chapter 1
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Becoming and Effective Policy Advocate by Bruce JanssonTRANSCRIPT
©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Col©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishinge Publishing
Becoming an Effective Becoming an Effective Policy AdvocatePolicy Advocate
Bruce Jansson, University of Southern CaliforniaBruce Jansson, University of Southern California
PowerPoint created byPowerPoint created by
Gretchen Heidemann, MSW, PhD CandidateGretchen Heidemann, MSW, PhD Candidate
University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
School of Social WorkSchool of Social Work
©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Col©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishinge Publishing
Chapter 1Chapter 1Joining a Tradition of Social ReformJoining a Tradition of Social Reform
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Objectives of policy advocacyObjectives of policy advocacy
Seek changes to policies to improve the well-being Seek changes to policies to improve the well-being of members of vulnerable populations or of members of vulnerable populations or outgroupsoutgroups
Seek policy reforms that are in the general interestSeek policy reforms that are in the general interest
Work from an ecological or systems perspectiveWork from an ecological or systems perspective
Change many kinds of policies including informal Change many kinds of policies including informal onesones
Prioritize policy changes that assist oppressed Prioritize policy changes that assist oppressed populationspopulations
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Objectives of policy advocacyObjectives of policy advocacy
Encounter and surmount barriers to reformEncounter and surmount barriers to reform
Join a tradition of social reform in American Join a tradition of social reform in American society and in the social work professionsociety and in the social work profession
Develop attributes that support policy advocacyDevelop attributes that support policy advocacy
Try to change the composition of government by Try to change the composition of government by participating in electoral politicsparticipating in electoral politics
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Diversity and Policy AdvocacyDiversity and Policy Advocacy
Social workers need to have an awareness of Social workers need to have an awareness of how people in diverse groups have experienced how people in diverse groups have experienced discrimination and prejudice, and how they have discrimination and prejudice, and how they have been oppressed or not adequately protected by been oppressed or not adequately protected by existing policy.existing policy.– Diversity needs to be considered at more than just the Diversity needs to be considered at more than just the
cultural level.cultural level.
Outgroups are defined as vulnerable populations Outgroups are defined as vulnerable populations who have experienced discrimination and who have experienced discrimination and prejudice over an extended period of time.prejudice over an extended period of time.
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OutgroupsOutgroupsRacial groupsRacial groups– Persons who have been subjected to overt and covert Persons who have been subjected to overt and covert
discrimination stemming from racism in existing policy discrimination stemming from racism in existing policy structures such as housing, education, and criminal justicestructures such as housing, education, and criminal justice
Sociological groupsSociological groups– Persons who have been subjected to discrimination Persons who have been subjected to discrimination
stemming from assumed dependency (women, people with stemming from assumed dependency (women, people with disabilities, etc) who are often denied access to certain disabilities, etc) who are often denied access to certain types of jobs and roles in decision makingtypes of jobs and roles in decision making
Dependent groupsDependent groups– Persons, typically children, who must rely on society for Persons, typically children, who must rely on society for
basic amenities but who have little or no political cloutbasic amenities but who have little or no political clout
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Outgroups, cont.Outgroups, cont.Nonconformist groupsNonconformist groups– Persons who are subjected to discrimination because they Persons who are subjected to discrimination because they
are viewed as violating are viewed as violating sexual norms (gay men and lesbians), social norms (criminal offenders), or social expectations (persons with mental illnesses)
Model groupsModel groups– Persons who are denied social support and resources Persons who are denied social support and resources
because of the assumption that their group has no social because of the assumption that their group has no social problems (such as Jewish Americans, Asian Americans, and problems (such as Jewish Americans, Asian Americans, and some white ethnic Americans)some white ethnic Americans)
Economic groupsEconomic groups– Persons in low and moderate income groups who lack Persons in low and moderate income groups who lack
sufficient resources or stable employment, which precludes sufficient resources or stable employment, which precludes participation in other social or political structuresparticipation in other social or political structures
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Compensatory Strategies for Compensatory Strategies for OutgroupsOutgroups
Longstanding structural discrimination has Longstanding structural discrimination has occurred toward many outgroups occurred toward many outgroups
Policy advocates are not always content with Policy advocates are not always content with simply equalizing policies for members of simply equalizing policies for members of outgroups with the dominant populationoutgroups with the dominant population
Often they advocate for compensatory Often they advocate for compensatory strategies, such as extra services or supports strategies, such as extra services or supports that will assist members of vulnerable that will assist members of vulnerable populations with achieving paritypopulations with achieving parity
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Something to consider…Something to consider…
When engaging in policy advocacy with When engaging in policy advocacy with certain vulnerable populations, becertain vulnerable populations, be cautious cautious when identifying factors that lead them to when identifying factors that lead them to lag behind the dominant populationlag behind the dominant population
Do not stigmatize members of these Do not stigmatize members of these groups, view them as dependent, or rely groups, view them as dependent, or rely on panaceas to quickly alter the effects of on panaceas to quickly alter the effects of long term systematic discriminationlong term systematic discrimination
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Advancing the Public Interest Advancing the Public Interest at Homeat Home
Policy advocates tackle problems of citizens in Policy advocates tackle problems of citizens in general, such as:general, such as:
– Child care that Child care that improves the developmental and cognitive well-being of all children
– Preventive services that diminish the incidence of major social problems that afflict citizens whether or not they are members of a vulnerable population
– Ex: health-risk notifications on tobacco products, better public transportation, living wage policies for all workers
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Advancing the Public Interest Advancing the Public Interest AbroadAbroad
Policy advocates also tackle problems of international concern, such as:– International standards that govern wages and
pollution– Protecting wages of American workers who compete
with cheaper labor abroad– When immigrants should receive citizenship and how
immigrants’ rights should be protected in the United States
– Poverty and disease in developing nations
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Using an Ecological PerspectiveUsing an Ecological Perspective
Citizens’ lives are impacted by multiple factors, including economic, cultural, social, community, and physiological, as well as discrimination or prejudice
Existing policies are part of their ecology– They limit resources, services, and opportunities
that vulnerable populations receive, but also provide them
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Using an Ecological PerspectiveUsing an Ecological Perspective
Advocates examine the problems and populations that will be impacted by policy proposals from an ecological perspective– Ex: They ask what forces and factors in the lives
of welfare recipients influence whether they can secure and retain employment.
– They seek policies that address these ecological factors.
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What is Social PolicyWhat is Social Policy
Policy advocates aim to change social Policy advocates aim to change social policiespolicies
Social policy is a “collective strategy that prevents and addresses social problems”
It can be considered goal-driven problem solving
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Types of Social PoliciesTypes of Social Policies
Regulations– Ex: Minimum wage, housing codes, FDA regulations
Needs-meeting policies– Ex: Food stamps, Medicaid/Medicare, SSI
Opportunity-enhancing policies– Ex: Public education, job training
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Types of Social Policies, cont.Types of Social Policies, cont.
Social service policies– Mental health, child welfare, substance abuse tx
Referral and linkage policies– Case management, outreach, ombudsman
Civil rights policies– Ex: Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act
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Types of Social Policies, cont.Types of Social Policies, cont.
Equality-enhancing policies– Ex: Earned Income Tax Credit
Asset accumulation policies– Ex: Legislation stimulating individual investment
accounts
Infrastructure development policies– Ex: Parks, roads, bridges, public transportation
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Types of Social Policies, cont.Types of Social Policies, cont.
Economic development policies– Ex: Tax incentives and loans to businesses that
locate themselves in low-income areas
Facilitating political participation– Ex: Campaign finance reform, redistricting
Budget-changing policiesBudget-changing policies– Ex: Reallocating $ to address specific problems
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Types of Social Policies, cont.Types of Social Policies, cont.
Protective policiesProtective policies– Ex: Child welfare laws, restraining ordersEx: Child welfare laws, restraining orders
PreventionPrevention– Ex: Screening/detection for mental illness, day-Ex: Screening/detection for mental illness, day-
treatment activities for the elderlytreatment activities for the elderly
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Targets of policy reformTargets of policy reform
– Fragmentation– Discontinuity– Lack of access– Discrimination– Creaming
– Wastage– Lack of outreach– Incompetent staff– Lack of cultural
sensitivity– Inadequate funding
Problems in the human services system that are the targets of policy reform in specific agencies, service networks, or legislation establishing new programs:
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When is a policy a When is a policy a socialsocial policy? policy?
Public welfare, child welfare, medical, and job-training policies are clearly social policies
What about tax, environmental, economic, transportation, and other policies?
Specific policies become social policies whenever they influence social problems– Ex: Income tax proposals that increase or decrease
the resources of poor persons become social policies when they affect poverty and unemployment
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The Ladder of Social PolicyThe Ladder of Social Policy
There are different levels at which you can There are different levels at which you can intervene in policy:intervene in policy:– Individual private agenciesIndividual private agencies– Higher level agencies (such as county offices)Higher level agencies (such as county offices)– State legislative arenasState legislative arenas– Federal legislative arenasFederal legislative arenas– Court rulingsCourt rulings
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Different forms of social policyDifferent forms of social policy
StatutesStatutes– Legislation approved by governmental bodiesLegislation approved by governmental bodies
Policy objectivesPolicy objectives– Mission statementsMission statements
Rules and regulationsRules and regulations– Administrative rules that direct or limit actionAdministrative rules that direct or limit action
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Different forms of social policyDifferent forms of social policy
BudgetsBudgets– Determine what resources are devoted to servicesDetermine what resources are devoted to services
Court rulingsCourt rulings– Judicial decisions that direct or limit actionJudicial decisions that direct or limit action
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Four categories of policyFour categories of policy
Official, written policiesOfficial, written policies– Such as in an agencies policy and procedures manualSuch as in an agencies policy and procedures manual
Informal, unwritten policiesInformal, unwritten policies– Such as what the standard of practice is in an agency, Such as what the standard of practice is in an agency,
even though you won’t find it in a bookeven though you won’t find it in a book
Personal orientations toward policyPersonal orientations toward policy– What an individual believes about a policyWhat an individual believes about a policy
Personal policy actions (i.e. Personal policy actions (i.e. actualizedactualized policy) policy)– What an individual enacts or ignores in relation to a What an individual enacts or ignores in relation to a
specific policyspecific policy
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Policy Practice vs. Policy Policy Practice vs. Policy AdvocacyAdvocacy
Policy practice includes efforts to change policies in legislative, agency, and community settings by establishing new policies, improving existing ones, and defeating the policy initiatives of others– People of ALL ideological persuasion engage in
policy practice
Policy advocacy aims to help relatively powerless groups improve their resources and opportunities
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Policy Practice vs. Policy Policy Practice vs. Policy AdvocacyAdvocacy
Policy practice refers to efforts generally to change policies, and policy advocacy refers to efforts to help powerless groups improve their lot
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Eight tasks in policy practiceEight tasks in policy practice
Deciding what is right and wrongDeciding what is right and wrongNavigating policy and advocacy systemsNavigating policy and advocacy systemsAgenda-setting tasksAgenda-setting tasksProblem-analyzing tasksProblem-analyzing tasksDeveloping policy proposalsDeveloping policy proposalsPolicy-enacting tasksPolicy-enacting tasksPolicy implementationPolicy implementationPolicy-assessing tasksPolicy-assessing tasks
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Skills used in policy advocacySkills used in policy advocacy
Analytic skillsAnalytic skills– Obtain data, identify alternatives, compare
relative merits, develop recommendations
Political skillsPolitical skills– Assess the policies’ feasibility, identify power
resources, develop and implement political strategy
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Skills used in policy advocacySkills used in policy advocacy
Interactional skillsInteractional skills– Make contacts, develop networks, build
personal relationships, communicate effectively, facilitate coalitions and committees
Value-clarification skillsValue-clarification skills– Decide what objectives you favor when
analyzing problems and developing proposals, determine what risks you will take in questioning existing policies
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Challenges encountered by Challenges encountered by policy advocatespolicy advocates
A crowded fieldA crowded field– Policies generally commit or bind large groups of
persons and organizations to specific courses of action
Divergent interestsDivergent interests– Ex: since specific persons, interest groups, and
corporations often benefit from specific policies, they often oppose changes in them, or only want changes that advance their own needs
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Challenges encountered by Challenges encountered by policy advocatespolicy advocates
Divergent values and ideologiesDivergent values and ideologies– Ex: People often support or oppose policies because
they believe they impinge on their fundamental values
Different beliefs about the effectiveness of Different beliefs about the effectiveness of policypolicy– Ex: Opposition from persons and groups who contend
that their proposals will not work or are too expensive
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Joining the Social Work Reform Joining the Social Work Reform TraditionTradition
The profession of social work has a strong The profession of social work has a strong tradition of social reformtradition of social reform
The combined effects of social reforms have transformed the lives of tens of millions of Americans in positive ways
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Joining the Social Work Reform Joining the Social Work Reform TraditionTradition
The institution of slavery and, later, the lynching of African Americans
Imprisonment for indebtedness, and capital punishment for relatively minor crimes
14-hour workdays, unsafe working conditions, and child labor
The routine firing of gay men and lesbians
Widespread malnutrition
The denial of education, employment, and services to people with disabilities
Poverty among older persons
Health needs of certain groups, such as persons with kidney failure
The preschool needs of low-income children
Treatment for psychological conditions such as depression
Policy advocates have been involved in efforts to reform:
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Joining the Social Work Reform Joining the Social Work Reform TraditionTradition
Yet much remains to be done with respect to: – Homelessness– Huge economic inequalities– The uninsured / under-insured– Specific kinds of discrimination– Eradication of such diseases as AIDS– Poor education– Underfunded services
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Joining the Social Work Reform Joining the Social Work Reform TraditionTradition
Social work has had a social reform tradition extending back to the formation of the social work profession
Founders of social work, such as Jane Addams, militantly supported an array of social reforms in the Progressive Era
In succeeding eras, many social workers joined this reform tradition by working for policy reforms in local, state, and federal jurisdictions
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Joining the Social Work Reform Joining the Social Work Reform TraditionTradition
They argued that social inequality, blighted neighborhoods, inadequate resources, unemployment, environmental pollution, discrimination, and economic uncertainty cause human suffering and contribute to clinical conditions such as depression and poor healthBut narrower perspectives about social work coexisted with the reformist vision Such persons believed the profession should focus on casework, with scant involvement in social reform
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Joining the Social Work Reform Joining the Social Work Reform TraditionTradition
These narrower perspectives are deficient on at least three grounds:1. By failing to address the societal factors that contribute to
inequality, they neglect such values as social justice and fairness
2. With attention exclusively on the problems of individuals, they do nothing to reform the human services system so that it provides services that are congruent with recent social science research
3. By abandoning the political arena, they allow other groups - with values and perspectives in opposition to the needs of clients, consumers, and citizens - to dominate public policy
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Devolution and Policy AdvocacyDevolution and Policy Advocacy
Many federal policies were devolved to state and local governments in the 1980s and 1990sThe federal government provides block grants to the states and allows them to decide how to use these resources with minimal federal guidelinesThis devolution of authority has meant that many policies influencing the lives of clients, consumers, and citizens are shaped by state legislatures, county boards of supervisors, and municipal governmentsDevolution has accentuated the need for policy-reforming work by dispersing key decisions to smaller units of government and disseminating many policies that used to be decided at the national level
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Technology and Policy AdvocacyTechnology and Policy Advocacy
A technological revolution that has transformed the American economy– Beginning in the 1960s, the automobile, steel, and other
manufacturing industries relocated to other nations and were replaced by low-paying service industries.
– The wages of huge numbers of Americans plummeted
The economic and social well-being of tens of millions of Americans deteriorated in the wake
Policy advocacy is needed to help equalize conditions and opportunities
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Globalization and Policy Globalization and Policy AdvocacyAdvocacy
Policy advocacy must span international boundaries due to the accelerating movement of capital and labor between nationsThe movement of jobs across national boundaries adversely impacts domestic workers, and undermines their ability to get wage concessions from employersImmigrants, who now live in virtually every state, are subject to considerable prejudice, poor working conditions, and low payGlobal warming could endanger vast numbers of persons in coastal areas in the United States and elsewhere
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Qualities of Effective Policy Qualities of Effective Policy AdvocatesAdvocates
Policy advocates have a visionPolicy advocates have a visionThey seek opportunities for advocacyThey seek opportunities for advocacyThey take sensible risksThey take sensible risksThey balance flexibility with planningThey balance flexibility with planningThey are appropriately assertiveThey are appropriately assertiveThey develop multiple skill setsThey develop multiple skill setsThey are persistentThey are persistentThey tolerate uncertaintyThey tolerate uncertaintyThey balance pragmatism with principlesThey balance pragmatism with principlesThey are leadersThey are leaders
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Getting StartedGetting Started
Two things to remember…Two things to remember…– Policy advocates seldom act alone
They usually work in tandem with existing advocacy groups or with persons who have experience in policy advocacy
– Many social work students have actually made a strong beginning, even during their professional training, in critically analyzing existing policies and seeking changes in them