Course Syllabus

HSM240 Public Policy Development in Human Services

Please print a copy of this syllabus for handy reference. Whenever there is a question about what assignments are due, please remember this syllabus is considered the ruling document.

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Facilitator Information Margaret M. Kihara MMKihara@email.phoenix.edu (University of Phoenix) MMKihara@gmail.com (Personal) (206) 445 0669 / 768 9725 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Facilitator Availability I am available from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. PST on most days, but I try to reserve Saturday for my family. During the week, I am online most of the time between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. (Please note that PST and AZ Time are the same during daylight savings). If these times are not convenient for you, please let me know. I will be happy to accommodate your schedule, if possible. I provide you with these times to make it easier to communicate with me, and not to limit our contact. I want you to know that, should you need to contact me outside of these time frames, you should not hesitate to do so. For emergencies, for example when you are not able to gain access to messages on the Online Learning System (OLS), please send a message to my personal email address. In the event a third party needs to contact me, please direct them to my contact information listed under "facilitator information." No third party should use your login credentials to gain access to the classroom. Where to Go to Class Main: This is the main forum for the class and is where discussion is conducted. It has readand-write access for everyone. Chat-Room: This is a read-and-write access forum. It is designed as a place to discuss issues not related to the course content. This is the forum to which we will send our bios. Course-Materials: This is a read-only forum, which means you can read messages here but cannot send any. This is where I will post the course syllabus, materials, and weekly postings. Individual Forum: You will see one forum with your name on it. This is a private forum, shared only by you and me, the facilitator. Your classmates will not have access to this forum. This is where you will post your individual assignments as WORD document attachments, and where I will post your feedback. You can also ask questions here. However, if you have general questions about instructions of assignments, please post those in the Main forum, since other students may benefit by that exchange as well. Policies For class policies, please see the Policies link on the left side of the Materials page for the course on eCampus. Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within that link. University policies are subject to change so please be sure to read them at the beginning of each class as it may have changed since your last class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities it is important you read the policies governing your current class modality. Technical Support Technical Support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 1-877-832-4867, or use the

e-mail support form. Answers to the most common issues are found in the Knowledge Base by clicking Help, found at the top of every student Web site. Feedback Each week, I will provide grades or scores and comments on your assignments. I will send feedback to your Individual forum. Grading Formula Points 95+ 90-94 87-89 84-86 80-83 77-79 74-76 70-73 67-69 64-66 60-63 <59 Grade A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D DF

Course Description See eCampus. Course Topics & Objectives See eCampus. Course Materials See eCampus. Point Values for Course Assignments ASSIGNMENTS Points

Individual (100%) Week 1: CheckPoint: Social Problems Week 2: CheckPoint: Court Decisions Week 2: Writing Assignment: Dole of Government in Policy-making Week 3: CheckPoint: Policy Elements Week 4: CheckPoint: Sentence Outline Week 4: Writing Assignment: Goals and Objectives Week 5: CheckPoint: Benefit Types Week 6: CheckPoint: Eligibility Rules Week 6: Writing Assignment: Evaluating Eligibility Rules Week 7: CheckPoint: Theory, Design, and Specifications Week 8: CheckPoint #1: Private Funds Week 8: CheckPoint #2: Social Insurance Week 8: Writing Assignment: Finances Week 9: Final Project: Creating a Social Program Discussion Questions: Two (2) Discussion Questions (DQs) are posted for Weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7. Responses to these DQ#1s and DQ#2s are due on Tuesdays and Thursdays of the Read & Discuss Weeks, respectively. In addition, a Capstone Discussion Question will be posted for Week 9 and its response is due on Day 5 (Friday) of Week 9. Participation: Post a minimum of 2 substantive posts at least 4 days during the Read & Discuss Week. Responses to DQ#1 and DQ#2 each count as a substantive post. Participation is 15 points/week for each of 4 Read & Discuss Weeks, plus the Capstone Discussion (Please note that, even though your Capstone response is not due until Day 5 of Week 9, the participation requirement will be in effect for the week). Total 25 25 100 25 20 100 25 25 100 25 20 20 100 240

75

75

1,000

WEEK ONE ORIGINS OF SOCIAL POLICY AND PROGRAMS Week One serves as an introduction to social policy and programs. We will learn about the four key analysis components used to analyze social problems. You will discuss what you believe to be current social programs in the United States. You will also learn what the difference is between problem, policy, and program. This week, please choose an agency or organization that you want to analyze throughout the course. This agency should be approved by the me, as your facilitator. The objectives for Week 1 are to: - Explain the application of problem analysis categories to social problems. - Identify contemporary social problems locally and nationally. Discussion Questions Please post a 150-300-word response to each of the following discussion questions: DQ#1: Why are we able to use the same problem analysis categories mentioned in Ch. 1 of the text to analyze historical problems as well as problems facing modern society? DQ#2: Describe the social problem you identified. Who are the losers and gainers? What are the direct and indirect costs? What are the causes and consequences? CheckPoint: Social Problems There are 3 parts to this assignment. Write at least one separate paragraph or section for each Part below. Part 1. DEFINITIONS: The first section should define the words problem, policy, and program, within the context of human service. After defining the words, you should give a brief (one to two sentence) description of each word. PART 2. The second section should include a list of 5 to 7 critical social problems in the United States. You should list what you believe are the most critical problems. You should also include one or two sentences describing the extent of the problem. PART 3. After completing the second section, you should choose one of the social problems and locate an agency or organization that addresses the problem. Many students will probably find one on the Internet, although local agencies or interviews with an agency may work as well. You will be analyzing this agency throughout the entire course, so it is vital that the I approve the chosen agency because some agencies may not have enough public information to do a thorough analysis. You should write a paragraph giving a brief description of the agency. You should also include the Web link if the agency is chosen from the Internet. Weekly Reminders Discussion question responses will count towards the class participation requirement.

Only posts in the Main classroom forum will count towards your class participation score. Summary of Week 1 Deliverables - CheckPoints and Writing Assignments are all submitted as WORD document attachments in the Individual Forum. Assignment Response to Discussion Question #1 Response to Discussion Question #2 CheckPoint: Social Problems Location Main Forum Main Forum Individual Forum Due Day 2 (Tuesday, March 23rd) Day 4 (Thursday, March 25th) Day 5 (Friday, March 26th)

WEEK TWO THE LEGISLATIVE ROLE The focus for this Week 2 is The Legislative Role with the learning objectives to: - Justify judicial decisions. - Summarize the judiciary's role in shaping public policy. During this week, we will discuss the role of government and how policies and programs are created. CheckPoint: Court Decisions Choose one of the articles to read and explain why you either agree or disagree with the decision. Give specific examples or reasons for your opinion, such as outcomes, figures, statistics, and facts, etc. Writing Assignment: The Role of Government in Policy-Making The purpose of this assignment is to give you a clear understanding of the role that government plays in shaping public policy. In addition, you should begin to analyze the role of government in a specific agency or organization. For this assignment: Summarize legislative tasks and the overall role of the judiciary in shaping public policy. For the same agency or organization you chose, describe the laws and judicial decisions that influence how it operates. How do these laws influence the organization's decision-making and its day-to-day operations? What role has the court system or law played in shaping policies that affect this particular agency or organization? Your paper should be 700 to 1,050 words in length and written in APA format. Post your paper as a Microsoft Word attachment. Weekly Reminders Summary of Week 2 Deliverables - CheckPoints and Writing Assignments are all submitted as WORD document attachments in the Individual Forum. Assignment CheckPoint: Court Decisions Writing Assignment: Role of Government in Policy-Making Location Individual Forum Individual Forum Due Day 5 (Friday, April 2nd) Day 7 (Sunday, April 4th)

WEEK THREE VALUE-CRITICAL APPROACH TO SOCIAL METHODS During this Read & Discuss Week, we will focus on the Value-Critical Approach to Social Methods with the objectives to: - Describe the elements used to analyze social policies and programs. - Analyze social policies and programs using the fundamental elements. Discussion Questions Please post a 150-300-word response to each of the following discussion questions: DQ#1: Post your response to Exercise 1 on pp. 60-61 of Ch. 3. Your answer to this exercise should address the questions on p. 54 of Ch. 3. DQ#2: Do you believe that the current U.S. policy for Social Security has clear goals and objectives? Explain your answer. Why is it important for a policy or program to have clear goals and objectives? CheckPoint: Policy Elements Write a 300-word analysis of a program sponsored by the same agency or organization you used in the Week One CheckPoint. Use the six fundamental policy elements described in Ch. 3 as a guide. Keep in mind that a mission is different from goals and objectives. A mission is a statement of what the program is, why it exists, and the contributions it can make. It is usually short and concise, and describes a programs reason for being or its primary concern. Weekly Reminders Discussion question responses will count towards the class participation requirement. Only posts in the Main classroom forum will count towards your class participation score. Summary of Week 3 Deliverables - CheckPoints and Writing Assignments are all submitted as WORD document attachments in the Individual Forum. Assignment Response to DQ#1 Response to DQ#2 CheckPoint: Policy Elements Location Main Forum Main Forum Individual Forum Due Day 2 (Tuesday, April 6th) Day 4 (Thursday, April 8th) Day 5 (Friday, April 9th)

WEEK FOUR ANALYZING PUBLIC POLICY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES This week, we will be Analyzing Public Policy Goals and Objectives. The learning objectives are to: - Describe how human service agencies determine their goals and objectives. - Appraise the goals and objectives of human service agencies. CheckPoint: Sentence Outline Usually, an outline consists of a listing of short topics and phrases. However, in this assignment, please write a sentence outline showing how an agency determines goals and objectives. In this sentence outline, have all the main points and details written as complete sentences so your thoughts are clear and thorough. Writing Assignment: Goals and Objectives The purpose of this assignment is to assess that you can properly evaluate the goals and objectives for the agency or organization you are analyzing. You should have a good idea of the agencys goals and objectives: Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in APA format in which you evaluate the goals and objectives for the same agency or organization you chose. Using the criteria from Ch. 4, address the following: Does the organization explain its goals and objectives clearly? Explain your answer. o Are the goals and objectives long-term or short-term? Are the goals and objectives manifest or latent? How do you know which are objectives and which are goals? Evaluate the agency's goals and objectives for one of its specific programs.

Post your paper as a Microsoft Word attachment. Weekly Reminders Summary of Week 4 Deliverables CheckPoints and Writing Assignments are all submitted as WORD document attachments in the Individual Forum. Assignment CheckPoint: Sentence Outline Writing Assignment: Goals and Objectives Location Individual Forum Individual Forum Due Day 5 (Friday, April 16th) Day 7 (Sunday, April 18th)

WEEK FIVE BENEFITS AND SERVICES During this Read & Discuss Week, we will focus on Benefits and Services and the learning objectives are to: - Identify examples of the major forms of benefits and services human service agencies provide. - Evaluate benefits and services of human service agencies. Discussion Questions Please post a 150-300-word response to each of the following discussion questions: DQ#1: Discuss three of the nine major forms of benefits and services in the U.S. social welfare system (p. 95). For each of the three, give an example of when you believe that benefit or service would be positive and when it would be negative. Think of examples other than those provided in Ch. 5. DQ#2: Imagine there is a local welfare agency that exercises consumer sovereignty by giving a specified amount of cash to a family to use for food. The family is eligible for the amount, but the agency does not follow up to make sure the family spent the money as allocated. Explain why this practice is ineffective from the agency's perspective as well as the family's perspective. How would you advise the agency to help them improve their allocation policy? CheckPoint: Benefit Types Write a 300-word summary evaluating the benefit types and services of the same agency or organization you used in previous assignments. Use the criteria for evaluating benefits and services found on pp. 96-107 of the text. Weekly Reminders Discussion question responses will count towards the class participation requirement. Only posts in the Main classroom forum will count towards your class participation score. Summary of Week 5 Deliverables - CheckPoints and Writing Assignments are all submitted as WORD document attachments in the Individual Forum. Assignment Response to DQ#1 Response to DQ#2 CheckPoint: Benefit Types Location Main Forum Main Forum Individual Forum Due Day 2 (Tuesday, April 20th) Day 4 (Thursday, April 22nd) Day 5 (Friday, April 23rd)

WEEK SIX ELIGIBILITY RULES During this Week 6, we will look at Eligibility Rules. The learning objectives are to: - Contrast the eligibility rules for different human service agencies. - Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of eligibility rules used by human service agencies. We will look at eligibility rules, contrasting the various rules and stipulations agencies put on services. You will also evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of eligibility rules for the same agency or organization you used in previous assignments. CheckPoint: Eligibility Rules You should select two different agencies that provide the same type of program and compare and contrast the various types of eligibility rules the agencies adhere to. Do not choose the agency you are analyzing throughout the course, as this will be completed in the next assignment: Create a table comparing and contrasting the eligibility rules of two different agencies that offer the same type of program (see table 6.1 on p. 117 of the text). Select one government agency and either a private agency or a faith-based agency that offers a program for the homeless (do not select the same agency you chose to analyze throughout the course). Write a brief summary of what you think the key differences are between the eligibility rules of the two agencies. Post your table as a Microsoft Word attachment. Writing Assignment: Evaluating Eligibility Rules The purpose of this assignment is to assess whether or not students understand not only how to identify eligibility rules, but also how to analyze and evaluate eligibility rules. To this end: Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in APA format in which you analyze eligibility rules for the same agency or organization you used in previous assignments. - Based on pp. 110-118 of the text, what are the types of eligibility rules used by the agency? - Do you notice any possible stigmatization or off-targeted benefits? - Do you notice any trade-offs? Overwhelming costs, overutilization, or underutilization? Explain your answer. - Do you notice any weak rules? Explain your answer. - In your judgment, are the eligibility rules fair and sufficient? Explain your answer. Post your paper as a Microsoft Word attachment.

Weekly Reminders Summary of Week 6 Deliverables - CheckPoints and Writing Assignments are all submitted as WORD document attachments in the Individual Forum. Assignment Location Due

CheckPoint: Eligibility Rules Writing Assignment: Evaluation Eligibility Rules

Individual Forum Individual Forum

Day 5 (Friday, April 30th) Day 7 (Sunday, May 2nd)

WEEK SEVEN DELIVERY OF SOCIAL GOODS For this Read & Discuss Week, we will focus on the delivery of social goods. The objectives will be to: - Outline theory, design, and specification of social programs. - Compare and contrast the types of delivery systems for different human service agencies. You will learn about theory and design in relation to social programs and evaluate methods of delivery for the same agency or organization you used in previous assignments. You will also compare and contrast the types of delivery systems that human service agencies use. In addition, you will create a social program and put it into a design and, then, justify your decision.

Discussion Questions Please post a 150-300-word response to each of the following discussion questions: DQ#1: Compare and contrast the types of delivery systems as mentioned in Ch. 7 of the text. What should agencies want in terms of good service and benefit delivery? Explain your answer. DQ#2: Discuss briefly your evaluation of the method of benefit delivery for the same agency or organization you used in previous assignments. Do you agree or disagree with the way the goods are delivered? Explain your answer. How would you do it differently if you were in charge? CheckPoint: Theory, Design, Specification Pretend you are in charge of creating a new social program, and money for funding is not an issue. Outline the theory, design, and specification of the program you would create in approximately 300 words (see p. 144 of the text for an example.). Justify your decision for choosing to create that particular social program. Keep in mind that, generally, a theory is a group or set of interrelated ideas that are to explain the causes and effects of a specific problem. Weekly Reminders Discussion question responses will count towards the class participation requirement. Only posts in the Main classroom forum will count towards your class participation score. Summary of Week 7 Deliverables - CheckPoints and Writing Assignments are all submitted as WORD document attachments in the Individual Forum. Assignment Location Due

Response to DQ#1 Response to DQ#2

Main Forum Main Forum

Day 2 (Tuesday, May 4th) Day 4 (Thursday, May 6th) Day 5 (Friday, May 7th)

CheckPoint: Theory, Design, and Specifications Individual Forum

WEEK EIGHT FINANCING SOCIAL PROGRAMS This week, our focus is on Financing Social Programs. The learning objectives are to: - Identify the sources of funding for social programs. - Describe how taxes are used to fund social insurance programs. You will learn how social programs are funded and the sources of those funds, including private, government, and public. Additionally, you will learn about how taxes are used to fund social insurance programs. CheckPoint #1: Private Funds Identify a privately funded human service agency (not the same one you chose to analyze throughout the course). In 200 to 300 words, describe the social problem the agency addresses and a program they utilize to address that problem. How does this private agency fund or plan on funding the program? Describe what the agency has to do in order to obtain continued funding. CheckPoint #2: Social Insurance Summarize how social insurance is used to fund public programs. What are the benefits and drawbacks of government funding? How are those benefits and drawbacks exhibited in social programs such as Medicare, unemployment insurance, and worker's compensation? The summary should be 200 to 300 words. Writing Assignment: Finances The purpose of this assignment is to assess whether students recognize where finances come from to fund agencies, organizations, and social programs. Additionally, you should understand that agencies need accountability measures so that funds can be properly distributed. Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in APA format evaluating the financial aspects of the same agency or organization you used in previous weeks. - How does the organization fund its programs? - How reliable are its funding sources? - Do they implement financial accountability measures to ensure that funds are being used properly? - What questions would you ask the agency if you had donated a large sum of money and wanted to know how your money was being used? Post your paper as a Microsoft Word attachment. Weekly Reminders There are two (2) CheckPoints this week. Summary of Week 8 Deliverables - CheckPoints and Writing Assignments are all submitted as WORD document attachments in the Individual Forum.

Assignment Please note that there are two (2) CheckPoints required this week. CheckPoint 1: Private Funds CheckPoint 2: Social Insurance Writing Assignment: Finances

Location

Due

Individual Forum Individual Forum Individual Forum

Day 2 (Tuesday, May 11th) Day 5 (Friday, May 14th) Day 7 (Sunday, May 16th)

WEEK NINE CREATING A SOCIAL PROGRAM Our focus during this final week is to create a Social Program. The learning objective is to develop proposals for the creation of social programs. Capstone Discussion Question Please post a 150-300-word response to the following Capstone discussion question: Capstone DQ: What parts of this course did you find most valuable? Describe two things that you learned and found most interesting. What will help you the most in your future studies and career? Final Project The purpose of this assignment is for students to take what they have learned throughout the course and apply it to a practical situation. Hence, In Week Nine, you will write a proposal paper. The paper is based on some of the criteria that grant-donating organizations ask for in order for an agency to apply for and receive funding. Think creatively and critically to come up with your own criteria for a social program proposal. Additionally, include at least three sources to support the paper. The rubric is provided below. Please Note: Assignments must be submitted by the last day of class and cannot be accepted after that date (unless an Incomplete for the course has been requested and agreed to in writing before the end of the course). An Appendix A. is also provided that details the requirements of the Final Project. Weekly Reminders Discussion Question The Discussion question response will count towards the class participation requirement. Also, please be mindful that the participation requirements concerning substantive postings are in effect, even though the response to the Capstone DQ is not required under Day 5. Only posts in the Main classroom forum will count towards your class participation score. Summary of Week 9 Deliverables The Final Project is to be submitted as a WORD document attachment in the Individual Forum. Assignment Capstone DQ#1 Final Project: Creating a Social Program Location Main Forum Individual Forum Due Day 5 (Friday, May 21st) Day 7 (Sunday,

May 23rd)