Social policy relates to guidelines for the changing, maintenance or creation of living conditions that are conducive to human welfare. Thus social policy is that part of public policy that has to do with social issues.
Social policy aims to improve human welfare and to meet human needs for education, health, housing and social security. In an academic environment, social policy refers to the study of the welfare state and the range of responses to social need.
In United States politics, social policies are those which regulate and govern human behavior in areas such as sexuality and general morality. Social policies are in contrast to other, more traditional forms of political policy, such as foreign policy and economic policy. Modern-day social policies may deal with the following issues:
- abortion, and the regulation of its practice
- the legal status of euthanasia
- the rules surrounding issues of marriage, divorce, and adoption
- poverty, welfare, and homelessness and how it is to deal with these issues
- the legal status of recreational drugs
- the legal status of prostitution
Social policy may be influenced by religion and the religious beliefs of politicians. Political conservatives as a whole generally favor a more traditionalist approach that favors individual initiative and private enterprise in social policy. Political liberals, on the other hand favor the guarantee of equal rights and entitlements to all people and tend to favor state regulation or insurance to support this. In Europe and Canada, social policy usually refers to policies affecting the social conditions under which people live. Important areas of social policy in these countries are:
- Health insurance
- Accident insurance
- Unemployment insurance
- Retirement insurance
- Labor regulation
Education
A new social
policy project on health is planned for 2007. The aim is to identify health
reforms which will deliver efficiency and accountability to consumers,
ensure their health needs are met, but keep government financing and control
to a minimum. Proposed areas of research include:
Copyright The Centre for Independent Studies. Please contact The Centre for Independent Studies Limited (cis@cis.org.au) for permission to reprint material.
- The appropriate balance in public and private provision of health care and the future role of government in supporting or encouraging private health insurance;
- The future of Medicare and bulk-billing; the financing of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme; the management and financing of the public hospital system;
- The ageing population and its implications for the future cost of both health care and long-term aged care;
- The role of government in preventative medicine and community health promotion
- The relevance to Australia of overseas innovations in health policy (e.g. the scope and potential for the development of personal health savings accounts as a way of complementing health insurance in funding health care costs);
- State versus federal responsibilities (and the impacts on complexity, inefficiency and cost-shifting);
- The health care needs of indigenous communities;
- The cost implications of new medical technologies;
Strategies for ensuring an adequate supply of medical practitioners.
Hospital
Performance Measures and Quality of Care
by Werner, R., Bradlow, E., Asch, D., March/April 2008
Voting
by Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment
by
Karlawish, J., February 2008
The
Shape of Things to Come: Obesity, Aging, and Disability
by
Alley, D., Chang, V., Doshi, J., January 2008
Predicting
and Monitoring Antiretroviral Adherence
by Gross, R., November/December 2007
A
Wake-Up Call: Quality of Care After Resident Duty Hour Reform
by Volpp, K,. Silber, J., September/October 2007
Beyond
"Sicko" Thoughts on Health System Reform
by Aiken, L. Caplan, A. Grande, D. Pauly, M. Rosoff A., Summer 2007
Reducing
Firearm Injury: Lessons from Brazil
by Macinko, J. Marinho de Souza, M., June 2007
Medical
Migration to the U.S.: Trends and Impact
by
Polsky, D. Sochalski, J. Aiken, L Cooper, R., April/May 2007
How
Health Affects Small Business in South Africa
by Chao, L. Pauly, M., March 2007
Time
Under: Hospital and Patient Characteristics Affecting Anesthesia Duration
by Silber, J., February 2007
Flu-Related
Hospitalizations in Children
by Keren, R. Coffine, S. Zaoutis, T., December 2006/January 2007
Lower
Nicotine Cigarettes May Not Lower Harm
by Lerman, C. Strasser, A. Cappella, J., October/November 2006
Genetic
Counseling and Testing for Breast Cancer Risk in African Americans
by Hughes Halbert, S., September 2006
Reacting
to Antibiotic Allergies
by Apter, A. Strom, B., Summer 2006
Helping
Smokers Quit Through Pharmacogenetics
by Lerman, C., May/June 2006
Preparing
for the Next Natural Disaster: Learning from Katrina
by Kunreuther, H. March, 2006/April 2006
Antibiotics,
Acne, and Upper Respiratory Tract Infections
by Margolis, D., February 2006
Understanding
and Improving Hospice Enrollment
by Casarett, D., December 2005/January 2006
The
Effect of Firearm Deaths on Life Expectancy and Insurance Premiums in
the United States
by Lemaire, J., October/November 2005
No
Time to Spare: Improving Access to Trauma Care
by Branas, C., September 2005
How
Primary Care Practice Affects Medicaid Patients' Use of Emergency Services
by Lowe, R. Summer 2005
Genetics,
Disparities and Prostate Cancer
by Rebbeck, T. May/June 2005
Child
Neurology: Workforce and Practice Characteristics
by Polsky, D., April 2005
Computerized
Physician Order Entry Systems: The Right Prescription?
by R. Koppel, J.P. Metlay, A. Cohen, B. Abaluck, A.R. Localio, S.E.
Kimmel, B.L. Strom., March 05
Complementary
and Alternative Medicine: Personal Preference or Low Cost Option
by Jose A. Pagan, PhD and Mark V. Pauly, PhD, February 2005
Racial
Disparities in Cardiac Care: Geography Matters
by Groeneveld, P., Dec. 04/Jan 05
Public
Spending on Elders and Children: The Gap is Growing
by Pati, S. Keren, R. Alessandri, E. and Schwarz, D.
Trauma
Center-Community Partnerships to Address Firearm Injury: It Can Be Done
by Richmond, T. Branas, and C. Schwab, W., October 04
Transitional
Care for Older Adults: A Cost Effective Model
by Naylor, M., April/May 04
Professional
and Public Attitudes Toward Incentives for Organ Donation
by Jasper, J. and Asch, D., March 04
The
New Medicare Drug Benefit: Much Ado About Little
by Pauly, M., January/February 04
Self-Management
Education of Children with Asthma: A Meta-Analysis
by Guevara, J., November/December 03
Hospital
Nurse Staffing, Education and Patient Mortality
by Aiken, L. Clarke, S. Silber, J., Sloane, D. 9(2), October 03
The
Ineffectiveness of Retrospective Drug Utilization Review
by Hennessy, S. Strom, B. 9(1), September 03
How
Physicians React to Cost-Effectiveness Information
by Asch, D. Hershey, J. Ubel, P. 8(9), Summer 03
Guns
in the Home: Risky Business
by Wiebe, D. 8(8), May 03
Market
Reform in New Jersey and Quality of Care: A Cautionary Tale
by Volpp, K. Williams, S. and Pauly, M. 8(7), April 03
Gatekeeping
and Children's Health Care Costs
by Pati, S. 8(6), March 03
"False
Alarm" Mammography Results—How Do Women React?
by
Kahn, B. and Luce, M. 8(5), February 03
Accomodating
Medical School Faculty with Disabilities
by Steinberg, A. Iezzoni, L. Conill, A. Stineman, M. 8(4), December
02/January 03
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National Council on Independent Living
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Employment
Title I of the ADA prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions with 15 or more employees from discriminating against otherwise-qualified people with disabilities. (The ADA also applies to the legislative branch of the federal government, including Congress and legislative agencies; other branches of the federal government prohibit discrimination of people with disabilities through the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.) Employers must not discriminate in job application procedures; the hiring, advancement, or discharge of employees; employee compensation; job training; and any other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. An otherwise-qualified individual with a disability is someone who meets the requirements for skill, experience, education, and other conditions needed for the position and who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job.Reasonable accommodation in employment consists of a variety of modifications or adjustments. These include (1) modifying a job application procedure so that a qualified applicant with a disability can be considered for the position, (2) changing the work environment, or the way the work is customarily performed, to permit someone with a disability to fulfill the job's essential functions, and (3) enabling an employee with a disability to enjoy the same benefits of employment as employees without disabilities—for example, ensuring that the company parking garage accommodates employees who use wheelchairs. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations unless they would create an undue hardship—meaning providing the accommodations would impose significant difficulty or expense on the employer.
Public Services
Under Title II of the ADA, state and local governments must not exclude people with disabilities from government programs or activities nor deny the benefits of government programs, activities, and services to such people merely because of their disabilities. Title II applies to anything a public entity does, even activities that are carried out by private contractors. For example, a state government is obligated to ensure that a private hotel located in a state park complies with the requirements of Title II.
In general, public entities must provide their programs and services in the most integrated (inclusive) setting possible, unless separate or different measures are absolutely necessary to ensure equal opportunity for people with disabilities. To provide such an integrated setting, state and local governments are required to modify policies, practices, and procedures that deny equal access to individuals with disabilities, unless a fundamental alteration in the program would result. For example, a city-sponsored quilting class held on the second floor of a building with no elevator might have to move to the ground floor to accommodate a person who uses a wheelchair. This change would not fundamentally alter the class. On the other hand, modifying a requirement that applicants for a driver's license pass a vision test would be a fundamental alteration of the license program. A blind person who asserted that the vision test made the program inaccessible would be unlikely to prevail under the ADA.
When necessary to ensure effective communication with people with disabilities, public entities must furnish auxiliary aids and services, such as qualified sign language interpreters or materials in Braille (see Braille System). Title II also mandates the accessibility of public and private fixed-route transportation systems (boat, bus, or rail).
Public Accommodation
Title III of the ADA prohibits all places of public accommodation from discriminating against people with disabilities. A place of public accommodation is a private business that offers goods, services, or activities to the general public. Title III provides an exhaustive list of categories of public accommodations. These categories are: places of lodging, establishments serving food or drinks, places of exhibition or entertainment, places of public gathering, sales or rental establishments, service establishments, public transportation facilities, places of public display or collection, places of recreation or exercise, places of education, and social services establishments. Private membership clubs and religious entities (such as churches and religiously affiliated schools) are not subject to these ADA requirements.Under Title III, places of public accommodation must provide auxiliary aids and services when necessary to ensure effective communication with people with disabilities. They must remove architectural barriers in existing facilities when it is readily achievable to do so: for example, by installing wheelchair ramps. Furthermore, these places must ensure that all modifications and all new buildings are readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. Businesses may not impose surcharges on people with disabilities to cover the cost of providing accessibility.
Telecommunications
Title IV of the ADA requires that all telephone companies provide telephone relay services (TRS). TRS enables people who use text telephones (often called TTYs or TDDs) because of limited speech or hearing to communicate by telephone with people who do not use text telephones. TRS operators translate text from a text telephone into speech and vice versa. The ADA mandates that communications by TRS must work as well as telecommunication services used by people without disabilities. TRS must be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without excessive delays and with no restrictions on the type, length, or number of calls placed by a consumer. The rates for relay calls can be no greater than rates for calls on ordinary telephones.
© 1993-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved
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The
media has only further fuelled our distorted beliefs about mental health
issues. Frequently, characters on television and in the movies that have
a mental illness are depicted as dangerous, unpredictable and violent.
What
Are the Effects of Stigma?
If you became ill you would go to a doctor. Once you got better, you would
expect to get on with life as usual. But it's not that easy for people who
suffer from mental illness. Often, they can suffer from persistent rejections
and exclusions by ill-informed members of the community. Some people have
been denied loans, health insurance and jobs because of their history of
mental health issues. Consequently, these people lose their self confidence
and may develop further anxiety or depression, on top of the issues they
are already facing.
I
witnessed this first hand many years ago, when my brother was diagnosed
with schizophrenia. The majority of his friends deserted him; they weren't
able to comprehend or cope with his altered personality and erratic behaviour.
Within months he went from being a popular, vivacious and outgoing young
man to a shattered, isolated loner. Over the following months, I watched
my brother sink deeper into debilitating depression, which ultimately became
so unbearable that he took his own life.
All
of us have times when we feel depressed, anxious or angry. We might even
have a series of bad days, where we think that nothing will ever go right
for us and the world is against us. For a mentally ill person, these feelings
do not go away.
So
the answer lies in education and understanding. If you know someone who
seems very emotional, down or upset, then lead by example; show compassion
and understanding, and encourage them to seek help. And if you're suffering
silently yourself, take comfort in the fact that you're not alone and that
there IS hope.
Sonia
Devine is a qualified professional hypnotherapist
and success coach with a caring and committed approach to healing, who lives
in Melbourne, Australia. You can find more of her information on mental
health, self image, love, relationships, phobias and much more on her website: http://www.manifest-your-success.com
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SSA
Social
Security Administration (SSA), independent government agency that administers
the largest social insurance programs in the United States. Originally
created in 1935 as the Social Security Board, the SSA was a division of
the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services from 1980 through 1995. The social
security program is the nation's primary means of assuring a continuing
income when family earnings stop or are reduced because of the retirement,
death, or disability of any person who contributes to the support of the
family. Under social security, employees, their employers, and self-employed
people pay contributions that are pooled in special trust funds. When
earnings stop or are reduced because a worker retires, dies, or becomes
disabled, monthly cash benefits are paid to replace part of the earnings
lost. In addition to Old-Age, Survivors' and Disability Insurance, the
other program that is administered by SSA is Supplemental Security Income.
Social security contributions help pay the cost of health care for people aged 65 and older. A portion of the contributions finances Medicare hospital insurance (see Medicare and Medicaid). Voluntary medical insurance, also available under Medicare, is financed by monthly premiums paid by the people who sign up for this protection and by matching contributions by the federal government. Administration of the Medicare program has been transferred to the Health Care Financing Administration.
In 1994 almost 43 million men, women, and children were receiving monthly cash benefits at the rate of more than $26 billion each month. Nearly all the people in the nation aged 65 and over were eligible for hospital-insurance protection. About 95 percent of them also had protection under medical insurance.
"Social
Security Administration," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia
2007 http://encarta.msn.com ©1997-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
© 1993-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10029.html
Disability
Benefits
Disability
is something most people do not like to think about. But the chances that
you will become disabled probably are greater than you realize. Studies
show that a 20-year-old worker has a 3 in 10 chance of becoming disabled
before reaching retirement age.
This booklet provides basic information on Social Security disability benefits and is not intended to answer all questions. For specific information about your situation, you should talk with a Social Security representative.
We pay disability benefits through two programs: the Social Security disability insurance program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. This booklet is about the Social Security disability program. For information about the SSI disability program for adults, see Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (Publication No. 05-11000). For information about disability programs for children, refer to Benefits For Children With Disabilities (Publication No. 05-10026). Our publications are available at www.socialsecurity.gov.
SSA Publication No. 05-10029, January 2006, ICN 456000
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