Ira C. Colby – författare

All social work practice, from intervention to how payments or reimbursements are made, is regulated by social policies. Professionals, however, cannot arbitrarily select which policy to follow in any circumstance; knowing what comprises a given policy is essential, but equally important is understanding how to amend a policy by applying unique skills that reflect the social work profession's shared values and beliefs. Recognizing that a series of interdependentsocial policies govern every aspect of social work in both nonprofit and public organizations, this practice-specific textbook focuses on influencing social policies in an agency setting or through formal governmental processes. The Handbook for Policy Practice explores a wide range of topics that are critical tools in every social worker's policy practice repertoire: · Recognizing the various social justice theories and their role in social policy.· Understanding critical thinking as a practice skill.· Social media as a practice tool.· Preparing and presenting testimony to a legislative committee or group of people. · Formulating a clear, well-focused written policy brief for a Board of Directors or legislative committee.· Organizing policy specific advocacy activities including a public forum, social work day at the legislature, and voter registration projects.· The "30-second elevator speech."· Writing newspaper "op-eds" and "letters to the editor." Purposefully, the Handbook also relies on information comes from the digital world. Using the web as a primary source builds on the social work profession's long-held belief to begin where the client is. Using the links to the various data and citation sources, readers will learn to identify and discern the features of a valid web site. As a whole, this book is an essential resource for all BSW and MSW students.

A comprehensive overview of domestic and global social welfare policyWritten by a team of renowned social policy experts sharing their unique perspectives on global and U.S. social welfare policy issues, Social Work and Social Policy helps social workers consider key issues that face policymakers, elected officials, and agency administrators in order to develop policies that are both fair and just.Designed as a foundational social welfare policy text, this important book meets the Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS).Encouraging readers' critical thinking on various issues, each chapter begins with an overarching question and "what if" scenarios, and ends with a set of suggested key terms, online resources, and discussion questions.Recognizing that policy work requires practitioners to be as fully versed as possible with the issue at hand, Social Work and Social Policy thoroughly explores: Social welfare policy as a form of social justiceThe evolution of the American welfare stateHuman security and the welfare of societiesSocial policy from a global perspectiveChallenges for social policies in AsiaWelfare reform and the need for social empathyThe U.S. Patriot Act and its implications for the social work professionHuman rights and emerging social mediaCompelling and broad in scope, Social Work and Social Policy is an indispensable text for students and a valuable resource for practitioners concerned with creating social policy and governmental action guided by justice for all.