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Full-Text Articles in Social Work
Assessing Access To Social Services In Emerging Systems: A Conceptual Approach, Steven G. Anderson, Meirong Liu, Xiang Gao
Assessing Access To Social Services In Emerging Systems: A Conceptual Approach, Steven G. Anderson, Meirong Liu, Xiang Gao
The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare
There has been considerable concern about systemic factors that serve as access barriers for vulnerable groups in need of services, but conceptual and empirical work related to such issues have been limited. This article presents a new conceptual approach for considering and assessing access, which we call the “Funnel Framework”. The framework is explicated abstractly, and is illustrated with use of the U.S. child care subsidy system. We argue that the framework can usefully guide the analysis of access to any social benefit system, and can be helpful to administrators and program developers as they design and implement benefit systems.
Value Discretion In A People-Changing Environment: Taking The Long View, Stephanie Baker Collins
Value Discretion In A People-Changing Environment: Taking The Long View, Stephanie Baker Collins
The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare
This article explores the normative value judgements (called value discretion) made by Ontario Works income assistance case managers in their people-changing roles. The focus of case management under welfare reform has moved from determining eligibility for income assistance—people processing, to moving recipients from assistance to employment—people changing. The article outlines case managers’ pursuit of “the long view” in working with recipients over time moving from assessment to crisis work to meeting workfare requirements. In taking the long view case managers expose a basic contradiction in welfare reform that people changing does not result in the shortest route to a job.