COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 1COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT .docx

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
1
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
2
Example A
Introduction
Public Polies are created when social changes occur. This paper
discusses an overview of Burlington County which is a County
in New Jersey that currently has 449,284 residents. It is a
diverse County that is growing day by day. As in any other
County throughout the State, Burlington County has
experienced its share of social change concerns. This paper will
discuss two specific concerns: Recycling and School Safety
issues this is happening in Burlington County and need to be
addresses. It will also discuss the important of community
demographics and how that affects the decisions that are made
when it comes to policy.
An Overview of Burlington County New Jersey
The United States of America consist of 50 different States and
3,142 different Counties. Burlington County is a County located
in New Jersey within the United States of America. It is the
second largest County in the State of New Jersey. According to
the Statistical Atlas (2015), Burlington County consist of six
Boroughs, three cities, thirty-two Townships, thirteen
unincorporated places, eighteen unified school districts,

eighteen elementary school districts, four secondary school
districts, seven neighboring Counties, and ten nearby Counties.
Burlington County is considered to be a suburban place to live
as it is a residential community within commuting distance from
large cities such has Philadelphia and New York. There are
many residents of Burlington County that more than likely
travel to nearby cities for work. When driving through
Burlington County, for the most part you will see single-family
homes with front and backyards, beautiful grass and trees
throughout, shopping malls, office buildings, and nice parks.
Burlington County is a fairly quiet and safe place to live and
quite different from your urban and rural areas.
Community Demographics
Burlington County, New Jersey currently has a population of
449,284 people with a median age of 41.5 and a median
household income of $80,254 (DataUSA). Burlington County is
a very diverse County. People from all different cultural
backgrounds reside in Burlington County, living door to door
from one another, sharing workplaces, schools, stores, parks
etc. According to DataUSA, the ethnic configuration of the
population in this County, is composed of 304,085 White
residents (67.7%), 71,882 Black residents (16%), 35,295
Hispanic residents (7.86%), 23,582 Asian residents (5.25%),
and 12,831 Two+ residents (2.86%). The most common spoken
language in this County is English but the most common foreign
spoken language is Spanish with that population size being
20,774 speakers. Following that is Asian, Portuguese, Gujarati,
Greek, and Urdu speakers totaling 54,626 County citizens who
do not speak English. Many Burlington County residences own
their homes. This rate has increased from 63.1% to 75.8% with
all Burlington County residences responsibly for property taxes.
Car owners in Burlington County average owning 2 cars per
household with an average commute of 28.1 minutes
(DataUSA). As we see so often throughout society, males in
Burlington County have a higher average income than the
females in Burlington County. According to the U.S Census

Bureau (2015), there are 225,346 employees in Burlington
County with males’ average income 1.37 times higher than the
average income of females.
Community demographics are very important when it comes to
social changes within the community because it helps to
determine how a policy should be presented and if it will pass.
The statics of the population affect how important decisions are
made. The issues have to reflect the concerns of the people in
the community. Demographics contribute to helping the
government and society better prepare to deal with any issues
and any demands of the population. According to Siegel &
Swanson (2004), a wide range of social outcomes are impacted
by demographic developments and distributions. Demographic
data impacts more than many may realize, in fact it impacts
everything you do. Not only does it give communities important
information in order to plan for future services but it also
impacts how much you pay in taxes, funding for programs,
workable healthcare systems, adequate school systems, how
much support the schools will receive, who gets federal aid and
so much more. The information resulting from demographic
studies can help in developing resolution to social issues. There
are two social change issues that have been of big concern in
Burlington County and the demographics have a major impact
on both of these issues.
Recycling as a Social Change Concern in Burlington County
The first social change concern in Burlington County is
recycling. Recycling is extremely important as it helps the
environment. In addition to helping the environment, it also
saves money, creates jobs, preserves our natural resources,
helps to reduce pollution, solid waste, and contamination
(Recycling Facts, 2017). The residents of Burlington County are
required to recycle. Recycling is done by properly sorting
materials such as cardboard, paper, food and beverage cans,
glass bottles and jars, and plastic bottles and placing them into
designated carts or cans. Unfortunately, throughout America,

some people care about the benefits of recycling and they take
the time to do it whereas others do not. This has become a
global concern. In the United States, there is an increasing
amount of outbound shipments of recycled material being
rejected by recycling Mills across the globe because of
contamination. In 2017, Burlington County Recycling Program
diverted 42,000 tons from the landfill and saved taxpayers $3.3
million in disposable fees. Although this was a success, with the
increasing global problems, Burlington County has decided to
address the issues and developed a “Recycle Right” initiative.
The main actors who would be involved in participating in a
policy development process to address this social concern would
be the Burlington County Residents. In order for it to be
effective, the residents have to be willing to participate fully
and recycle. In addition to the residents the combination of
actors would be the Burlington County Freeholders, Kate Gibbs
who is the Freeholder Director, Occupational Training Center of
Burlington County, Inc. who operates the recycling program,
Isaac Manning who is the OTC director, and the workers at the
Robert C. Shinn, Jr. Recycling Center in Westhampton where
the program operates out of. Kate Gibbs has launched the
initiative and she needs Isaac Manning to be in agreement and
he provided the workers and his recycling plant which makes
them the implementing actors as well. United they can better the
recycling in Burlington County and also help the nation by
doing their part collectively.
School Safety as a Social Change Concern in Burlington County
The second social concern of discussion in Burlington County is
school safety. Throughout America, schools are experiencing a
high level of concern for its students and teachers. Society has
changed over the years and things that we did not worry so
much about years ago has become of great concerns. With
school shootings, bullying, kidnapping, and fighting all
happening within the schools and on school property, parents
are more fearful than ever sending their children to school every
day. Schools are now taking additional safety precautions such

as having metal detectors, resource officers, advanced sign in
and out procedures, locked doors, camera, etc. Extra
precautions are utilized more now in order to keep the teachers
and students safe. The article is Newsday (2018) titled
“America is Failing School Safety” spoke about how since
1999, more than 150,000 students attending at least 170 primary
or secondary schools have experienced a shooting on campus.
This is absolutely ridiculous and scary to say the least. How are
parents not supposed to fear sending their children to school
every day or students not fearful to go to school every day?
How are teachers’ able to teach effectively without the fear of
the unthinkable happening in their classroom; in their school.
This social change issue is a global concern and one that
Burlington County has focused its efforts on addressing.
Schools need more security and prevention to protect the
educators and students on a day to day basis. Proactive steps
must be taken to keep them safe. Burlington County Freeholder
Kate Gibbs recognized the need for this. According to Levinsky
(2018) article, she proposed a $20 million school security
initiative program for the schools in Burlington County which
will be a voluntary program that will require schools to make
grant applications to the County and agree to a security
evaluations by a highly-qualified architectural firm. The
program will first be introduced in High Schools but the goal is
to expand the program to middle and elementary schools. The
main actors who would be involved in participating in a policy
development process to address the school safety concern would
be the Principal/Superintendent, the assistant
Principal/Superintendent, other school administrators, the
school counselor, the resource officer, the teachers, the
students, and the parents. The implementing actors would be the
government, the State of New Jersey, the Freeholders, Kate
Gibbs (Freehold Director), the local police departments, the
board of education. As they all work together they can be
proactive in addressing the problem and implement appropriate

measures to secure more safe and secure schools in Burlington
County.
Standard Policy Statement for Recycling
1. Establishing a Recycling Right Initiative Program
2. Brief Description
a. Burlington County is committed to improving and protecting
the environment by recycling common used and hazardous
materialssuch as cardboard, paper, food and beverage cans,
glass bottles and jars, and plastic bottles, scrap metal, batteries,
electronic equipment, mercury-containing lamps, and
motor/cooking oil. All members of the Burlington County must
comply with the recycling requirements in this policy. Doing so
will help the community and also aid in global improving as it
pertains to recycling. Burlington County residents will know
and understand the guidelines as it pertains to recycling.
Burlington County residents will place the appropriate items in
the recycling receptacles to avoid recyclables being rejected by
recycling mills which will consequently cause residents to have
to pay to dispose of recyclable goods.
3. Policy applies to…
i. Community
1. Burlington County Residents
2. Burlington County Business Owners
3. Burlington County Schools
4. OTC Program Participants
ii. Non – profit
1. Board of Director

2. Executive Director (Issac Manning)
3. Program Directors
4. Program Service Personal
iii. Government
1. Board of Freeholder
2. Burlington County Freeholder Director (Katie Gibbs)
4. Reason for the Policy
i. Program diverts 42,000 tons of waste and would cost
Burlington County tax payers $3.3 million.
ii. Some Burlington County Residents have not been placing
appropriate items in receptacles. This county is at risk of losing
the ability to sell recyclables to the recycle mills. As a result,
the recycle mills not purchasing these goods, residents’ taxes
may be increased allow for appropriate disposal of recyclable
goods.
iii.
The Burlington County Recycling Program will save Burlington
County tax payers millions. This recycling program will also
safely dispose of al recyclable goods.
5. Introduction
OTC Program Director, Isaac Manning was informed by the
recycling mill that according to their records there has been a
major contamination due to residents placing inappropriate
items in receptacles. If the recyclables are not appropriately
vetted, the mill will discontinue payment for recyclables. Mr.
Manning then informed his board or directors of this
information. The agency then crafted a letter to the Burlington
Freeholders asking for their support in a County wide campaign

to re-establish the Burlington County Recycling Program. The
Board of Freeholders began a public campaign of television
commercials, radio commercials, newspaper articles and social
media outlets to inform Burlington County Residents of this
issue and to gain full cooperation for this new policy.
6. Policy Statement
Burlington County Residents are the primary audience. Schools,
businesses, and residents need to follow this policy. Residents
who are tax exempt and pay for their recyclables to be disposed
by other companies do not apply to this policy
The major conditions or restrictions are to follow the recycling
protocol to ensure your recyclables will be picked up. OTC
employees are expected to continue to collect recyclables for all
residents who following the Burlington County Recycling
Guidelines. There are no special situations that would exclude
county residents from adhering to this policy.
7. Definitions
a. Common Recyclable material/Hazardous Material–
Recyclable material include cardboard, paper, food and
beverage cans, glass bottles and jars, and plastic bottles, scrap
metal, batteries, electronic equipment, mercury-containing
lamps, and motor/cooking oil.
8. Related Polices, Procedures, Guidelines, and other Resources
a. Recycling and Waste Management Policy
b. Hazardous Waste Policy
9. History
Last Reviewed Date - July 25, 2018
Last Revised Date - September 15, 2017

Policy Origination Date – Not Available
10. Key Words
a. Kate Gibbs
b. Burlington County Recycling
c. Recycling Right Initiative
Standard Policy Statement for School Safety
1. Establishing safety and security of County schools and the
launching of a school security initiative.
3. School Safety is a growing concern in Burlington County. It
is an issue that must be addressed immediately and action must
be taken in order to be proactive before a tragedy occurs. With
all the social changes and issues we are experiencing within our
society i.e. school shootings, bulling, kidnapping, fighting,
there is a greater need than ever before for more resources
within the schools to assure that children and teachers are safe.
Lawsuits have arisen in some schools throughout the nation due
to their failure to keep kids safe while on school property. The
need to enhance the safety and security of Burlington County
schools has become a focus for the County. In order to
accomplish this there will be a voluntary program initiated that
is first of its kind in the state and possible the nation. The
ultimate goal is to protect students and teachers in high schools,
middle schools, and elementary schools from inconceivable
tragedy.
4. Policy applies to…
i. Burlington County Schools
ii. Burlington County School Administrators

iii. Principals/Superintendents
iv. Counselors
v. Resource Officers
vi. Local Police Departments
vii. Teachers
viii. Students
ix. Parents
x. Board of Education
xi. Board of Freeholder
xii. Burlington County Freeholder Director (Katie Gibbs)
xiii. State of New Jersey
xiv. Government
4. Reason for the Policy
Safety and security has become of great concern nationwide.
Parents fear sending
their children to school. Educator fear that an unthinkable
tragedy will occur
while in school. Burlington County wants school buildings to be
sage places
where students can learn, educators can reach, and parents can

feel comfortable sending their children to school every day.
5. Introduction
Several complaints by parents, teachers, and school
administrators were brought forth. Several town hall meeting
took place to discuss the continuous safety concerns within the
school. Freehold meetings took place. Freeholder Kate Gibbs
was joined by members of law enforcement and several
Burlington County School Superintendents and they launched a
$20 million county grant program that encourages all twenty
one public high schools in Burlington County to invest in
making their schools more safe and secure.
6. Policy Statement
Burlington County Schools are the primary audience. Schools
administrators need to follow this policy. This policy only
pertains to high school as of now. The ultimate goal is to extend
it to elementary and middle school. The major conditions are for
schools to make a grant application to the County and agree to a
security evaluation by a highly qualified architectural firm. The
aim is to provide a safe and secure environment.
7. Definitions
n/a
8. Related Polices, Procedures, Guidelines, and other Resources
a. School Safety Policy
9. History
Last Reviewed Date - June 12, 2018
Last Revised Date – June 12, 2018
Policy Origination Date – Not Available
10. Key Words
1. Kate Gibbs
2. Burlington County School Security Initiative

References
County of Burlington [US]. (n.d). Recycling. Retrieved of July
25, 2018 from
https://co.burlington.nj.us/345/Recycling
DataUSA. (April 4, 2016). Burlington County New Jersey.
Retrieved on July 24, 2018 from
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/burlington-county-nj/
Levinsky, D. (2018, June, 12). Freeholder Kate Gibbs Launches
$20 Million School Security
Initiative. Burlington County Times, Retrieved from
http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20180612/burlingt
on-county-freeholder-director-proposes-20-million-school-
security-initiative
Social Policy Toolbox (n.d). Elements of a Standard Policy
Statement. Capella University.
http://media.capella.edu/CourseMedia/HMSV5402/PublicPolicy
Toolbox/documents/HMSV5402%20Elements%20of%20a%20St
andard%20Policy.pdf
Recycling Facts. (2017). #1 Recycling Fact: You can make a
difference. Retrieved from
https://recyclingfacts.org/
Siegel, J., and D. Swanson. 2004. The Methods and Material of
Demography. Second Edition.
New York: Elsevier.
Statistical Atlas. (2015, April 17). Overview of Burlington
County. Retrieved on July 24, 2018
from https://statisticalatlas.com/county/New-Jersey/Burlington-
County/Overview

The Editorial Board. (2018, February 24). America is Failing
School Safety. Newsday. Retrieved
from https://www.newsday.com/opinion/editorial/schools-gun-
control-parkland-1.16926538
U.S. Census Bureau. (2015, March 19). Burlington County.
https://www.census.gov/
Shortlist of Common Human Services Social Change
and Public Policy Issues
The London School of Economics defines Social Policy as "an
interdisciplinary and
applied subject concerned with the analysis of societies'
responses to social need", calling
on Human Services Professionals to understand theory and
evidence drawn from a wide
range of social science disciplines, including economics,
sociology, psychology,
geography, history, law, philosophy and political science.
Governmental Issues
• Battered women’s shelter controversy.
• Wealthy benefactor - donated land searching for a place to put
it, businesses and
established members of the community object.
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

• Supplemental Nutritional Assistance
• Child Care
• Early childhood education
• Child welfare, support
• Older person, Aging Services
• Supplemental Security Income
• Families in Poverty
• Affordable Housing
• Human Trafficking
• Womens’ Health
• Euthanasia
• Recreational Drug Use
• Incarceration Reform
• Housing
• Education
• Human Rights and disabilities
• Involuntary Disappearances
• The Right to Food
• Freedom of Religion or Belief
• HIV/AIDS
• Rights of Persons Belonging to national, ethnic, religious and
linguistic minorities
• Elimination of Racial Discrimination
• Contemporary forms of Slavery
• Prevention of Torture
• Right to Water and Sanitation
• Gender, racial ethnic equality
Non-Governmental Organization:
https://www.unodc.org/ngo/list.jsp
• Juvenile justice

• Women in contemporary society
• Anti-Drug and Narcotics
• Gender, racial ethnic equality
• Contemporary forms of Slavery
• Battered Women services
• Labor Rights
• HIV/AIDS
• Labor, Health and Education
• Violence against Women
• Rights of Persons Belonging to national, ethnic, religious and
linguistic minorities
• Native Language Revitalization
• Cultural Rights
For-Profit - Organization
• Abuses of migrant workers
• child labor
• human trafficking
• Work casualization - short-term and contract employment
• Surveillance of Digital Communications
• Adverse Rights of small farmers and local communities from
Land Acquisition
• Business crime, stolen public property, bribery, corruption and
tax evasion
• Sexual Violence in the Workplace
• Business social responsibilities to community
• Cultural, Ethnic, social diversity in employment
• Observing human rights

ACTIVITY:
Selecting a consensus proposal, develop
popular support, obtain approval
PARTICIPANTS:
Governing directors, Administrative leaders, sta�,
of Business, non-governmental organization and/or
governing body
Policy
Formulation
ACTIVITY:
Develop Policy Proposal to solve issues
and alleviate problems
PARTICIPANTS:
Governing directors, leaders and/or sta�, organization
committees, interest groups, think tanks
Policy
Approval
Problem
Identi�cation
ACTIVITY:
Search publicized Community Problems
demands for Action
PARTICIPANTS:
Interest Groups, News Media, Citizen Initiatives

Public Opinion (Surveys, interviews), Political Actors,
Political Parties, non-governmental organizations, Business
Decide
Issue
ACTIVITY:
Choose which issues & what problems
will be acted on by governing body
PARTICIPANTS:
Political, business and/or organization
leaders, Businesses, non-governmental organizations,
governmental bodies
Policy
Implementation
ACTIVITY:
Organize implementing agency(s), establish budget,
appropriate funds, provide services
PARTICIPANTS:
Governing directors, Administrative leaders, sta�,
of Business, non-governmental organization and/or
governing body
Policy
Evaluation
ACTIVITY:

Report progress, outcomes, failures and achievements,
assess e�ects on target and non-target groups,
propose changes in policy to resolve con�icts
PARTICIPANTS:
Governing executives, agencies, committees,
mass media, think tanks
Policy Making Process
(To regulate con�icts in community, distribute symbolic
rewards and material services to members of society or
organization; extract money from society, and/or regulate
behavior, organize bureaucracies, distribute bene�ts.)
©2017 Capella University
Understanding Social Change as a Human Services Professional
1
Understanding Social Change as a Human Services
Professional
Rudolph Ryser, PhD
2017 Capella University
What is social change?

The European Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries
introduced to public consciousness the
“idea of progress” claiming “whichever society came later must
be better” and thus social change is
necessarily on the path of constant improvement associated with
the concept of sociocultural evolution.
The Romantic Movement of 19th Century Europe countered the
idea of progress with the degeneration
theory—advocated by social scientists arguing that earlier
societies are superior to later societies.
Whether one advocates progress or degeneration the concepts
inherently rely on a conception of social
change in human society.
The notion of sociocultural evolution as the driving force
foundational to progressive social change
has come under scrutiny by social scientists in the 21st century
offering the idea that sociocultural
evolution presupposes social determinism and ethnocentrism—
the inevitability of progress and the
superiority of one ethnic population over another who are “more
evolved.”
Social change can be regressive or degenerative. The forces that
influence progressive social change
(intentional, unintentional and non-purposeful) can bring about
societal changes that can benefit some
and harm others too.
The assumption that social change generally will inevitably
build community-based responses that
define underlying social problems on an individual,
institutional, community, national and/or
international level is the conventional view of social action.
Social change can change attitudes;
behaviors, laws, policies and institutions to better reflect values

of inclusion, fairness, diversity and
opportunity just as those forces can when activated bring about
social change.
While progressive change and regressive changes are
foundational to much social change
scholarship, a more nuanced analysis argues for a more realistic
understanding of social change.
Social change may occur as a result of concerted efforts of
individuals or groups making new laws,
regulations, and new institutional structures. In the present
intentional social change is the most
common type of change giving rise to individuals aspiring to
become change agents or social change
leaders. Governments, non-profit organizations and businesses
regularly engage in establishing policies,
practices and regulations toe “cause change.” Unintentional
social change may also occur as a result of
the actions of social movements, consequences of economic
upheaval, violence and war can bring about
social change all operating outside the formal systems of
accepted institutions. There is a third form of
social change that may occur resulting from either conscious
planning or intentional institutions; and this
is non-purposeful social change. This third form of social
change might result form migration of
populations, urbanization, shifts in the dominant form of
economy (globalization vs. industrialization,
local communications vs. the Internet) Intentional, unintentional
or non-purposeful social change may
result in very local social changes or global changes.

2
Social change involves a collective action of individuals and
can involve Human Service Professionals
who are closest to the social problems to develop solutions that
address social issues.1 As Weintstein
observes, “…society and culture vary over time as the result of
human actions. In some cases, this is the
direct outcome of planning and purpose; in others, it is indirect,
unanticipated, and unintended. Most
often, however, the effects of our acts are a combination of
intent and accident.”2
Example:
Intentional Social Change: The construction of a new highway
through a neighborhood to increase
economic development in a region will cause households to sell
their property or have it confiscated by
the local or other government through a claim of taking for the
“public good.” The dislocation of
families, businesses and other social activities may give rise to
significant changes that cause social,
economic, political, and cultural upheaval—thus social change.
Unintentional Social Change: A community located next to a
steep sloping hill in inundated by heavy
rain and flash flooding. The hill breaks away from it natural
mooring and mud rushes into streets below,
moving houses and destroying property. Some lives are lost and
others seriously injured. Refugees from
a violent overseas war occupy the area of this disaster. The new
community of refugees now has
experienced two disasters not of their own making.

What is social justice?
Social justice is the distribution of benefits and how they are
allocated in society. It is thought of
as a society that affords individuals and groups fair treatment
and a just share of the social, economic,
political and cultural benefits of society. Social justice is often
equated with the concepts of human
rights and equality. Individuals in a society can have different
ideas of social justice and what “just”
means since the word justice can be vague, ambiguous, and
subjective. This is measured by the
explicit and tacit terms for the distribution of wealth,
opportunities for personal activity and social
privileges. In Western as well as in older Asian cultures, the
concept of social justice has often
referred to the process of ensuring that individuals fulfill their
societal roles and receive what was
their due from society. In the current global grassroots
movements for social justice, the emphasis
has been on the breaking of barriers for social mobility, the
creation of safety nets and economic
justice.3
Example:
Economic issues, particularly the disparity between the rich and
the poor can be seen as a social
justice issue. In 2005, the top 20% of households accounted for
a record 50.4% of the national
income, up from 49.8% in 2000 and 43.2% in 1970. In contrast,
the bottom fifth’s share fell from
4.4% in 1970 to 3.6% in 2000 to 3.4% in 2005.
4 This can be seen as a social justice issue because the
benefits of society are allocated in an unjust way.

Social Change implemented through Public Policy Development
1 See: http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/what-is-human-
services
2 Weinstein, J. (2010). Social Change, Roman & Littlefield:
New York. 3rd Edition [VitalSource Bookshelf version].
Retrieved
from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781442203013
page 10.
3 See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_justice
4 Statistical data taken from the following:
http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/marapr2007p24.shtml
3
Community Support Skills Standards are key to the success of
Human Services Professionals.
Competencies include: Participant Empowerment, Community
Networking and Advocacy. Social
Change initiatives are only effective if they are constructive and
linked to a policy development
process. Human Service Professionals are intimately involved in
the social environment and
consequently occupy a position among professional distinctly
valuable to the process of policy
development intended to define the social problem, establish a
policy agenda, formulate a policy, set
out a plan to implement the policy, and incorporate methods for

evaluating the policy in process.
Policies are established, implemented and evaluated by
government (federal, state, county, city, and
other legal authorities), businesses (corporate, sole proprietor,
small business), and/or non-profit
organization (service, advocacy, research, educational,
religious). Once formulated and implemented,
the policy may establish a law, regulation, procedure, practice,
organize a structure, or set in place
specific values, vision and mission for a program, agency or
organization.
What is Human Service?
Human Services are recognizable as organized efforts and/or
services that help to improve and
advance social well-being. Human services can be providing
meals, shelter, food, clothing, and
programs for youth and adults, health care, ability/disability
services, language interpretation and
translation and others.
The field of Human Services is broadly defined, uniquely
approaching the objective of meeting
human needs through an interdisciplinary knowledge base,
focusing on prevention as well as
remediation of problems, and maintaining a commitment to
improving the overall quality of life of
service populations. The Human Services profession is one
which promotes improved service
delivery systems by addressing not only the quality of direct
services, but also by seeking to improve
accessibility, accountability, and coordination among
professionals and agencies in service delivery.5

Human Services agencies can provide a wide variety of services
that meet the social well being of a
community, region, or group of people.
Example:6
Human services professionals work in residential settings
generally work in shifts. Because residents
of group homes need supervision in the evening and at night,
seven days a week, evening and
weekend hours are required.
Despite differences in what they are called and what they do,
human services professionals generally
perform under the direction of professional staff. Those
employed in mental health settings, for
example, may be assigned to assist a treatment team made up of
social workers, psychologists, and
other human services professionals. The amount of
responsibility these workers assume and the
degrees of supervision they receive vary a great deal. Some
Human Services Professionals work
independently and have little direct supervision; others work
under close direction.
5 Definition is provided by the National Organization of Human
Services [http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/what-is-
human-
services]
6 Source: National Organization for Human Services
[http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/what-is-human-
services]

4
Examples of Occupational titles of Human Services
Professionals
Case Manager
Family Support Worker
Youth Worker
Social Service Manager
Residential Counselor
Behavioral Management
Case Management Aide
Eligibility Counselor
Alcohol Counselor
Adult Day Care Manager
Drug Abuse Counselor
Life Skills Instructor
Client Advocate
Neighborhood Worker
Social Service Aide
Group Activities Aide
Social Service Technician
Therapeutic Assistant
Probation Officer
Case Monitor Parole Officer
Child Advocate
Gerontology Aide
Juvenile Court Liaison
Home Health Aide
Group Home Worker
Child Abuse Worker
Crisis Intervention Counselor
Mental Health Aide

Community Organizer
Intake Interviewer
Community Outreach Worker
Social Work Assistant
Community Action Worker
Psychological Aide
Halfway House Counselor
Assistant Case Manager
Rehabilitation Case Worker
Residential Manager
Human services professionals work in community, residential
care, or institutional settings provide
direct services such as leading a group, organizing an activity,
or offering individual counseling.
They may handle some administrative support tasks, too.
Specific job duties reflect organizational
policy and staffing patterns, as well as the worker's educational
preparation and experience.
Because so many human services jobs involve direct contact
with people who are impaired and
therefore vulnerable to exploitation, employers try to be
selective in hiring. Applicants are screened
for appropriate personal qualifications. Relevant academic
preparation is generally required, and
volunteer or work experience is preferred.
Social Change and Public Policy
Human Services Professionals are uniquely positioned to
identify, organize and promote constructive
and effective social change. Human Services Professionals are
professional attune to the social
demands that arise from intended social changes as well as

unintended social changes. The process of
identifying and leading in the development of policies
responsive to social needs is a critical
competency for Human Services Professionals.
Elements of a Standard Policy Statement
1. Policy Title
a. Key points to follow when determining
the policy
b. Title must include verbs to either show
separationfrom another closely titled
policy, or to indicate which portion of the
topicwill be covered by the policy
Example: Establishment of operational rules for office
activities; acceptable and
unacceptable activities.
a. A shortsummary of the policy in 150 words;
specific details should not be
included
3. Policy Applies to …
a. Specify who the policy is targeting
i. Business
1. Board of Directors
2. Executives

3. Middle Management
4. General Personnel
ii. Non-Profit
1. Board of Directors
2. Executives
3. Program Directors
4. Program service personnel
iii. Government
1. Legislative Body
2. Judicial Body
3. Executive
4. Program Managers
5. Program service personnel
6. Program Delivery
4. Reason for Policy
a. Information in this section answers the question,
Why does the Policy need to
exist. Key areasinclude:
i. Program, legal or regulatoryreasons
ii. Description of the conflict or problem the policy
will solve
iii. What are the overall expected benefits?
iv. Ifthereare otherlaws, rules, regulations, policies
or practices that this
proposed policy is associatedwith,specifically
reference thesein this
section.
b. What not to include

i. Should not include the history of how the policy
was developed and
neither should it contain any procedural steps.
5. Introduction
a. Describe the stepsthat were taken to develop
the policy (i.e., community
involvement, agency personnel recommendations,
administrators’ comments.)
in no more than 250 words
6. Policy Statement
a. This is the most important section. INCLUDE IN
THIS SECTION:
i. Who is the primary audience (who needs to
follow this policy?)
ii. In what situation(s) does this policy not apply
iii. What are the major conditions or restrictions?
iv. What is expected of employees, governing body?
v. Are their special situations where the policy is
excluded?
• {Here are the rules for the policy owner/writer to
follow when drafting the policy
statement:
o Sentences and paragraphs must be clear and
understandable for the target
audience.
o Acronyms may be used if spelled out completely

the first time the phrase is
used (e.g., principal director (PD), National
incident Management
Association (NIMA).
o Use strong action words (will, must,
are responsible for, etc). Do not use
“shall” in the policy statement.
• What not to include:
o The policy statement should not include
background details on the policy nor
should it contain procedural steps. Avoid
using a specific label, such as the
name of a software product. Generic terms
are more long lasting and
require less future maintenance.
7. Definitions
a. Terms such as “procedures,” “guidelines,” – define
unfamiliar or technical terms
or terms with special meanings.
8. Related Policies, Procedures, Forms, Guidelines,
and otherResources
a. List information (documents and sources) that
supports the specific policy in this
section such as: Administrative Policy Statements,
Procedures, Forms,
Guidelines, and otherresources.
9. History
a. This is a record of policy changes by
date with any summary of changes.

10. Key Words
a. List of related terms, or phrases both found
and not found in the Policy
statement that otherpeople might use to search
for the policy.
Social Change and Public Policy Vocabulary
Building a Social Change and Public Policy
Vocabulary
Rudolph Ryser
2017
Every specialized field of study or practice usually requires a
particular vocabulary. This
is true in large measure since scholars from different
perspectives have over time
contributed to the language used to describe, explain and
communicate ideas, concepts
and applications in the field. This proves to be equally true of
Social Change and of
Public Policy. This document offers some of the most common
vocabulary for both areas
of study and sometimes the points at which these two fields
converge. This is not an
exhaustive list, but you may find the lists below helpful as you
navigate the literature and
undertake your own study of Social Change and Public Policy.

Social Change Vocabulary
Social Change Vocabulary Description
Class System, Open A social system in which the position of
each individual in the social order (stratus)
is influenced by his or her achieved status
Power The ability to exercise one's will or
influence over others
Pre-Generalized Learning Period According to the Symbolic
Interactionist
Perspective, a time when children may
overhear parents make bigoted or
prejudiced statements, but they may have
not yet learned to separate people by
culture, social or ethnic group.
Prejudice A negative attitude toward an entire
category of people, such as a racial or
ethnic minority
Prestige The respect and admiration that an
occupation holds in a society
Proletariat Social Philosopher Karl Marx's term for the
working class in a capitalist society
Racism The belief that one race is supreme and all
others are innately inferior
Self-fulfilling Prophecy The tendency of people to respond to
and
act on the basis of stereotypes, leading to

Social Change Vocabulary Description
validation of false definitions
Social Class A term used by Sociologist Max Weber to
refer to a group of people who have a
similar level of wealth and income
Social Stratification The ranking of individuals in a hierarchy
system according to a distribution of
economic resources, social statuses, and
power
Stereotypes Unreliable generalizations about all
members of a group that do not recognize
individual differences within the group
Stratification The existence of structured inequalities in
life chances between groups in society
Symbolic Interactionist Perspective looks at individual and
group meaning-
making, focusing on human action instead
of large-scale social structures
Total Rejection Stage According to the Symbolic Interactionist
Perspective, the stage when children can
use physical clues to sort people into
groups
Upward Mobility Movement from one social level (stratus)
to a higher one
Wealth An inclusive term encompassing all of a

person's material assets, including land and
other types of property
Public Policy Vocabulary
Vocabulary Description
Accountable responsible for your actions and decisions
Conservation ”to keep safe”
Constituent a person that lives in a district that elects a
government official, supports or benefits
from a non-profit organization, or a
beneficiary or supporter of a for-profit
organization.
Contribution “money; supposed to be donated without
something being promised in return;
dishonest contributions may be considered
bribes”
Vocabulary Description
economic development efforts to bring non-profit or for-profit
enterprise, production, distribution of goods
and jobs to an area.
Forum a place where public issues can be
discussed
Global economy ”worldwide economic and social markets;

interconnected for-profits, non-profits and
trade around the world”
Interest group organizations created to press for rules,
practices and/or laws as policies their
members favor
Lobby to contact decision-makers and convince
them to advocate or vote a particular way
Media all forms of communication including
printed, electronic, and interpersonal
News media report current events and other news to
facilitate an informed public
Public agenda topics that are at the top of the public’s
concerns and have the attention of
governmental, non-profit organization
and/or for-profit organization decision-
makers
Public health ”well-being of the population; especially
medical issues”
Public opinion Views, sentiments of large numbers of
people on a particular issue
Public policy r u l e s , r e g u l a t i o n s , p r a c t i c e s ,
p r o c e d u r e s t h a t g o v e r n conflict within
and organization or society; they organize
organizations or society to carry on conflict
with other societies; they distribute a great
variety of s y m b o l i c r e w a r d s and
m a t e r i a l s e r v i c e s to members of the
society; and they e x t r a c t m o n e y from

society, most often in the form of taxes.
Thus public policies may regulate behavior,
organize bureaucracies, distribute benefits,
or extract taxes.

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