Assignment task: Prior to beginning work on this final paper,
- Review Chapter 15 from the textbook American Social Welfare Policy: A Pluralist Approach and all chapters assigned in previous weeks (Chapters 1, 3, 8, and 10 through 14).
- Read the article The Effects of Social Disorganization Mechanisms: Examining the Influence of Community-Level Factors on Recidivism Across Various Correctional Programs.
- Read the article The Long Shadow of Family Separation: A Structural and Historical Introduction to Mandated Reporting in The Domestic Violence Context.
- Read the article Divide and Conquer? Lessons on Cooperative Federalism From a Decade of Mental-Health Parity Enforcement.
Choose one topic from the following list as a focus for your research project:
- Mandated reporting of child abuse: Laws requiring the mandated reporting of child abuse have been enacted in every state in the United States. Mandated reporting laws cross disciplines (counseling, psychology, medicine, nursing, education, etc.). Some professionals have criticized these laws because they interfere with their professional relationship with children.
- Mental health parity: Mental health parity laws and regulations have been enacted at the state and federal levels. This "hot" issue affects not only the mental health community but also the welfare and traditional healthcare sectors.
- Prison diversion: Many states and counties have developed court-based diversion programs to provide an alternative to prison time for minor offenses, drug offenses, and offenses committed by juveniles or mentally ill individuals. Several facets of this issue can be examined from a cross-disciplinary perspective.
After you have selected a topic, prepare a comprehensive 12- to 15-page paper that analyzes all of the following areas from a cross-disciplinary perspective.
In your paper,
1. Define the human services policy topic you have chosen from a cross-disciplinary perspective.
- Discuss the problems, areas, and disciplines you will explore in your paper in 2 to 3 pages.
2. Analyze the relevant federal and state regulations, laws, or court rulings relevant to your topic in 2 to 3 pages. Need Assignment Help?
3. Assess how these laws and regulations impact the provision of services.
- Ensure you address the impact of the development of budgets, management of staff and volunteers, and the ability to engage in advocacy efforts in your 4- to 6-page analysis.
4. Propose future research, policies, laws, and regulations are needed to address this issue adequately.
- Provide a 2- to 3-page analysis.