chapter 1

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Col©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishinge Publishing

Becoming an Effective Becoming an Effective Policy AdvocatePolicy Advocate

Bruce Jansson, University of Southern CaliforniaBruce Jansson, University of Southern California

PowerPoint created byPowerPoint created by

Gretchen Heidemann, MSW, PhD CandidateGretchen Heidemann, MSW, PhD Candidate

University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

School of Social WorkSchool of Social Work


Chapter 1Chapter 1Joining a Tradition of Social ReformJoining a Tradition of Social Reform


Objectives of policy advocacyObjectives of policy advocacy

Seek changes to policies to improve the well-being Seek changes to policies to improve the well-being of members of vulnerable populations or of members of vulnerable populations or outgroupsoutgroups

Seek policy reforms that are in the general interestSeek policy reforms that are in the general interest

Work from an ecological or systems perspectiveWork from an ecological or systems perspective

Change many kinds of policies including informal Change many kinds of policies including informal onesones

Prioritize policy changes that assist oppressed Prioritize policy changes that assist oppressed populationspopulations


Objectives of policy advocacyObjectives of policy advocacy

Encounter and surmount barriers to reformEncounter and surmount barriers to reform

Join a tradition of social reform in American Join a tradition of social reform in American society and in the social work professionsociety and in the social work profession

Develop attributes that support policy advocacyDevelop attributes that support policy advocacy

Try to change the composition of government by Try to change the composition of government by participating in electoral politicsparticipating in electoral politics


Diversity and Policy AdvocacyDiversity and Policy Advocacy

Social workers need to have an awareness of Social workers need to have an awareness of how people in diverse groups have experienced how people in diverse groups have experienced discrimination and prejudice, and how they have discrimination and prejudice, and how they have been oppressed or not adequately protected by been oppressed or not adequately protected by existing policy.existing policy.– Diversity needs to be considered at more than just the Diversity needs to be considered at more than just the

cultural level.cultural level.

Outgroups are defined as vulnerable populations Outgroups are defined as vulnerable populations who have experienced discrimination and who have experienced discrimination and prejudice over an extended period of time.prejudice over an extended period of time.


OutgroupsOutgroupsRacial groupsRacial groups– Persons who have been subjected to overt and covert Persons who have been subjected to overt and covert

discrimination stemming from racism in existing policy discrimination stemming from racism in existing policy structures such as housing, education, and criminal justicestructures such as housing, education, and criminal justice

Sociological groupsSociological groups– Persons who have been subjected to discrimination Persons who have been subjected to discrimination

stemming from assumed dependency (women, people with stemming from assumed dependency (women, people with disabilities, etc) who are often denied access to certain disabilities, etc) who are often denied access to certain types of jobs and roles in decision makingtypes of jobs and roles in decision making

Dependent groupsDependent groups– Persons, typically children, who must rely on society for Persons, typically children, who must rely on society for

basic amenities but who have little or no political cloutbasic amenities but who have little or no political clout


Outgroups, cont.Outgroups, cont.Nonconformist groupsNonconformist groups– Persons who are subjected to discrimination because they Persons who are subjected to discrimination because they

are viewed as violating are viewed as violating sexual norms (gay men and lesbians), social norms (criminal offenders), or social expectations (persons with mental illnesses)

Model groupsModel groups– Persons who are denied social support and resources Persons who are denied social support and resources

because of the assumption that their group has no social because of the assumption that their group has no social problems (such as Jewish Americans, Asian Americans, and problems (such as Jewish Americans, Asian Americans, and some white ethnic Americans)some white ethnic Americans)

Economic groupsEconomic groups– Persons in low and moderate income groups who lack Persons in low and moderate income groups who lack

sufficient resources or stable employment, which precludes sufficient resources or stable employment, which precludes participation in other social or political structuresparticipation in other social or political structures


Compensatory Strategies for Compensatory Strategies for OutgroupsOutgroups

Longstanding structural discrimination has Longstanding structural discrimination has occurred toward many outgroups occurred toward many outgroups

Policy advocates are not always content with Policy advocates are not always content with simply equalizing policies for members of simply equalizing policies for members of outgroups with the dominant populationoutgroups with the dominant population

Often they advocate for compensatory Often they advocate for compensatory strategies, such as extra services or supports strategies, such as extra services or supports that will assist members of vulnerable that will assist members of vulnerable populations with achieving paritypopulations with achieving parity


Something to consider…Something to consider…

When engaging in policy advocacy with When engaging in policy advocacy with certain vulnerable populations, becertain vulnerable populations, be cautious cautious when identifying factors that lead them to when identifying factors that lead them to lag behind the dominant populationlag behind the dominant population

Do not stigmatize members of these Do not stigmatize members of these groups, view them as dependent, or rely groups, view them as dependent, or rely on panaceas to quickly alter the effects of on panaceas to quickly alter the effects of long term systematic discriminationlong term systematic discrimination


Advancing the Public Interest Advancing the Public Interest at Homeat Home

Policy advocates tackle problems of citizens in Policy advocates tackle problems of citizens in general, such as:general, such as:

– Child care that Child care that improves the developmental and cognitive well-being of all children

– Preventive services that diminish the incidence of major social problems that afflict citizens whether or not they are members of a vulnerable population

– Ex: health-risk notifications on tobacco products, better public transportation, living wage policies for all workers


Advancing the Public Interest Advancing the Public Interest AbroadAbroad

Policy advocates also tackle problems of international concern, such as:– International standards that govern wages and

pollution– Protecting wages of American workers who compete

with cheaper labor abroad– When immigrants should receive citizenship and how

immigrants’ rights should be protected in the United States

– Poverty and disease in developing nations


Using an Ecological PerspectiveUsing an Ecological Perspective

Citizens’ lives are impacted by multiple factors, including economic, cultural, social, community, and physiological, as well as discrimination or prejudice

Existing policies are part of their ecology– They limit resources, services, and opportunities

that vulnerable populations receive, but also provide them


Using an Ecological PerspectiveUsing an Ecological Perspective

Advocates examine the problems and populations that will be impacted by policy proposals from an ecological perspective– Ex: They ask what forces and factors in the lives

of welfare recipients influence whether they can secure and retain employment.

– They seek policies that address these ecological factors.


What is Social PolicyWhat is Social Policy

Policy advocates aim to change social Policy advocates aim to change social policiespolicies

Social policy is a “collective strategy that prevents and addresses social problems”

It can be considered goal-driven problem solving


Types of Social PoliciesTypes of Social Policies

Regulations– Ex: Minimum wage, housing codes, FDA regulations

Needs-meeting policies– Ex: Food stamps, Medicaid/Medicare, SSI

Opportunity-enhancing policies– Ex: Public education, job training


Types of Social Policies, cont.Types of Social Policies, cont.

Social service policies– Mental health, child welfare, substance abuse tx

Referral and linkage policies– Case management, outreach, ombudsman

Civil rights policies– Ex: Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act



Equality-enhancing policies– Ex: Earned Income Tax Credit

Asset accumulation policies– Ex: Legislation stimulating individual investment

accounts

Infrastructure development policies– Ex: Parks, roads, bridges, public transportation



Economic development policies– Ex: Tax incentives and loans to businesses that

locate themselves in low-income areas

Facilitating political participation– Ex: Campaign finance reform, redistricting

Budget-changing policiesBudget-changing policies– Ex: Reallocating $ to address specific problems



Protective policiesProtective policies– Ex: Child welfare laws, restraining ordersEx: Child welfare laws, restraining orders

PreventionPrevention– Ex: Screening/detection for mental illness, day-Ex: Screening/detection for mental illness, day-

treatment activities for the elderlytreatment activities for the elderly


Targets of policy reformTargets of policy reform

– Fragmentation– Discontinuity– Lack of access– Discrimination– Creaming

– Wastage– Lack of outreach– Incompetent staff– Lack of cultural

sensitivity– Inadequate funding

Problems in the human services system that are the targets of policy reform in specific agencies, service networks, or legislation establishing new programs:


When is a policy a When is a policy a socialsocial policy? policy?

Public welfare, child welfare, medical, and job-training policies are clearly social policies

What about tax, environmental, economic, transportation, and other policies?

Specific policies become social policies whenever they influence social problems– Ex: Income tax proposals that increase or decrease

the resources of poor persons become social policies when they affect poverty and unemployment


The Ladder of Social PolicyThe Ladder of Social Policy

There are different levels at which you can There are different levels at which you can intervene in policy:intervene in policy:– Individual private agenciesIndividual private agencies– Higher level agencies (such as county offices)Higher level agencies (such as county offices)– State legislative arenasState legislative arenas– Federal legislative arenasFederal legislative arenas– Court rulingsCourt rulings


Different forms of social policyDifferent forms of social policy

StatutesStatutes– Legislation approved by governmental bodiesLegislation approved by governmental bodies

Policy objectivesPolicy objectives– Mission statementsMission statements

Rules and regulationsRules and regulations– Administrative rules that direct or limit actionAdministrative rules that direct or limit action


Different forms of social policyDifferent forms of social policy

BudgetsBudgets– Determine what resources are devoted to servicesDetermine what resources are devoted to services

Court rulingsCourt rulings– Judicial decisions that direct or limit actionJudicial decisions that direct or limit action


Four categories of policyFour categories of policy

Official, written policiesOfficial, written policies– Such as in an agencies policy and procedures manualSuch as in an agencies policy and procedures manual

Informal, unwritten policiesInformal, unwritten policies– Such as what the standard of practice is in an agency, Such as what the standard of practice is in an agency,

even though you won’t find it in a bookeven though you won’t find it in a book

Personal orientations toward policyPersonal orientations toward policy– What an individual believes about a policyWhat an individual believes about a policy

Personal policy actions (i.e. Personal policy actions (i.e. actualizedactualized policy) policy)– What an individual enacts or ignores in relation to a What an individual enacts or ignores in relation to a

specific policyspecific policy


Policy Practice vs. Policy Policy Practice vs. Policy AdvocacyAdvocacy

Policy practice includes efforts to change policies in legislative, agency, and community settings by establishing new policies, improving existing ones, and defeating the policy initiatives of others– People of ALL ideological persuasion engage in

policy practice

Policy advocacy aims to help relatively powerless groups improve their resources and opportunities


Policy Practice vs. Policy Policy Practice vs. Policy AdvocacyAdvocacy

Policy practice refers to efforts generally to change policies, and policy advocacy refers to efforts to help powerless groups improve their lot


Eight tasks in policy practiceEight tasks in policy practice

Deciding what is right and wrongDeciding what is right and wrongNavigating policy and advocacy systemsNavigating policy and advocacy systemsAgenda-setting tasksAgenda-setting tasksProblem-analyzing tasksProblem-analyzing tasksDeveloping policy proposalsDeveloping policy proposalsPolicy-enacting tasksPolicy-enacting tasksPolicy implementationPolicy implementationPolicy-assessing tasksPolicy-assessing tasks


Skills used in policy advocacySkills used in policy advocacy

Analytic skillsAnalytic skills– Obtain data, identify alternatives, compare

relative merits, develop recommendations

Political skillsPolitical skills– Assess the policies’ feasibility, identify power

resources, develop and implement political strategy


Skills used in policy advocacySkills used in policy advocacy

Interactional skillsInteractional skills– Make contacts, develop networks, build

personal relationships, communicate effectively, facilitate coalitions and committees

Value-clarification skillsValue-clarification skills– Decide what objectives you favor when

analyzing problems and developing proposals, determine what risks you will take in questioning existing policies


Challenges encountered by Challenges encountered by policy advocatespolicy advocates

A crowded fieldA crowded field– Policies generally commit or bind large groups of

persons and organizations to specific courses of action

Divergent interestsDivergent interests– Ex: since specific persons, interest groups, and

corporations often benefit from specific policies, they often oppose changes in them, or only want changes that advance their own needs


Challenges encountered by Challenges encountered by policy advocatespolicy advocates

Divergent values and ideologiesDivergent values and ideologies– Ex: People often support or oppose policies because

they believe they impinge on their fundamental values

Different beliefs about the effectiveness of Different beliefs about the effectiveness of policypolicy– Ex: Opposition from persons and groups who contend

that their proposals will not work or are too expensive


Joining the Social Work Reform Joining the Social Work Reform TraditionTradition

The profession of social work has a strong The profession of social work has a strong tradition of social reformtradition of social reform

The combined effects of social reforms have transformed the lives of tens of millions of Americans in positive ways



The institution of slavery and, later, the lynching of African Americans

Imprisonment for indebtedness, and capital punishment for relatively minor crimes

14-hour workdays, unsafe working conditions, and child labor

The routine firing of gay men and lesbians

Widespread malnutrition

The denial of education, employment, and services to people with disabilities

Poverty among older persons

Health needs of certain groups, such as persons with kidney failure

The preschool needs of low-income children

Treatment for psychological conditions such as depression

Policy advocates have been involved in efforts to reform:



Yet much remains to be done with respect to: – Homelessness– Huge economic inequalities– The uninsured / under-insured– Specific kinds of discrimination– Eradication of such diseases as AIDS– Poor education– Underfunded services



Social work has had a social reform tradition extending back to the formation of the social work profession

Founders of social work, such as Jane Addams, militantly supported an array of social reforms in the Progressive Era

In succeeding eras, many social workers joined this reform tradition by working for policy reforms in local, state, and federal jurisdictions



They argued that social inequality, blighted neighborhoods, inadequate resources, unemployment, environmental pollution, discrimination, and economic uncertainty cause human suffering and contribute to clinical conditions such as depression and poor healthBut narrower perspectives about social work coexisted with the reformist vision Such persons believed the profession should focus on casework, with scant involvement in social reform



These narrower perspectives are deficient on at least three grounds:1. By failing to address the societal factors that contribute to

inequality, they neglect such values as social justice and fairness

2. With attention exclusively on the problems of individuals, they do nothing to reform the human services system so that it provides services that are congruent with recent social science research

3. By abandoning the political arena, they allow other groups - with values and perspectives in opposition to the needs of clients, consumers, and citizens - to dominate public policy


Devolution and Policy AdvocacyDevolution and Policy Advocacy

Many federal policies were devolved to state and local governments in the 1980s and 1990sThe federal government provides block grants to the states and allows them to decide how to use these resources with minimal federal guidelinesThis devolution of authority has meant that many policies influencing the lives of clients, consumers, and citizens are shaped by state legislatures, county boards of supervisors, and municipal governmentsDevolution has accentuated the need for policy-reforming work by dispersing key decisions to smaller units of government and disseminating many policies that used to be decided at the national level


Technology and Policy AdvocacyTechnology and Policy Advocacy

A technological revolution that has transformed the American economy– Beginning in the 1960s, the automobile, steel, and other

manufacturing industries relocated to other nations and were replaced by low-paying service industries.

– The wages of huge numbers of Americans plummeted

The economic and social well-being of tens of millions of Americans deteriorated in the wake

Policy advocacy is needed to help equalize conditions and opportunities


Globalization and Policy Globalization and Policy AdvocacyAdvocacy

Policy advocacy must span international boundaries due to the accelerating movement of capital and labor between nationsThe movement of jobs across national boundaries adversely impacts domestic workers, and undermines their ability to get wage concessions from employersImmigrants, who now live in virtually every state, are subject to considerable prejudice, poor working conditions, and low payGlobal warming could endanger vast numbers of persons in coastal areas in the United States and elsewhere


Qualities of Effective Policy Qualities of Effective Policy AdvocatesAdvocates

Policy advocates have a visionPolicy advocates have a visionThey seek opportunities for advocacyThey seek opportunities for advocacyThey take sensible risksThey take sensible risksThey balance flexibility with planningThey balance flexibility with planningThey are appropriately assertiveThey are appropriately assertiveThey develop multiple skill setsThey develop multiple skill setsThey are persistentThey are persistentThey tolerate uncertaintyThey tolerate uncertaintyThey balance pragmatism with principlesThey balance pragmatism with principlesThey are leadersThey are leaders


Getting StartedGetting Started

Two things to remember…Two things to remember…– Policy advocates seldom act alone

They usually work in tandem with existing advocacy groups or with persons who have experience in policy advocacy

– Many social work students have actually made a strong beginning, even during their professional training, in critically analyzing existing policies and seeking changes in them

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