In seeking to understand social policy it is imperative that we understand why there is a need to comprehend such policy. Social policy affects individuals, communities and society in direct and in-direct ways on micro and macro levels. As a future social work professional understanding social policy and how it is created assists in achieving an important value of the profession- social justice. By understanding social policy, social work professionals can help break down the barriers that policy can put up, and in collaborating with clients identify gaps in social policy. An advocate that is well versed in social policy understands the processes that policy goes through therefore knows that there are ways to encourage social policy change.
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Lastly I will build upon my perspective and explain why I would change the policy as well as provide policy recommendations based on research. The way that organizations develop policy reflects on their values, which is why it is enlightening to investigate it further. The policy that I have chosen to do this paper on is the TSA NHC dry housing policy. Interestingly, upon gathering information from my superiors at work and doing research I found out that all of TSA’s emergency shelters operate from this policy. This is a Christian faith-based organization and “its message is based on the Bible; its ministry is motivated by love for God and the needs of humanity” (The Salvation Army: Mission and Values, 2015, para.1).This organization promotes abstinence from drugs and alcohol, along with other Christian values. The main components of the dry housing policy are that residents are not allowed to be under the influence of illicit drugs or alcohol while on premises (The Salvation Army, 2011). In this particular establishment this means that if an individual wants to book in but smells of …show more content…
The dry housing policy at NHC was made based on the values of the previous and current leaders of the organization, therefore I find there to be a disconnect between what is needed and what is actually offered. This policy is entrenched in its own doctrine so much so that progressive change is not put forth. As previously mentioned the policy was made to firstly adhere and promote its faith-based value system, and secondly to promote abstinence and recovery for the at-risk of homelessness and the homeless. The policy has not done what it has intended to. It intended to promote abstinence, but I found no current research that supports the notion that dry shelters in particular help do so. For example, individuals that are sober upon intake often consume alcohol or do drugs while out of the shelter thus yielding no difference in their alcohol consumption. Secondly, by not allowing access to shelter and restricting individuals under the influence this policy put forth that “punitive solutions are necessary to shape moral behavior and discourage "bad" behavior” and this is not effective (Wright, 2000, p.30). Zelvin and Davis (2001) explain that trying to convince people to be abstinent is not an effective strategy, since this is the
Lastly I will build upon my perspective and explain why I would change the policy as well as provide policy recommendations based on research. The way that organizations develop policy reflects on their values, which is why it is enlightening to investigate it further. The policy that I have chosen to do this paper on is the TSA NHC dry housing policy. Interestingly, upon gathering information from my superiors at work and doing research I found out that all of TSA’s emergency shelters operate from this policy. This is a Christian faith-based organization and “its message is based on the Bible; its ministry is motivated by love for God and the needs of humanity” (The Salvation Army: Mission and Values, 2015, para.1).This organization promotes abstinence from drugs and alcohol, along with other Christian values. The main components of the dry housing policy are that residents are not allowed to be under the influence of illicit drugs or alcohol while on premises (The Salvation Army, 2011). In this particular establishment this means that if an individual wants to book in but smells of …show more content…
The dry housing policy at NHC was made based on the values of the previous and current leaders of the organization, therefore I find there to be a disconnect between what is needed and what is actually offered. This policy is entrenched in its own doctrine so much so that progressive change is not put forth. As previously mentioned the policy was made to firstly adhere and promote its faith-based value system, and secondly to promote abstinence and recovery for the at-risk of homelessness and the homeless. The policy has not done what it has intended to. It intended to promote abstinence, but I found no current research that supports the notion that dry shelters in particular help do so. For example, individuals that are sober upon intake often consume alcohol or do drugs while out of the shelter thus yielding no difference in their alcohol consumption. Secondly, by not allowing access to shelter and restricting individuals under the influence this policy put forth that “punitive solutions are necessary to shape moral behavior and discourage "bad" behavior” and this is not effective (Wright, 2000, p.30). Zelvin and Davis (2001) explain that trying to convince people to be abstinent is not an effective strategy, since this is the