The implementation of family support services within the last decade has made an impact on child welfare in Georgia.  I appreciated the statistics that Ms. Carter provided about the outcomes in this state since the early 2000’s. I was actually surprised at how well our state is doing in relation to child welfare. I myself tend to have a negative attitude toward CPS due to the horror stories presented by the media.  It is encouraging to see that in recent years, the outcomes have improved. I was also not familiar with the child fatality review so I went back and reviewed the power point to get more details about that program.

One of the social workers that I work with came to our department from DFCS and worked in “family preservation”.  I had a difficult time understanding why one would try to preserve a family where children were being either abused or neglected.  I also have never worked with children, therefore, I tend to think of the most extreme types of child abuse and neglect.  Sometimes neglect can come from lack of resources and education.  Taking children away from their immediate family might not always be the answer.  Offering parents education and resources needed to learn how to be a better parent and remove the barriers, can be beneficial in maintaining a family unit. I also think the entitlement program CAPS  is helpful in that it helps low income families afford quality child care so that they can continue working.  However, all these services that have been implemented require more assessment by the caseworkers.  There is an assessment process for each service and the caseworker then must determine who is eligible for resources.  This can make for more work for already overwhelmed caseworkers.

Child welfare policy is important in social work practice because social workers are advocates for children.  Social workers need to be aware of current child welfare policy including data of recent statistics and what we have learned from past experience.  Children from neglect or abusive home situations are vulnerable and the system needs to be designed to improve their well being either through family preservation or foster care.

I think it is hard to say whether the Affordable Health Care Act has changed any of the stories from the piece on Sick in America.  After watching the two segments from Frontline, I am appalled at the significant difference in healthcare systems around the country.  I am disgusted that our healthcare system in America seems to be one of the worst.  Hearing that people in our country go bankrupt due to medical costs is very disheartening.

Working in healthcare for many years, I see patients who are uninsured or underinsured on a daily basis.  It is difficult to see an elderly individual who pays significant premiums for Medicare, who cannot afford their medications or copays.  One of the components to the ACA is to assist seniors with better access to healthcare and affordable prescription coverage.  I am encouraged to hear that the ACA plans to close the gap in coverage for medications which is also known as the “donut hole”.   This portion of the ACA is encouraging and I think quite possible easier to come to fruition.

My question is how can government say that everyone has access to affordable health coverage?  I have visited the website and yes there appear to be plans for individuals with low premiums.  However, for a family of four or more, even if the premiums are low, the deductibles are outrageous.  The more coverage you wish to purchase the higher the premium.  I don’t know how low-income families who don’t meet poverty guidelines or Medicaid criteria can afford the plans that are offered in the healthcare marketplace.  My other question is what about those individuals who are unemployed?  I see individuals all the time who are adults living with their elderly parents because they are unemployed and cannot afford to live anywhere else.  If they are unemployed, they obviously cannot afford health insurance coverage.  Also, if they are unemployed and do not file income tax at the end of the year, then how do they get penalized?  The website in and of itself is difficult to navigate through for me and I am grad student.  How can those with limited education and resources even begin to navigate their way to better health coverage?

The cost for healthcare in America is astounding, especially compared to other countries.  Although I am not a huge proponent of a “big brother” type of system, I do believe a universal health plan is not such a bad idea, especially if it does provide fair healthcare for all.  I especially liked the idea from one country that if someone abuses the healthcare system, the government visits their home for a “talk”. I see so many people who are non-compliant with their healthcare who abuse Medicare and Medicaid, and no one seems to do anything about that.

Will the ACA be successful in changing healthcare in America?  I think it is too soon to tell…

My perception of whether social policy can be successful in combating poverty did not change.  To be perfectly honest, until this class, I have not had much thought on the subject.  As a social worker, I am concerned with poverty, but whether it can be affected by social policy has not been in the forefront of my mind.  After the reading, it is clear that in order to reduce poverty, it would take communication and agreement among social, economic and political policy.   Inequality is also a subject that was introduced in DeParle’s book.  In the 1990’s unmarried women and racial minorities dominated the welfare rolls.  In doing a little added research on the subject, I read that inequality and poverty are part of the same problem.   This article also stated that in order for social policy to be effective in combating poverty, it needs to look beyond its role as a “safety net” and “engage with broad public policy issues of distribution, protection, production and reproduction”.

Stone’s discussion of negative liberty-welfare trade-off is a person cannot really be free if their basic needs of food, shelter, etc. cannot be met.  Therefore, the people living in poverty and receiving government checks are not truly free according to this concept.  They are also considered less free than their counterparts who contribute tax money which helps fund government assistance programs.  However, on the other hand in regards to positive liberty, when the government produces entitlement programs that help the disadvantaged, then it can help them realize their goals.

I believe that DeParle thinks there is a liberty-welfare trade-off.  He discusses three women in particular who are “dependent” on the government to survive and meet their basic needs.  Due to this dependence on government assistance, the ladies are not truthful about employment or whether they have a man in their lives to provide additional support to them.

The true American dream is having hopes and aspirations to live a life better than what one grew up in.  In the case of these three women, they do not see themselves as victims or dependent.  However, DeParle states they did not have hopes that were never realized, but hopes and dreams that never took shape.

I am very interested in the Georgia HB 772.  This bill is relating to public assistance which would amend Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.  The bill is recommending that all individuals applying for food stamps should be required to take a drug test.  There are a lot of facets to this bill.  For example, which illegal drugs will be subject to testing, methods for privacy during collection and storage, the identity of persons who will be entitled to the results and so on.  It’s also interesting that if children are involved and one parent tests positive, then the children’s benefits cannot stop.  The proposal is to have another parent or guardian become payee over the children’s food stamp benefits.  According to this bill, once an individual has a positive drug screen, they lose their benefits for 30 days and then can be retested after that time period.  If they are clean, then their benefits can be reinstated.  However, after a second positive drug screen they lose their SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for three months  and until he/she has a negative drug test.  Finally, after three or more positive drug screens, individuals  lose their food stamps for one year and until they receive a negative result.  Vidalia, Georgia House Representative Greg Morris introduced this bill the week of January 20th to the Georgia General Assembly.  (Georgia General Assembly, 2014)

The problem stream here, if I am interpreting it correctly, is that people who are addicted to drugs have been known to sell their food stamps for drugs.  In this case the food stamps are being misused.  Another assumption or opinion might be that if an individual can afford to buy drugs, then they should not be receiving public assistance through food stamps.

Greg Morris was quoted on CBS Atlanta news stating, “working Georgians have to take drug tests every day to get jobs”.  His opinion seems to be that if working taxpayers have to take drug tests, then so should those who apply for public assistance.   In the policy stream, the matter of public opinion also comes into play.  Will this work?  Will the people buy it?  I believe that the public arena will be  torn.  Alisa Anderson runs a non-profit agency that helps low-income women and their families in Atlanta.  She was quoted as saying that the idea “is an insinuation that people of low income or near poverty are all drug addicts.”  She went on to explain that even people who are on prescription narcotics might be denied food stamps. This could affect the low-income elderly and disabled.  However, Greg Morris believes that this is a way to protect taxpayer’s money.

Finally, the political stream comes into play here as well.  Incidentally 2 years ago HB 861 was passed and signed into law.  It is similar in that individuals who are applying for TANF (temporary assistance for needy families) also have to pass a drug test.  However, this law has never been enforced because a federal court struck down a similar law in Florida.  From the same CBS Atlanta broadcast a constitutional law expert Page Pate said, “the new bill would have a difficult time withstanding legal challenges if passed.”  So far this bill has made it to the House second readers.  Will all the streams come together and a window of opportunity open for this piece of legislation?  I am interested in seeing how far it goes during this legislative session.

American Civil Liberties of Georgia

http://www.acluga.org/get-involved/legislative-work/legislative-agenda/

AJC.com

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/bill-use-drugs-buy-your-own-food/ncrz7/

CBS Atlanta

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/24534123/lawmaker-seeks-to-mandate-drug-tests-for-food-stamp-applicants

Georgia General Assembly

http://www.legis.ga.gov/en-US/default.aspx

As with many things recently, blogging is new to me.  I have had a difficult time naming my blog, but I finally came up with “deep thoughts by Leigh Webb”.  Some of you (probably a very few) remember a SNL bit called “deep thoughts by Jack Handey”. Well…they were rarely deep and very silly.  They were mostly random thoughts but I always thought they were hilarious.  I rarely have “deep thoughts” but I generally have random silly thoughts.

I must admit that I rarely read the newspaper or watch/listen to the news.  Generally if our TV is on, its on Nickolodean or Disney for the kids.  I guess it’s time that I start paying attention to what’s going on in the world…especially if I want to be a successful social worker.

I am looking forward to this class and to this blog!

Leigh 🙂

PS enjoy the link below

Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey