Download or read book The Shift in U S Welfare Policy and its Impact on Economic Well Being written by and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2020-02-19 with total page 27 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2018 im Fachbereich Politik - Region: USA, Note: 1.0, Universität zu Köln (Cologne Center for Comparative Politics), Veranstaltung: Political Economy of the USA, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: The question arising for this research is the following: Can a paradigm shift explain changes in U.S. welfare policy under Reagan and did the altered policy have an impact on the economic well-being of its citizens? In order to answer these questions, this paper is divided into five sections. The first section presents Peter Hall’s approach of social learning, which serves as theoretical framework for this paper and indicates that a paradigm shift occurs through three different stages. Secondly, the method and data used in this paper will be discussed. The analysis, forming the fourth section, first establishes that indeed a paradigm shift happened by descriptively analyzing that the shift towards a new welfare consensus is detectable in all levels of social learning. Through the second part of the analysis, which evaluates the impact of the paradigm shift on the citizens’ economic well-being, it becomes obvious that no improvement happened during the Reagan presidency. Within the fifth sections the results will be summarized and discussed. The last section briefly considers the legacy Reagan bequeathed and points out the limitations of this paper. Since the 1970s, the welfare state faced mounting challenges. Moreover, the election of Ronald Reagan as new President of the U.S.A. marks a turning point in the history of the U.S. welfare. Reagan challenged the established welfare state consensus, arguing that the nation’s economic well-being would be promoted more effectively by retrenching and reorganizing the social welfare state. Under the Reagan Administration (1981-89) welfare policy was altered and brought into focus by new viewpoints on its purpose, encompassing a political call for more self-responsibility and less state regulation. A possible explanation for the changes could be the development of a new policy paradigm aiming to replace the existing one due to certain, mainly economical, reasons, also referred to as paradigm shift. Such a paradigm shift in the policy of a welfare state could alter the economic well-being of its citizen as it incorporates a change of self-perception of the state that it is no longer primary responsible for deliberately modifying the natural course of market forces through the provision of social services and financial assistance.
Download or read book The Dynamics of Social Welfare Policy written by Joel Blau and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2007 with total page 544 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first edition of The Dynamics of Social Welfare Policy reinvented the standard social welfare policy text to speak to students in a vital new way. This second edition builds on its strengths, with a more accessible graphic design and a thorough update of the effects of recent political and legislative changes on social welfare programs. The book begins by discussing how social problems are constructed. After an analysis of social welfare policy, its purposes, and functions, a unique policy model bolsters the text's overarching progressive narrative. Through this model, students learn how five key social forces-ideology, politics, history, economics, and social movements-interact both to create and to change the social welfare system. By applying this model to five critical social welfare policy issues-income security, employment, housing, health, and food-the text demonstrates to students that every kind of social work practice embodies a social welfare policy. The model is also telling in identifying the triggers of social change and the effects of race, class, and gender. By applying the policy model to the latest developments in social welfare, the chapter-long case studies in this second edition equip students with knowledge about social welfare policy and the tools for comparative analysis. With this knowledge, students begin to understand that both the whole and the parts of the social welfare system affect what they actually do as social workers. Once they grasp this concept, they'll understand why it is so important to learn social welfare policy. The Dynamics of Social Welfare Policy 2E captures the fluidity and change inherent in social policy like no other textbook. Its approach remains the most invigorating, forward-thinking one available. Highlights from this edition include: * Revised data in text, charts, and graphs show how government policies are proving the points made throughout the chapters *Exhaustive statistics are included about every major social program's budget, benefits, and participants *Underlying policy model has been updated in response to the evolving political environment *Content and writing style are appropriate to both bachelor's- and master's-level programs *More graphics and attractive new two-color interior design make debates easier to grasp and the book easier to navigate Visit www.oup.com/us/dynamics for access to the instructor's manual and test bank.
Download or read book U S Health in International Perspective written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2013-04-12 with total page 421 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The United States is among the wealthiest nations in the world, but it is far from the healthiest. Although life expectancy and survival rates in the United States have improved dramatically over the past century, Americans live shorter lives and experience more injuries and illnesses than people in other high-income countries. The U.S. health disadvantage cannot be attributed solely to the adverse health status of racial or ethnic minorities or poor people: even highly advantaged Americans are in worse health than their counterparts in other, "peer" countries. In light of the new and growing evidence about the U.S. health disadvantage, the National Institutes of Health asked the National Research Council (NRC) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to convene a panel of experts to study the issue. The Panel on Understanding Cross-National Health Differences Among High-Income Countries examined whether the U.S. health disadvantage exists across the life span, considered potential explanations, and assessed the larger implications of the findings. U.S. Health in International Perspective presents detailed evidence on the issue, explores the possible explanations for the shorter and less healthy lives of Americans than those of people in comparable countries, and recommends actions by both government and nongovernment agencies and organizations to address the U.S. health disadvantage.
Download or read book Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-08-10 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reform of welfare is one of the nation's most contentious issues, with debate often driven more by politics than by facts and careful analysis. Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition identifies the key policy questions for measuring whether our changing social welfare programs are working, reviews the available studies and research, and recommends the most effective ways to answer those questions. This book discusses the development of welfare policy, including the landmark 1996 federal law that devolved most of the responsibility for welfare policies and their implementation to the states. A thorough analysis of the available research leads to the identification of gaps in what is currently known about the effects of welfare reform. Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition specifies what-and why-we need to know about the response of individual states to the federal overhaul of welfare and the effects of the many changes in the nation's welfare laws, policies, and practices. With a clear approach to a variety of issues, Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition will be important to policy makers, welfare administrators, researchers, journalists, and advocates on all sides of the issue.
Download or read book Social Policy and Social Change written by Jillian Jimenez and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2010 with total page 529 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A timely examination of social policy through a social constructivist and economic lens, Social Policy and Social Change illuminates the root causes of common social problems and how policy has attempted to ameliorate them. In so doing, the book focuses on how social policies in the United States can be transformed to promote social justice for all groups. The book uniquely offers both an historical analysis of social problems and social policies, and an economic analysis of how capitalism and the market economy have contributed to social problems and impacted social policies. The book goes beyond the U.S. borders to examine the impact of globalization in the United States and in the Global South. It considers the meaning and impact of the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States and explores the policy solutions his administration has proposed to deal with the economic recession of 2008-2009. The book also discusses social workers as agents of social change and advocates of social and economic justice. It examines five key realms: Poverty in families and the welfare system, poverty among the elderly and social security, child maltreatment and child welfare policy, health and mental health policy, and housing policy. Social Policy and Social Change is a primary text for social policy/social welfare policy courses in MSW programs and possibly some higher level BSW programs. It will be supplemented with a comprehensive ancillary program, including a test bank, instructor's manual, and student website.
Download or read book The Transition from Welfare to Work written by Sharon Telleen and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-10-11 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How well do you understand the sweeping welfare reforms of the mid-1990s? The Transition from Welfare to Work: Processes, Challenges, and Outcomes provides a comprehensive examination of the welfare-to-work initiatives that were undertaken just prior to and following the major reform of United States welfare legislation in 1996. It will familiarize you with the intent of those reforms and show you how those interventions have been implemented. It also explores the barriers to employment that must be overcome by welfare-to-work clients, and the impact of these changes on clients, employers, and society. From the editors: “Although the numbers enrolled in welfare programs dropped dramatically in the last few years of the economic expansion of the 1990s, until recently we have known very little about the conditions of families affected by welfare-to-work policies. How did welfare-to-work interventions change the lives of participants and their families? What factors helped or hindered the transition to paid work? Are welfare-to-work policies likely to have actually improved the earnings or income of former AFDC recipients? This book studies all these questions.” The Transition from Welfare to Work: Processes, Challenges, and Outcomes presents qualitative, quantitative, and econometric analyses as well as panel studies, longitudinal, and quasi-experimental designs. Beginning with a brief description of the goals and structure of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, this book examines all of the phases of the welfare-to-work process. Use it to increase your understanding of: the implementation of interventions designed to place TANF recipients in jobs the factors that impact the readiness of low-income women to enter the job market the outcomes of current and earlier welfare-to-work interventions the steps we need to take to know how these citizens are faring in the welfare-to-work environment and more!
Download or read book Communities in Action written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-04-27 with total page 583 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.
Download or read book The Effect of Specific Welfare Policies on Poverty written by Signe-Mary McKernan and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Poverty rates in the United States fell from a 25-year high of 15.1 percent in 1993 to near record lows of 11.3 percent in 2000 and have since increased steadily to 12.7 percent in 2004 (U.S. Census Bureau 2004a). The poverty rates for children and for people in single female-headed families followed a similar pattern, although at considerably higher rates -- 17.8 percent and 30.5 percent in 2004, respectively (U.S. Census Bureau 2004a, 2004b). Many political leaders pointed to poverty rate declines along with increases in employment and falling welfare caseloads that occurred in the late 1990s as evidence that the 1996 federal welfare reform had been a success (Kaus 2001). During the late 1990s, however, there was concern that welfare reform was leading to increases in deep poverty (living below 50 percent of the poverty threshold) (e.g., Sherman et al. 1998, as cited in Haskins 2001), as deep poverty rates increased in 1996 and were unchanged in 1997 (U.S. Census Bureau 2004c). Deep poverty rates subsequently fell, however. While trends in poverty and deep poverty generated discussion and speculation about the effect of welfare reform on poverty and deep poverty, there is limited and mixed information on welfare reform's effect on these outcomes. Moreover, the literature provides no guidance on how specific welfare reform policies affect poverty and deep poverty. Some of the welfare reform policies implemented by states are hypothesized to increase poverty (e.g., family cap), while others are hypothesized to decrease poverty (e.g., increases in the earned income disregard). Thus, on net, one could find an overall reform effect of zero, when in fact specific policies have affected families' economic well-being, but in off-setting ways. This paper contributes to the literature by examining the effects of a rich and comprehensive set of specific welfare policies on poverty and deep poverty among women and children. We capture objective and detailed measures of states' policies by measuring policies individually, and in continuous values such as dollars, wherever possible. Nineteen specific policies are included in our analysis. These polices are grounded in a conceptual framework of how policies can influence poverty and are measured in great detail on a monthly basis from 1986 through 2000. Our approach leads to results that are robust to alternate specifications. Variation in welfare policies over time and across states enables us to measure the relationship between policy and poverty. States implemented changes to their welfare programs via welfare waivers in the early to mid-1990s and then used the flexibility provided by federal welfare reform's 1996 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to further change policies. We also examine how the effects of these policies change over time, as there can be short-run mechanical effects that are simply due to changes in grant size and eligibility rules, for example, as well as medium-run behavioral responses as families alter their work effort in response to changes in program rules. In addition, we contribute to the literature by examining the impact of welfare reform on the economic well-being of children as well as adults. We use longitudinal data from the 1988, 1990, 1993, 1996, and 2001 panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). We use these panels to provide data from January 1988 through December 2002, allowing us to capture the period prior to the implementation of state waivers, during the implementation of state waivers, and after the 1996 federal welfare reform. Further, these data capture periods of strong and weak economic conditions. We use the Urban Institute's Welfare Rules and related databases to measure our welfare policies. Overall, we find evidence that more lenient eligibility requirements for welfare receipt and more generous financial incentives to work generally reduce deep poverty, as hypothesized. We also find evidence that eligibility requirements for welfare receipt and financial incentives to work affect poverty. Time limits are hypothesized to have ambiguous effects on poverty and our results suggest that some stricter time limit policies may lead to lower rates of deep poverty and poverty. Our findings are generally consistent with our hypotheses and are also consistent across our population of ever-single mothers and children of ever-single mothers.
Download or read book Welfare Reform and Its Long Term Consequences for America s Poor written by James P. Ziliak and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-08-17 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leading poverty experts address the longer-term effects of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act.
Download or read book Welfare Policy Balancing Support and Sustainability written by Talbot B. Kingston and published by Book Lovers HQ. This book was released on 2024-08-06 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Welfare Policy: Balancing Support and Sustainability" delves into the intricate world of welfare policy—where compassion meets practicality and support intertwines with sustainability. This comprehensive book offers an in-depth exploration of the principles, challenges, and future directions of welfare systems around the globe. What you will find in this book: Historical Perspectives: Embark on a journey to trace the evolution of welfare policies from their origins to modern-day implementations, gaining a profound understanding of the philosophical and ideological foundations that have shaped them. Economic Dimensions: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the financial aspects of welfare systems, including fiscal sustainability, cost-benefit analyses, and the impact of welfare policies on economic growth and labor markets. Political and Social Influences: Uncover the intricate web of political ideologies, public opinion, and social movements that influence welfare policy, as well as the critical role of advocacy groups and media representations in this dynamic landscape. Health and Welfare: Examine the intersection of healthcare and welfare, exploring universal health coverage, mental health, and integrating health and social services. Education and Welfare: Understand the crucial role of education in welfare policy, from early childhood programs to lifelong learning and vocational training. Housing and Welfare: Address the challenges of housing affordability, homelessness, and the impact of housing policies on economic stability and social cohesion. Employment and Welfare: Explore employment-related welfare policies, including unemployment benefits, workfare programs, and the future of work in the context of welfare. Family and Welfare: Learn about the various family support programs, including child welfare, elder care, and policies addressing domestic violence and family income support. Immigration and Welfare: Delve into the complex relationship between immigration and welfare, covering topics such as immigrant access to welfare programs and the economic contributions of immigrants. Innovations and Future Directions: Discover how technological advancements, data-driven approaches, and global cooperation can transform welfare policy and ensure its relevance and effectiveness in the future. "Welfare Policy: Balancing Support and Sustainability" is an essential read for policymakers, scholars, and anyone interested in understanding the multifaceted nature of welfare systems. This book challenges readers to think critically about the balance between providing immediate support and ensuring long-term sustainability, offering insights and solutions that are both compassionate and pragmatic. Uncover the complexities of welfare policy and join the conversation on creating equitable, sustainable, and effective welfare systems for the future.
Download or read book American Social Welfare Policy written by David Rochefort and published by Westview Press. This book was released on 1986-03-17 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2019-09-16 with total page 619 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The strengths and abilities children develop from infancy through adolescence are crucial for their physical, emotional, and cognitive growth, which in turn help them to achieve success in school and to become responsible, economically self-sufficient, and healthy adults. Capable, responsible, and healthy adults are clearly the foundation of a well-functioning and prosperous society, yet America's future is not as secure as it could be because millions of American children live in families with incomes below the poverty line. A wealth of evidence suggests that a lack of adequate economic resources for families with children compromises these children's ability to grow and achieve adult success, hurting them and the broader society. A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty reviews the research on linkages between child poverty and child well-being, and analyzes the poverty-reducing effects of major assistance programs directed at children and families. This report also provides policy and program recommendations for reducing the number of children living in poverty in the United States by half within 10 years.
Download or read book Key Policies for Addressing the Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequities written by Centers of Disease Control and published by World Health Organization. This book was released on 2017-09-27 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evidence indicates that actions within four main themes (early child development fair employment and decent work social protection and the living environment) are likely to have the greatest impact on the social determinants of health and health inequities. A systematic search and analysis of recommendations and policy guidelines from intergovernmental organizations and international bodies identified practical policy options for action on social determinants within these four themes. Policy options focused on early childhood education and care; child poverty; investment strategies for an inclusive economy; active labour market programmes; working conditions; social cash transfers; affordable housing; and planning and regulatory mechanisms to improve air quality and mitigate climate change. Applying combinations of these policy options alongside effective governance for health equity should enable WHO European Region Member States to reduce health inequities and synergize efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Download or read book The End of Welfare written by Max Sawicky and published by M.E. Sharpe. This book was released on 1999 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Exploring the consequences of federal devolution on state budgets, this work deals with three major areas of concern: the effect of moving large numbers of welfare recipients into labour markets; the planned federal reforms in the health care field; and trends in federal aid.
Download or read book Working and Poor written by Rebecca M. Blank and published by Russell Sage Foundation. This book was released on 2007-01-09 with total page 447 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the last three decades, large-scale economic developments, such as technological change, the decline in unionization, and changing skill requirements, have exacted their biggest toll on low-wage workers. These workers often possess few marketable skills and few resources with which to support themselves during periods of economic transition. In Working and Poor, a distinguished group of economists and policy experts, headlined by editors Rebecca Blank, Sheldon Danziger, and Robert Schoeni, examine how economic and policy changes over the last twenty-five years have affected the well-being of low-wage workers and their families. Working and Poor examines every facet of the economic well-being of less-skilled workers, from employment and earnings opportunities to consumption behavior and social assistance policies. Rebecca Blank and Heidi Schierholz document the different trends in work and wages among less-skilled women and men. Between 1979 and 2003, labor force participation rose rapidly for these women, along with more modest increases in wages, while among the men both employment and wages fell. David Card and John DiNardo review the evidence on how technological changes have affected less-skilled workers and conclude that the effect has been smaller than many observers claim. Philip Levine examines the effectiveness of the Unemployment Insurance program during recessions. He finds that the program's eligibility rules, which deny benefits to workers who have not met minimum earnings requirements, exclude the very people who require help most and should be adjusted to provide for those with the highest need. On the other hand, Therese J. McGuire and David F. Merriman show that government help remains a valuable source of support during economic downturns. They find that during the most recent recession in 2001, when state budgets were stretched thin, legislatures resisted political pressure to cut spending for the poor. Working and Poor provides a valuable analysis of the role that public policy changes can play in improving the plight of the working poor. A comprehensive analysis of trends over the last twenty-five years, this book provides an invaluable reference for the public discussion of work and poverty in America. A Volume in the National Poverty Center Series on Poverty and Public Policy
Download or read book Women Work and Poverty written by Heidi I. Hartmann and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2005 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Women, Work, and Poverty presents the latest information on women living at or below the poverty level and the changes that need to be made in public policy to allow them to rise above their economic hardships. Using a wide range of research methods, including in-depth interviews, focus groups, small-scale surveys, and analysis of personnel records, the book explores different aspects of women's poverty since the passage of the 1986 welfare reform bill. Anthropologists, economists, political scientists, sociologists, and social workers examine marriage, divorce, children and child care, employment and work schedules, disabilities, mental health, and education, and look at income support programs, such as welfare and unemployment insurance.
Download or read book Welfare Reform written by Jeff GROGGER and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2009-06-30 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Welfare Reform, Jeffrey Grogger and Lynn Karoly assemble evidence from numerous studies to assess how welfare reform has affected behavior. To broaden our understanding of this wide-ranging policy reform, the authors evaluate the evidence in relation to an economic model of behavior.
