...Social Welfare: Pros and Cons Melissa Pugh Post University Online Social Welfare: Pros and Cons The ever-winding tendrils of hardship are impacting individuals who through the ups and downs of life; have become disabled, unemployed, or perhaps senior citizens. Social welfare is available for those who may find themselves in these unfortunate positions. While working at a Milwaukee University, Julia Doyle’s mother was killed by a senseless drunk-driving accident in 1990. Driven by determination, Doyle saw to it that justice was served however this required many requests for leave and because of this; she was terminated although she had invested ten years at the university. Julia Doyle went on to have a total of three children with little or no support from the father; deprived of many necessities, she became a recipient of welfare. She also admits to drug usage during her fall from grace. Nevertheless, for many, social welfare provokes dependency and others like Julia Doyle (Pomeroy, 2008) utilized its benefits to gain a life of financial stability. According to Flynn (2013), “Welfare is a term used to describe systems by which government agencies provide economic assistance, goods, and services to persons who are unable to care for themselves. Welfare is a form of social policy. Welfare programs serve as social safety nets.” Provision is made for member via social policy, social programs, and welfare enterprises. Upon the transfer of...
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...Drug Testing Welfare Recipients It is assumed by many that people who are receiving public assistance funds are using this money to support their alcohol and or drug addictions. Is drug testing to receive public assistance an answer to this problem? Would making this a condition of eligibility actually push people with serious substance abuse and or dependency problems farther away from the help and treatment they need? Federal Welfare Reform The Federal Welfare reform act which, was passed in the mid 1990’s has changed the way our system addresses these issues. PRWORA (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act) provided some distinctive features to address the issues, and changed the idea that there was universal entitlement for all, and helped to reinforce the notion that there is a class of the deserving poor. In 2001 California implemented the policies required and created our version of the TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families) called Cal-WORKS (California’s Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids program.) This program has allowed for rules to be implemented such as time limits, work requirements and the availability of substance abuse treatment. (Newell, 2011) The population and the substances. According to the National Poverty Center (2004) the numbers have been overstated and the number of people that are on welfare and are abusing substances are lower than originally estimated. The studies have varied widely in their...
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...The hurts in Racism Racism is like a disease, an epidemic that afflicts people to varying degrees. Some suffer from acute racism; others suffer from moderate racism and mild racism. Vanessa and Helen being both African-Americans suffered a kind of racism. Vanessa suffered mild racism while Helen suffered an acute one. In Vanessa’s presentation, she expressed that research on stereotypes has shown that black American women are viewed as being lazy, and live on welfare. This is not the case for everyone as this does not describe her. She grew up in a middle class family. These stereotypes certainly still exist. It is no surprise that, the GOP presidential candidate, Rick Santorum, speaking on African-Americans and welfare benefits, recently declared (and later denied) that “I don’t want to make black people’s lives better by giving them somebody else’s money; I want to give them the opportunity to go out and earn the money.” The NAACP blasted Santorum for “inaccurate and outrageous” remarks that “lifts up old race-based stereotypes about public assistance.” On the other hand, Helen suffered racism in the school system by the inappropriate card that was passed around the school. She failed to keep quiet and voiced her concerns about the negative perception of her race. Traumatized by this experience she decided to leave the teaching job that she loves. She lost her trust and hope in the school system. This also brought memories of her father’s negative experience...
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...director at the Department for Work and Pensions. Concern was expressed that Ingeus had underbid more experienced providers: price was a clinching factor in the official scoring system, whereas bizarrely previous performance was not scored at all. 2: The greatly disappointed voluntary sector will be relegated to sub-contracting. The big companies will hand down their difficult cases, such as addicts, ex-prisoners or the mentally ill – creaming 20%-30% off the top in "management fees" 3: Among the winners is A4E (Action for Employment) – hardly surprising as its founder, Emma Harrison CBE, was named by David Cameron as his workless families tsar. As the Observer revealed, she and her husband have a joint income of some £1.4m from their welfare-to-work empire. 4: The verdict was pretty damning. Not only did contracted companies miss their targets by miles – but the DWP's own Jobcentre Plus outscored them easily. The committee's report is remarkably trenchant: " The performance by the mainly private-sector providers was universally poor … £94m was spent on employment support that did not deliver additional jobs … Private providers have seriously underperformed against their contracts and their success rates are worse than Jobcentre Plus even though private contractors work in easier areas." Despite that, the clamour has begun for jobcentres to be outsourced to private companies. That would put a stop to embarrassing comparisons between the two sectors. There...
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...html [Accessed: 22 Feb 2013]. Newstatesman.com (2012) The benefit cap: what does it mean and why is it unfair?. [online] Available at: http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2012/01/benefit-cap-children-support [Accessed: 22 Feb 2013]. Ramesh, R. (2012) Poorest 400,000 families worse off under universal credit, finds report. [online] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/nov/22/poorest-families-worse-universal-credit [Accessed: 22 Feb 2013]. UK, T. (2012) Universal Credit Could 'Backfire' On Poor People, Think-Tank Warns. [online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/09/17/universal-credit-could-backfire-on-poor-people-think-tank-warns_n_1889449.html [Accessed: 22 Feb 2013]. Welfare reform | The Housing Executive. 2013. Welfare reform | The Housing Executive. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nihe.gov.uk/welfare_reform. [Accessed 22 February...
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...Welcome John Smith; before you start I would like to inform you about the Homes organisation. Homes is an Arm’s Length Management Organisation (ALMO), set up Enfield Council in April 2008 to manage its homes and improve housing services. The agreement is due to end in July, all housing services will then be returned to Enfield council. Maintain how many homes? Homes Services, Goals/Vision & Main Customers Homes offers rented accommodation to people facing homelessness, single mothers, immigrants and various retirement living projects such as xxxxxxxxx. Depending of the conditions of the person/family needing support Homes offers flat, houses, bungalows and various ‘support housing ‘schemes. Our primary service is to provide tenants with affordable, safe and well maintained homes. Our main customers are our existing and potential tenants. Homes mission is to provide its tenants with quality homes, excellent services and successful communities. The mission statement captures our ambition to go beyond our currently defined role as a provider of excellent services and prudent assess management and to play a major role as community leader in improving the lives of our residents. Homes vision is to: • Create a clean and safe environment • Keep homes maintained to a high standard • Offer value for money for services provided • Offer homes and services in which tenants, leaseholders, staff and all stakeholders take pride. Our vision recognises the central role that...
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...work. Unemployment is a very concerning economic and social issue affecting the UK today and historically. According to the office national statistics, UK unemployment has increased from 7000 to 2.56 million. This particularly consists of youth unemployment, such as graduates and youths aged 17 plus who now rate at 21.2% of the unemployment rate, and women whose unemployment has also increased (BBC, 2013). As Beveridge states the population of those unemployed were supported through the ‘cradle of the grave’ suggesting that the government was giving unending unemployment benefits regardless of whether the population were actively seeking work. Unemployment policy regarding the workfare gained foothold after WW2 with the emergence of the welfare state. Today this is still the main policy for supporting the unemployed population of Britain. Those out of work now need to show that they are actively seeking work and gaining work experience and skills to make them more employable in the future. As mentioned above, unemployment is a social and economic issue. There are many factors as to why unemployment exists, and why it fluctuates in society. Mainly there are internal and external reasons for this. Internally factors such as education, illness and family can cause unemployment, but also, one can debate more importantly factors such as economic...
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...It’s hard being a single dad in America An Annotated Bibliography Morin, Amanda. "Fathers Raising Daughters: The Unique Challenges of Single Fatherhood." Education.com | An Education & Child Development Site for Parents | Parenting & Educational Resource. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 May 2013. According to the U.S. Census' most recent information, there are approximately 13 million children living in single-parent households. That in itself isn't all that surprising, but here's something that is: 2.5 million of those children are being raised by single fathers. That's nearly 1 in every 40 households –over half as many as ten years ago –in which custodial fathers are raising children, many of whom are girls. So, what kinds of challenges are single fathers of daughters facing? Some issues are gender neutral. Whether they're rearing boys or girls, custodial fathers tend to have a difficult time making ends meet. Unlike single mothers, single fathers are less likely to have flexible work hours and few are receiving child support. In fact, according to Current Population Reports, a publication of the U.S. Census, a mere 30 percent of custodial dads are awarded child support, as compared to 80 percent of custodial mothers. I will use this information to talk about the facts if my topic. "Best Interests of The Child." About.com Single Parents. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2013. Parents seeking child custody or visitation often hear the phrase "best interests of the child" referred to...
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...“A Closer Look at Changes to Welfare Reform” “A Closer Look at Changes to Welfare Reform” Welfare is a defined as a term characterizing the wide variety of social programs developed during the New Deal to help the poor , unemployed, disabled, and elderly. There have many changes to the programs and the laws that govern them. After living in Missouri for most of my life and then moving to Texas, I have noticed many differences. Welfare is a term I heard a lot as child. Obviously, I never knew what it was until I was older. When I hear the word, I think of hearing people waiting to receive their “check” at the beginning of the month. I always saw it as something negative because I grew up knowing that you were supposed to work, not rely on a handout. Now that I’m a bit older, I understand that sometimes you need to have a bit of assistance during hard times. The term welfare not only refers to cash benefits, but also programs such as food stamps and medicaid. Food stamps, which are also referred to as supplemental nutrition assistance program or SNAP benefits, were established in 1939. This is a program that provides financial assistance to low income families to purchase food for their household. Medicare is another form of welfare. It is a program that helps low income families receive healthcare. Qualified participants in the medicaid program include low-income adults, their children, and people with some disabilities. Unfortunately, poverty alone does not...
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...people feel about it, and this correlates directly with the kind of stakeholder an individual might be. People who think that welfare should not exist have a very good chance of having enough money to support themselves, while people who don’t have enough money to support themselves are a stakeholder that may think welfare is essential. “Middle-class” citizens in this situation can have many opinions, but for the most part, peoples economic statuses are going to ultimately determine how they feel about what the welfare system offers; too little or too much. These stakeholders don’t only have opinions, but they also have something to lose or gain with what eventually happens in the world of welfare. Citizens who are dependent on welfare have everything to lose, and people who use no forms of welfare and are “comfortable” have nothing to lose Factors to consider about a welfare system would be the spending, how many people receive it, if it takes the different economic statuses into consideration, and many other things. Over time, I will be able to analyze different parts of history to determine why things have or have not worked out, be able to propose solutions into the current welfare crisis. To start, I must ask myself “how did welfare get where it is today?” I eventually must be able to answer the question, “how can America fix welfare without repeating what has been attempted in the...
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...The Welfare Reform Act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on August22; 1996. Other government assisted programs with different guidelines were replaced by The Welfare Reform Act. The eligibility guidelines for The Welfare Reform Act were somewhat stricter than other government assisted programs that made it more difficult for some individuals to qualify. A reduction in welfare fraud has been achieved through The Welfare Reform Act that is due to the responsibility the individual on welfare must exhibit. The individual enrolled in a government program has the responsibility to inform the government or state agency of any household changes such as household size or a reduction or increase in income. These household changes must be reported to the agency as soon as they occur. This requirement increases the amount of responsibility required of the program participant; if these changes are not reported as soon as they are known, the individual may lose his or her benefits. A cap was placed on the length of time an individual may receive benefits on the program as well as the amount of cash assistance he or she is allowed to receive (Ku & Coughlin, 2010). The Welfare Reform Act also places great emphasis on the importance of individuals enrolled in a government or state assistance program involvement in job activities. It is a requirement that the individual actively seek gainful employment or participate in job training. An individual has a right to...
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...Welfare programs in USA Abstract This research will provide information regarding basic welfare programs in USA. Welfare state is a government that provides for the total well-beeing of its citizens and is akin to socialism. However, very few true welfare states exist. The United States is a good example of this as it provides some social insurance or entitlement programs to its citizens but does not espouse socialism. As socialism and democracy cannot go hand in hand, therefore, it is impossible for the United States to be one of the true welfare states. The United States does make efforts to provide for persons in need through a myriad of social service programs known as welfare. Welfare encompasses those government programs that provide benefits and economic assistance to no or low income Americans. It can also be defined as financial assistance to impoverished Americans which is supplied through the taxes paid by the working class. One of the main goals of welfare programs in USA is to improve the quality of life and living standards for the poor and underprivileged. Welfare help is usually extended to people groups other than just the poor and underprivileged such as the elderly, the disabled, students, and unpaid workers, such as mothers and caregivers Welfare programs available in the United States include: Medicaid, Food Stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Head Start...
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...Court Decisions Checkpoint Axia College Court Decisions Checkpoint The “War on Drugs” is becoming more important to the government, program administrators, policy makers, and the public. Money has become an issue in social welfare programs that is vied for on a daily basis; who will get money to support their causes? In November, 1999, a U.S. District Judge ordered a temporary injunction barring the drug testing of new public assistance applicants in Michigan; citing questionable constitutionality. (Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Weekly, 1999) The use of drugs has long been a concern for citizens when giving money to people who are in need. How often have you heard someone say “Don’t give money to street beggars, they just use it for drugs and alcohol?” The problem of the abuse does not seem to be lessening, but it appears the courts believe that testing before receipt of benefits may not be legal. In this case, I believe that the courts have made the appropriate decision. While the use of drugs and alcohol do contribute to poverty and unemployment, they are also side-effects of a bad situation. While most people feel that those who can work should work, there will always be some that are left without opportunity or ability to provide for themselves and their families. There are several aspects of the drug testing dilemma that must be addressed when reviewing the legality, reality, and constitutionality of such a program. The first issue that must be addressed is equal protection...
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...benefits of the public healthcare system over it’s private counterpart, not only in Canada, but any country attempting to utilize their society to the fullest. I will argue that the welfare-state liberalistic approach is much better because it seeks to pool the resources of the many and regulate/distribute it to the few in dire need, hopefully resulting in a diminishing number of sick and homeless. I begin my essay by highlighting the importance and function of both the welfare state liberalist’s public heath care and the neoconservative private health care. My argument stands on the grounds that public healthcare in Canada is more tenable because it works for the common good of all people, regardless of socioeconomic class while also placing a primary focus on efficiency, instead of profitability. A viable counterargument is that most working people do not find it ‘fair’ to have their hard-earned money taken to support the lazy or poor(welfare), although in reality the vast majority of these ‘lazy’ poor people or those outside of a private healthcare system are not in the position out of free will. As we examine the positives and negatives of both systems it becomes increasingly apparent that as empathetic humans we all have a right to health and to equal opportunity to play our part in society. The welfare-state liberalist view, at its core, is a government that plays a pivotal role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social prosperity of the citizens. Equality...
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...activities of political parties. It is in this respect that the welfare programs also function. They are also like many others, a source of protection and promotion of welfare. But Adam Smith’s invisible hands theory seems to be working here as well. The individualized selfish motives of gaining votes by the politician leads to actions that benefit the general public such as the welfare reforms. This piece has attempted to compare the welfare reforms of the two political parties, Democrats and Republicans. It then highlights similarities and then the differences in the welfare reform beliefs and actions of the two parties. Welfare programs for any society are very important and have the soothing power to satisfy the general public and its inspirations. There are many areas and all are characterized by one common factor i.e. the betterment or the sustenance of the current situation of the people or the particular community to whom the welfare reforms have been initiated. There are reforms for women, against rape, child abuse, domestic violence, poor and its education, entitlements and many others. Each one of the welfare reforms is hotly debated over again and again showing the disagreement of major parties over many issues. Welfare essentially entails itself into the philosophical notion of judgment and the concept of utilitarianism. The greatest happiness principle seems to be working itself up the welfare bills every now and then. One can note how logical statements could...
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