This chapter describes the process by which governmental policy is made, including its phases, the importance of stratification, and the role of influential organizations. The public policy process is important because many social welfare policies are established by government, and decisions by federal and state agencies have a direct bearing on the administration and funding of social welfare programs that assist millions of Americans and employ thousands of human service professionals.

1. THE MAKING OF GOVERNMENTAL POLICY
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2. THE POLICYMAKING PROCESS
1. Identify problems
2. Formulate policy proposals
3. Legitimize public policy
4. Implement the policy
5. Evaluate the established policy

3. IDENTIFY PROBLEMS
 Problems may come to light from a variety of sources
 “Squeaky wheel gets the grease” – demands for government action
lead to pinpointing the problem
 Questions to ask:
 Is there a problem?
 Can we do something about it?
 Is there a population to help? Is there a need?

4. IDENTIFY PROBLEMS
 Who calls attention to a problem, issue or need?
 Organized groups
 Non-profits agencies
 Politicians
 Think tanks
 Lobbyists
 Ordinary citizens
 Interest groups
 What are other sources?

5. IDENTIFY PROBLEMS
 Special Interest groups. Created to influence the political agenda.
 Represent populations based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual
orientation, age, income, profession, etc.
 Sometimes 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
 Often created to educate the public or bring attention to an issue
that affects the public

6. IDENTIFY PROBLEMS
 Special Interest groups.
• Political action committees (PACs)
• Can support candidates
• Super PAC
• Cannot give money to candidates
• Can spend money on issues
• Registered lobbyists
• Churches and religious groups

7. IDENTIFY PROBLEMS
 Special Interest groups.
• Civil and human rights organizations
• Unions and Corporations
• Proxy Group
• Represent the disadvantaged and disenfranchised populations: poor, disabled,
homeless, victims of sexual assault and rape, etc.
• National Association of Social Workers, Children’s Defense Fund, PETA, National Alliance
to End Homelessness, American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Watch, etc.
• Grassroots organizations

8. IDENTIFY PROBLEMS
 Public Opinion and Mass Media.
 How does Mass Media affect public opinion?
 Liberal media
 Private interests
 Sensationalizing of issues
 Why do politicians care about how the media influences public
opinion?
 Why do politicians care about public opinion?

9. FORMULATING POLICY PROPOSALS
 Policy Proposals – initial presentations are drafted by policy-
planning organizations, interests groups, state legislatures,
government agencies, the president and Congress
 Proposals normally include problem statement, proposed solution,
possible implementation challenges, funding needs, etc.
 Often go through numerous versions before policy is pushed on to
next phase

10. LEGITIMIZING PUBLIC POLICY
 Legitimizing occurs by public statements or actions of people in
power
 Ex. governors, representatives, the president, agency
administrators, etc.
 What gets look at first often correlates with the current political
climate
 Political climate = current national mood
 What issues are en vogue right now?

11. IMPLEMENTING PUBLIC POLICY
 All the steps that need to take place after a policy becomes law
 Implementation is part of policymaking because attempts to oppose
the policy continue while its being implemented
 By delaying the process of implementation often by suing in court
 See every one of Trump’s E.O.
 Healthcare reform, planned parenthood, etc.
 Politics and administration cannot be separated

12. EVALUATING WELFARE POLICY
 Government’s interest in whether policy is working
 Political fallout from policy evaluations
 Disputes over how to conduct those evaluations
 Disagreement over what they mean
 What are some ways to evaluate a policy?

13. EVALUATING WELFARE POLICY
 Concept and design
 Who is using the program? Receiving services?
 May use proxy measures (how many people are walking through the door?
Taking a pamphlet?
 Monitoring – look at the process and progress of the program
 Impact and utility – Assessment the benefits to individuals, groups,
and society
 Efficiency – assess cost-benefit