Expectations for Class Discussions and assignmentsIn rega.docx

Expectations for Class Discussions and assignments:
In regards to discussion posts I generally follow the guidelines
spelled out in Walden's grading rubric in regards to posts (see
the grading rubric outlined in the course information section of
blackboard). However, if you do not use APA format or
references in at least your initial post, I will deduct at least 5
points for that (so please do that). This is also the same rules
for assignments, that they must follow APA style format. Also,
in past courses I have been flexible in certain situations
regarding delayed or late posts. I do believe that life sometimes
gets in the way when we least expect it to. Please know that I
would prefer a late post than no post at all. However, I will not
accept posts that are more than a week late. If you are not able
to post by the required date for whatever reason, just please let
me know beforehand. As a rule, however, I do deduct points off
the posts if they are late so as to be fair to those who post on
time.
In addition, I will be following very closely with
Walden's Tunitin Policy, which I posted below. Therefore, any
paper that is submitted to me with more than 30% of the paper
with improperly cited passages (or to many cited passages) I
will return the paper to you and ask for you to re-review it and
for a re-write if necessary. You will not lose points if the
original paper was submitted on-time, but will be given a
limited period of time to review/rewrite the paper (2-3 days).
I have provided an outline of what is specifically required for
discussion posts and written assignments in this course:
Discussion Posts:
All posts to all discussions require APA citations and

references. Each student is to respond to 2 other students’ posts
for every discussion throughout the course. This is the rule for
this class; there are discrepancies in this on the Blackboard site.
However, going forward, If you post more than 6 response
posts by day 5 you will be eligible for 3 points extra
participation credit to make up for any lost points (my class
rule).
I will be posting on discussions and I am requiring a response
from you so please check throughout the week for when respond
to your discussion post (usually by day 5)
All initial posts and response posts are due on the days
specified on Blackboard (usually Day Three and Five). If your
post is late for whatever reason please make sure your posts are
posted by Day 7. I am no longer allowed to accept posts after
Day 7 as per Walden’s Policy, and any posts. If you know that
there is a circumstance that will prevent you for making the post
on time or by Day 7, please email me to discuss.
The way a reader (myself and other students) can see that you
understand the information, theoretical models, concepts, and
words you are discussing is to write about them in your own
words as much as possible, tell us what the article authors said
by paraphrasing, using your own language. Scholarly does not
mean you have to write using multi-syllabic words. Writing a
bit like you talk is fine if the reader can understand and if your
spelling and grammar are correct.
Read the rubric before and while you write. Let it guide you as
to what you write. This is straightforward. In discussion posts
you can draft a post in a word document where you have pasted
the instructions for each point to be made in the post. You can
then write your answer/post right under this instruction and
copy and paste the whole thing onto the discussion list. This can
help you stay on track.
The idea in discussions is to have as much of a conversation as
possible. Notice that the “feedback” rubric score for “excellent”
says: RESPONSES --if you fail to respond at all, the grade for
feedback is 0 out of 10 points. This does not even consider

quality of posts, doing nothing causes a loss of 10 points
CITATIONS AND REFERENCES: Initial posts and the 2
required responses must have citations and references from the
professional literature. Using only the case as a reference/cite
is NOT sufficient. This is a vignette, it is not research that will
back up a claim. Every post should have a claim you are
making (e.g. "I think an eco map is good to use here",
"Strengths based is best here", "Women in violent relationships
often attempt to leave 9 times before leaving for good). You
then must have a cite/ref. that backs up this claim, e.g. an
article that states eco maps are good to use in situations similar
to the case under discussion.
Written Assignments:
Walden University has a strict policy on written assignments,
whereas all papers are required to follow APA format. The only
exception is that they no longer require a running head on the
papers. Most of you already adhere to this format and I have
not been as strict in my grading when reviewing your papers on
this, but going forward (Week 7 and beyond) I will now follow
closely to Walden University requirements and the rubric. The
outline for an APA paper is below, and I have attached a sample
for your review.
In addition, as I mentioned in my introductory post at the
beginning of the quarter. following very closely with
Walden's Tunitin Policy, which I posted below. Therefore, any
paper that is submitted to me with more than 30% of the paper
with improperly cited passages (or too many cited passages) I
will return the paper to you and ask for you to re-review it and
for a re-write if necessary. You will not lose points if the
original paper was submitted on-time, but will be given a
limited period of time to review/rewrite the paper (2-3 days).
Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Dr. Regina

APA Format Outline: In general, your paper should follow
these formatting guidelines:
Margin. Although formerly, the required measurement for
margins is 1 ½ inch, now, it is required that margins on all sides
(top, bottom, left, right) should each just measure one (1) inch.
Font Size and Type. Font for text all throughout the paper
should be 12-pt., Times New Roman.
Spacing. Double-space for the whole document, including
appendices, footnotes, tables and figures. For spacing after
punctuation, space once after commas, colons and semicolons
within sentences and space twice after punctuation marks that
end sentences.
Text Alignment and Indentation. Alignment should be flush left,
or aligned to the left creating uneven right margin.
Active Voice. Traditionally, the APA writing format requires
writing in an impersonal form. That is, refraining from using
pronouns such as ‘I' or ‘We' in your statements. Now, it has
changed. Most disciplines require the active voice. An example
of this would be, instead of writing “according to the study,” it
should be “according to our study.” This way, papers are made
to be as active as possible.
Order of Pages and Pagination. The order of pages should
follow this format:
Title Page > Abstract > Body > References > Appendices >
Footnotes > Tables > Figures
The page number should appear one inch from the right corner
of the paper on the first line of each page. The title page will
serve as the Page 1 of your paper.
Title Page
The Title Page should contain the title of your paper, your name
as its author (including co-authors), your institutional
affiliation/s and author note if applicable. In case there's no
institutional affiliation, just indicate your city and state or your
city and country instead.
As mentioned earlier, your title page will serve as your Page 1.

It should be typed centered on the page. If it requires more than
one line, please be reminded to double-space between all lines.
Your name appears double-spaced as well, below the paper title.
The author note is where information about the author's
departmental affiliation is stated, or acknowledgements of
assistance or financial support are made, as well as the mailing
address for future correspondence.
Abstract
The Abstract of your paper contains a brief summary of the
entirety of your research paper. It usually consists of just 150-
250 words, typed in block format. The Abstract begins on a new
page, Page 2. All numbers in your Abstract should be typed as
digits rather than words, except those that begin a sentence.
Body
The body of your research paper begins on a new page, Page 3.
The whole text should be typed flush-left with each paragraph's
first line indented 5-7 spaces from the left. Also, avoid
hyphenating words at ends of line.
Text Citation and References
Text Citations are important to avoid issues of plagiarism.
When documenting source materials, the author/s and date/s of
the sources should be cited within the body of the paper. The
main principle here is that, all ideas and words of others should
be properly and formally acknowledged.
The Reference Section lists all the sources you've previously
cited in the body of your research paper. It states the author/s of
the source, the material's year of publication, the name or title
of the source material, as well as its electronic retrieval
information, if these were gathered from the Internet.
Appendices
The Appendix is where unpublished tests or other descriptions
of complex equipment or stimulus materials are presented.
apaformat.pdf

SOCW 6351 week ,5,6,7
Required
· Popple, P. R., & Leighninger, L. (2015). The policy-based
profession: An introduction to social welfare policy analysis for
social workers. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education.
· Chapter 7, “Aging: Social Security as an Entitlement” (pp.
139-163)
· NASW. (2009). Social work speaks. Washington, DC: NASW
Press.
· Long-term Care (pp. 223–228)
· U.S. Social Security Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved October
10, 2013, from http://www.ssa.gov/
Required
· Congressional Budget Office. (2010). Social Security policy
options. Retrieved from http://www.cbo.gov/publication/21547
Discussion 1: Social Security and Social Welfare Programs
For years, many working individuals in the United States have
counted on Social Security as their primary retirement income.
With the deductions from every paycheck to fund this future
benefit, Americans looked forward to a comfortable retirement
based on the assumption that these funds were being invested
wisely. Is this a factual assumption, or is it another myth of the
U.S. social welfare system?
Relying on Social Security as a sole means of support in
retirement is uncommon. As society’s work habits and life
expectancies change, Social Security has come to mean
different things to different people. For those who are unable to
save and/or invest on their own, it functions like a forced
retirement program that provides a financial safety net for the
future. For those who become unable to work, social security
often is viewed by others as a public assistance program. For
others who are financially secure and prepared for retirement, it
is an entitlement program where individuals draw Social
Security at retirement in an effort to recoup what they paid into

the program by deductions from their wages. How might these
perceptions of Social Security relate to the perceptions of public
assistance programs that were discussed in last week’s
resources?
For this Discussion, review this week’s resources. Then,
consider how Social Security is different from public assistance
programs. Finally, think about how these differences are
important in terms of the general perception of Social Security
benefits.
Post by Day 3 an explanation of how Social Security is different
from public assistance programs. Then, explain how these
differences are important, in terms of the general perception of
Social Security benefits.
Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be
sure to provide full APA citations for your references.
Discussion 2: Disenfranchisement of the Social Security
Program
While Social Security provides a safety net of sorts for millions
of people, there are still many groups who are not adequately
served by this program. For example, there are disparities in the
Social Security benefits women receive in comparison to men.
For this Discussion, review this week’s resources. Also, conduct
some Internet research to select a population that you think
might be disenfranchised by the Social Security program.
Consider how the population you selected might be
disenfranchised by the Social Security program.
Post by Day 4 a brief description of the population you selected.
Then, explain how that population might be disenfranchised by
the Social Security program based on research, statistics, or
policy analysis.

Assignment 1: Social Welfare Wiki Assignment, Part 2:
Researching the Social Problem
Responding to the social problems that affect the populations
you serve as a social worker is only one aspect of the
professional responsibility you must undertake. The ability to
be proactive by identifying disparities and gaps in policies is
just as important. However, in order to be an effective advocate
and to fully participate in the policy process, it is important that
you be able to connect theory and research to policy-making
decisions. Having the knowledge and skills to implement new
policies and policy alternatives without creating new disparities
is a skill all social workers need to possess.
For this Assignment, review this week’s resources. Reflect on
the issue you selected for your Social Problem paper in Week 3.
Consider the research evidence on possible causes or
explanations for that problem. Then, think about the theoretical
explanations and approaches scholars and policy analysts used
to discuss this issue and what policies have resulted from these
discussions. Consider whether these policies are effective in
resolving the problem. Visit the Group Wiki to which you are
assigned and review the social issue your group selected. Then,
as a group, begin sharing information and resources related to
the known explanations or causes of the problem you selected.
You will use the information you gain from your group's
collaboration to write a paper later this week. You may want to
consult the assignment instructions to ensure that your group
wiki addresses all aspects of the problem and includes resources
to meet all of the requirements of the paper.
Keep in mind that you stand to get as much out of a wiki as you
put into it. You are required to post information on your wiki at
least twice a week. You can substitute one of your content-
related posts by performing “housekeeping” activities in the
wiki, such as reorganizing existing information into new

categories or restating content to increase clarity.
Complete your Wiki Assignment by Day 5 of Week 5.
To complete your Wiki, click on Groups on the course
navigation menu. Once you have clicked on the link, select your
assigned group Wiki (e.g., Group A, Group B, etc.) to access
your group's home page. Select Group Wiki under the Group
Tools menu to work on your Wiki.
Assignment 2: Application—Social Problem Research
You have already written a paper on a social problem in Week
3. You have researched various information on the problem and
collaborated with your group through this week’s wiki. It is now
your turn to assimilate the information into a paper. Remember,
each group member will write a paper on an individual basis.
For this Assignment, review your group’s wiki for this week
and consider what you have learned about the possible causes of
the social problem your group selected.
Assignment (2–4 pages, APA format): Your paper should
include:
· A description of the known explanations or causes of the issue
you selected in your Social Issues paper in Week 3
· A description of the theoretical explanations and approaches
scholars and policy analysts used to discuss this issue
· A description of the policies that have resulted from these
discussions and an explanation of whether they are effective at
resolving the issue
Support your Assignment with specific references to the
resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your
references.

Week 6: Mental Health and Managed Care
Introduction
Psychology professionals historically provided mental health
services, but, over time, social work professionals have emerged
as the largest service providers in this area. The social work
profession brings a unique perspective to mental health and
managed care. Its focus on environmental factors and their
importance in both the assessment and intervention phases is
one example of how the social work profession has influenced
mental health care. Despite these influences, gaps in care still
exist within the mental health care system. How might you, as a
social worker, respond to the challenges these gaps in care
present? What gaps might exist in your state’s mental health
policies, and what is your ethical responsibility in addressing
these gaps?
This week, you explore the gaps in care within the mental
health care system and develop suggestions for how to address
the challenges the system faces in providing care. You also
examine the specific mental health policies for your state and
analyze the ethical responsibilities of social workers in mental
health care.
Objectives
Students will:
· Identify gaps in care for the mental health care system
· Analyze the influence of environmental stressors on mental
health treatment
· Develop strategies for addressing challenges in mental health
care
· Analyze policies on emerging issues in mental health care
· Develop strategies for ensuring clients/populations receive
necessary mental health services
· Analyze the ethical responsibilities of social workers as it
relates to mental health care conflicts in host settings
· Analyze specific state mental health commitment standards

and services
Required
Education.
· Chapter 8, “Mental Health and Substance Abuse (pp. 164-193)
· World Health Organization. (2004). Mental health policy and
service guidance package: Mental health policy, plans and
programmes. Retrieved
from http://www.who.int/mental_health/policy/en/policy_plans_
revision.pdf
· Plummer, S. -B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (Eds.).
(2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore: MD: Laureate
International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
· Part 1, "The Parker Family" (pp. 6–8)
Required
· Laureate Education (Producer). (2013). Sessions: Parker
family (Episode 5 of 42) [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu
Required
· Mental Health America. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2013,
from www.mentalhealthamerica.net
Discussion 1: Mental Health Care
Mental health care is a primary concern to social workers, who
are the main providers of care to populations with mental health
diagnoses. The system that provides services to individuals with
mental health issues is often criticized for being reactive and
only responding when individuals are in crisis. Crisis response
is not designed to provide on-going care and is frequently very
expensive, especially if hospitalization is involved.
Critics suggest a comprehensive plan, which involves

preventive services, as well as a continuum of care. However,
there are few, if any, effective and efficient program models.
Social work expertise and input are vital to implementing
effective services. Targeting services to individuals with a
diagnosis of mental illness is one strategy. Another approach
includes providing an array of services that are also
preventative in nature. How might these suggestions address
potential policy gaps in caring for individuals such as the
family members in the Parker Family case?
For this Discussion, review this week’s resources, including
the Parker Family video. Then consider the specific challenges
or gaps in caring for individuals with a chronic mental illness
might present for the mental health system based on the Parker
case. Finally, think about how environmental stressors, such as
poverty, can aggravate mental illness and make treatment more
challenging.
Post by Day 3 an explanation of the specific challenges or gaps
in the mental health care system for the care of individuals with
chronic mental illnesses. Base your response on the Parker case.
Then, describe how environmental stressors, such as poverty,
can aggravate mental illness and make treatment more
challenging.
Discussion 2: Emerging Issues in Mental Health Care
Like so many areas of practice in social work, mental health is
dynamic and ever-evolving. Research continues to provide new
information about how the brain functions, the role of genetics
in mental health, and evidence to support new possibilities for
treatment. Keeping up with these developments might seem
impossible. However, being aware of and responsive to these
developments and incorporating them into both your practice
and social policy is essential to changing the lives of
individuals and families who live with a mental health diagnosis

and the impact it brings to their daily lives.
For this Discussion, review this week’s resources. Search the
Walden Library and other reputable online sources for emerging
issues in the mental health care arena. Think about the issues
that are being addressed by social policy and those that are in
need of policy advocacy and why that might be the case. Then,
consider what social workers can do to ensure that
clients/populations receive necessary mental health services.
Also, think about the ethical responsibility related to mental
health care social workers must uphold in host settings when
they encounter conflicts in administration and home values.
Finally, search your state government sites for the mental health
commitment standards in your state and reflect on the mental
health services covered under your state’s Medicaid program.
By Day 4, post an explanation of those emerging issues in the
mental health care arena that the policymakers address and
those that are in need of policy advocacy and why. Then,
explain what strategies social workers might use to ensure that
clients/populations receive necessary mental health services.
Finally, explain the mental health commitment standards and
mental health services in your state. In your explanation, refer
to the services covered under your state’s Medicaid program.

Week 7: Child Welfare Policy
Introduction
When laypeople think of the terms “child welfare” and “social
work,” they may make only one assumption: that social workers
remove children from their homes. Few people outside of the
social work profession understand that social workers play a
much bigger role in the context of child welfare and families.
Policies in any domain vary widely based on various factors,
including culture. The domain of child welfare is no exception.
Do you think the same set of policies could be equally
applicable and effective in Southeast Asia and Western Europe?
It seems unlikely. There are still, however, some factors that
affect the welfare of a child the same way no matter where the
child is from. A strong and resilient family unit is one such
factor, as it is very important for the healthy growth of a child,
no matter what geographical region or culture he or she belongs
to. Social workers support children, and they work to ensure
that families have the knowledge, resources, and support to
nurture the child’s development. They consider the various
determining factors for child welfare and help shape policies
that affect the daily lives of children and their families.

This week, you examine the influence of culture on child
welfare policies. You also analyze the responsibilities of social
workers in supporting accessibility to child welfare services. In
addition, you analyze the role of family preservation in child
welfare, evaluate research findings on the effect of foster care
on children, and identify gaps in the state foster care system.
Finally, you evaluate child welfare approaches for their
appropriateness and effectiveness.
Objectives
Students will:
· Analyze influences of culture on child welfare policies
· Analyze responsibilities of social workers in supporting
accessibility to child welfare services
· Analyze the role of family preservation in child welfare
· Evaluate whether research supports the assumption that foster
care is harmful for children
· Identify gaps in state foster care system
· Compare benefits and shortfalls of permanency planning
· Compare benefits and shortfalls of family preservation
· Evaluate child welfare approaches
Required
Education.
· Chapter 10, “Child Welfare: Family Preservation Policy” (pp.
212-242)
· Edwards, H. R., Bryant, D. U., & Bent-Goodley, T. B. (2011).
Participation and influence in federal child welfare
policymaking. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 5(2/3), 145–
166.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
· Plummer, S. -B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (Eds.).
(2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore: MD: Laureate
International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].

· Part 1, "The Hernandez Family" (pp.3–5)
Required
· Laureate Education (Producer). (2013). Sessions: Hernandez
family (Episode 3 of 42) [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu
Discussion 1: Cultural Influences of Social Policy
Cultures, regardless of where they are or how long ago they
existed, share a few common characteristics. Among these
characteristics is a structure to care for their children and to
socialize them in the culture. Children are taught, both directly
and indirectly, the values of the culture, their role in the
culture, and the expectations the culture has for them. Children
absorb the rules, dynamics, and values, which they will later
pass these on to subsequent generations.
As a social worker, you will deal with families from different
cultural backgrounds. Understanding the cultural background of
the families you work with will help you to effectively
intervene and advocate for policies that support their needs.
How prepared are you to identify and advocate for social
policies that are just and support families from all cultures?
For this Discussion, review this week’s resources, including
the Hernandez Family video case. Consider how cultural
considerations might affect child welfare policy. Then, think
about what your responsibilities, as a social worker, might be in
supporting the Hernandez family in addressing their child
welfare needs through the accessibility of services.
Post by Day 3 an explanation of how cultural considerations
might affect child welfare policy. Then, explain what your
responsibilities, as a social worker, might be in supporting the
Hernandez family in addressing their child welfare needs
through the accessibility of services.

Discussion 2: Child Welfare and Family Preservation
An essential aspect of social work practice is the support and
preservation of the family unit. Building and empowering
strong, resilient families is a focus of social work practice
within organizations and communities.
Social work research is an integral aspect of working with
families. The research component of social work is essential to
providing effective policies, programs, and services to support
and empower families.
As a social worker, you need to be equipped with the knowledge
and skills required for effectively working with families for
child welfare. You also need to interpret and evaluate research
findings involving family and child welfare.
For this Discussion, review this week’s resources. Consider the
role of family preservation in child welfare, the research
regarding family preservation, and the assumptions about foster
care. Think about whether you agree with the research, and
whether there are any gaps in your state foster care system that
might contribute to the assumptions. Reflect on the benefits and
shortfalls of permanency planning and family preservation and
which approach you prefer.
Post by Day 4 an explanation of the role of family preservation
in child welfare. Then, explain whether research supports the
assumption that foster care is harmful for children, as presented
by the cornerstone argument for family preservation. Be sure to
include whether you agree with this assumption and why you
agree or disagree. Subsequently, identify the gaps in your state
foster care system that contribute to the idea that foster care is
harmful to children. Then, compare the benefits and shortfalls
of permanency planning and family preservation. Finally,
provide a description of whether you prefer the permanency or
the family preservation approach as a child welfare social
worker and why you prefer it.

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