add APA format
Respond to two colleagues in one of the following ways:
- Respectfully state and provide evidence as to why you do not support this perspective.
- Support a perspective that aligns with yours by providing additional evidence and/or analysis.
1ER-
Explain the role social workers can play in the political realm of policy making.
There are countless roles for social workers to become involved in politics. They can do the research needed to convince lawmakers there is a problem. They can spend time lobbying, negotiating, collaborating and networking with lawmakers, and providing testimony in front of lawmakers (Popple & Leighninger, 2019). They may even take it a step further by learning the platforms of each lawmaker and tailoring the problem at hand to their interests. This process is referred to as “policy partisan analysis” (Popple & Leighninger, 2019, p. 267). Social workers may serve on coalitions or even start them based on the social problem at hand. Other strategies for social workers include writing notes to lawmakers as much as possible and compromising on the details of their intended bill.
To what degree does a particular policy approach or approaches align well with social work values and ethics?
Many policies have more than one intention, such as helping a victim and increasing punishment on a perpetrator. Social work often has more than one intention as well. We are tasked by the NASW Code of Ethics to “challenge social justice” (NASW, Section Ethical Principles, 2021). “Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people” (NASW, Section Ethical Principles, 2021). Social work particularly correlates with the pluralism approach to policy making. This approach emphasizes the participation of many types of people with equal power (Popple & Leighninger, 2019). To that end, plural policy approach aligns well with social work values and ethics.
2AU-
Explain the role social workers can play in the political realm of policy making.
Social workers are known for their impact within the social justice system and for their advocacy efforts. When thinking about what role social workers can play in the political realm of policy making, it is said that they can "…address systemic issues and effect meaningful change, such as facilitating equitable access to opportunities, services, and resources (Day et al., 2023)." The skill set that social workers possess such as advocacy skills, policy overview and implementation, organization efforts within communities, and responsiveness to those in need, can give them a more advanced perspective when interacting in the political realm of policy making.
To what degree does a particular policy approach or approaches align well with social work values and ethics?
I think that the ultimate purpose of policies and implementing them is to meet certain needs and goals of the community that can benefit from them. “Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people” (NASW, Section Ethical Principles, 2021). Policies that align with these values and ethics are often important to implement. An example of one of these policies would be the Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) because it claims that "[m]ental and behavioral health services are considered what’s called essential health benefits (DCD, 2023)." This policy aligns well because it advocates for complete coverage and affordability for those that are seeking mental and behavioral health care.
