Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Sunset Review Of A Social Work Board Of Examiners: A Case Example, Stephen R. Block

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The author reviews the events following the passage of Colorado's pioneer Sunset Review Legislation in 1976. The experiences of the 36 states which passed Sunset Legislation have been varied. Lobbying efforts in addition to costs have played a significant role in the review process and outcome. A case analysis of the Sunset Review of the Colorado Social Work Board of Examiners illustrates the tenacity of a group of professionals determined to maintain legal regulation of the social work field. The group's success was a result of political organization and the technical expertise required to influence policy makers.

Social Work Pac's And State Social Work Associations Purpose, History, And Action Strategies, Gary Mathews

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social work as a profession has only recently become politically active. One consequence of this interest in the political process has been the proliferation of political action committees as creatures of the National Association of Social Workers and its state chapters. Social work PAC's are a key ingredient necessary to enable the profession to influence public policy. Perhaps because political action committees are new to NASW, or perhaps because NASW is new to politics, very little has been written about the history, purpose or strategic implications of these committees.

This paper will trace the development and operation of PAC's and …

Variables Influencing Publication In The Field Of Social Work, John S. Wodarski, Michael Brenner

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The manuscript presents a descriptive summary of variables influencing professional publication in four major journals: Social Work, Social Service Review, Social Casework and Clinical Social Work Journal. Data were drawn from a random sampling of the years 1960 to 1976. The following descriptive variables were analyzed: degree, sex, occupation, organizational affiliation, and geographic location of author; topic of article; and single VS multiple authorship. Implications the data have for the production of knowledge in social work and future research questions are briefly educidated.

Reaganism And The Poor Family: Life On Afdc After The Budget Cuts, Norman L. Wyers, Robert C. Holloway

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Recent changes in federal and state welfare policies have had negative consequences for public welfare recipients. This paper summarizes a study which focused on the impact of these policy changes on the AFDC population in the most populous region of Oregon. Of particular importance are the changes in income levels, employment, and social service utilization of recipients. Personal reactions of recipients are also reviewed, as are expectations for the future. The differential economic impact of the policy changes on various categories of recipients is stressed.

A Comparison Of Social Service Workers' And The Public's Views Of Nursing Home Characteristics, Lucinda Lee Roff

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using the determinant attribute model, this study examined and compared the criteria which 277 social service workers and 842 members of a general population would employ in selecting a nursing home. The results suggested substantial differences between the two groups in selection criteria. Implications of these results and of the use of the determinant attribute model as an aid to practice are discussed.

Qualitative Methodology, Hypothesis Testing And The Needs Assessment, John W. Murphy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The qualitative methodologist argues that data have meaning only when they are verified experientially. In order for this type of verification to take place, program evaluators must utilize a "responsible" methodology when conducting research. In this paper a definition of responsible methodology is advanced, while the proper operationalization of this type of methodology is illustrated. In particular, it is shown how key needs assessment strategies can be used in a responsible manner, so as to capture the experiential significance of data.

Going Among Them: The Evolution Of The Home Visit, Terry Holbrook

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The methods, motives and objectives of home visiting have been ignored by most social work historians, while the profession of social work has become almost universally associated with this practice by the public. This paper examines the historical, social, and political implications of home visiting from the founders of the profession to the present day, suggesting a revitalization of this taken for granted practice for the purpose of collecting "social evidence" to be used for social reform.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 10, No. 1 (March 1983)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Reaganism and the Poor Family: Life on AFDC After the Budget Cuts - NORMAN L. WYERS, ROBERT C. HOLLOWAY
• Will A Private War on Poverty Succeed? The Case of the St. Louis Provident Association - ROBERT H. LAUER, JEANETTE C. LAUER
• Racial Change or Racial Stabilization: Policy and Process at A Neighborhood Level - JOHN D. MORRISON
• The Service Orientations of Social Service Administrators: Towards a Normative Model - WALTER LAMENDOLA, PATRICIA YANCEY MARTIN
• Adult Foster Care: Its Tenuous Position on The Care Continuum - RUTH E. DUNKLE
• Social Workers Who Left the Profession: An Exploratory Study …

Will A Private War On Poverty Succeed? The Case Of The St. Louis Provident Association, Robert H. Lauer, Jeanette C. Lauer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In view of the current emphasis on private approaches to social problem resolution, it is instructive to look at private efforts of the past. The St. Louis Provident Association was a private effort to deal with poverty. It was organized in 1860 to provide relief for the "needy and distressed." Data on the volunteer leaders of the association and on the people who were actually helped show a number of things about the 19th-century effort to deal with poverty. First, the volunteers were upwardly- mobile business and professional men who were concerned about the stability of their society. Second, the …

Racial Change Or Racial Stabilization: Policy And Process At A Neighborhood Level, John D. Morrison

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Housing segregation and integration are areas of great concern to all citizens. Public policy in the past favored segregation, and while formal policy now favors integration, relatively little is done to implement this policy.

Social science data in the area of residential integration have often been used to foster the status quo by misinterpretation or selective use. This paper reviews some of these data and suggests some principles for practitioners who wish to enhance the potential for integration.

A comprehensive view of a neighborhood should be taken rather than examining only racial factors. Families choose to enter or leave a …

The Service Orientations Of Social Service Administrators: Towards A Normative Model, Walter Lamendola, Patricia Yancey Martin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The service orientations of 28 administrators of social service agencies are examined as part of a normative model of service delivery. Six service issues are identified, and their interrelationship is described and examined. The service orientation issues include: effectiveness, efficiency, responsiveness to constituency interests, agency autonomy, community involvement, and services integration. In part, the results show that, as a group, the executives rank effectiveness (or the setting and achievement of programmatic goals) as of greatest concern. Community involvement and responsiveness follow in importance. Efficiency ranks fourth and autonomy, fifth. Services integration is of least concern. Service orientation is examined in …

Adult Foster Care: Its Tenuous Position On The Care Continuum, Ruth E. Dunkle

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Frequently any move away from independent living for an elderly person is viewed as a downhill road to the nursing home and ultimate death. Adult foster care has been viewed as one such step closer to institutionalization. Service provision to the elderly needs to be viewed on a continuum where the elderly are seen as being capable of moving in and out of supportive living arrangements when the need arises. Barriers to providing this care are identified with future needs highlighted.

Social Workers Who Left The Profession: An Exploratory Study, James Herrick, Calvin Y. Takagi, Robert Coleman, Linda Jewell Morgan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Why professional social workers leave the field of social work for other types of employment has implications for social work practice and education. The study suggests that economic advantage is but one of the factors involved in choosing other employment.

Book Reviews, Samuel R. Friedman, Gary P. Freeman, Susan Meyers Chandler

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

• The New Class War: Reagan's Attack On The Welfare State and Its Consequences by Francis Fox Piven and Richard A. Cloward. Reviewed by SAMUEL R. FRIEDMAN
• Social Service Politics In the United States and Britain by Willard C. Richan. Reviewed by GARY P. FREEMAN
• Mothers At Work: Public Policies In the United States. Sweden and China by Carolyn Teich Adams and Kathryn Teich Winston. Reviewed by SUSAN MEYERS CHANDLER

Long-Term Trends In Public Concerns In Two Societies, Rachel Kats

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Trends in public concerns from the early 1960's to the mid-1970's are compared for Israel and the United States, relating changes in concerns to historical and social change which occurred during the decade in both societies. The analysis is based on open-ended questions regarding views of either personal or nation's future -- hopes and fears for that future -- and a Self-Anchoring Rating Scale, by which the respondent evaluated personal and nation's situation in various time perspectives. The Israeli's future perspective became centered around peace and war, removing other issues to a secondary plane of concern. In contrast, the American …

Women And Voluntary Blood Donation, Ernie S. Lightman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study explores the patterns of and motivations for voluntary blood donation by men and women in Toronto, Canada. Examining social systems with differently structured opportunities for altruism illustrates both the influence of the sex-role differential on altruism, and also the impact of these social structures upon sex-role behaviour.

Data are drawn from a postal questionnaire completed by a random sample of about 1,000 males and 850 females who had voluntarily donated blood in Toronto, at least once between June 1974 and February 1978.

The study finds men and women donate about equally in a voluntary system, in contrast to …

Dissemination Of Research Reports And Other Publications To Social Workers, Susan Whitelaw Downs

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The author analyzes the response of social workers to a national materials dissemination effort. The publications advocated program innovations based on research and evaluation of a demonstration project. Questions addressed are: do social workers order material based on their occupational category, and are they more likely to order materials if they also receive personal contact in the form of workshops and consultation. Other findings related to this dissemination of materials effort are also described.

Social Action Organization Participation And Personal Change In The Poor: Part I, Robert D. Herman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Evidence bearing on the hypothesis that participation by the poor in social action organizations results in personal change is inconsistent and open to diverse interpretations. This paper first reviews that evidence and then takes the first step toward a substantive reconciliation of the apparently inconsistent evidence - the development of a typology of social action organization forms. The typology, which is derived from the literature on poverty and organizational analysis, incorporates the elements of (1) inclusion of the poor, (2) resource base of organizational sponsors, and (3) output goal orientation. The typology will be used in Part I I to …

The Expanding Array Of Human Service Personnel, Edward A. Brawley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper assesses the impact upon social work and the social welfare services of the various types of personnel being produced by the expanding human service education programs that have recently appeared in colleges and universities throughout the country. It also considers some possible responses by the social work profession, by social work education, and by the social welfare field to these developments.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 9, No. 4 (December 1982)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Table of Contents

• Social Action Organization Participation and Personal Change in the Poor - Part I - ROBERT D. HERMAN
• The Expanding Array of Human Service Personnel - EDWARD A. BRAWLEY
• Racial Inequities in the Delivery of Social Services - JAMES D. CHESNEY, RAFAEL JACOB ENGEL
• Women and Voluntary Blood Donations - ERNIE S. LIGHTMAN
• Medical Democracy In A Health Systems Agency: The Role of Staff - JAMES LATIMORE
• Deinstitutionalization: A Review of the Literature With Implication for Social Work Training and Practice in Rural Areas - VICKI LAWRENCE YOUNG, JOHN S. WODARSKI, JEFFREY GIORDANO
• The Practicum Instructor: A Study …

Scientific Ideologies And Conceptions Of Drinking Behavior And Alcoholism, Keith M. Kilty

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Conventional explanations of drinking behavior and alcoholism suffer from serious inadequacies, due in large part to their unquestioning acceptance of certain assumptions about the effects of alcohol on human behavior that are rooted in moral prescriptions. That is, most contemporary models of drinking behavior assume that the consumption of alcohol leads to the loss of inhibitions or self-control, ultimately leading to behaviors that are not predictable by either the drinker or society. This perspective has become so deeply ingrained in the social scientific literature that it is no longer even perceived as hypothetical; instead, it has taken on the character …

Racial Inequities In The Delivery Of Social Services, James D. Chesney, Rafael Jacob Engel

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Data from a survey of registered social workers in Michigan indicate inequities in the delivery of social services. Providers serving non-whites tend to spend less time providing casework services and more time on providing welfare services than do providers serving whites. These interracial differences may be explained by income or employment auspice. The major racial inequity is apparent when providers serving primarily non-white clients are analyzed. White providers serving non-whites spend more time on welfare activities and less on casework services than do non-white providers serving non-whites. These differences cannot be explained by income or the providers' education and experience. …

"Medical Democracy In A Health Systems Agency: The Role Of Staff", James Latimore

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The performance of consumers or laypersons in government programs has been studied extensively, usually from the standpoint of the control exercised by providers or other professionals, or correlative, what consumers need in order to be on an equal footing with the experts. At stake is lay control -i.e., democracy. This case study of one Health Systems Agency (HSA) in contrast, focuses attention on the crucial role of the HSA staff in the democratization of health care. Outcomes, such as cost-containment and allocation of resources, can be examined in terms of the staff's interests and the constraints of its multi-leveled environment. …

Deinstitutionalization: A Review Of The Literature With Implication For Social Work Training And Practice In Rural Areas, Vicki Lawrence Young, John S. Wodarski, Jeffrey Giordano

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The manuscript reviews the social, legal, and political background of the deinstitutionalization movement, reviews successful programs for deinstitutionalized chronic mental patients in the major problem areas of socialization skills training, supportive living, interventions with families, vocational rehabilitation, and medication monitoring. Problems which prevent the successful replication of these programs in rural areas, such as differing characteristics of rural and urban clients, distance and travel, and staff attitudes are discussed. Implications for social work training and practice in rural areas include the increased need for paraprofessional staff development and supervision skills, ability to utilize and mobilize existing community helping networks, and …

The Practicum Instructor: A Study Of Role Expectations, Beverly J. Hartung

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The study discussed in this paper focuses on the differences between four respondent groups in their perception as to the importance of various role behaviors of practicum instructors in social work. The population for the study was obtained from a random sample of the 84 accredited graduate schools of social work in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Significant differences in perception of role were found along with areas of agreement among the four groups.

Current Training Needs In Public Social Services: Impact On Schools Of Social Work, David C. Pritchard

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

An empirically based study was designed to identify evolving training needs in public social services agencies which are in transition. The characteristics and capacity of these service delivery systems have been significantly altered by funding reductions and subsequent administrative redesign. Schools of social work preparing MSW's for future professional employment and also responsible for operating Title XX training projects need to be sensitive to emerging trends. Specific areas of skills and knowledge requiring greater educational and training emphasis were reported. Curricula planning and development needs to be responsive as social work roles and responsibilities are changing in the marketplace. Concern …

Distributed Data Processing: A Timely Approach For Social Welfare Agencies, Sumit Sircar, Dick Schoech, Lawrence L. Schkade

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Centralized management oriented information systems in state social welfare systems are evolving. Due to decreasing computer hardware costs, computing power can now be distributed throughout a social welfare system to locations where it meets worker and manager data processing needs most efficiently and effectively. To distribute computing power yet maintain one integrated organizational computing system requires an understanding of distributed data processing (DDP) and its implications for an organization. This article explains the DDP concept through its historical development, illustrates the types of DDP available to an agency, and discusses the major pitfalls in moving into a DDP environment. It …

Data Needs Of Social Service Agencies: A Case Study Of Fort Worth, Texas, Rose M. Rubin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

There is increasing need for social service agencies and organizations to allocate resources and to plan based on objective needs assessment. This requires greater access and use of data sources. The dual objectives of this paper are to describe and analyze the increased need for data use by social welfare agencies and to present the findings of a data needs assessment study of such organizations in Fort Worth, Texas. The results of this study were used in the planning and development of a series of free data use and data use-applications workshops for social service agency representatives and in the …

Sexual Harassment Of Blue Collar Workers, Donald E. Maypole, Rosemarie Skaine

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The problem of sexual harassment in work settings has received little empirical examination to date. This study used mailed questionnaires to elicit respondents' opinions about sexual harassment and their perceptions of its incidence, scope and recourses taken by victims. Systematic samples were drawn from a blue collar union's rosters of male and female members. The findings indicated that twentythree percent of the respondents felt they had been sexually harassed (thirty-six percent of the women and eight percent of the men). Whereas the women viewed the problem in power-dominance terms, the men did not. Other findings in relation to scope and …

Defeating The Era: A Right-Wing Mobilization Of Women, Barbara Ehrenreich

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In an irony that feminists and their liberal supporters have yet to fully grasp, the opponents of the Equal Rights Amendment celebrated its defeat as a "great victory for women' and as a "great achievement by women." The ERA had been a major--perhaps the major--goal of the American feminist movement for ten years. It would have rendered unconstitutional dozens of arcane state laws which limit women's property rights during and after marriage. It would have strengthened women's position as wage-earners--helping open up higher-paying, traditionally male jobs, and providing a wedge against all the subtle, informal mechanisms of wage discrimination. It …