SWOK 600: Social Welfare and Social Policy Read the directions that preface each section. You can weigh the point value for each prompt within the range set for that section. Be sure that the total possible point value equals 100. If your responses are not received by this time – and you have not communicated with me beforehand – it may jeopardize your final grade.  Section 1: Clarifying Terms and ApplyingConcepts : For each of the following prompts, respond briefly (approximately 3-4 sentences– or bullets – for each). 50 points total: 4-6 points each. 1) Describe two of the following: a. Three shortcomings of the federal poverty line as a measure of need in the United States. b. Three ways in which monthly U.S. Department of Labor measures of employment and unemployment fail to capture a complete picture of people’s work – or lack thereof. c. How “point in time” counts of homelessness misrepresent the extent of the problem of housing deprivation in the U.S. 2) What is the impact (or, more cynically, the potential purpose) of such failings [i.e., in Q1]to capture the extent of social problems? 3) A variety of policy and programmatic approaches have been pursued at the federal and state levels ostensibly to address poverty. Provide and briefly describe one specific example for each of the following: a. Cash assistance b. Tax credits/deductions c. In-kind benefits/vouchers d. Human capital development 4) Explain how the following are examples of policy devolution: a. The creation of TANF Block Grants b. The promotion and proliferation of “Ten Year Plans to End Homelessness” 5) Explain how the following are examples of privatization: a. The Medicare Part C Program b. The Housing Choice and Project-Based Voucher Programs 6) Veghte (2014) identifies “Five Persistent Myths about Social Security,” all of which can be seen as grounded in the funding mechanisms of Social Security. Explain. 7) Describe the key similarities and differences between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). 8) Explain why state policies have a significant impact on the amount of federal spending on Medicaid. 9) Describe the “housing first” approach to addressing contemporary homelessness, which has grown substantially in the past decade. How does it differ – both philosophically and practically – from the “housing ready” model that had been dominant since the rise of contemporary homelessness? 10) What is the purpose of insurance? How does the fragmented U.S. health insurance “system” undercut this purpose? 11) Articulate three key provisions of the Affordable Care Act and their impact. Section 2: Connecting Past and Present : Explain how the past has influenced the present in the following policies and programs. Respond to two of the following prompts in a couple of paragraphs each. 8-12 points each. 1) Jean-Baptiste Aphonse Karr – along with Bon Jovi – observed, “The more things change, the m.

1. SWOK 600:
Social Welfare and Social Policy
Read the directions that preface each section.
You can weigh the point value for each prompt within the range
set for that section. Be sure that the total possible point value
equals 100. If your responses are not received by this time – and
you have not communicated with me beforehand – it may
jeopardize your final grade.
Section 1:
Clarifying Terms and ApplyingConcepts
:
For each of the following prompts, respond briefly
(approximately 3-4 sentences– or bullets – for each).
50 points total:
4-6 points each.
1) Describe two of the following:
a. Three shortcomings of the federal poverty line as a measure
of need in the United States.
b. Three ways in which monthly U.S. Department of Labor
measures of employment and unemployment fail to capture a
complete picture of people’s work – or lack thereof.

2. c. How “point in time” counts of homelessness misrepresent the
extent of the problem of housing deprivation in the U.S.
2) What is the impact (or, more cynically, the potential purpose)
of such failings [i.e., in Q1]to capture the extent of social
problems?
3) A variety of policy and programmatic approaches have been
pursued at the federal and state levels ostensibly to address
poverty. Provide and briefly describe one specific example for
each of the following:
a. Cash assistance
b. Tax credits/deductions
c. In-kind benefits/vouchers
d. Human capital development
4) Explain how the following are examples of policy
devolution:
a. The creation of TANF Block Grants
b. The promotion and proliferation of “Ten Year Plans to End
Homelessness”
5) Explain how the following are examples of privatization:
a. The Medicare Part C Program
b. The Housing Choice and Project-Based Voucher Programs
6) Veghte (2014) identifies “Five Persistent Myths about Social
Security,” all of which can be seen as grounded in the funding

3. mechanisms of Social Security. Explain.
7) Describe the key similarities and differences between Social
Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security
Income (SSI).
8) Explain why state policies have a significant impact on the
amount of federal spending on Medicaid.
9) Describe the “housing first” approach to addressing
contemporary homelessness, which has grown substantially in
the past decade. How does it differ – both philosophically and
practically – from the “housing ready” model that had been
dominant since the rise of contemporary homelessness?
10) What is the purpose of insurance? How does the fragmented
U.S. health insurance “system” undercut this purpose?
11) Articulate three key provisions of the Affordable Care Act
and their impact.
Section 2:
Connecting Past and Present
:
Explain how the past has influenced the present in the following
policies and programs. Respond to
two
of the following prompts in a couple of paragraphs each.
8-12 points each.
1) Jean-Baptiste Aphonse Karr – along with Bon Jovi –
observed, “The more things change, the more they stay the
same.” President Clinton and Speaker Gingrich (in)famously
sought to “end welfare as we know it,” and welfare reform – in
particular, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity

4. Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) – had significant impacts. Many
of the changes embodied in the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) Program, however, were foreshadowed in the
history of social welfare policy in the U.S. – and in the AFD
and AFDC programs, in particular. Describe ways in which the
Clinton-Gingrich “welfare reform” can be seen as consistent
with past U.S. welfare policies.
2) Michelle Alexander argues the rise of mass incarceration
functions as “The New Jim Crow.” Describe the ways that mass
incarceration – to include related policies and practices of the
legal and law enforcement systems – impact individuals,
families, communities, and society in ways that are similar to or
reminiscent of previous mechanisms of racial control and caste.
3) “Past is prologue,” wrote Shakespeare in
The Tempest
. Explain how Social Security developed and changed since its
creation in 1935, and how its history influences one or two of
the current issues related to the program – e.g., its solvency, its
coverage, the (in)accessibility of disability benefits for those
who are extremely marginalized.
4) Eugene O’Neill wrote, “There is no present or future – only
the past, happening over and over again, now.” How has the
history of housing policy led to what Professor Lawrence Brown
has called “The White L and Black Butterfly” in Baltimore City
– and a hypersegregated city 50 years after the Fair Housing
Act.
Section 3:
Interrogating the Relationship between Public Policy and
Political Economy
:
Respond to

5. one
of the following prompts examining the relationship among
social problems, public policy, and political economy in a
couple of paragraphs.
8-12 points.
1) Hunger and homelessness are highly tractable problems in
the U.S.: that is, their solutions seem relatively simple. (E.g.,
the way to end a person’s hunger is to provide the person food,
and we have enough food to feed our neighbors who are
hungry.) Given this, one can reasonably speculate that their
existence and persistence perform some sort of social function.
Explain this seeming contradiction (e.g., between people-less
houses and house-less people). Who benefits from the
maintenance of food and housing insecurity and deprivation?
How?
2) Today more and more people talk about the “failed” War on
Drugs and the rise of mass incarceration, but if the policy was a
complete failure, it likely would no longer exist. As such, we
might be led to ask: who benefits from what Michelle Alexander
calls “The New Jim Crow”? What are the economic benefits of
mass incarceration?
3) Roughly 12 million people live in the United States without
documentation – only ~700,000 of whom have protections as a
result of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival. How does
immigration policy in the U.S. connect to one or more of the
five distinguishing features of the contemporary U.S. political
economy as articulated by Blau?
Section 4:
Analyzing and CritiquingCurrent Policy Proposals
:
In a couple of paragraphs, respond to

6. one
the following prompts using concepts/criteria discussed in the
course – e.g., progressive and regressive taxation, populations-
at-risk, inclusiveness of coverage, adequacy (horizontal and
vertical), equity (horizontal and vertical), efficiency,
effectiveness, and values of social work and social justice. In
doing so, you should briefly describe the policy proposal in
question.
8-12 points.
1) A myriad of proposals have been suggested to reform (or
“save”) Social Security. Explain and analyze one option that
would extend the solvency of the program.
2) Conservative political leaders have proposed changes to
certain entitlement programs – specifically, SNAP and Medicaid
– that would convert them into block grants administered at the
state-level. Explain and analyze the conversion of either SNAP
or Medicaid to a block grant.
3) HUD Secretary Carson proposed allowing local housing
authorities to impose work requirements on those lining in
public(ly subsidized) housing. Explain and analyze the impact
of such a proposal.
4) The so-called “individual mandate” was effectively
eliminated in the 2018 tax reform. Explain and analyze the
likely impact of such efforts to undo such components of the
ACA.
5) Progressive leaders have proposed “single-payer” financing
mechanisms for universal health care in the United States.
Explain and analyze key aspects of a single-payer proposal.
6) President Trump proposed a “merit-based” immigration
system. Explain and analyze key aspects of such a system.

7. 7) The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security
(CARES) Act included changes to unemployment assistance and
insurance in the context of the current pandemic. Explain and
analyze key changes to unemployment insurance program in the
CARES Act.
8) Universal Basic Income (UBI) had been a relatively obscure
policy proposal until Andrew Yang made it a centerpiece of his
presidential campaign. The policy – implemented at least
temporarily – has gained increased support as the number of
people who face unemployment or furlough rise significantly.
Explain and analyze key aspects of such a program.
9) Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders proposed implementing
a wealth tax on the richest people in the United States. Explain
and analyze key aspects of such a policy.
40 total points for sections 2-4.
Section 5: What Did You Learn in School Today? Assess your
own learning
:
Respond to
both
questions in this section. You will learn throughout your life,
but rarely will your learning be assessed by an exam. Because
of this, it is important to develop a habit of assessing the way
that your understanding has grown and deepened.
10 points for both.
1) What was the most important thing that you learned during
your time in this course? What is the most significant way that
your understanding deepened over the course of our time
together?

8. 2) What new questions are you asking yourself as a result of
your learning in the course?