFDC recipients. Ethical and Practical issues facing social work practitioners. Is the Family Support Act of 1988 helping?
Session # 15 The Homeless: Groups and Causes
Identification of homeless groups--Mentally ill, drug abuser, battered women, AFDC beneficiaries, newly unemployed. Differing reasons for homelessness among these groups. Shifts in low income housing and rent inflation. Community attitudes toward housing of people with differences in their neighborhoods. The effects of deinstitutionalization and the cuts in community mental health services.
Session # 16 The Homeless: Issues and Solutions
The effects of deinstitutionalization and the cuts in community mental health services. The slow growth of AFDC benefits and the disproportional housing inflation constituting toward homelessness of recipients. Long and short term low income housing solutions. Community social service agencies in cooperation with local banking institutions in creating opportunities for low income people to get adequate housing. The current status of the "homelessness Act" and the Clinton Administration's "newly" found 7 million homeless people.
Session # 17 Poverty and Disability
Definitions of disability. Functional limitations and implications for the participation of people with disabilities in the labor force. Traditional barriers to the employability of disabled people. Access, employer attitudes, accessible housing, transportation, inadequate educational preparation, attitudes of helping professionals, family attitudes towards their members with disabilities.
Session # 18 Poverty and Disability II
Educational Policies and PL 94-142 today. Vocational rehabilitation of disabled people under the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Lessons in social work advocacy lessons from the Independent living movement. Income maintenance programs for people with disabilities. Health care concerns. Social workers' role in rehabilitation and reintegration of disabled individuals into the labor market will be explicated.
Session # 19 Family Size and Poverty
Research supports that family size is positively and strongly correlated with poverty. The causal direction, however, is not very clear. Research supports in many cases that poverty might be a causal factor of families becoming larger. The dynamics of this causal factor and explanations will be analyzed. The need for family planning and the role of social workers in that will be discussed. Also the need for comprehensive family policy focusing on assisting larger families meet their needs. Case studies from other countries will be examined.
Session # 20 Family Status and Poverty: An Examination of Single Parent Households
The poverty rate among two parent families is very low in comparison to that of the families headed by single parents. Poverty becomes an even more severe problem when a minority female is the head of the household. The economics of a single householder are examined. The lack of social supports and inadequate income maintenance programs (AFDC) for single heads of household are examined. A strength perspective is utilized to understand how many female headed families avoid poverty. The Family Support Act and its "workfare" and "edfare" mandates are discussed. The implications for social work practice are closely examined.
Session # 21 Race and Poverty
By all accounts minority populations are overrepresented in the poverty population. Is it race that causes poverty among minority people or is it that society makes it more difficult for minorities to get ahead. A strength perspective is used to explain how many minority people escape poverty and its implications for social work practice are examined. The function of racism as a social disease is introduced and its effect on minority populations examined. Programs designed to fight racism are examined and social work's ethical mandate of fighting racism is presented.
Session # 22 The Relationship Between Educational Level and Poverty.
There is a positive correlation between income and educational attainment. Is education a method of treating the problem of poverty? Who gets more benefits out of education? Do women and minorities get as much as males and whites out of their educational credentials. Does the American educational system promote opportunities for all citizens? Policy implications.
Session # 23 Perpetuating Poverty Through Discrimination: Racism, Classism, and exism in Education
What are the effects of race, socio-economic background, and gender on the attainment of educational goals and the benefits derived from education? Who finishes high school and college. Does socialization and discrimination effect the career choices of females? In what way and what are the economic consequences of these choices. How do we know that discrimination in education exist. Methods of fighting discrimination in education.
Session # 24 Perpetuating Poverty Through Discrimination: Racism, Classism, and Sexism in the Labor Market
The effects of past discrimination in the labor force on blacks. Does social class effect people's opportunities in the labor market. The existence of "dual labor markets". What their membership looks like? How does the "old boy" network effect opportunities for women in the labor market. Sexual harassment, an old story, a new perspective. Legal and administrative methods of fighting discrimination and harassment in the labor force.
Session # 25 Governmental Responses to Poverty: A Historical Perspective. The Pre-Depression Era.
The legacy of the Elizabethan Poor Laws and their effects on American social welfare philosophy. The "deserving" and the "undeserving" poor. Colonial responses to poverty. The mid 1800's reformers and the efforts of the Freedmans Bureau. Charity Organizations Society and the Settlement House movements, their philosophy and methods of relief giving. Importance of those movements in the professionalization of social work.
Session # 26 Governmental Responses to Poverty: A historical Perspective. Great Depression and New Deal.
The massive involvement of the federal government in the social welfare arena. Realization of factors of the social environment affecting individual and family functioning. Economic and social welfare policies of the "New Deal."
Session # 27 The Social Security Act of 1935
Philosophical, political, and economic bases of the Social Security Act. Institutional responses to social problems. The three original programs of the Act. The original Act in today's socio-political and economic context.
Session # 28 The War on Poverty
The Second World War and the prosperity of the 1950's. Implications for social welfare. Civil Rights and the plight of minorities. The Brown vs. the Board of Education decision: historic and social consequences.The "second wave" of involvement of the Federal Government in the nation's welfare arena. Programs of the war on poverty. Lessons from success and "failures." Political and economic realities affecting policy making and continuation of programs.
Session # 29 The Modern Era
Nixon's Welfare reforms, Carter's full employment, Reagan's welfare cuts. Compromises neo-liberals and neo-conservatives. The Family Support Act and its "edfare" and "workfare" mandates. Is it fair? Social work principles in conflict. Myths and realities of AFDC recipients affected. What does the professional association of social workers say about this "reforms?" The Clinton welfare reform proposals: Strength and limitations.
Session # 30 Income Maintenance Policies: The Cash Assistance and In- Kind Programs
AFDC, SSI, GA: Social Problem addressed, beneficiaries, benefit, issues
Medicaid, Food Stamps, WIC, Housing Assistance: Social problem addressed, beneficiaries, benefit, issues.
Session # 31 Income Maintenance Policies: Social Insurance Programs
Old Age, Survivors, Disability Insurance, Workers Compensation, an unemployment insurance: beneficiaries, benefits, issues.
Medicare: beneficiaries, benefits, Medigaps, issues.
Session # 32 Health Care Reforms
Problems with existing system. Reasons for lack of health insurance. Variety of health care proposals and their evaluation. Who benefits, who losses, and who pays the bill. Political and economic realities affecting health care policy. Social work and health care reforms. The role and importance of social work in long term care and the delivery of mental health services.
Session # 33 Job Training Policies
History of Job Training Programs. Social problem addressed, the changing dynamics of the American labor force, beneficiaries, benefit, issues. Do job training programs help people escape poverty? Do job training programs provide opportunities for people to engage in the primary labor force? What is the role of social work in this field?
Session # 34 Equal Opportunity Policies: Employment
Lack of opportunities in the labor market for minorities have been identified as a factor contributing to their poverty status. Executive, judicial and legislative attempts to create mechanisms for the protection of minorities against discrimination. Clarification of concepts such as affirmative action, quotas, and comparable worth and their implications.
Session # 35 Equal Opportunities Policies: Education
Historical court decisions related to equal opportunities in education are reviewed. Explanation of De Facto and De Jure segregation. Attempts by certain school districts to block integration. Issues related to busing. Methods of financing primary and secondary education affecting delivery of unequal educational services. College education and mechanisms enforcing equal opportunity.
Session # 36 Poverty Trends and Policy Directions
Current trends in poverty. Who is getting in and who is coming out. Evaluating current policies. Designing a new welfare state: Macro analysis for social workers. Political advocacy in the tradition of Settlement House Movement vs. individual counseling in the tradition of the charity organizations society. Involving clients in the political process, voter registrations, the social worker political candidate.
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VIDEOTAPES
VT 3292 "Ageless America" (SWK-9/1994)
VT 1149 "Children of Poverty" (CRJ/SWK-6/l990)
VT 269 "Children of Violence" (CRJ/SWK-6/l988)
VT 324 "The Constitution-that Delicate Balance: Affirmative Action Versus Reverse Discrimination" (CRJ/SWK-12/l987)
VT 3013 "Down and Out in America" (SWK-11/1993)
VT 2732 "Gay Youth" (CRJ/SWK-1/1993)
VT 736 "The Hidden Sorrow: An Overview" (CRJ/SWK-2/1989)
("ELDER ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN THE FAMILY" Series)
VT 8001 "Investigating Cases of Child Abuse" (3/4"-CRJ/SWK)
VT 4050 "Making Welfare Work" (With Walter Cronkite) (SWK-5/1994)
VT 1752 "The Many Faces of Homelessness"
(On long-term loan from A-V Dept., 9/1992)
VT 2749 "National Health Care: The Time Has Come" (NASW Health Care Video) (CRJ/SWK-2/1992)
VT 3540 "No Place Like Home" (SWK-4/1995)
VT 1530 "No Way, Not Me" (The Feminization of Poverty - Series I, Fall, 1990)
VT 3012 "On Being Gay" (SWK-11/1993)
VT 3249 "Poverty, Welfare and America's Families: A Hard Look" Four 30 min. programs: (1) The Economic Squeeze on Families with Children;
(2) Welfare and Beyond; (3) Alternatives to Welfare Children: Tax Credits; (4) Alternatives to Welfare: Ensuring Child Support (SWK- 6/1994)
VT 958 "Racism in America" (CRJ/SWK-6/l989)
VT 2530 "Single, Head of Household" (CRJ/SWK-1/1993)
VT 1146 "Social Services and Child Abuse" (CRJ/SWK-6/l990)
VT 2534 "What Do Social Workers Do?" (CRJ/SWK-12/1992)
VT 1147 "Workfare, Welfare: What's Fair" (CRJ/SWK-6/l990)
Instructional Resources Updated 8/24/95