Questions to consider:
Are the current mental health policies and strategies in the U.S. adequate or are changes needed?
One in four Americans experience mental illness at some point in their lives. Furthermore, mental illness is the greatest cause of disability in the nation, and twice as many Americans live with schizophrenia than with HIV/AIDS (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2006) . Clearly, our national mental health care system requires much needed changes, especially since care is so fragmented and inadequate from de-institutionalization and lack of funding from states as well federal governments. In 2006, the National Alliance on Mental Illness rated the United States mental health system a national grade level of D (an average of the state grades) and after three years of stagnation this grade remained the same revealing the lack of necessary changes occurring to change the system.
What changes would you propose?
One of the key issues that continues to occur is the lack of access to care for many people who are uninsured. After watching the TED Talk about Mental Health for All by Involving All, I was deeply interested in the approach that was outline in the video. "Vikram Patel outlines a highly promising approach -- training members of communities to give mental health interventions, empowering ordinary people to care for others." (Patel, 2012). This could very much be part of the solution as it explores the democratization of medical knowledge and power; in which health care has become so professionalized it has become remote and removed from many local communities, especially those who need it most.
How should services be funded? Who is willing to pay for treatment of those with a mental illness diagnosis?
I think there should be re-allocation of funds from law enforcement (used heavily to crack down on drugs) to more focus on treatment and preventive care, especially with regards to substance abuse. This can happen on a state level to fund programs that are modeled after the approach that Patel outlined his TED talk. Along with some supervision and disclaimers regarding the care not being “licensed”, an incentive can be provided for folks who have recovered from substance abuse to land jobs as substance abuse counselors and mental health counselors.
SOURCES:
The National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2006). United states (State Report Cards ). Retrieved from website: http://www.nami.org/gtsTemplate09.cfm?Section=Grading_the_States_2009&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=753546
Patel, V. (2012). mental health for all by involving all[Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzm4gpAKrBk
According to the Census Bureau the nation’s poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1 percent with nearly one in six Americans living in poverty (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). There is a strong relationship between how poverty is perceived and the policies and programs that are formed based on that definition. However, the concept of poverty and who is considered to be poor has been continually redefined over the years, and for one to understand the current policies and measures that identify poverty, one must first understand the historical context that lead to the many welfare reforms of today.
The saying goes one has to only look at one’s checkbook to see what they value, and I have a problem with the priorities in our country. A significant portion of the U.S. budget is allocated towards military funds which can very much be used to address educational, health, and job disparities in our nation, the lack of which can lead to crime, poor housing, and a number of other issues. In addition, those with power and influence often will determine what legislation will be passed through, and those with no political power such as the poor will be ignored. From the very beginning of the formation of this country the writers of the constitution were involved in profit making through the labor of the poor hence the horrible social welfare policies that seen the poor as impoverished because of their own immorality based on values that stressed individuality and capitalism (Day, 2011, p 159). Today the same case can be argued for the many tax breaks that are given to the rich while others such as the middle class and working poor continue to take cuts in services. This has been the general tone of the many policies that have resulted from different administrations led by different presidents.
Census Bureau. (2011, September 13). Newsroom: Income & Wealth: Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010. Census Bureau Home Page.
Day, P. J. (2009). A new history of social welfare (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn And Bacon.
Blog: Choose an agency you have had experience with or are interested in.
1. Describe the mission or purpose of the agency.
The Family & Youth Institute (FYI) is a not for profit, 501(c)3, research and education institute that conducts original research on the factors that promote or prevent the healthy development of young people and their families, with a particular focus on Muslim youth and their families. In addition, this research is than taken into consideration when creating programming affecting Muslim youth and their families.
2. Who does it serve and what is the funding source?
Given that FYI’s focus has been Muslim youth and families, they are the immediate benefactors of its services. Furthermore, larger mainstream society and especially academia are serviced in that more literature regarding working with Muslim youth and their families is now available, assisting them in becoming more culturally and religiously competent in their practice with them. Currently, FYI is all volunteer base since it is still in it’s infancy stages as a organization and has not had a major funding source.
3. Identify what the agency role is in the voluntary sector and which providers fit this agency.
The agency‘s role in the voluntary sector is helping to address the gap in academia and research on the Muslim community and in particular Muslim youth and their families. Furthermore, allowing the Muslim community to conduct it’s own research that is truly representative and illustrates the challenges, hopes, and nuances of this community in way that is not ethnocentric or misrepresented. I believe the traditional provider fits this agency since what FYI does falls under the description of a voluntarily non profit that reaffirms community values, offers advantages of neighborliness, and freedom to alter programming so as to conform to changes in local priorities. (Krager & Stoez, 154).
According to our text book, the poverty threshold is determined by taking the cost of the least expensive food plan and multiplying that number by three, based on 1955 survey data; furthermore, taking into account household size, number of children, and age of household head (Karger & Stoesz, 114-115). Since this measure is used for not only for policy and program formation but also for research and understanding the issue of poverty as a whole, it becomes more dire than ever to make sure it is valid and reliable. My criticism lies in the fact that this threshold lacks in both of those areas because it is outdated and has not kept in tune with socio-economic changes of our time, making it irrelevant of a measure.
After reading the Measuring Poverty report, I am aligned with most of their recommendations with a few slight modifications. The report did not provide a set number per say since that will fluctuate even if estimated. However, it did state that the proposed measure takes into account cash assistance, in-kind benefits, and that the threshold considers net earnings rather than gross earnings. It also stressed the need for this measure to “accurately describe changes in the extent of poverty over time” that could result from new polices and changing times (Measuring Poverty).
As a macro social worker I would follow the reports suggestions with the slight change of reviewing the poverty measure on a 5-6 year cycle versus ten. I believe ten years is too long of a time and within 5 years drastic social and economic changes can occur. Furthermore the 6th year can take the role of a buffer year as the necessary reviews and changes are made. All of this, along with careful yearly analysis of market trends, inflation, and other factors that can directly impact low income families and their income, should be much more relevant measure than the previous one.
Measuring Poverty . (n.d.). The National Academies Press. Retrieved October 5, 2012, from http://www.nap.edu/html/poverty/summary.html
Karger, H. J., & Stoesz, D. (2008). Poverty in America. American social welfare policy: a pluralist approach (Policy Update Research Navigator ed., 5th updated ed., pp. 114-115). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
If the federal government was considering the idea of a needle exchange program, I think that the main population that would affected by this program would be drug users. For supporters of this program, this would be a great way to encourage drug users to use clean needles versus sharing potential infectious needles that could increase the spread of diseases like HIV/AIDS. These needle exchange program would provide free needles in exchange for used ones, and through this measure it can make sure that needles are disposed of properly. This stems from the philosophy of harm reduction, which states that as people are going to continue dangerous behaviors despite their illegality, people should work to reduce the harmful effects of such behaviors. (The Daily Campus).
However, critics of this program argue that through this measure the federal government would not be directly attacking the root or underlying cause of the problem because it would supplementing more needles for increased drug use. Critics are mostly opposed to this type of intervention because they believe it only serves as a band aid solution to an increasingly growing problem. After reading more about past needle exchange programs, I discovered many rebuttals to the point above. The first being that these programs have helped to decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS because they become the first point of contact for many drug users and potentially a point of entry into many treatment programs. Therefore, the relationship between drug users and needle exchange workers can be built in a trusting a way.
Tracy, S. (2012, May 19). Federal Government Should Fund Syringe Exchange Programs. The Daily Campus. Retrieved September 22, 2012, from http://www.dailycampus.com/commentary/federal-government-should-fund-syringe-exchange-programs-1.2822084#.UF3VZ42PWSo
1. The most important thing you learning from this week's readings
One of the most important things I learned this week was how varied the the different ideologies regarding social policy were and where they fell on that spectrum. It was interesting to read about differences within specific groups such as cultural conservatives and traditional conservatives. I never knew the latter existed since I have been mostly exposed to the ideologies of the former.
In addition, I would like to explore and learn more about the Green party’s values and take on government regarding current issues.
As for chapter two, it was coming to the understanding that you need to have a balance of political, economic, and administrative feasibility for a policy to pass.
2. One question you would raise in regard to the readings
I actually have two questions in regards to the readings. For one, I am still a bit unclear on how liberals lost ground to conservatives whom the authors of our book briefly mention on pages 11 and 12. I had trouble understanding the causes the authors mentioned.
The other question which I mentioned in a comment in my previous post (Week 1) was after reading the following statement: “To do a careful policy analysis, the analyst must select a policy that is specific and discrete” (Stoez & Krager, 32). In attempting to analyze the Affordable Health Care Act, I wonder whether or not it is discrete and specific enough, and whether or not I will find enough information to analyze considering it is a relatively new policy.
Health Care Reform and The Affordable Care Act
Disclaimer: I am answering these questions with limited background on it. I have researched it a bit for the purpose of this question but I plan to elaborate on the questions below more as I continue educating myself more about the issue. 1. What intrigues about this policy and why did you chose it?
I am very excited about this law in the sense that this may be one of the closest we have ever been to having some sort of comprehensive healthcare coverage system. In addition, the controversy that it stirs up whether about infringing on religious freedom or mandating that Americans must buy health care is equally intriguing. 2. Identify one positive and negative aspect of your chosen policy
While there are many positive aspects of this policy (a full list can be found at http://www.healthcare.gov/law/features/index.html) I will list only a few -children can’t be denied healthcare due to pre-existing conditions. -providing women with access to contraceptives -young adults can stay on parent’s plan till age of 26 Negative: -Although this act provides coverage for more Americans than ever before thorough increasing access by allowing subsidies. I’m not yet sure if this healthcare law still addresses all the underlying issues since the healthcare system is still very much centered on profit. I have yet to understand what regulations it places on companies increasing premiums and other rates. 3. Select one aspect of this policy you would improve upon.
Adults who have pre-existing conditions cannot be discriminated against till 2015 in the meantime they are placed in a high risk pool and charged high premiums. I believe this should happen earlier! For some folks this is a life and death situation and waiting a few more years could be critical for those who are in dire need of health care now and have not been able to access it because of pre-existing conditions.
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