Tag: Social Theory, Demographics & Public Policy

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    [>Sociology homework help](https://www.sweetstudy.com/fields/social-science-sociology) Please see attached file **files (3)** – ## WKS9COPY.docx – ## WKS6COPY.docx – ## FinalProjec1.docx **## WKS9COPY.docx** 2 **Evaluation Methods** WKS 9 COPY April 25, 2026 Evaluation is a critical component of the…

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    [>Sociology homework help](https://www.sweetstudy.com/fields/social-science-sociology)

    Please see attached file

    **files (3)**

    – ## WKS9COPY.docx

    – ## WKS6COPY.docx

    – ## FinalProjec1.docx

    **## WKS9COPY.docx**

    2

    **Evaluation Methods**

    WKS 9 COPY

    April 25, 2026

    Evaluation is a critical component of the proposed Caregiver Stress and Family Conflict Support Group as it allows for an evaluation of whether the group members are decreasing the caregiver burden, increasing their coping ability and preparing members for group termination. The group targets carers that occur with a history of feeling stressed, guilty, grieving, experiencing family conflict and lack of coping strategies to deal with the burden of care giving. So, the aim of the group is to measure the change in the feelings of the members through assessment and demonstrate the change in skills.

    The group measurement that I would like to use is the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). This tool is suitable as it measures the burden of the care giver, such as the emotional burden, role burden and the impact of care giving on the family and personal life (Zarit et al, 1980). I would administer the ZBI at the beginning of the group, middle and at the end of the group. This will give the social worker an idea of the change in the participants' scores, and show a reduction in the caregiver burden. The tool will be completed by the individual members but the facilitator could see the group's scores by using the mean of the scores.

    The ZBI would be useful to use as burden for the carers is discussed in the intervention group. The burden can impact the emotional, physical, social and financial aspects of the caregiver's life, so it is important to determine whether the group is helping the participants to better cope with the burden's demands (Liu et al., 2020). The instrument is also appropriate for the group intervention which has psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategies, support and problem-solving. Studies indicate that CBT and psychosocial interventions can decrease caregiver's stress and coping in the case of caregivers of patients with dementia, severe mental illness and so on (Kwon et al., 2017; Sampogna et al., 2023). So, if the ZBI score is low this will mean there are changes due to the group.

    An observational measure that I would use would be a facilitator's observation measure, which will be rated at the end of each group. This will include attendance, participation, emotional regulation, readiness to give and receive support, using coping skills, re-framing negative thoughts, communication, setting boundaries and a self-care/crisis plan. This will assist the group facilitator to assess whether group members are actually practicing their skills as they learn them in the group.

    This measure would be helpful in determining readiness for termination as not only symptom reduction is a measure of change in groups. Interaction, support, cohesion and practice are all indicators of growth in social work groups (Toseland and Rivas, 2017). A member can be ready to be terminated when a member can identify their own stressors and coping styles, assertive communication of their needs, boundaries and outside group support. Observation is also an ethical practice as the facilitator can take into account the members' strengths, culture, needs and progress (National Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2021). The ZBI and facilitator observation scale would give a good indication for group members' performance and readiness for termination.

    **References**

    Kwon, O.-Y., Ahn, H. S., Kim, H. J., & Park, K.-W. (2017). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for caregivers of people with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
    _Journal of Clinical Neurology, 13_(4), 394–404.
    [https://doi.org/10.3988/jcn.2017.13.4.394](https://doi.org/10.3988/jcn.2017.13.4.394)

    Liu, Z., Heffernan, C., & Tan, J. (2020). Caregiver burden: A concept analysis.
    _International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 7_(4), 438–445.
    [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2020.07.012](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2020.07.012)

    National Association of Social Workers. (2021).
    _Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers_.
    [https://www.socialworkers.org/about/ethics/code-of-ethics](https://www.socialworkers.org/about/ethics/code-of-ethics)

    Sampogna, G., Brohan, E., Luciano, M., Chowdhary, N., & Fiorillo, A. (2023). Psychosocial interventions for carers of people with severe mental and substance use disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
    _European Psychiatry, 66_(1), Article e98.
    [https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.2472](https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.2472)

    Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017).
    _An introduction to group work practice_ (8th ed.). Pearson.

    Zarit, S. H., Reever, K. E., & Bach-Peterson, J. (1980). Relatives of the impaired elderly: Correlates of feelings of burden.
    _The Gerontologist, 20_(6), 649–655.
    [https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/20.6.649](https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/20.6.649)

    **## WKS6COPY.docx**

    1

    **Treatment Group Proposal: Caregiver Stress and Family Conflict Support Group**

    WKS6
    SOCW 6121: Social Work Practice With Groups

    April 5, 2026

    **Purpose**

    The proposed treatment group will provide both therapeutic care and psycho education to family caregivers who feel stressful and strained as they provide care to their seriously mentally ill or cognitively impaired relatives. In the process of interactions with the client of Parker family media case, a number of concerns were revealed. Sara Parker is a 72-year-old female patient with symptoms of cognitive deficits and hoarding, who has her daughter Stephanie living with her who has developed bipolar disorder. During the home visit of the Adult Protective Services, both of them confessed that there has been an increased conflict at home in relation to Sara hoarding and the efforts of Stephanie cleaning the apartment. Although both of them have not reported the sustained violence, the employee has observed that there has been tension of emotions and physical stress on the family which indicated the presence of caregiver stress and pooring family relationships.

    A psycho educational and support group is a proper intervention with this type of dynamics. Psycho educational groups consist of a therapeutic discussion and psycho education on coping mechanisms, mental illness, and family communication (Toseland and Rivas, 2017). Such participants are assisted by these groups to learn practical skills and emotional support of individuals that are also confronted with the same care giving problems. The licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who will be the leader of the proposed group will have a background in the areas of group facilitation, family systems, and mental health practice. The group leaders should also be knowledgeable of the trauma-informed care and crisis intervention to make sure that the surrounding is comfortable and secure when the emotionally sensitive conversations occur (Corey et al., 2018).

    **Membership**

    The proposed group shall cater to adult caregivers and family members to live or offer care to persons with severe mental illness, dementia, or hoarding behavior. These members may be spouses, adult children, or any other relatives that are put under stress or conflict due to the care giving duties. This group participation would particularly impact those individuals such as Stephanie who are struggling to manage their mental health needs and are attempting to care of their relatives.

    Subjects will be expected to embody different backgrounds in terms of culture, socioeconomic as well as demographics. Cultural competence will also be required as communities do not hold the same beliefs regarding caring, family responsibility, and mental illness (Sue and Sue, 2022). Engagement of respondent will be done on a voluntary basis to facilitate open, trustful and substantive group discussions. The sample will include six to ten participants depending on the research the most appropriate number to reach a therapeutic and group interaction (Toseland and Rivas, 2017).

    **Statement of Need**

    Caregiver support in mentally ill or cognitively depressed persons is severely required. Care giving tends to cause emotional stress and social isolation in addition to psychological stress otherwise known as caregiver burden. These researches have demonstrated that the number of caregivers who are estimated to take care of mentally ill individuals and report high caregiver burden in emotional fatigue and disrupted family relationships is estimated at 31 percent (Zhu et al., 2022). Also, stress related to care giving duties is moderate to severe, and is being reported among a number of caregivers.

    These issues are depicted in Parker family case. Hoarding and cognitive impairments have also made Sara create a clutter in her home, as well as on-going conflict between her and Stephanie. At the same time, the bipolar disorder of Stephanie renders her unable to assume care giving roles and be a stable mental system. Devoid of action, such challenges might develop and result in unsafe living conditions or additional emotional decline. The treatment group would provide coping skills, communication and support of families in similar situation.

    **Recruitment**

    The interviewees will be identified through the social service agencies, the community mental health clinics, outpatient program in the hospital, senior day treatment centers and the social service agencies. Referrals to the clients facing caregiver stress, or family conflict due to mental illness will be encouraged among the social workers, therapists as well as case managers.

    The group facilitator will have to conduct the screening interview on the potential group members before they are allowed to join the group. The screening will assess the role of care giving, degree of emotional distress and ability to participate safely in a group. Those people who have acute psychiatric crisis or interpersonal violence will be directed to more specific services. The invited members will be engaged in an orientation program where the objectives and goals of the group, rules of confidentiality, and participation will be explained (Corey et al., 2018).

    **References**

    Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Corey, C. (2018).
    _Groups: Process and practice_ (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.

    Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2022).
    _Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice_ (9th ed.). Wiley.

    Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017).
    _An introduction to group work practice_ (8th ed.). Pearson.

    Zhu, L., Heffernan, C., & Tan, J. (2022). Caregiver burden: A concept analysis.
    _International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 9_(3), 301–308.

    **## FinalProjec1.docx**

    Final Project: Treatment Group Proposal

    Formal proposals for treatment groups are typically presented to stakeholders to achieve agency support, including the provision of any necessary funding or staffing. They also serve as the group leader’s blueprint for practice once it is time to form the group and begin treatment.

    Over the last several weeks, you have drafted multiple sections of your Treatment Group Proposal. Now, for this Assignment, you polish those sections and place them in the same document so that they can be presented to agency stakeholders as a complete package. You also write an abstract to highlight key points and summarize your overall message about the need for the group and the group’s design. If you have not already, review your Instructor’s feedback on past submissions and use it to improve your overall proposal.

    Resources

    Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.

    Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.

    WEEKLY RESOURCES

    To Prepare

    Download the Treatment Group Proposal Template to use for this Assignment.

    Review your submissions for Weeks 6–9 Assignments and any Instructor feedback received.

    Revise and polish these submissions; then place them into the appropriate spot in the Treatment Group Proposal Template.

    Write an abstract to include at the beginning of your proposal. The abstract should summarize the major points.

    Assignment below:

    Submit your revised and completed Treatment Group Proposal, which is a 6- to 8-page document including the following sections:

    Abstract: Summary of major points (1 paragraph)

    Purpose: Statement of purpose, specify and justify type of treatment group, qualifications of the group leader

    Membership: Specific population for the group, cultural mix and demographic characteristics, whether involuntary group members will be included.

    Statement of Need: Why is there a need for a group to serve this target population in your area?

    Recruitment: Method to recruit potential members as well as screening and selection procedures.

    Composition & Contract: Criteria for inclusion/exclusion, size (number in group), open/closed; contents of contract (number of sessions, frequency, time of meetings, and length)

    Orientation: How you will address and ensure confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and establish rules

    Intervention Framework: Evidence-based practices and techniques to be used. Justify why the framework is appropriate for the target population and issue(s). Identify topics you plan to cover over the course of the group treatment

    Evaluation Methods: Evaluation of progress and readiness for termination of services using at least one assessment tool and one observational method.

    Use the Learning Resources and additional relevant sources you have gathered to support your paper. Make sure to provide APA citations and a reference list.

    submission information

    Before submitting your final assignment, you can check your draft for authenticity. To check your draft, access the Turnitin Drafts from the Start Here area.

    To submit your completed assignment, save your Assignment as WK10Assgn_LastName_Firstinitial

    Then, click on Start Assignment near the top of the page.

    Next, click on Upload File and select Submit Assignment for review.

    Rubric

    SOCW_6121_Week10_Assignment_Rubric

    SOCW_6121_Week10_Assignment_Rubric

    Criteria Ratings Pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAbstract

    35 to >31.15 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    The abstract meets expectations and exceeds through concise and sophisticated writing that sets up the full proposal.

    31.15 to >27.65 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    The abstract fully summarizes the major points of the proposal.

    27.65 to >24.15 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    The abstract provides a limited, incomplete, or vaguely developed summary of the major points of the proposal.

    24.15 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    There is little or no attempt to summarize the major points of the proposal in an abstract. The length may be minimal (1 or 2 sentences) or excessive.

    35 pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeRevised and Combined Proposal Sections (8 Sections): …Purpose, Membership, Statement of Need, Recruitment, Composition & Contract, Orientation, Intervention Framework, Evaluation Methods

    50 to >44.5 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    Response meets expectations and exceeds through a comprehensive proposal that flows well, clearly establishes need, and shows meticulous planning. The proposal demonstrates application of critical thinking and clinical practice knowledge and skills. There is evidence of comprehensive revision to improve prior submissions. … Response may include additional details and examples from the Learning Resources, peer-reviewed research, or other relevant sources.

    44.5 to >39.5 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    Response presents a complete picture of the proposed treatment group. … All eight sections are represented in the proposal. Each section fully describes the associated aspects of the treatment group. There is evidence of substantial revision to improve prior submissions. … Response demonstrates clear connection to the Learning Resources.

    39.5 to >34.5 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    Response presents a somewhat incomplete picture of the proposed treatment group. … Seven or eight sections are represented in the proposal. Each section provides a limited, incomplete, or vaguely developed description of the associated aspects of the treatment group. There is limited evidence of revision to improve prior submissions. … Response may show evidence of connection to the Learning Resources, but it is vague or poorly connected.

    34.5 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    Response includes six or fewer sections. There is little or no attempt in each section to describe the associated aspects of the treatment group. … There is no evidence of revision to improve prior submissions. … Response does not demonstrate connection to the Learning Resources. No resources are used to support the response.

    50 pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeWriting

    15 to >13.35 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    Paper meets length requirements, meets expectations, is generally error-free (two or fewer), and further exceeds by showcasing an exemplary scholarly voice to develop its message or communicate ideas. … Paper appropriately paraphrases sources, using one or fewer quotes. Presents polished APA Style. Citations, reference list, and paper formatting are generally error-free (two or fewer). … Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    13.35 to >11.85 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    Paper meets length requirements and is clear and coherent. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are minor, minimal (three to five), and do not interfere with the scholarly message. The paper displays effective organization and focus to communicate ideas. … Paper appropriately paraphrases sources. Paper may use two to three short quotes but provides appropriate reference. Consistently documents sources in APA Style. Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with a few minimal errors (three to five). The reference list is complete and contains only minimal errors (three to five). Paper formatting is appropriate. There is a clear distinction between cited content and original thought. … Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    11.85 to >10.35 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    Paper does not meet length requirements (either somewhat too short or too long). The paper is somewhat clear and coherent. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are minor but frequent (5–10) and occasionally interfere with the message. The paper lacks clear organization or occasionally strays from the focus. … Paper may rely on four short quotes or one to two long quotes (over 40 words) and/or does not sufficiently paraphrase material from other resources into student’s own words. Attempts to document sources in APA Style. Citations are present but contain frequent APA errors or omissions. A reference list is provided but is incomplete and/or contains frequent APA errors. Paper formatting may be incorrect (e.g., single-spaced or without a title page). … Occasionally lacks a clear distinction between cited content and original thought…. Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    10.35 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    Paper does not meet length requirements (either significantly too short or too long). The paper lacks clarity and coherence. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are major, pervasive (11+), and interfere with the message. The paper is not organized or lacks focus. … Paper relies excessively on quoting (five or more short quotes or three or more long quotes [over 40 words]) and/or uses quoted material without paraphrasing or referencing the source of the material. Little or no attempt has been made to document sources in APA Style. Citations are infrequent or missing, and a reference list is not provided. Little or no attempt has been made to format the paper in APA Style. … There is no distinction between cited content and original thought. … Tone and presentation of ideas reveal bias and subjectivity.

    15 pts

    Total Points: 100

    **## FinalProjec1.docx**

    Final Project: Treatment Group Proposal

    Formal proposals for treatment groups are typically presented to stakeholders to achieve agency support, including the provision of any necessary funding or staffing. They also serve as the group leader’s blueprint for practice once it is time to form the group and begin treatment.

    Over the last several weeks, you have drafted multiple sections of your Treatment Group Proposal. Now, for this Assignment, you polish those sections and place them in the same document so that they can be presented to agency stakeholders as a complete package. You also write an abstract to highlight key points and summarize your overall message about the need for the group and the group’s design. If you have not already, review your Instructor’s feedback on past submissions and use it to improve your overall proposal.

    Resources

    Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.

    Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.

    WEEKLY RESOURCES

    To Prepare

    Download the Treatment Group Proposal Template to use for this Assignment.

    Review your submissions for Weeks 6–9 Assignments and any Instructor feedback received.

    Revise and polish these submissions; then place them into the appropriate spot in the Treatment Group Proposal Template.

    Write an abstract to include at the beginning of your proposal. The abstract should summarize the major points.

    Assignment below:

    Submit your revised and completed Treatment Group Proposal, which is a 6- to 8-page document including the following sections:

    Abstract: Summary of major points (1 paragraph)

    Purpose: Statement of purpose, specify and justify type of treatment group, qualifications of the group leader

    Membership: Specific population for the group, cultural mix and demographic characteristics, whether involuntary group members will be included.

    Statement of Need: Why is there a need for a group to serve this target population in your area?

    Recruitment: Method to recruit potential members as well as screening and selection procedures.

    Composition & Contract: Criteria for inclusion/exclusion, size (number in group), open/closed; contents of contract (number of sessions, frequency, time of meetings, and length)

    Orientation: How you will address and ensure confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and establish rules

    Intervention Framework: Evidence-based practices and techniques to be used. Justify why the framework is appropriate for the target population and issue(s). Identify topics you plan to cover over the course of the group treatment

    Evaluation Methods: Evaluation of progress and readiness for termination of services using at least one assessment tool and one observational method.

    Use the Learning Resources and additional relevant sources you have gathered to support your paper. Make sure to provide APA citations and a reference list.

    submission information

    Before submitting your final assignment, you can check your draft for authenticity. To check your draft, access the Turnitin Drafts from the Start Here area.

    To submit your completed assignment, save your Assignment as WK10Assgn_LastName_Firstinitial

    Then, click on Start Assignment near the top of the page.

    Next, click on Upload File and select Submit Assignment for review.

    Rubric

    SOCW_6121_Week10_Assignment_Rubric

    SOCW_6121_Week10_Assignment_Rubric

    Criteria Ratings Pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAbstract

    35 to >31.15 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    The abstract meets expectations and exceeds through concise and sophisticated writing that sets up the full proposal.

    31.15 to >27.65 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    The abstract fully summarizes the major points of the proposal.

    27.65 to >24.15 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    The abstract provides a limited, incomplete, or vaguely developed summary of the major points of the proposal.

    24.15 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    There is little or no attempt to summarize the major points of the proposal in an abstract. The length may be minimal (1 or 2 sentences) or excessive.

    35 pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeRevised and Combined Proposal Sections (8 Sections): …Purpose, Membership, Statement of Need, Recruitment, Composition & Contract, Orientation, Intervention Framework, Evaluation Methods

    50 to >44.5 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    Response meets expectations and exceeds through a comprehensive proposal that flows well, clearly establishes need, and shows meticulous planning. The proposal demonstrates application of critical thinking and clinical practice knowledge and skills. There is evidence of comprehensive revision to improve prior submissions. … Response may include additional details and examples from the Learning Resources, peer-reviewed research, or other relevant sources.

    44.5 to >39.5 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    Response presents a complete picture of the proposed treatment group. … All eight sections are represented in the proposal. Each section fully describes the associated aspects of the treatment group. There is evidence of substantial revision to improve prior submissions. … Response demonstrates clear connection to the Learning Resources.

    39.5 to >34.5 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    Response presents a somewhat incomplete picture of the proposed treatment group. … Seven or eight sections are represented in the proposal. Each section provides a limited, incomplete, or vaguely developed description of the associated aspects of the treatment group. There is limited evidence of revision to improve prior submissions. … Response may show evidence of connection to the Learning Resources, but it is vague or poorly connected.

    34.5 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    Response includes six or fewer sections. There is little or no attempt in each section to describe the associated aspects of the treatment group. … There is no evidence of revision to improve prior submissions. … Response does not demonstrate connection to the Learning Resources. No resources are used to support the response.

    50 pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeWriting

    15 to >13.35 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    Paper meets length requirements, meets expectations, is generally error-free (two or fewer), and further exceeds by showcasing an exemplary scholarly voice to develop its message or communicate ideas. … Paper appropriately paraphrases sources, using one or fewer quotes. Presents polished APA Style. Citations, reference list, and paper formatting are generally error-free (two or fewer). … Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    13.35 to >11.85 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    Paper meets length requirements and is clear and coherent. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are minor, minimal (three to five), and do not interfere with the scholarly message. The paper displays effective organization and focus to communicate ideas. … Paper appropriately paraphrases sources. Paper may use two to three short quotes but provides appropriate reference. Consistently documents sources in APA Style. Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with a few minimal errors (three to five). The reference list is complete and contains only minimal errors (three to five). Paper formatting is appropriate. There is a clear distinction between cited content and original thought. … Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    11.85 to >10.35 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    Paper does not meet length requirements (either somewhat too short or too long). The paper is somewhat clear and coherent. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are minor but frequent (5–10) and occasionally interfere with the message. The paper lacks clear organization or occasionally strays from the focus. … Paper may rely on four short quotes or one to two long quotes (over 40 words) and/or does not sufficiently paraphrase material from other resources into student’s own words. Attempts to document sources in APA Style. Citations are present but contain frequent APA errors or omissions. A reference list is provided but is incomplete and/or contains frequent APA errors. Paper formatting may be incorrect (e.g., single-spaced or without a title page). … Occasionally lacks a clear distinction between cited content and original thought…. Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    10.35 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    Paper does not meet length requirements (either significantly too short or too long). The paper lacks clarity and coherence. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are major, pervasive (11+), and interfere with the message. The paper is not organized or lacks focus. … Paper relies excessively on quoting (five or more short quotes or three or more long quotes [over 40 words]) and/or uses quoted material without paraphrasing or referencing the source of the material. Little or no attempt has been made to document sources in APA Style. Citations are infrequent or missing, and a reference list is not provided. Little or no attempt has been made to format the paper in APA Style. … There is no distinction between cited content and original thought. … Tone and presentation of ideas reveal bias and subjectivity.

    15 pts

    Total Points: 100

    **## WKS9COPY.docx**

    2

    **Evaluation Methods**

    WKS 9 COPY

    April 25, 2026

    Evaluation is a critical component of the proposed Caregiver Stress and Family Conflict Support Group as it allows for an evaluation of whether the group members are decreasing the caregiver burden, increasing their coping ability and preparing members for group termination. The group targets carers that occur with a history of feeling stressed, guilty, grieving, experiencing family conflict and lack of coping strategies to deal with the burden of care giving. So, the aim of the group is to measure the change in the feelings of the members through assessment and demonstrate the change in skills.

    The group measurement that I would like to use is the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). This tool is suitable as it measures the burden of the care giver, such as the emotional burden, role burden and the impact of care giving on the family and personal life (Zarit et al, 1980). I would administer the ZBI at the beginning of the group, middle and at the end of the group. This will give the social worker an idea of the change in the participants' scores, and show a reduction in the caregiver burden. The tool will be completed by the individual members but the facilitator could see the group's scores by using the mean of the scores.

    The ZBI would be useful to use as burden for the carers is discussed in the intervention group. The burden can impact the emotional, physical, social and financial aspects of the caregiver's life, so it is important to determine whether the group is helping the participants to better cope with the burden's demands (Liu et al., 2020). The instrument is also appropriate for the group intervention which has psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategies, support and problem-solving. Studies indicate that CBT and psychosocial interventions can decrease caregiver's stress and coping in the case of caregivers of patients with dementia, severe mental illness and so on (Kwon et al., 2017; Sampogna et al., 2023). So, if the ZBI score is low this will mean there are changes due to the group.

    An observational measure that I would use would be a facilitator's observation measure, which will be rated at the end of each group. This will include attendance, participation, emotional regulation, readiness to give and receive support, using coping skills, re-framing negative thoughts, communication, setting boundaries and a self-care/crisis plan. This will assist the group facilitator to assess whether group members are actually practicing their skills as they learn them in the group.

    This measure would be helpful in determining readiness for termination as not only symptom reduction is a measure of change in groups. Interaction, support, cohesion and practice are all indicators of growth in social work groups (Toseland and Rivas, 2017). A member can be ready to be terminated when a member can identify their own stressors and coping styles, assertive communication of their needs, boundaries and outside group support. Observation is also an ethical practice as the facilitator can take into account the members' strengths, culture, needs and progress (National Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2021). The ZBI and facilitator observation scale would give a good indication for group members' performance and readiness for termination.

    **References**

    Kwon, O.-Y., Ahn, H. S., Kim, H. J., & Park, K.-W. (2017). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for caregivers of people with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
    _Journal of Clinical Neurology, 13_(4), 394–404.
    [https://doi.org/10.3988/jcn.2017.13.4.394](https://doi.org/10.3988/jcn.2017.13.4.394)

    Liu, Z., Heffernan, C., & Tan, J. (2020). Caregiver burden: A concept analysis.
    _International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 7_(4), 438–445.
    [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2020.07.012](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2020.07.012)

    National Association of Social Workers. (2021).
    _Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers_.
    [https://www.socialworkers.org/about/ethics/code-of-ethics](https://www.socialworkers.org/about/ethics/code-of-ethics)

    Sampogna, G., Brohan, E., Luciano, M., Chowdhary, N., & Fiorillo, A. (2023). Psychosocial interventions for carers of people with severe mental and substance use disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
    _European Psychiatry, 66_(1), Article e98.
    [https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.2472](https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.2472)

    Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017).
    _An introduction to group work practice_ (8th ed.). Pearson.

    Zarit, S. H., Reever, K. E., & Bach-Peterson, J. (1980). Relatives of the impaired elderly: Correlates of feelings of burden.
    _The Gerontologist, 20_(6), 649–655.
    [https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/20.6.649](https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/20.6.649)

    **## WKS6COPY.docx**

    1

    **Treatment Group Proposal: Caregiver Stress and Family Conflict Support Group**

    WKS6
    SOCW 6121: Social Work Practice With Groups

    April 5, 2026

    **Purpose**

    The proposed treatment group will provide both therapeutic care and psycho education to family caregivers who feel stressful and strained as they provide care to their seriously mentally ill or cognitively impaired relatives. In the process of interactions with the client of Parker family media case, a number of concerns were revealed. Sara Parker is a 72-year-old female patient with symptoms of cognitive deficits and hoarding, who has her daughter Stephanie living with her who has developed bipolar disorder. During the home visit of the Adult Protective Services, both of them confessed that there has been an increased conflict at home in relation to Sara hoarding and the efforts of Stephanie cleaning the apartment. Although both of them have not reported the sustained violence, the employee has observed that there has been tension of emotions and physical stress on the family which indicated the presence of caregiver stress and pooring family relationships.

    A psycho educational and support group is a proper intervention with this type of dynamics. Psycho educational groups consist of a therapeutic discussion and psycho education on coping mechanisms, mental illness, and family communication (Toseland and Rivas, 2017). Such participants are assisted by these groups to learn practical skills and emotional support of individuals that are also confronted with the same care giving problems. The licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who will be the leader of the proposed group will have a background in the areas of group facilitation, family systems, and mental health practice. The group leaders should also be knowledgeable of the trauma-informed care and crisis intervention to make sure that the surrounding is comfortable and secure when the emotionally sensitive conversations occur (Corey et al., 2018).

    **Membership**

    The proposed group shall cater to adult caregivers and family members to live or offer care to persons with severe mental illness, dementia, or hoarding behavior. These members may be spouses, adult children, or any other relatives that are put under stress or conflict due to the care giving duties. This group participation would particularly impact those individuals such as Stephanie who are struggling to manage their mental health needs and are attempting to care of their relatives.

    Subjects will be expected to embody different backgrounds in terms of culture, socioeconomic as well as demographics. Cultural competence will also be required as communities do not hold the same beliefs regarding caring, family responsibility, and mental illness (Sue and Sue, 2022). Engagement of respondent will be done on a voluntary basis to facilitate open, trustful and substantive group discussions. The sample will include six to ten participants depending on the research the most appropriate number to reach a therapeutic and group interaction (Toseland and Rivas, 2017).

    **Statement of Need**

    Caregiver support in mentally ill or cognitively depressed persons is severely required. Care giving tends to cause emotional stress and social isolation in addition to psychological stress otherwise known as caregiver burden. These researches have demonstrated that the number of caregivers who are estimated to take care of mentally ill individuals and report high caregiver burden in emotional fatigue and disrupted family relationships is estimated at 31 percent (Zhu et al., 2022). Also, stress related to care giving duties is moderate to severe, and is being reported among a number of caregivers.

    These issues are depicted in Parker family case. Hoarding and cognitive impairments have also made Sara create a clutter in her home, as well as on-going conflict between her and Stephanie. At the same time, the bipolar disorder of Stephanie renders her unable to assume care giving roles and be a stable mental system. Devoid of action, such challenges might develop and result in unsafe living conditions or additional emotional decline. The treatment group would provide coping skills, communication and support of families in similar situation.

    **Recruitment**

    The interviewees will be identified through the social service agencies, the community mental health clinics, outpatient program in the hospital, senior day treatment centers and the social service agencies. Referrals to the clients facing caregiver stress, or family conflict due to mental illness will be encouraged among the social workers, therapists as well as case managers.

    The group facilitator will have to conduct the screening interview on the potential group members before they are allowed to join the group. The screening will assess the role of care giving, degree of emotional distress and ability to participate safely in a group. Those people who have acute psychiatric crisis or interpersonal violence will be directed to more specific services. The invited members will be engaged in an orientation program where the objectives and goals of the group, rules of confidentiality, and participation will be explained (Corey et al., 2018).

    **References**

    Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Corey, C. (2018).
    _Groups: Process and practice_ (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.

    Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2022).
    _Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice_ (9th ed.). Wiley.

    Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017).
    _An introduction to group work practice_ (8th ed.). Pearson.

    Zhu, L., Heffernan, C., & Tan, J. (2022). Caregiver burden: A concept analysis.
    _International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 9_(3), 301–308.

    **## FinalProjec1.docx**

    Final Project: Treatment Group Proposal

    Formal proposals for treatment groups are typically presented to stakeholders to achieve agency support, including the provision of any necessary funding or staffing. They also serve as the group leader’s blueprint for practice once it is time to form the group and begin treatment.

    Over the last several weeks, you have drafted multiple sections of your Treatment Group Proposal. Now, for this Assignment, you polish those sections and place them in the same document so that they can be presented to agency stakeholders as a complete package. You also write an abstract to highlight key points and summarize your overall message about the need for the group and the group’s design. If you have not already, review your Instructor’s feedback on past submissions and use it to improve your overall proposal.

    Resources

    Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.

    Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.

    WEEKLY RESOURCES

    To Prepare

    Download the Treatment Group Proposal Template to use for this Assignment.

    Review your submissions for Weeks 6–9 Assignments and any Instructor feedback received.

    Revise and polish these submissions; then place them into the appropriate spot in the Treatment Group Proposal Template.

    Write an abstract to include at the beginning of your proposal. The abstract should summarize the major points.

    Assignment below:

    Submit your revised and completed Treatment Group Proposal, which is a 6- to 8-page document including the following sections:

    Abstract: Summary of major points (1 paragraph)

    Purpose: Statement of purpose, specify and justify type of treatment group, qualifications of the group leader

    Membership: Specific population for the group, cultural mix and demographic characteristics, whether involuntary group members will be included.

    Statement of Need: Why is there a need for a group to serve this target population in your area?

    Recruitment: Method to recruit potential members as well as screening and selection procedures.

    Composition & Contract: Criteria for inclusion/exclusion, size (number in group), open/closed; contents of contract (number of sessions, frequency, time of meetings, and length)

    Orientation: How you will address and ensure confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and establish rules

    Intervention Framework: Evidence-based practices and techniques to be used. Justify why the framework is appropriate for the target population and issue(s). Identify topics you plan to cover over the course of the group treatment

    Evaluation Methods: Evaluation of progress and readiness for termination of services using at least one assessment tool and one observational method.

    Use the Learning Resources and additional relevant sources you have gathered to support your paper. Make sure to provide APA citations and a reference list.

    submission information

    Before submitting your final assignment, you can check your draft for authenticity. To check your draft, access the Turnitin Drafts from the Start Here area.

    To submit your completed assignment, save your Assignment as WK10Assgn_LastName_Firstinitial

    Then, click on Start Assignment near the top of the page.

    Next, click on Upload File and select Submit Assignment for review.

    Rubric

    SOCW_6121_Week10_Assignment_Rubric

    SOCW_6121_Week10_Assignment_Rubric

    Criteria Ratings Pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAbstract

    35 to >31.15 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    The abstract meets expectations and exceeds through concise and sophisticated writing that sets up the full proposal.

    31.15 to >27.65 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    The abstract fully summarizes the major points of the proposal.

    27.65 to >24.15 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    The abstract provides a limited, incomplete, or vaguely developed summary of the major points of the proposal.

    24.15 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    There is little or no attempt to summarize the major points of the proposal in an abstract. The length may be minimal (1 or 2 sentences) or excessive.

    35 pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeRevised and Combined Proposal Sections (8 Sections): …Purpose, Membership, Statement of Need, Recruitment, Composition & Contract, Orientation, Intervention Framework, Evaluation Methods

    50 to >44.5 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    Response meets expectations and exceeds through a comprehensive proposal that flows well, clearly establishes need, and shows meticulous planning. The proposal demonstrates application of critical thinking and clinical practice knowledge and skills. There is evidence of comprehensive revision to improve prior submissions. … Response may include additional details and examples from the Learning Resources, peer-reviewed research, or other relevant sources.

    44.5 to >39.5 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    Response presents a complete picture of the proposed treatment group. … All eight sections are represented in the proposal. Each section fully describes the associated aspects of the treatment group. There is evidence of substantial revision to improve prior submissions. … Response demonstrates clear connection to the Learning Resources.

    39.5 to >34.5 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    Response presents a somewhat incomplete picture of the proposed treatment group. … Seven or eight sections are represented in the proposal. Each section provides a limited, incomplete, or vaguely developed description of the associated aspects of the treatment group. There is limited evidence of revision to improve prior submissions. … Response may show evidence of connection to the Learning Resources, but it is vague or poorly connected.

    34.5 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    Response includes six or fewer sections. There is little or no attempt in each section to describe the associated aspects of the treatment group. … There is no evidence of revision to improve prior submissions. … Response does not demonstrate connection to the Learning Resources. No resources are used to support the response.

    50 pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeWriting

    15 to >13.35 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    Paper meets length requirements, meets expectations, is generally error-free (two or fewer), and further exceeds by showcasing an exemplary scholarly voice to develop its message or communicate ideas. … Paper appropriately paraphrases sources, using one or fewer quotes. Presents polished APA Style. Citations, reference list, and paper formatting are generally error-free (two or fewer). … Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    13.35 to >11.85 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    Paper meets length requirements and is clear and coherent. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are minor, minimal (three to five), and do not interfere with the scholarly message. The paper displays effective organization and focus to communicate ideas. … Paper appropriately paraphrases sources. Paper may use two to three short quotes but provides appropriate reference. Consistently documents sources in APA Style. Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with a few minimal errors (three to five). The reference list is complete and contains only minimal errors (three to five). Paper formatting is appropriate. There is a clear distinction between cited content and original thought. … Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    11.85 to >10.35 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    Paper does not meet length requirements (either somewhat too short or too long). The paper is somewhat clear and coherent. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are minor but frequent (5–10) and occasionally interfere with the message. The paper lacks clear organization or occasionally strays from the focus. … Paper may rely on four short quotes or one to two long quotes (over 40 words) and/or does not sufficiently paraphrase material from other resources into student’s own words. Attempts to document sources in APA Style. Citations are present but contain frequent APA errors or omissions. A reference list is provided but is incomplete and/or contains frequent APA errors. Paper formatting may be incorrect (e.g., single-spaced or without a title page). … Occasionally lacks a clear distinction between cited content and original thought…. Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    10.35 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    Paper does not meet length requirements (either significantly too short or too long). The paper lacks clarity and coherence. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are major, pervasive (11+), and interfere with the message. The paper is not organized or lacks focus. … Paper relies excessively on quoting (five or more short quotes or three or more long quotes [over 40 words]) and/or uses quoted material without paraphrasing or referencing the source of the material. Little or no attempt has been made to document sources in APA Style. Citations are infrequent or missing, and a reference list is not provided. Little or no attempt has been made to format the paper in APA Style. … There is no distinction between cited content and original thought. … Tone and presentation of ideas reveal bias and subjectivity.

    15 pts

    Total Points: 100

    **## WKS9COPY.docx**

    2

    **Evaluation Methods**

    WKS 9 COPY

    April 25, 2026

    Evaluation is a critical component of the proposed Caregiver Stress and Family Conflict Support Group as it allows for an evaluation of whether the group members are decreasing the caregiver burden, increasing their coping ability and preparing members for group termination. The group targets carers that occur with a history of feeling stressed, guilty, grieving, experiencing family conflict and lack of coping strategies to deal with the burden of care giving. So, the aim of the group is to measure the change in the feelings of the members through assessment and demonstrate the change in skills.

    The group measurement that I would like to use is the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). This tool is suitable as it measures the burden of the care giver, such as the emotional burden, role burden and the impact of care giving on the family and personal life (Zarit et al, 1980). I would administer the ZBI at the beginning of the group, middle and at the end of the group. This will give the social worker an idea of the change in the participants' scores, and show a reduction in the caregiver burden. The tool will be completed by the individual members but the facilitator could see the group's scores by using the mean of the scores.

    The ZBI would be useful to use as burden for the carers is discussed in the intervention group. The burden can impact the emotional, physical, social and financial aspects of the caregiver's life, so it is important to determine whether the group is helping the participants to better cope with the burden's demands (Liu et al., 2020). The instrument is also appropriate for the group intervention which has psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategies, support and problem-solving. Studies indicate that CBT and psychosocial interventions can decrease caregiver's stress and coping in the case of caregivers of patients with dementia, severe mental illness and so on (Kwon et al., 2017; Sampogna et al., 2023). So, if the ZBI score is low this will mean there are changes due to the group.

    An observational measure that I would use would be a facilitator's observation measure, which will be rated at the end of each group. This will include attendance, participation, emotional regulation, readiness to give and receive support, using coping skills, re-framing negative thoughts, communication, setting boundaries and a self-care/crisis plan. This will assist the group facilitator to assess whether group members are actually practicing their skills as they learn them in the group.

    This measure would be helpful in determining readiness for termination as not only symptom reduction is a measure of change in groups. Interaction, support, cohesion and practice are all indicators of growth in social work groups (Toseland and Rivas, 2017). A member can be ready to be terminated when a member can identify their own stressors and coping styles, assertive communication of their needs, boundaries and outside group support. Observation is also an ethical practice as the facilitator can take into account the members' strengths, culture, needs and progress (National Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2021). The ZBI and facilitator observation scale would give a good indication for group members' performance and readiness for termination.

    **References**

    Kwon, O.-Y., Ahn, H. S., Kim, H. J., & Park, K.-W. (2017). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for caregivers of people with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
    _Journal of Clinical Neurology, 13_(4), 394–404.
    [https://doi.org/10.3988/jcn.2017.13.4.394](https://doi.org/10.3988/jcn.2017.13.4.394)

    Liu, Z., Heffernan, C., & Tan, J. (2020). Caregiver burden: A concept analysis.
    _International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 7_(4), 438–445.
    [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2020.07.012](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2020.07.012)

    National Association of Social Workers. (2021).
    _Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers_.
    [https://www.socialworkers.org/about/ethics/code-of-ethics](https://www.socialworkers.org/about/ethics/code-of-ethics)

    Sampogna, G., Brohan, E., Luciano, M., Chowdhary, N., & Fiorillo, A. (2023). Psychosocial interventions for carers of people with severe mental and substance use disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
    _European Psychiatry, 66_(1), Article e98.
    [https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.2472](https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.2472)

    Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017).
    _An introduction to group work practice_ (8th ed.). Pearson.

    Zarit, S. H., Reever, K. E., & Bach-Peterson, J. (1980). Relatives of the impaired elderly: Correlates of feelings of burden.
    _The Gerontologist, 20_(6), 649–655.
    [https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/20.6.649](https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/20.6.649)

    **## WKS6COPY.docx**

    1

    **Treatment Group Proposal: Caregiver Stress and Family Conflict Support Group**

    WKS6
    SOCW 6121: Social Work Practice With Groups

    April 5, 2026

    **Purpose**

    The proposed treatment group will provide both therapeutic care and psycho education to family caregivers who feel stressful and strained as they provide care to their seriously mentally ill or cognitively impaired relatives. In the process of interactions with the client of Parker family media case, a number of concerns were revealed. Sara Parker is a 72-year-old female patient with symptoms of cognitive deficits and hoarding, who has her daughter Stephanie living with her who has developed bipolar disorder. During the home visit of the Adult Protective Services, both of them confessed that there has been an increased conflict at home in relation to Sara hoarding and the efforts of Stephanie cleaning the apartment. Although both of them have not reported the sustained violence, the employee has observed that there has been tension of emotions and physical stress on the family which indicated the presence of caregiver stress and pooring family relationships.

    A psycho educational and support group is a proper intervention with this type of dynamics. Psycho educational groups consist of a therapeutic discussion and psycho education on coping mechanisms, mental illness, and family communication (Toseland and Rivas, 2017). Such participants are assisted by these groups to learn practical skills and emotional support of individuals that are also confronted with the same care giving problems. The licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who will be the leader of the proposed group will have a background in the areas of group facilitation, family systems, and mental health practice. The group leaders should also be knowledgeable of the trauma-informed care and crisis intervention to make sure that the surrounding is comfortable and secure when the emotionally sensitive conversations occur (Corey et al., 2018).

    **Membership**

    The proposed group shall cater to adult caregivers and family members to live or offer care to persons with severe mental illness, dementia, or hoarding behavior. These members may be spouses, adult children, or any other relatives that are put under stress or conflict due to the care giving duties. This group participation would particularly impact those individuals such as Stephanie who are struggling to manage their mental health needs and are attempting to care of their relatives.

    Subjects will be expected to embody different backgrounds in terms of culture, socioeconomic as well as demographics. Cultural competence will also be required as communities do not hold the same beliefs regarding caring, family responsibility, and mental illness (Sue and Sue, 2022). Engagement of respondent will be done on a voluntary basis to facilitate open, trustful and substantive group discussions. The sample will include six to ten participants depending on the research the most appropriate number to reach a therapeutic and group interaction (Toseland and Rivas, 2017).

    **Statement of Need**

    Caregiver support in mentally ill or cognitively depressed persons is severely required. Care giving tends to cause emotional stress and social isolation in addition to psychological stress otherwise known as caregiver burden. These researches have demonstrated that the number of caregivers who are estimated to take care of mentally ill individuals and report high caregiver burden in emotional fatigue and disrupted family relationships is estimated at 31 percent (Zhu et al., 2022). Also, stress related to care giving duties is moderate to severe, and is being reported among a number of caregivers.

    These issues are depicted in Parker family case. Hoarding and cognitive impairments have also made Sara create a clutter in her home, as well as on-going conflict between her and Stephanie. At the same time, the bipolar disorder of Stephanie renders her unable to assume care giving roles and be a stable mental system. Devoid of action, such challenges might develop and result in unsafe living conditions or additional emotional decline. The treatment group would provide coping skills, communication and support of families in similar situation.

    **Recruitment**

    The interviewees will be identified through the social service agencies, the community mental health clinics, outpatient program in the hospital, senior day treatment centers and the social service agencies. Referrals to the clients facing caregiver stress, or family conflict due to mental illness will be encouraged among the social workers, therapists as well as case managers.

    The group facilitator will have to conduct the screening interview on the potential group members before they are allowed to join the group. The screening will assess the role of care giving, degree of emotional distress and ability to participate safely in a group. Those people who have acute psychiatric crisis or interpersonal violence will be directed to more specific services. The invited members will be engaged in an orientation program where the objectives and goals of the group, rules of confidentiality, and participation will be explained (Corey et al., 2018).

    **References**

    Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Corey, C. (2018).
    _Groups: Process and practice_ (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.

    Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2022).
    _Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice_ (9th ed.). Wiley.

    Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017).
    _An introduction to group work practice_ (8th ed.). Pearson.

    Zhu, L., Heffernan, C., & Tan, J. (2022). Caregiver burden: A concept analysis.
    _International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 9_(3), 301–308.

    **## FinalProjec1.docx**

    Final Project: Treatment Group Proposal

    Formal proposals for treatment groups are typically presented to stakeholders to achieve agency support, including the provision of any necessary funding or staffing. They also serve as the group leader’s blueprint for practice once it is time to form the group and begin treatment.

    Over the last several weeks, you have drafted multiple sections of your Treatment Group Proposal. Now, for this Assignment, you polish those sections and place them in the same document so that they can be presented to agency stakeholders as a complete package. You also write an abstract to highlight key points and summarize your overall message about the need for the group and the group’s design. If you have not already, review your Instructor’s feedback on past submissions and use it to improve your overall proposal.

    Resources

    Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.

    Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.

    WEEKLY RESOURCES

    To Prepare

    Download the Treatment Group Proposal Template to use for this Assignment.

    Review your submissions for Weeks 6–9 Assignments and any Instructor feedback received.

    Revise and polish these submissions; then place them into the appropriate spot in the Treatment Group Proposal Template.

    Write an abstract to include at the beginning of your proposal. The abstract should summarize the major points.

    Assignment below:

    Submit your revised and completed Treatment Group Proposal, which is a 6- to 8-page document including the following sections:

    Abstract: Summary of major points (1 paragraph)

    Purpose: Statement of purpose, specify and justify type of treatment group, qualifications of the group leader

    Membership: Specific population for the group, cultural mix and demographic characteristics, whether involuntary group members will be included.

    Statement of Need: Why is there a need for a group to serve this target population in your area?

    Recruitment: Method to recruit potential members as well as screening and selection procedures.

    Composition & Contract: Criteria for inclusion/exclusion, size (number in group), open/closed; contents of contract (number of sessions, frequency, time of meetings, and length)

    Orientation: How you will address and ensure confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and establish rules

    Intervention Framework: Evidence-based practices and techniques to be used. Justify why the framework is appropriate for the target population and issue(s). Identify topics you plan to cover over the course of the group treatment

    Evaluation Methods: Evaluation of progress and readiness for termination of services using at least one assessment tool and one observational method.

    Use the Learning Resources and additional relevant sources you have gathered to support your paper. Make sure to provide APA citations and a reference list.

    submission information

    Before submitting your final assignment, you can check your draft for authenticity. To check your draft, access the Turnitin Drafts from the Start Here area.

    To submit your completed assignment, save your Assignment as WK10Assgn_LastName_Firstinitial

    Then, click on Start Assignment near the top of the page.

    Next, click on Upload File and select Submit Assignment for review.

    Rubric

    SOCW_6121_Week10_Assignment_Rubric

    SOCW_6121_Week10_Assignment_Rubric

    Criteria Ratings Pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAbstract

    35 to >31.15 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    The abstract meets expectations and exceeds through concise and sophisticated writing that sets up the full proposal.

    31.15 to >27.65 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    The abstract fully summarizes the major points of the proposal.

    27.65 to >24.15 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    The abstract provides a limited, incomplete, or vaguely developed summary of the major points of the proposal.

    24.15 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    There is little or no attempt to summarize the major points of the proposal in an abstract. The length may be minimal (1 or 2 sentences) or excessive.

    35 pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeRevised and Combined Proposal Sections (8 Sections): …Purpose, Membership, Statement of Need, Recruitment, Composition & Contract, Orientation, Intervention Framework, Evaluation Methods

    50 to >44.5 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    Response meets expectations and exceeds through a comprehensive proposal that flows well, clearly establishes need, and shows meticulous planning. The proposal demonstrates application of critical thinking and clinical practice knowledge and skills. There is evidence of comprehensive revision to improve prior submissions. … Response may include additional details and examples from the Learning Resources, peer-reviewed research, or other relevant sources.

    44.5 to >39.5 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    Response presents a complete picture of the proposed treatment group. … All eight sections are represented in the proposal. Each section fully describes the associated aspects of the treatment group. There is evidence of substantial revision to improve prior submissions. … Response demonstrates clear connection to the Learning Resources.

    39.5 to >34.5 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    Response presents a somewhat incomplete picture of the proposed treatment group. … Seven or eight sections are represented in the proposal. Each section provides a limited, incomplete, or vaguely developed description of the associated aspects of the treatment group. There is limited evidence of revision to improve prior submissions. … Response may show evidence of connection to the Learning Resources, but it is vague or poorly connected.

    34.5 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    Response includes six or fewer sections. There is little or no attempt in each section to describe the associated aspects of the treatment group. … There is no evidence of revision to improve prior submissions. … Response does not demonstrate connection to the Learning Resources. No resources are used to support the response.

    50 pts

    This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeWriting

    15 to >13.35 pts

    Exceeds Expectation 90-100%

    Paper meets length requirements, meets expectations, is generally error-free (two or fewer), and further exceeds by showcasing an exemplary scholarly voice to develop its message or communicate ideas. … Paper appropriately paraphrases sources, using one or fewer quotes. Presents polished APA Style. Citations, reference list, and paper formatting are generally error-free (two or fewer). … Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    13.35 to >11.85 pts

    Meets Expectation 80-89%

    Paper meets length requirements and is clear and coherent. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are minor, minimal (three to five), and do not interfere with the scholarly message. The paper displays effective organization and focus to communicate ideas. … Paper appropriately paraphrases sources. Paper may use two to three short quotes but provides appropriate reference. Consistently documents sources in APA Style. Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with a few minimal errors (three to five). The reference list is complete and contains only minimal errors (three to five). Paper formatting is appropriate. There is a clear distinction between cited content and original thought. … Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    11.85 to >10.35 pts

    Fair 70-79%

    Paper does not meet length requirements (either somewhat too short or too long). The paper is somewhat clear and coherent. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are minor but frequent (5–10) and occasionally interfere with the message. The paper lacks clear organization or occasionally strays from the focus. … Paper may rely on four short quotes or one to two long quotes (over 40 words) and/or does not sufficiently paraphrase material from other resources into student’s own words. Attempts to document sources in APA Style. Citations are present but contain frequent APA errors or omissions. A reference list is provided but is incomplete and/or contains frequent APA errors. Paper formatting may be incorrect (e.g., single-spaced or without a title page). … Occasionally lacks a clear distinction between cited content and original thought…. Tone and presentation of ideas are free from bias and objective, unless otherwise directed in the prompt.

    10.35 to >0 pts

    Needs Improvement 0-69%

    Paper does not meet length requirements (either significantly too short or too long). The paper lacks clarity and coherence. Errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are major, pervasive (11+), and interfere with the message. The paper is not organized or lacks focus. … Paper relies excessively on quoting (five or more short quotes or three or more long quotes [over 40 words]) and/or uses quoted material without paraphrasing or referencing the source of the material. Little or no attempt has been made to document sources in APA Style. Citations are infrequent or missing, and a reference list is not provided. Little or no attempt has been made to format the paper in APA Style. … There is no distinction between cited content and original thought. … Tone and presentation of ideas reveal bias and subjectivity.

    15 pts

    Total Points: 100

  • [Solved] Social Science – Sociology assignment 10

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    5

    **Needs Assessment for a Relapse Prevention Program**

    WKS 4 ASSIGNMENT

    March 22, 2026

    **Program Description**

    The change proposal that I present in the case of Still Waters Professional Counseling is Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program of adults under substance use counseling. This is aimed at fixing the poor client engagement rates that I noted during field placement particularly among those who were required to attend counseling by the Department of Family and Children Services. Despite the numerous attendances of clients at their sessions, there are those who present low attendance, motivation and lack of coping skills outside counseling. The program would also involve role plays, guided discussions, weekly goal tracking, practice in triggers management and practice in routine building that would make the treatment more practical and action oriented. According to Dudley (2020), social work assessment is expected to reveal client issues and gaps in service. It is within that framework that this program would bring in additional structured and practical additions to assist clients by making counseling material translate into behavior change, which they need to practice on a daily basis.

    **Inclusion Criteria in the Program**.

    The target clientele would consist of adult clients who are already receiving substance use counseling in the agency. The first priority would be given to the clients that are court ordered or referred to Department of Family and Children Services, the clients with a specific behavior those results in relapse on a regular basis, and those clients that cannot always use the methods of coping without the sessions. The inclusion of these clients is due to the fact that they seem to require more than just traditional counseling. Their low attendance patterns imply that there is a discrepancy between the treatment attendance and the benefit of treatment. This at-risk population would be additional in terms of accountability, rehearsal, and support with the help of a structured skills-based program.

    **Justification for the Proposed Program**

    Semi structured interviews with clients that already receive substance use services is the first technique that I would utilize to collect credible information. Interviews would enable clients to explain the greatest problems they encounter when attempting to apply coping skills in their daily lives. Such an approach would offer in-depth information regarding the barriers in the form of low motivation, unstable routines, trigger exposure, and weak support systems. The needs assessment that incorporates the voices of the people affected by the service issue directly are more powerful (Ravaghi et al., 2023). This is why the interviews with clients would be a good source of first-hand evidence.

    The second technique that I would employ is a short anonymous questionnaire that will be shared among clients and counselors. The client survey would help define the patterns regarding the obstacles to engagement, whereas the counselor survey would involve practice-based observations regarding service participation, risk of relapse, and unmet needs. The importance of using both groups is that the assignment requires the information of the clients and other stakeholders, and counselors are the major stakeholders in the planning and implementation of the program. The surveys would assist in understanding the prevalence of the problem within the agency and would supplement more profound information obtained with the help of interviews.

    The two approaches are the best alternatives since interviews are in-depth and surveys are broad. They would then come up with credible evidence to support program development and implementation. It has been found that motivation, tangible assistance, and continuous involvement are core to substance use behavior change, which explains why a structured relapse prevention program and counseling should be implemented (Schwenker et al., 2023; Gaolaolwe et al., 2025). Such a strategy would reinforce the quality of the provided services and increase the likelihood of successful recovery in the clients in the long term.

    References

    Dudley, J. R. (2020). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

    Gaolaolwe, W., Moagi, M. M., Kovane, G. P., & Sehularo, L. A. (2025). Exploration of effective substance use relapse prevention programmes for the youth: An integrative literature review. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 32(3), 661–679. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.13144

    Ravaghi, H., Guisset, A.-L., Elfeky, S., Nasir, N., Khani, S., Ahmadnezhad, E., & Abdi, Z. (2023). A scoping review of community health needs and assets assessment: Concepts, rationale, tools and uses. BMC Health Services Research, 23, Article 44.
    [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3)

    Schwenker, R., Dietrich, C. E., Hirpa, S., Nothacker, M., Smedslund, G., Frese, T., & Unverzagt, S. (2023). Motivational interviewing for substance use reduction. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023(12), CD008063. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008063.pub3

    **## WKS9ASSIGNMENT.docx**

    2

    **Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program Process Evaluation Plan.**

    WKS9 ASSIGNMENT

    April 25, 2026

    The Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program at Still Waters Professional Counseling is the proposed program. This program provides adults who are counseling for substance abuse, particularly those who are court mandated, mandated by the Department of Family and Children Services, or who have recurrent relapse, poor attendance, low motivation and poor coping skills outside of the counselor's office. The program addresses the disconnect between motivation to go to counseling and using recovery skills. The program involves structured discussions, role plays and trigger-management practice, weekly goal setting and developing new routines. These activities enhance the practicality, structure and focus of counseling. The target population requires support, accountability, and practice with coping skills, prior to exposure to risky situations. Relapse prevention is not only about knowledge but also practice, motivation and support, so the program aims to enhance clients’ skills to cope with triggers and recovery rituals (Gaolaolwe et al., 2025; Schwenker et al., 2023).

    The process evaluation is critical for this program because it is new, and the agency needs to know if it is being delivered as planned. Process evaluation assesses implementation including whether the program activities proposed are conducted, whether the intended client group is engaged, whether staff adhere to the program model and whether clients engage with services (Saunders et al., 2005). This is different from outcome evaluation, which would look at subsequent outcomes (relapse reduction, coping). With this program, process needs to be evaluated first because the program was proposed due to poor attendance and engagement. Even if the model is correct, if clients are not attending sessions, facilitators are not delivering key activities or the activities are not suited to clients, the program will not be successful. Evaluation also enables ethical social work practice by informing social work practice to improve services based on evidence not guesswork (Dudley, 2020).

    This evaluation will be an early- to mid-stage formative, process evaluation. The initial review will be after week 4 and the second after week 8 of the 12-week program cycle. This is because formative evaluation enables the staff to make adjustments to the program while it's in progress. Moore et al. (2015) describe how process evaluation helps to understand the implementation, mechanisms of impact and contextual factors of complex interventions. Evaluating early in the program, at weeks 4 and 8, will help the agency understand if problems exist with transportation, reasonable expectations, scheduling, or activities that are challenging for clients. The agency would be less able to address problems if the evaluation was conducted at the end.

    The process evaluation will be carried out by an internal evaluator, ideally the program coordinator or someone else not involved in the weekly group sessions. Using an internal evaluator makes sense because the focus is on improving the program, not external evaluation. Agency evaluators know the processes, referrals, staffing constraints and client needs. But to minimize bias, the evaluator will use standardized instruments, anonymous client surveys and a variety of sources. Facilitators will offer information about implementation, but it will not be solely based on their views.

    The main question for the process evaluation is: How well is the Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program being delivered and meeting the engagement needs of adult substance use counseling clients?

    The sub questions are: Are clients being referred and enrolled in the program? Are the intended activities (role plays, facilitated discussions, practice activities for managing triggers, setting and monitoring goals, and establishing daily routines) being delivered? Are clients engaged and participating in the activities? Are there any barriers to client attendance or delivery of the program? What are the clients' and counselors' views on the effectiveness and practicality of the activities?

    We will collect data via attendance logs, facilitator fidelity checklists, anonymous client surveys and staff feedback forms. Referrals, recruitment, weekly attendance, missed sessions and completion will be documented in attendance logs. Fidelity checklists will be completed at the end of each session to record whether core activities were delivered, materials were used, and if any changes were made. Week 4 and 8 client surveys will assess client satisfaction, usefulness, reasons for non-attendance, comfort with the activities, and how they use skills to prevent relapses outside the counseling sessions. Staff feedback forms will ask staff about problems with the program, client engagement, and suggestions.

    The analysis plan will be quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative data will be presented in counts, percentages and averages. For instance, the evaluator will report the percentage of clients referred who agree to participate, the average number of sessions attended, the percentage who attend at least 75% of the sessions, and the percentage of activities completed. The average of survey rating items will be used to determine satisfaction and usefulness. The evaluator will examine comments from the open-ended survey items and staff forms for recurring themes, such as transportation and other time demands, lack of motivation, useful role plays, and challenges completing weekly goals. This combination of numbers, client and staff feedback will offer insight into the process. This is in line with the needs assessment literature that focuses on the importance of stakeholder feedback to improve services (Ravaghi et al., 2023).

    Evaluation will be ongoing each cycle. The program coordinator will review the data for attendance and fidelity every week. Surveys will be administered at weeks 4 and 8 and a comprehensive process evaluation summary will be undertaken at the end of the 12-week cycle. The summary will highlight what's working, what's not, suggested changes and steps to be taken for the future. For instance, if attendance is poor, the agency may include reminder phone calls, change session times or provide transportation. If facilitators are not following the manual, they may need more training or materials that are easier to use. This evaluation plan will allow Still Waters Professional Counseling to continuously improve the program, improve client retention, and plan for an outcome evaluation.

    **References**

    Dudley, J. R. (2020).
    _Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do_ (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

    Gaolaolwe, W., Moagi, M. M., Kovane, G. P., & Sehularo, L. A. (2025). Exploration of effective substance use relapse prevention programmes for the youth: An integrative literature review.
    _Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 32_(3), 661–679.
    [https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.13144](https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.13144)

    Moore, G. F., Audrey, S., Barker, M., Bond, L., Bonell, C., Hardeman, W., Moore, L., O’Cathain, A., Tinati, T., Wight, D., & Baird, J. (2015). Process evaluation of complex interventions: Medical Research Council guidance.
    _BMJ, 350_, Article h1258.
    [https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h1258](https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h1258)

    Ravaghi, H., Guisset, A.-L., Elfeky, S., Nasir, N., Khani, S., Ahmadnezhad, E., & Abdi, Z. (2023). A scoping review of community health needs and assets assessment: Concepts, rationale, tools and uses.
    _BMC Health Services Research, 23_, Article 44.
    [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3)

    Saunders, R. P., Evans, M. H., & Joshi, P. (2005). Developing a process-evaluation plan for assessing health promotion program implementation: A how-to guide.
    _Health Promotion Practice, 6_(2), 134–147. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839904273387

    Schwenker, R., Dietrich, C. E., Hirpa, S., Nothacker, M., Smedslund, G., Frese, T., & Unverzagt, S. (2023). Motivational interviewing for substance use reduction.
    _Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023_(12), Article CD008063.
    [https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008063.pub3](https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008063.pub3)

    **Planningforanoutcomeevaluationcanbeacomplexprocess.docx**

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    **## WKS4ASSIGNMENT.docx**

    5

    **Needs Assessment for a Relapse Prevention Program**

    WKS 4 ASSIGNMENT

    March 22, 2026

    **Program Description**

    The change proposal that I present in the case of Still Waters Professional Counseling is Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program of adults under substance use counseling. This is aimed at fixing the poor client engagement rates that I noted during field placement particularly among those who were required to attend counseling by the Department of Family and Children Services. Despite the numerous attendances of clients at their sessions, there are those who present low attendance, motivation and lack of coping skills outside counseling. The program would also involve role plays, guided discussions, weekly goal tracking, practice in triggers management and practice in routine building that would make the treatment more practical and action oriented. According to Dudley (2020), social work assessment is expected to reveal client issues and gaps in service. It is within that framework that this program would bring in additional structured and practical additions to assist clients by making counseling material translate into behavior change, which they need to practice on a daily basis.

    **Inclusion Criteria in the Program**.

    The target clientele would consist of adult clients who are already receiving substance use counseling in the agency. The first priority would be given to the clients that are court ordered or referred to Department of Family and Children Services, the clients with a specific behavior those results in relapse on a regular basis, and those clients that cannot always use the methods of coping without the sessions. The inclusion of these clients is due to the fact that they seem to require more than just traditional counseling. Their low attendance patterns imply that there is a discrepancy between the treatment attendance and the benefit of treatment. This at-risk population would be additional in terms of accountability, rehearsal, and support with the help of a structured skills-based program.

    **Justification for the Proposed Program**

    Semi structured interviews with clients that already receive substance use services is the first technique that I would utilize to collect credible information. Interviews would enable clients to explain the greatest problems they encounter when attempting to apply coping skills in their daily lives. Such an approach would offer in-depth information regarding the barriers in the form of low motivation, unstable routines, trigger exposure, and weak support systems. The needs assessment that incorporates the voices of the people affected by the service issue directly are more powerful (Ravaghi et al., 2023). This is why the interviews with clients would be a good source of first-hand evidence.

    The second technique that I would employ is a short anonymous questionnaire that will be shared among clients and counselors. The client survey would help define the patterns regarding the obstacles to engagement, whereas the counselor survey would involve practice-based observations regarding service participation, risk of relapse, and unmet needs. The importance of using both groups is that the assignment requires the information of the clients and other stakeholders, and counselors are the major stakeholders in the planning and implementation of the program. The surveys would assist in understanding the prevalence of the problem within the agency and would supplement more profound information obtained with the help of interviews.

    The two approaches are the best alternatives since interviews are in-depth and surveys are broad. They would then come up with credible evidence to support program development and implementation. It has been found that motivation, tangible assistance, and continuous involvement are core to substance use behavior change, which explains why a structured relapse prevention program and counseling should be implemented (Schwenker et al., 2023; Gaolaolwe et al., 2025). Such a strategy would reinforce the quality of the provided services and increase the likelihood of successful recovery in the clients in the long term.

    References

    Dudley, J. R. (2020). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

    Gaolaolwe, W., Moagi, M. M., Kovane, G. P., & Sehularo, L. A. (2025). Exploration of effective substance use relapse prevention programmes for the youth: An integrative literature review. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 32(3), 661–679. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.13144

    Ravaghi, H., Guisset, A.-L., Elfeky, S., Nasir, N., Khani, S., Ahmadnezhad, E., & Abdi, Z. (2023). A scoping review of community health needs and assets assessment: Concepts, rationale, tools and uses. BMC Health Services Research, 23, Article 44.
    [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3)

    Schwenker, R., Dietrich, C. E., Hirpa, S., Nothacker, M., Smedslund, G., Frese, T., & Unverzagt, S. (2023). Motivational interviewing for substance use reduction. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023(12), CD008063. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008063.pub3

    **## WKS9ASSIGNMENT.docx**

    2

    **Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program Process Evaluation Plan.**

    WKS9 ASSIGNMENT

    April 25, 2026

    The Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program at Still Waters Professional Counseling is the proposed program. This program provides adults who are counseling for substance abuse, particularly those who are court mandated, mandated by the Department of Family and Children Services, or who have recurrent relapse, poor attendance, low motivation and poor coping skills outside of the counselor's office. The program addresses the disconnect between motivation to go to counseling and using recovery skills. The program involves structured discussions, role plays and trigger-management practice, weekly goal setting and developing new routines. These activities enhance the practicality, structure and focus of counseling. The target population requires support, accountability, and practice with coping skills, prior to exposure to risky situations. Relapse prevention is not only about knowledge but also practice, motivation and support, so the program aims to enhance clients’ skills to cope with triggers and recovery rituals (Gaolaolwe et al., 2025; Schwenker et al., 2023).

    The process evaluation is critical for this program because it is new, and the agency needs to know if it is being delivered as planned. Process evaluation assesses implementation including whether the program activities proposed are conducted, whether the intended client group is engaged, whether staff adhere to the program model and whether clients engage with services (Saunders et al., 2005). This is different from outcome evaluation, which would look at subsequent outcomes (relapse reduction, coping). With this program, process needs to be evaluated first because the program was proposed due to poor attendance and engagement. Even if the model is correct, if clients are not attending sessions, facilitators are not delivering key activities or the activities are not suited to clients, the program will not be successful. Evaluation also enables ethical social work practice by informing social work practice to improve services based on evidence not guesswork (Dudley, 2020).

    This evaluation will be an early- to mid-stage formative, process evaluation. The initial review will be after week 4 and the second after week 8 of the 12-week program cycle. This is because formative evaluation enables the staff to make adjustments to the program while it's in progress. Moore et al. (2015) describe how process evaluation helps to understand the implementation, mechanisms of impact and contextual factors of complex interventions. Evaluating early in the program, at weeks 4 and 8, will help the agency understand if problems exist with transportation, reasonable expectations, scheduling, or activities that are challenging for clients. The agency would be less able to address problems if the evaluation was conducted at the end.

    The process evaluation will be carried out by an internal evaluator, ideally the program coordinator or someone else not involved in the weekly group sessions. Using an internal evaluator makes sense because the focus is on improving the program, not external evaluation. Agency evaluators know the processes, referrals, staffing constraints and client needs. But to minimize bias, the evaluator will use standardized instruments, anonymous client surveys and a variety of sources. Facilitators will offer information about implementation, but it will not be solely based on their views.

    The main question for the process evaluation is: How well is the Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program being delivered and meeting the engagement needs of adult substance use counseling clients?

    The sub questions are: Are clients being referred and enrolled in the program? Are the intended activities (role plays, facilitated discussions, practice activities for managing triggers, setting and monitoring goals, and establishing daily routines) being delivered? Are clients engaged and participating in the activities? Are there any barriers to client attendance or delivery of the program? What are the clients' and counselors' views on the effectiveness and practicality of the activities?

    We will collect data via attendance logs, facilitator fidelity checklists, anonymous client surveys and staff feedback forms. Referrals, recruitment, weekly attendance, missed sessions and completion will be documented in attendance logs. Fidelity checklists will be completed at the end of each session to record whether core activities were delivered, materials were used, and if any changes were made. Week 4 and 8 client surveys will assess client satisfaction, usefulness, reasons for non-attendance, comfort with the activities, and how they use skills to prevent relapses outside the counseling sessions. Staff feedback forms will ask staff about problems with the program, client engagement, and suggestions.

    The analysis plan will be quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative data will be presented in counts, percentages and averages. For instance, the evaluator will report the percentage of clients referred who agree to participate, the average number of sessions attended, the percentage who attend at least 75% of the sessions, and the percentage of activities completed. The average of survey rating items will be used to determine satisfaction and usefulness. The evaluator will examine comments from the open-ended survey items and staff forms for recurring themes, such as transportation and other time demands, lack of motivation, useful role plays, and challenges completing weekly goals. This combination of numbers, client and staff feedback will offer insight into the process. This is in line with the needs assessment literature that focuses on the importance of stakeholder feedback to improve services (Ravaghi et al., 2023).

    Evaluation will be ongoing each cycle. The program coordinator will review the data for attendance and fidelity every week. Surveys will be administered at weeks 4 and 8 and a comprehensive process evaluation summary will be undertaken at the end of the 12-week cycle. The summary will highlight what's working, what's not, suggested changes and steps to be taken for the future. For instance, if attendance is poor, the agency may include reminder phone calls, change session times or provide transportation. If facilitators are not following the manual, they may need more training or materials that are easier to use. This evaluation plan will allow Still Waters Professional Counseling to continuously improve the program, improve client retention, and plan for an outcome evaluation.

    **References**

    Dudley, J. R. (2020).
    _Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do_ (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

    Gaolaolwe, W., Moagi, M. M., Kovane, G. P., & Sehularo, L. A. (2025). Exploration of effective substance use relapse prevention programmes for the youth: An integrative literature review.
    _Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 32_(3), 661–679.
    [https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.13144](https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.13144)

    Moore, G. F., Audrey, S., Barker, M., Bond, L., Bonell, C., Hardeman, W., Moore, L., O’Cathain, A., Tinati, T., Wight, D., & Baird, J. (2015). Process evaluation of complex interventions: Medical Research Council guidance.
    _BMJ, 350_, Article h1258.
    [https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h1258](https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h1258)

    Ravaghi, H., Guisset, A.-L., Elfeky, S., Nasir, N., Khani, S., Ahmadnezhad, E., & Abdi, Z. (2023). A scoping review of community health needs and assets assessment: Concepts, rationale, tools and uses.
    _BMC Health Services Research, 23_, Article 44.
    [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3)

    Saunders, R. P., Evans, M. H., & Joshi, P. (2005). Developing a process-evaluation plan for assessing health promotion program implementation: A how-to guide.
    _Health Promotion Practice, 6_(2), 134–147. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839904273387

    Schwenker, R., Dietrich, C. E., Hirpa, S., Nothacker, M., Smedslund, G., Frese, T., & Unverzagt, S. (2023). Motivational interviewing for substance use reduction.
    _Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023_(12), Article CD008063.
    [https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008063.pub3](https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008063.pub3)

    **Planningforanoutcomeevaluationcanbeacomplexprocess.docx**

    This file is too large to display. [View in new window](https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/planningforanoutcomeevaluationcanbeacomplexprocess-docx)

    **## WKS4ASSIGNMENT.docx**

    5

    **Needs Assessment for a Relapse Prevention Program**

    WKS 4 ASSIGNMENT

    March 22, 2026

    **Program Description**

    The change proposal that I present in the case of Still Waters Professional Counseling is Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program of adults under substance use counseling. This is aimed at fixing the poor client engagement rates that I noted during field placement particularly among those who were required to attend counseling by the Department of Family and Children Services. Despite the numerous attendances of clients at their sessions, there are those who present low attendance, motivation and lack of coping skills outside counseling. The program would also involve role plays, guided discussions, weekly goal tracking, practice in triggers management and practice in routine building that would make the treatment more practical and action oriented. According to Dudley (2020), social work assessment is expected to reveal client issues and gaps in service. It is within that framework that this program would bring in additional structured and practical additions to assist clients by making counseling material translate into behavior change, which they need to practice on a daily basis.

    **Inclusion Criteria in the Program**.

    The target clientele would consist of adult clients who are already receiving substance use counseling in the agency. The first priority would be given to the clients that are court ordered or referred to Department of Family and Children Services, the clients with a specific behavior those results in relapse on a regular basis, and those clients that cannot always use the methods of coping without the sessions. The inclusion of these clients is due to the fact that they seem to require more than just traditional counseling. Their low attendance patterns imply that there is a discrepancy between the treatment attendance and the benefit of treatment. This at-risk population would be additional in terms of accountability, rehearsal, and support with the help of a structured skills-based program.

    **Justification for the Proposed Program**

    Semi structured interviews with clients that already receive substance use services is the first technique that I would utilize to collect credible information. Interviews would enable clients to explain the greatest problems they encounter when attempting to apply coping skills in their daily lives. Such an approach would offer in-depth information regarding the barriers in the form of low motivation, unstable routines, trigger exposure, and weak support systems. The needs assessment that incorporates the voices of the people affected by the service issue directly are more powerful (Ravaghi et al., 2023). This is why the interviews with clients would be a good source of first-hand evidence.

    The second technique that I would employ is a short anonymous questionnaire that will be shared among clients and counselors. The client survey would help define the patterns regarding the obstacles to engagement, whereas the counselor survey would involve practice-based observations regarding service participation, risk of relapse, and unmet needs. The importance of using both groups is that the assignment requires the information of the clients and other stakeholders, and counselors are the major stakeholders in the planning and implementation of the program. The surveys would assist in understanding the prevalence of the problem within the agency and would supplement more profound information obtained with the help of interviews.

    The two approaches are the best alternatives since interviews are in-depth and surveys are broad. They would then come up with credible evidence to support program development and implementation. It has been found that motivation, tangible assistance, and continuous involvement are core to substance use behavior change, which explains why a structured relapse prevention program and counseling should be implemented (Schwenker et al., 2023; Gaolaolwe et al., 2025). Such a strategy would reinforce the quality of the provided services and increase the likelihood of successful recovery in the clients in the long term.

    References

    Dudley, J. R. (2020). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

    Gaolaolwe, W., Moagi, M. M., Kovane, G. P., & Sehularo, L. A. (2025). Exploration of effective substance use relapse prevention programmes for the youth: An integrative literature review. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 32(3), 661–679. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.13144

    Ravaghi, H., Guisset, A.-L., Elfeky, S., Nasir, N., Khani, S., Ahmadnezhad, E., & Abdi, Z. (2023). A scoping review of community health needs and assets assessment: Concepts, rationale, tools and uses. BMC Health Services Research, 23, Article 44.
    [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3)

    Schwenker, R., Dietrich, C. E., Hirpa, S., Nothacker, M., Smedslund, G., Frese, T., & Unverzagt, S. (2023). Motivational interviewing for substance use reduction. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023(12), CD008063. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008063.pub3

    **## WKS9ASSIGNMENT.docx**

    2

    **Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program Process Evaluation Plan.**

    WKS9 ASSIGNMENT

    April 25, 2026

    The Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program at Still Waters Professional Counseling is the proposed program. This program provides adults who are counseling for substance abuse, particularly those who are court mandated, mandated by the Department of Family and Children Services, or who have recurrent relapse, poor attendance, low motivation and poor coping skills outside of the counselor's office. The program addresses the disconnect between motivation to go to counseling and using recovery skills. The program involves structured discussions, role plays and trigger-management practice, weekly goal setting and developing new routines. These activities enhance the practicality, structure and focus of counseling. The target population requires support, accountability, and practice with coping skills, prior to exposure to risky situations. Relapse prevention is not only about knowledge but also practice, motivation and support, so the program aims to enhance clients’ skills to cope with triggers and recovery rituals (Gaolaolwe et al., 2025; Schwenker et al., 2023).

    The process evaluation is critical for this program because it is new, and the agency needs to know if it is being delivered as planned. Process evaluation assesses implementation including whether the program activities proposed are conducted, whether the intended client group is engaged, whether staff adhere to the program model and whether clients engage with services (Saunders et al., 2005). This is different from outcome evaluation, which would look at subsequent outcomes (relapse reduction, coping). With this program, process needs to be evaluated first because the program was proposed due to poor attendance and engagement. Even if the model is correct, if clients are not attending sessions, facilitators are not delivering key activities or the activities are not suited to clients, the program will not be successful. Evaluation also enables ethical social work practice by informing social work practice to improve services based on evidence not guesswork (Dudley, 2020).

    This evaluation will be an early- to mid-stage formative, process evaluation. The initial review will be after week 4 and the second after week 8 of the 12-week program cycle. This is because formative evaluation enables the staff to make adjustments to the program while it's in progress. Moore et al. (2015) describe how process evaluation helps to understand the implementation, mechanisms of impact and contextual factors of complex interventions. Evaluating early in the program, at weeks 4 and 8, will help the agency understand if problems exist with transportation, reasonable expectations, scheduling, or activities that are challenging for clients. The agency would be less able to address problems if the evaluation was conducted at the end.

    The process evaluation will be carried out by an internal evaluator, ideally the program coordinator or someone else not involved in the weekly group sessions. Using an internal evaluator makes sense because the focus is on improving the program, not external evaluation. Agency evaluators know the processes, referrals, staffing constraints and client needs. But to minimize bias, the evaluator will use standardized instruments, anonymous client surveys and a variety of sources. Facilitators will offer information about implementation, but it will not be solely based on their views.

    The main question for the process evaluation is: How well is the Life Skills and Relapse Prevention Program being delivered and meeting the engagement needs of adult substance use counseling clients?

    The sub questions are: Are clients being referred and enrolled in the program? Are the intended activities (role plays, facilitated discussions, practice activities for managing triggers, setting and monitoring goals, and establishing daily routines) being delivered? Are clients engaged and participating in the activities? Are there any barriers to client attendance or delivery of the program? What are the clients' and counselors' views on the effectiveness and practicality of the activities?

    We will collect data via attendance logs, facilitator fidelity checklists, anonymous client surveys and staff feedback forms. Referrals, recruitment, weekly attendance, missed sessions and completion will be documented in attendance logs. Fidelity checklists will be completed at the end of each session to record whether core activities were delivered, materials were used, and if any changes were made. Week 4 and 8 client surveys will assess client satisfaction, usefulness, reasons for non-attendance, comfort with the activities, and how they use skills to prevent relapses outside the counseling sessions. Staff feedback forms will ask staff about problems with the program, client engagement, and suggestions.

    The analysis plan will be quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative data will be presented in counts, percentages and averages. For instance, the evaluator will report the percentage of clients referred who agree to participate, the average number of sessions attended, the percentage who attend at least 75% of the sessions, and the percentage of activities completed. The average of survey rating items will be used to determine satisfaction and usefulness. The evaluator will examine comments from the open-ended survey items and staff forms for recurring themes, such as transportation and other time demands, lack of motivation, useful role plays, and challenges completing weekly goals. This combination of numbers, client and staff feedback will offer insight into the process. This is in line with the needs assessment literature that focuses on the importance of stakeholder feedback to improve services (Ravaghi et al., 2023).

    Evaluation will be ongoing each cycle. The program coordinator will review the data for attendance and fidelity every week. Surveys will be administered at weeks 4 and 8 and a comprehensive process evaluation summary will be undertaken at the end of the 12-week cycle. The summary will highlight what's working, what's not, suggested changes and steps to be taken for the future. For instance, if attendance is poor, the agency may include reminder phone calls, change session times or provide transportation. If facilitators are not following the manual, they may need more training or materials that are easier to use. This evaluation plan will allow Still Waters Professional Counseling to continuously improve the program, improve client retention, and plan for an outcome evaluation.

    **References**

    Dudley, J. R. (2020).
    _Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do_ (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

    Gaolaolwe, W., Moagi, M. M., Kovane, G. P., & Sehularo, L. A. (2025). Exploration of effective substance use relapse prevention programmes for the youth: An integrative literature review.
    _Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 32_(3), 661–679.
    [https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.13144](https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.13144)

    Moore, G. F., Audrey, S., Barker, M., Bond, L., Bonell, C., Hardeman, W., Moore, L., O’Cathain, A., Tinati, T., Wight, D., & Baird, J. (2015). Process evaluation of complex interventions: Medical Research Council guidance.
    _BMJ, 350_, Article h1258.
    [https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h1258](https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h1258)

    Ravaghi, H., Guisset, A.-L., Elfeky, S., Nasir, N., Khani, S., Ahmadnezhad, E., & Abdi, Z. (2023). A scoping review of community health needs and assets assessment: Concepts, rationale, tools and uses.
    _BMC Health Services Research, 23_, Article 44.
    [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08983-3)

    Saunders, R. P., Evans, M. H., & Joshi, P. (2005). Developing a process-evaluation plan for assessing health promotion program implementation: A how-to guide.
    _Health Promotion Practice, 6_(2), 134–147. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839904273387

    Schwenker, R., Dietrich, C. E., Hirpa, S., Nothacker, M., Smedslund, G., Frese, T., & Unverzagt, S. (2023). Motivational interviewing for substance use reduction.
    _Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023_(12), Article CD008063.
    [https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008063.pub3](https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008063.pub3)

    **Planningforanoutcomeevaluationcanbeacomplexprocess.docx**

    This file is too large to display. [View in new window](https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/planningforanoutcomeevaluationcanbeacomplexprocess-docx)

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    **files (2)** – ## WindshieldTourWorksheet-1-1.docx – ## windshieldtourfortwo.docx **## WindshieldTourWorksheet-1-1.docx** Windshield Tour Worksheet Name(s) ____________________________________ Site _____________________________ Date …

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    **files (2)**

    – ## WindshieldTourWorksheet-1-1.docx

    – ## windshieldtourfortwo.docx

    **## WindshieldTourWorksheet-1-1.docx**

    Windshield Tour Worksheet

    Name(s) ____________________________________ Site _____________________________ Date ___________

    A windshield tour is when health education specialists drive around selected communities looking through their car windshield
    **s** to familiarize themselves with the area. Many students walk through their community, sometimes informally chatting with residents and visiting shops. The purposes of the windshield tour are to observe conditions within the community, look for verification of secondary data to identify local resources and activities not captured through more formal means, and differentiate different segments of the population in the community. For our purposes, you will conduct a tour for at least 1 hour, using the directions below.

    _Directions:_

    1. Choose a community that you are not completely familiar with. Try to get outside of your box. Decide on a time (preferably during daylight hours) when you can travel to the community. To avoid traffic delays, choose off-peak daytime or weekend hours whenever possible. It is highly recommended that you invite a family member or friend to go with you, so that you can see more and reflect. They can drive while you look for the resources listed on the checklist. This can also be done alone, if necessary; however, it is not recommended.

    2. Drive to your community site with driving directions, a map, and a checklist.

    3. Take notes about what you see, hear, and feel during the exercise.

    4. Follow these suggested rules for public safety:

    A. Stay alert always.

    B. Be aware of your instincts (if you have a gut feeling of impending danger, take precautions or simply suspend your activity).

    C. Try to blend into the community as much as possible (wear clothing that affords you comfort, flexibility, and agility; walk confidently; leave large amounts of cash or large bills at home).

    Use the worksheet on the next page to conduct a windshield tour of the community. Locate the resources within a 0.5-mile radius of your community site.

    Then, write a 2-page summary (double spaced) of your observation. Include any conversations with residents, your feelings and any thoughts about the community health issues that may be present in that area.

    | | | |
    | — | — | — |
    | **Community Resource** | **Number** | **Observations and Description** |
    | Schools (public) | | |
    | Schools (private) | | |
    | Churches (denominations) | | |
    | Recreation centers | | |
    | Daycare centers | | |
    | Community centers | | |
    | Grocery stores | | |
    | Supermarkets | | |
    | Farmer’s market | | |
    | Pharmacies | | |
    | Nearest hospital(s) | | |
    | Clinics or community health centers | | |
    | Private physician’s offices | | |
    | Barber/beauty shops or, nail salons | | |
    | Liquor stores | | |
    | Housing units (e.g., public housing, rental units, private homes, condos, etc.) | | |
    | Other resources (e.g., billboard advertising, etc.) | | |

    **## windshieldtourfortwo.docx**

    **Project #2: Windshield Tour (I need two of these assignments, because we are in the same class. Please put this together for two people instead of one) I have enclosed worksheet)**

    ·
    **Available** until May 7 at 11:59pm

    **Submit your worksheet and your reflection paper together!**

    [Windshield Tour Assignment Worksheet](https://uncfsu.instructure.com/courses/49977/files/9712311?wrap=1) [Download Windshield Tour Assignment Worksheet](https://uncfsu.instructure.com/courses/49977/files/9712311/download?download_frd=1)

    This videoLinks to an external site. will help you understand the purpose of the Windshield Tour.

    A
    **windshield** **tour** is when health education specialists drive around selected communities, looking throughtheir car
    **windshields** to familiarize themselves with the area.  Many students walk through their community, sometimes informally chatting with residents and visiting shops. The purposes of the
    **windshield** **tour** are to observe conditions within the community, look for verification of secondary data to identify local resources and activities not captured through more formal means, and differentiate different segments of the population inthe community. For our purposes, you will conduct a tour for at least 1 hour using the directions below.

    **_Directions:_**

    1. Choose a community that you are not completely familiar with. Try to get outside of your box. Decide on a time (preferably during daylight hours) when you can travel to the community. To avoid traffic delays, choose off-peak daytime or weekend hours whenever possible. It is highly recommended that you invite a family member or friend to go with you, so that you can see more and reflect. They can drive while you look for the resources listed on the checklist. This can also be done alone, if necessary; however, it is not recommended.

    2. Drive to your community site with driving directions, a map, and a checklist.

    3. Take notes about what you see, hear, and feel during the exercise.

    4. Follow these suggested rules for public safety:

    A. Stay alert always.

    B. Be aware of your instincts (if you have a gut feeling of impending danger, take precautions or simply suspend your activity).

    C. Try to blend into the community as much as possible (wear clothing that affords you comfort, flexibility, and agility; walk confidently; leave large amounts of cash or large bills at home).

    _This is your worksheet conducting a windshield tour of the community.  Locate the following resources within a 0.5-mile radius of your community site. (Use the attached worksheet)._

    | | | |
    | — | — | — |
    | **Community Resource** | **Number** | **Observations and Description** |
    | Schools public | | |
    | Schools private | | |
    | Churches (denominations) | | |
    | Recreation centers | | |
    | Daycare centers | | |
    | Community centers | | |
    | Grocery stores | | |
    | Supermarkets | | |
    | Farmer’s market | | |
    | Pharmacies | | |
    | Nearest hospital(s) | | |
    | Clinics or community health centers | | |
    | Private physician’s offices | | |
    | Barber/beauty shops or, nail salons | | |
    | Liquor stores | | |
    | Housing units (e.g., public housing, rental units, private homes, condos, etc.) | | |
    | Other resources (e.g., billboard advertising, etc.) | | |

    Write a 2-page summary (double-spaced) of your observation. Be as descriptive as possible; use adjectives. Include any conversations with residents, your feelings, and any thoughts about the community health issues that may be present in that area. Write the paper using the first person tense.

    **## windshieldtourfortwo.docx**

    **Project #2: Windshield Tour (I need two of these assignments, because we are in the same class. Please put this together for two people instead of one) I have enclosed worksheet)**

    ·
    **Available** until May 7 at 11:59pm

    **Submit your worksheet and your reflection paper together!**

    [Windshield Tour Assignment Worksheet](https://uncfsu.instructure.com/courses/49977/files/9712311?wrap=1) [Download Windshield Tour Assignment Worksheet](https://uncfsu.instructure.com/courses/49977/files/9712311/download?download_frd=1)

    This videoLinks to an external site. will help you understand the purpose of the Windshield Tour.

    A
    **windshield** **tour** is when health education specialists drive around selected communities, looking throughtheir car
    **windshields** to familiarize themselves with the area.  Many students walk through their community, sometimes informally chatting with residents and visiting shops. The purposes of the
    **windshield** **tour** are to observe conditions within the community, look for verification of secondary data to identify local resources and activities not captured through more formal means, and differentiate different segments of the population inthe community. For our purposes, you will conduct a tour for at least 1 hour using the directions below.

    **_Directions:_**

    1. Choose a community that you are not completely familiar with. Try to get outside of your box. Decide on a time (preferably during daylight hours) when you can travel to the community. To avoid traffic delays, choose off-peak daytime or weekend hours whenever possible. It is highly recommended that you invite a family member or friend to go with you, so that you can see more and reflect. They can drive while you look for the resources listed on the checklist. This can also be done alone, if necessary; however, it is not recommended.

    2. Drive to your community site with driving directions, a map, and a checklist.

    3. Take notes about what you see, hear, and feel during the exercise.

    4. Follow these suggested rules for public safety:

    A. Stay alert always.

    B. Be aware of your instincts (if you have a gut feeling of impending danger, take precautions or simply suspend your activity).

    C. Try to blend into the community as much as possible (wear clothing that affords you comfort, flexibility, and agility; walk confidently; leave large amounts of cash or large bills at home).

    _This is your worksheet conducting a windshield tour of the community.  Locate the following resources within a 0.5-mile radius of your community site. (Use the attached worksheet)._

    | | | |
    | — | — | — |
    | **Community Resource** | **Number** | **Observations and Description** |
    | Schools public | | |
    | Schools private | | |
    | Churches (denominations) | | |
    | Recreation centers | | |
    | Daycare centers | | |
    | Community centers | | |
    | Grocery stores | | |
    | Supermarkets | | |
    | Farmer’s market | | |
    | Pharmacies | | |
    | Nearest hospital(s) | | |
    | Clinics or community health centers | | |
    | Private physician’s offices | | |
    | Barber/beauty shops or, nail salons | | |
    | Liquor stores | | |
    | Housing units (e.g., public housing, rental units, private homes, condos, etc.) | | |
    | Other resources (e.g., billboard advertising, etc.) | | |

    Write a 2-page summary (double-spaced) of your observation. Be as descriptive as possible; use adjectives. Include any conversations with residents, your feelings, and any thoughts about the community health issues that may be present in that area. Write the paper using the first person tense.

    **## WindshieldTourWorksheet-1-1.docx**

    Windshield Tour Worksheet

    Name(s) ____________________________________ Site _____________________________ Date ___________

    A windshield tour is when health education specialists drive around selected communities looking through their car windshield
    **s** to familiarize themselves with the area. Many students walk through their community, sometimes informally chatting with residents and visiting shops. The purposes of the windshield tour are to observe conditions within the community, look for verification of secondary data to identify local resources and activities not captured through more formal means, and differentiate different segments of the population in the community. For our purposes, you will conduct a tour for at least 1 hour, using the directions below.

    _Directions:_

    1. Choose a community that you are not completely familiar with. Try to get outside of your box. Decide on a time (preferably during daylight hours) when you can travel to the community. To avoid traffic delays, choose off-peak daytime or weekend hours whenever possible. It is highly recommended that you invite a family member or friend to go with you, so that you can see more and reflect. They can drive while you look for the resources listed on the checklist. This can also be done alone, if necessary; however, it is not recommended.

    2. Drive to your community site with driving directions, a map, and a checklist.

    3. Take notes about what you see, hear, and feel during the exercise.

    4. Follow these suggested rules for public safety:

    A. Stay alert always.

    B. Be aware of your instincts (if you have a gut feeling of impending danger, take precautions or simply suspend your activity).

    C. Try to blend into the community as much as possible (wear clothing that affords you comfort, flexibility, and agility; walk confidently; leave large amounts of cash or large bills at home).

    Use the worksheet on the next page to conduct a windshield tour of the community. Locate the resources within a 0.5-mile radius of your community site.

    Then, write a 2-page summary (double spaced) of your observation. Include any conversations with residents, your feelings and any thoughts about the community health issues that may be present in that area.

    | | | |
    | — | — | — |
    | **Community Resource** | **Number** | **Observations and Description** |
    | Schools (public) | | |
    | Schools (private) | | |
    | Churches (denominations) | | |
    | Recreation centers | | |
    | Daycare centers | | |
    | Community centers | | |
    | Grocery stores | | |
    | Supermarkets | | |
    | Farmer’s market | | |
    | Pharmacies | | |
    | Nearest hospital(s) | | |
    | Clinics or community health centers | | |
    | Private physician’s offices | | |
    | Barber/beauty shops or, nail salons | | |
    | Liquor stores | | |
    | Housing units (e.g., public housing, rental units, private homes, condos, etc.) | | |
    | Other resources (e.g., billboard advertising, etc.) | | |

    **## windshieldtourfortwo.docx**

    **Project #2: Windshield Tour (I need two of these assignments, because we are in the same class. Please put this together for two people instead of one) I have enclosed worksheet)**

    ·
    **Available** until May 7 at 11:59pm

    **Submit your worksheet and your reflection paper together!**

    [Windshield Tour Assignment Worksheet](https://uncfsu.instructure.com/courses/49977/files/9712311?wrap=1) [Download Windshield Tour Assignment Worksheet](https://uncfsu.instructure.com/courses/49977/files/9712311/download?download_frd=1)

    This videoLinks to an external site. will help you understand the purpose of the Windshield Tour.

    A
    **windshield** **tour** is when health education specialists drive around selected communities, looking throughtheir car
    **windshields** to familiarize themselves with the area.  Many students walk through their community, sometimes informally chatting with residents and visiting shops. The purposes of the
    **windshield** **tour** are to observe conditions within the community, look for verification of secondary data to identify local resources and activities not captured through more formal means, and differentiate different segments of the population inthe community. For our purposes, you will conduct a tour for at least 1 hour using the directions below.

    **_Directions:_**

    1. Choose a community that you are not completely familiar with. Try to get outside of your box. Decide on a time (preferably during daylight hours) when you can travel to the community. To avoid traffic delays, choose off-peak daytime or weekend hours whenever possible. It is highly recommended that you invite a family member or friend to go with you, so that you can see more and reflect. They can drive while you look for the resources listed on the checklist. This can also be done alone, if necessary; however, it is not recommended.

    2. Drive to your community site with driving directions, a map, and a checklist.

    3. Take notes about what you see, hear, and feel during the exercise.

    4. Follow these suggested rules for public safety:

    A. Stay alert always.

    B. Be aware of your instincts (if you have a gut feeling of impending danger, take precautions or simply suspend your activity).

    C. Try to blend into the community as much as possible (wear clothing that affords you comfort, flexibility, and agility; walk confidently; leave large amounts of cash or large bills at home).

    _This is your worksheet conducting a windshield tour of the community.  Locate the following resources within a 0.5-mile radius of your community site. (Use the attached worksheet)._

    | | | |
    | — | — | — |
    | **Community Resource** | **Number** | **Observations and Description** |
    | Schools public | | |
    | Schools private | | |
    | Churches (denominations) | | |
    | Recreation centers | | |
    | Daycare centers | | |
    | Community centers | | |
    | Grocery stores | | |
    | Supermarkets | | |
    | Farmer’s market | | |
    | Pharmacies | | |
    | Nearest hospital(s) | | |
    | Clinics or community health centers | | |
    | Private physician’s offices | | |
    | Barber/beauty shops or, nail salons | | |
    | Liquor stores | | |
    | Housing units (e.g., public housing, rental units, private homes, condos, etc.) | | |
    | Other resources (e.g., billboard advertising, etc.) | | |

    Write a 2-page summary (double-spaced) of your observation. Be as descriptive as possible; use adjectives. Include any conversations with residents, your feelings, and any thoughts about the community health issues that may be present in that area. Write the paper using the first person tense.

    **## WindshieldTourWorksheet-1-1.docx**

    Windshield Tour Worksheet

    Name(s) ____________________________________ Site _____________________________ Date ___________

    A windshield tour is when health education specialists drive around selected communities looking through their car windshield
    **s** to familiarize themselves with the area. Many students walk through their community, sometimes informally chatting with residents and visiting shops. The purposes of the windshield tour are to observe conditions within the community, look for verification of secondary data to identify local resources and activities not captured through more formal means, and differentiate different segments of the population in the community. For our purposes, you will conduct a tour for at least 1 hour, using the directions below.

    _Directions:_

    1. Choose a community that you are not completely familiar with. Try to get outside of your box. Decide on a time (preferably during daylight hours) when you can travel to the community. To avoid traffic delays, choose off-peak daytime or weekend hours whenever possible. It is highly recommended that you invite a family member or friend to go with you, so that you can see more and reflect. They can drive while you look for the resources listed on the checklist. This can also be done alone, if necessary; however, it is not recommended.

    2. Drive to your community site with driving directions, a map, and a checklist.

    3. Take notes about what you see, hear, and feel during the exercise.

    4. Follow these suggested rules for public safety:

    A. Stay alert always.

    B. Be aware of your instincts (if you have a gut feeling of impending danger, take precautions or simply suspend your activity).

    C. Try to blend into the community as much as possible (wear clothing that affords you comfort, flexibility, and agility; walk confidently; leave large amounts of cash or large bills at home).

    Use the worksheet on the next page to conduct a windshield tour of the community. Locate the resources within a 0.5-mile radius of your community site.

    Then, write a 2-page summary (double spaced) of your observation. Include any conversations with residents, your feelings and any thoughts about the community health issues that may be present in that area.

    | | | |
    | — | — | — |
    | **Community Resource** | **Number** | **Observations and Description** |
    | Schools (public) | | |
    | Schools (private) | | |
    | Churches (denominations) | | |
    | Recreation centers | | |
    | Daycare centers | | |
    | Community centers | | |
    | Grocery stores | | |
    | Supermarkets | | |
    | Farmer’s market | | |
    | Pharmacies | | |
    | Nearest hospital(s) | | |
    | Clinics or community health centers | | |
    | Private physician’s offices | | |
    | Barber/beauty shops or, nail salons | | |
    | Liquor stores | | |
    | Housing units (e.g., public housing, rental units, private homes, condos, etc.) | | |
    | Other resources (e.g., billboard advertising, etc.) | | |

    **## windshieldtourfortwo.docx**

    **Project #2: Windshield Tour (I need two of these assignments, because we are in the same class. Please put this together for two people instead of one) I have enclosed worksheet)**

    ·
    **Available** until May 7 at 11:59pm

    **Submit your worksheet and your reflection paper together!**

    [Windshield Tour Assignment Worksheet](https://uncfsu.instructure.com/courses/49977/files/9712311?wrap=1) [Download Windshield Tour Assignment Worksheet](https://uncfsu.instructure.com/courses/49977/files/9712311/download?download_frd=1)

    This videoLinks to an external site. will help you understand the purpose of the Windshield Tour.

    A
    **windshield** **tour** is when health education specialists drive around selected communities, looking throughtheir car
    **windshields** to familiarize themselves with the area.  Many students walk through their community, sometimes informally chatting with residents and visiting shops. The purposes of the
    **windshield** **tour** are to observe conditions within the community, look for verification of secondary data to identify local resources and activities not captured through more formal means, and differentiate different segments of the population inthe community. For our purposes, you will conduct a tour for at least 1 hour using the directions below.

    **_Directions:_**

    1. Choose a community that you are not completely familiar with. Try to get outside of your box. Decide on a time (preferably during daylight hours) when you can travel to the community. To avoid traffic delays, choose off-peak daytime or weekend hours whenever possible. It is highly recommended that you invite a family member or friend to go with you, so that you can see more and reflect. They can drive while you look for the resources listed on the checklist. This can also be done alone, if necessary; however, it is not recommended.

    2. Drive to your community site with driving directions, a map, and a checklist.

    3. Take notes about what you see, hear, and feel during the exercise.

    4. Follow these suggested rules for public safety:

    A. Stay alert always.

    B. Be aware of your instincts (if you have a gut feeling of impending danger, take precautions or simply suspend your activity).

    C. Try to blend into the community as much as possible (wear clothing that affords you comfort, flexibility, and agility; walk confidently; leave large amounts of cash or large bills at home).

    _This is your worksheet conducting a windshield tour of the community.  Locate the following resources within a 0.5-mile radius of your community site. (Use the attached worksheet)._

    | | | |
    | — | — | — |
    | **Community Resource** | **Number** | **Observations and Description** |
    | Schools public | | |
    | Schools private | | |
    | Churches (denominations) | | |
    | Recreation centers | | |
    | Daycare centers | | |
    | Community centers | | |
    | Grocery stores | | |
    | Supermarkets | | |
    | Farmer’s market | | |
    | Pharmacies | | |
    | Nearest hospital(s) | | |
    | Clinics or community health centers | | |
    | Private physician’s offices | | |
    | Barber/beauty shops or, nail salons | | |
    | Liquor stores | | |
    | Housing units (e.g., public housing, rental units, private homes, condos, etc.) | | |
    | Other resources (e.g., billboard advertising, etc.) | | |

    Write a 2-page summary (double-spaced) of your observation. Be as descriptive as possible; use adjectives. Include any conversations with residents, your feelings, and any thoughts about the community health issues that may be present in that area. Write the paper using the first person tense.

  • [Solved] Social Science Week 4 Assignment: Policy Selection and Background

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    Please see attached **files (2)** – ## Week4Instructions.docx – ## Week2Final.docx **## Week4Instructions.docx** Assignment Instructions To complete this assignment, select a local, state, or federal policy that targets the form of oppression and discrimination you described in Week 2 **(Executive O…

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    Assignment Prompt & Instructions

    Please see attached

    **files (2)**

    – ## Week4Instructions.docx

    – ## Week2Final.docx

    **## Week4Instructions.docx**

    Assignment Instructions

    To complete this assignment, select a local, state, or federal policy that targets the form of oppression and discrimination you described in Week 2
    **(Executive Order 14096: Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All)**

    Then, complete the following:

    Describe the purpose of a currently enacted policy that addresses the social justice problem for a chosen population, using scholarly literature for support.

    Remember, this policy must be enacted—in other words, it must be passed legislation.

    Describe the programs and services provided through the policy, using scholarly literature for support.

    What are examples of the programs and services that are being offered as a result of your chosen policy?

    Who is the target population for these programs and services?

    Describe how the policy connects to the chosen social justice problem, using scholarly literature for support.

    Connect the policy to the social justice problem you selected by giving a brief description of the problem. Is it a new problem, something that has recently arisen, or an old problem that has never been resolved?

    Describe the historical issues and context that led to the creation of the social problem and policy development.

    Include information about the voting outcomes for the policy and the legislative leaders who influenced the policy historically and in the present.

    Include the impact these historical features have had on the policy's implementation.

    Guidelines

    Use scholarly, peer-reviewed literature to support your claims.

    Review the Policy Selection and Background rubric for information on how your work will be graded.

    Remember that your instructor will be providing feedback on your assignments. Use that feedback to improve the content of your final assignment submission in Week 9, Policy Analysis and Recommendations.

    Additional Requirements

    The assignment you submit is expected to meet the following requirements:

    Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.

    APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style and formatting standards.

    Cited resources: A minimum of five scholarly sources. Most literature cited should be current, with publication dates within the past five years.

    Length of paper: 4–6 typed, double-spaced pages.

    Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

    **## Week2Final.docx**

    1

    **Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice: Oppression, Policy, and Advocacy for Black Communities**

    Maya Winfrey

    Capella University

    Social Welfare Hist Plcy Prac SWK5002

    Prof. Adrianne Weaver

    April 26, 2026

    **Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice: Oppression, Policy, and Advocacy for Black Communities**

    **Oppression and Discrimination: Mechanisms and Impact**

    Environmental racism is not a geographical accident, but rather the result of intentional, race-conscious, policy choices that are added to each other through the decades. In 1983, the United States General Accounting Office published a seminal report which declared that 75 percent of the communities in the regions around hazardous landfill locations were of color and this formed the initial federal acknowledgment that the distribution of industrial placements was disproportionate towards communities of color (Medical News Today, 2024). Twenty years of further study have supported and added to this finding. A 2022 study established that oil and gas wells were twice as common in formerly redlined neighborhoods as they were in non-redlined areas, establishing that the long tail of mid-twentieth century housing discrimination has an impact on current environmental exposure (Brown Undergraduate Journal of Public Health, 2024).

    Health effects of this form of sitting are dire and documented. Black Americans experience higher-than-average levels of the fine particulate matter, PM2.5, of all 14 major categories of sources of this pollutant monitored by researchers, including power plants and industries, construction, and agriculture, but white Americans experience lower-than-average levels of nearly every one of those same sources (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.). According to a study conducted by the EPA in 2018, people of color were exposed to a 28% greater health burden due to facilities that produce particulate pollution compared to the general population; in the case of Black people and families, in particular, the health burden was 54% higher (Climate Reality Project, 2025). These exposures directly translate into high rates of asthma, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and cancer within Black communities. In the national context, Black children are disfavored by lead poisoning in the housing stock, which is also old and is concentrated in the historically redlined urban areas, bordering today the industrial areas.

    The underlying mechanisms that cause these disparities are residential segregation, exclusionary zoning, and the political disenfranchisement of weaker communities resisting unwanted land use. The literature shows that race, regardless of income, is a predictor of pollution exposure, and racial disparities in air pollution persist across income, state, and urban-rural differences (EPA, n.d.). This is because the issue cannot be narrowed down to poverty. The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2022) reported that although the overall air quality in the United States has substantially improved since the Clean Air Act, it has been the white neighborhoods that have increased by a significant margin, and have left Black neighborhoods exposed to the worst quality air in the 1980s, in basically the same relative standing as of today.

    **Ethical Considerations Under the NASW Code of Ethics**

    The NASW Code of Ethics sets out explicit professional expectations for social workers in terms of environmental justice. The whole value of social justice in the Code also involves social workers seeking transformation as advocates of vulnerable and oppressed groups about poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of injustices (NASW, 2017). The Code (6.04) guides social workers to accept social and political action to broaden the availability of resources and ensure that everyone has equal access to participate in society. This mandate includes environmental racism, which involves a systematic cutting from clean air, clean water, and a fresh neighborhood to the Black communities.

    Ethically, social workers cannot be passive when structural harm is a reality. The Code puts the responsibility on the practitioners to do all they can to avoid and eliminate domination, exploitation, and discrimination against any individual based on race or ethnicity (NASW, 2017). This implies that, for social workers who visit Black clients in communities surrounding industrial plants or highways, they should screen them for environmental health issues, promote environmental cleanup, and refer them to legal and policy support. Ethically, it is a deficiency in the practice level not to consider the environmental context of client health. Bigger implications towards benefiting clients are integrating environmental health evaluations into the intake protocols, collaborating with communities to attach environmental and health agencies, and endorsing community-based organizations as advocacy entities as part of the anti-oppressive and culturally competent practices.

    **Current Enacted Policies**

    The history of federal environmental justice policy is disputed. The earliest federal directive that mandated that agencies acknowledge and remedy disproportionately large and negative health or environmental outcomes in minority and low-income neighborhoods was Executive Order 12898, signed by President Clinton in 1994 (EPA, n.d.). On that basis, in 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order 14008 that created the Justice40 Initiative, a government-wide program of directing 40 percent of the advantages of some federal investments in clean energy, clean water and climate resilience to underprivileged neighborhoods (GAO, 2025). Signed in April 2023, E.O. 14096 broadened this whole-of-government strategy to a larger group of federal agencies and mandated the incorporation of environmental justice analyses in reviews of the National Environmental Policy Act (Federal Register, 2023).

    The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-169) allocated about 370 billion to the climate transition and 60 billion specifically to environmental justice investments, making it the largest effort in U.S. history to commit resources to environmental justice (NCBI, 2025). Although the Clean Air Act is not an environmental justice law itself, it gives the EPA legal power to address the air pollutants, which are disproportionately affecting Black communities. The action on the state level has also made progress; in New Jersey, an example of a dedicated Environmental Justice Law passed in 2024, before certain facilities may be approved within an overburdened community, servers will be required to conduct an environmental impact analysis (NJ State Policy Lab, 2025).

    **Effects of policies and limitations**

    These policies have had uneven success. The Clean Air Act has also generated nationwide aggregate air quality improvements, but has not resulted in equal distribution of improvements, which has been accompanied by racial disparities in exposure or has even increased them (JASN, 2022). Justice40 Initiative: As of November 2023, 518 qualifying programs in 19 agencies have been identified through the Justice40 Initiative, though the Government Accountability Office has stated that continued measurement of whether benefits reaching disadvantaged populations is challenging, and the initiative was terminated in January 2025 (GAO, 2025). The cancellation of both E.O. 14008 and E.O. 12898, on January 20, 2025, by Executive Order 14148, and the order to abolish all federal environmental justice offices, constitute a significant limitation of the policies that have left the impacted communities without the federal infrastructure that has been developed over thirty years (Congress.gov, 2025).

    Key policy constraints include enforcement gaps, inadequate community participation mechanisms, and the absence of a standalone federal environmental justice statute with binding legal requirements. It is only natural that executive orders are so weak that they can be reversed in January 2025, which is the case. Policy gains can be swept away overnight without codification by Congress. Also, cumulative impact assessments, where the burden of multiple sources of pollution in one community would be measured, have not been consistently practiced, so regulators tend to assess the impact of individual facilities independently of their cumulative impact on neighborhoods already overburdened.

    **Advocacy Methods: Strengths, Challenges, and Next Steps**

    Environmental justice advocacy can be fueled in various forms, each with its own strengths and drawbacks. CBP-based participatory research enables residents to record and report local environmental damages, which form evidence bases that underpin litigation and legal action. Efforts by grassroots coalitions, like the one that brought about the original Environmental Justice movement in the 1980s, have a history of forcing policy concerns. Environmental and civil rights litigation has been successful as a method of legal advocacy against discriminatory permitting decisions on the case-by-case level. Legislation promotion – such as the introduction of a federal Environmental Justice Act – envisages the possibility of sustainable, enforceable defense.

    The main problem with all these approaches is the power asymmetry between the affected communities and the industry and the government, which must address this problem. Regulatory procedures are also time-consuming, complex technically and are costly, and disadvantageous to communities with less Economic and legal means. The rollback of federal environmental justice infrastructure in 2025 has shifted a larger share of the advocacy burden to state and local governments, which are highly diverse in their commitment and capacity to do so. In response to these issues, social workers and concomitant advocates can act to foster capacity-building in frontline communities, advance state-level levels of environmental justice legislation where federal safeguards have been rescinded, forge coalition-building that weds environmental justice to housing, health, and economic equity movements, and propose reinstatement and codification of federal environmental justice requirements into law.

    **References**

    Beard, S., Freeman, K., Velasco, M. L., et al. (2024). Racism as a public health issue in environmental health disparities and environmental justice: Working toward solutions. Environmental Health, 23, 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01052-8

    Brown Undergraduate Journal of Public Health. (2024). Racial disparities in urban city planning: 'Environmental racism.' Brown University.
    [https://sites.brown.edu/publichealthjournal/2024/04/04/racial-disparities-in-urban-city-planning-environmental-racism/](https://sites.brown.edu/publichealthjournal/2024/04/04/racial-disparities-in-urban-city-planning-environmental-racism/)

    Climate Reality Project. (2025). Environmental racism.
    [https://www.climaterealityproject.org/environmental-racism](https://www.climaterealityproject.org/environmental-racism)

    Congress.gov. (2025). Trump administration environmental-justice-related executive orders: Potential implications for EPA programs (IF12922). Congressional Research Service.
    [https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12922](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12922)

    Federal Register. (2023, April 26). Revitalizing our nation's commitment to environmental justice for all (E.O. 14096).
    [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-08955/revitalizing-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-08955/revitalizing-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all)

    Government Accountability Office. (2025). Environmental justice: Agency actions to implement past Justice40 Initiative (GAO-25-107516).
    [https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107516](https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107516)

    Medical News Today. (2024, January 11). Environmental racism: Research, current events, and global impact.
    [https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/environmental-racism](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/environmental-racism)

    National Association of Social Workers. (2017). NASW code of ethics.
    [https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English](https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English)

    National Institutes of Health. (2025). Emerging public health and environmental justice concerns of Black communities. NCBI Bookshelf.
    [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK611582/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK611582/)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Study finds exposure to air pollution higher for people of color regardless of region or income.
    [https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/study-finds-exposure-air-pollution-higher-people-color-regardless-region-or-income](https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/study-finds-exposure-air-pollution-higher-people-color-regardless-region-or-income)

    **## Week2Final.docx**

    1

    **Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice: Oppression, Policy, and Advocacy for Black Communities**

    Maya Winfrey

    Capella University

    Social Welfare Hist Plcy Prac SWK5002

    Prof. Adrianne Weaver

    April 26, 2026

    **Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice: Oppression, Policy, and Advocacy for Black Communities**

    **Oppression and Discrimination: Mechanisms and Impact**

    Environmental racism is not a geographical accident, but rather the result of intentional, race-conscious, policy choices that are added to each other through the decades. In 1983, the United States General Accounting Office published a seminal report which declared that 75 percent of the communities in the regions around hazardous landfill locations were of color and this formed the initial federal acknowledgment that the distribution of industrial placements was disproportionate towards communities of color (Medical News Today, 2024). Twenty years of further study have supported and added to this finding. A 2022 study established that oil and gas wells were twice as common in formerly redlined neighborhoods as they were in non-redlined areas, establishing that the long tail of mid-twentieth century housing discrimination has an impact on current environmental exposure (Brown Undergraduate Journal of Public Health, 2024).

    Health effects of this form of sitting are dire and documented. Black Americans experience higher-than-average levels of the fine particulate matter, PM2.5, of all 14 major categories of sources of this pollutant monitored by researchers, including power plants and industries, construction, and agriculture, but white Americans experience lower-than-average levels of nearly every one of those same sources (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.). According to a study conducted by the EPA in 2018, people of color were exposed to a 28% greater health burden due to facilities that produce particulate pollution compared to the general population; in the case of Black people and families, in particular, the health burden was 54% higher (Climate Reality Project, 2025). These exposures directly translate into high rates of asthma, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and cancer within Black communities. In the national context, Black children are disfavored by lead poisoning in the housing stock, which is also old and is concentrated in the historically redlined urban areas, bordering today the industrial areas.

    The underlying mechanisms that cause these disparities are residential segregation, exclusionary zoning, and the political disenfranchisement of weaker communities resisting unwanted land use. The literature shows that race, regardless of income, is a predictor of pollution exposure, and racial disparities in air pollution persist across income, state, and urban-rural differences (EPA, n.d.). This is because the issue cannot be narrowed down to poverty. The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2022) reported that although the overall air quality in the United States has substantially improved since the Clean Air Act, it has been the white neighborhoods that have increased by a significant margin, and have left Black neighborhoods exposed to the worst quality air in the 1980s, in basically the same relative standing as of today.

    **Ethical Considerations Under the NASW Code of Ethics**

    The NASW Code of Ethics sets out explicit professional expectations for social workers in terms of environmental justice. The whole value of social justice in the Code also involves social workers seeking transformation as advocates of vulnerable and oppressed groups about poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of injustices (NASW, 2017). The Code (6.04) guides social workers to accept social and political action to broaden the availability of resources and ensure that everyone has equal access to participate in society. This mandate includes environmental racism, which involves a systematic cutting from clean air, clean water, and a fresh neighborhood to the Black communities.

    Ethically, social workers cannot be passive when structural harm is a reality. The Code puts the responsibility on the practitioners to do all they can to avoid and eliminate domination, exploitation, and discrimination against any individual based on race or ethnicity (NASW, 2017). This implies that, for social workers who visit Black clients in communities surrounding industrial plants or highways, they should screen them for environmental health issues, promote environmental cleanup, and refer them to legal and policy support. Ethically, it is a deficiency in the practice level not to consider the environmental context of client health. Bigger implications towards benefiting clients are integrating environmental health evaluations into the intake protocols, collaborating with communities to attach environmental and health agencies, and endorsing community-based organizations as advocacy entities as part of the anti-oppressive and culturally competent practices.

    **Current Enacted Policies**

    The history of federal environmental justice policy is disputed. The earliest federal directive that mandated that agencies acknowledge and remedy disproportionately large and negative health or environmental outcomes in minority and low-income neighborhoods was Executive Order 12898, signed by President Clinton in 1994 (EPA, n.d.). On that basis, in 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order 14008 that created the Justice40 Initiative, a government-wide program of directing 40 percent of the advantages of some federal investments in clean energy, clean water and climate resilience to underprivileged neighborhoods (GAO, 2025). Signed in April 2023, E.O. 14096 broadened this whole-of-government strategy to a larger group of federal agencies and mandated the incorporation of environmental justice analyses in reviews of the National Environmental Policy Act (Federal Register, 2023).

    The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-169) allocated about 370 billion to the climate transition and 60 billion specifically to environmental justice investments, making it the largest effort in U.S. history to commit resources to environmental justice (NCBI, 2025). Although the Clean Air Act is not an environmental justice law itself, it gives the EPA legal power to address the air pollutants, which are disproportionately affecting Black communities. The action on the state level has also made progress; in New Jersey, an example of a dedicated Environmental Justice Law passed in 2024, before certain facilities may be approved within an overburdened community, servers will be required to conduct an environmental impact analysis (NJ State Policy Lab, 2025).

    **Effects of policies and limitations**

    These policies have had uneven success. The Clean Air Act has also generated nationwide aggregate air quality improvements, but has not resulted in equal distribution of improvements, which has been accompanied by racial disparities in exposure or has even increased them (JASN, 2022). Justice40 Initiative: As of November 2023, 518 qualifying programs in 19 agencies have been identified through the Justice40 Initiative, though the Government Accountability Office has stated that continued measurement of whether benefits reaching disadvantaged populations is challenging, and the initiative was terminated in January 2025 (GAO, 2025). The cancellation of both E.O. 14008 and E.O. 12898, on January 20, 2025, by Executive Order 14148, and the order to abolish all federal environmental justice offices, constitute a significant limitation of the policies that have left the impacted communities without the federal infrastructure that has been developed over thirty years (Congress.gov, 2025).

    Key policy constraints include enforcement gaps, inadequate community participation mechanisms, and the absence of a standalone federal environmental justice statute with binding legal requirements. It is only natural that executive orders are so weak that they can be reversed in January 2025, which is the case. Policy gains can be swept away overnight without codification by Congress. Also, cumulative impact assessments, where the burden of multiple sources of pollution in one community would be measured, have not been consistently practiced, so regulators tend to assess the impact of individual facilities independently of their cumulative impact on neighborhoods already overburdened.

    **Advocacy Methods: Strengths, Challenges, and Next Steps**

    Environmental justice advocacy can be fueled in various forms, each with its own strengths and drawbacks. CBP-based participatory research enables residents to record and report local environmental damages, which form evidence bases that underpin litigation and legal action. Efforts by grassroots coalitions, like the one that brought about the original Environmental Justice movement in the 1980s, have a history of forcing policy concerns. Environmental and civil rights litigation has been successful as a method of legal advocacy against discriminatory permitting decisions on the case-by-case level. Legislation promotion – such as the introduction of a federal Environmental Justice Act – envisages the possibility of sustainable, enforceable defense.

    The main problem with all these approaches is the power asymmetry between the affected communities and the industry and the government, which must address this problem. Regulatory procedures are also time-consuming, complex technically and are costly, and disadvantageous to communities with less Economic and legal means. The rollback of federal environmental justice infrastructure in 2025 has shifted a larger share of the advocacy burden to state and local governments, which are highly diverse in their commitment and capacity to do so. In response to these issues, social workers and concomitant advocates can act to foster capacity-building in frontline communities, advance state-level levels of environmental justice legislation where federal safeguards have been rescinded, forge coalition-building that weds environmental justice to housing, health, and economic equity movements, and propose reinstatement and codification of federal environmental justice requirements into law.

    **References**

    Beard, S., Freeman, K., Velasco, M. L., et al. (2024). Racism as a public health issue in environmental health disparities and environmental justice: Working toward solutions. Environmental Health, 23, 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01052-8

    Brown Undergraduate Journal of Public Health. (2024). Racial disparities in urban city planning: 'Environmental racism.' Brown University.
    [https://sites.brown.edu/publichealthjournal/2024/04/04/racial-disparities-in-urban-city-planning-environmental-racism/](https://sites.brown.edu/publichealthjournal/2024/04/04/racial-disparities-in-urban-city-planning-environmental-racism/)

    Climate Reality Project. (2025). Environmental racism.
    [https://www.climaterealityproject.org/environmental-racism](https://www.climaterealityproject.org/environmental-racism)

    Congress.gov. (2025). Trump administration environmental-justice-related executive orders: Potential implications for EPA programs (IF12922). Congressional Research Service.
    [https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12922](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12922)

    Federal Register. (2023, April 26). Revitalizing our nation's commitment to environmental justice for all (E.O. 14096).
    [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-08955/revitalizing-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-08955/revitalizing-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all)

    Government Accountability Office. (2025). Environmental justice: Agency actions to implement past Justice40 Initiative (GAO-25-107516).
    [https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107516](https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107516)

    Medical News Today. (2024, January 11). Environmental racism: Research, current events, and global impact.
    [https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/environmental-racism](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/environmental-racism)

    National Association of Social Workers. (2017). NASW code of ethics.
    [https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English](https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English)

    National Institutes of Health. (2025). Emerging public health and environmental justice concerns of Black communities. NCBI Bookshelf.
    [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK611582/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK611582/)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Study finds exposure to air pollution higher for people of color regardless of region or income.
    [https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/study-finds-exposure-air-pollution-higher-people-color-regardless-region-or-income](https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/study-finds-exposure-air-pollution-higher-people-color-regardless-region-or-income)

    **## Week4Instructions.docx**

    Assignment Instructions

    To complete this assignment, select a local, state, or federal policy that targets the form of oppression and discrimination you described in Week 2
    **(Executive Order 14096: Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All)**

    Then, complete the following:

    Describe the purpose of a currently enacted policy that addresses the social justice problem for a chosen population, using scholarly literature for support.

    Remember, this policy must be enacted—in other words, it must be passed legislation.

    Describe the programs and services provided through the policy, using scholarly literature for support.

    What are examples of the programs and services that are being offered as a result of your chosen policy?

    Who is the target population for these programs and services?

    Describe how the policy connects to the chosen social justice problem, using scholarly literature for support.

    Connect the policy to the social justice problem you selected by giving a brief description of the problem. Is it a new problem, something that has recently arisen, or an old problem that has never been resolved?

    Describe the historical issues and context that led to the creation of the social problem and policy development.

    Include information about the voting outcomes for the policy and the legislative leaders who influenced the policy historically and in the present.

    Include the impact these historical features have had on the policy's implementation.

    Guidelines

    Use scholarly, peer-reviewed literature to support your claims.

    Review the Policy Selection and Background rubric for information on how your work will be graded.

    Remember that your instructor will be providing feedback on your assignments. Use that feedback to improve the content of your final assignment submission in Week 9, Policy Analysis and Recommendations.

    Additional Requirements

    The assignment you submit is expected to meet the following requirements:

    Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.

    APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style and formatting standards.

    Cited resources: A minimum of five scholarly sources. Most literature cited should be current, with publication dates within the past five years.

    Length of paper: 4–6 typed, double-spaced pages.

    Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

    **## Week2Final.docx**

    1

    **Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice: Oppression, Policy, and Advocacy for Black Communities**

    Maya Winfrey

    Capella University

    Social Welfare Hist Plcy Prac SWK5002

    Prof. Adrianne Weaver

    April 26, 2026

    **Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice: Oppression, Policy, and Advocacy for Black Communities**

    **Oppression and Discrimination: Mechanisms and Impact**

    Environmental racism is not a geographical accident, but rather the result of intentional, race-conscious, policy choices that are added to each other through the decades. In 1983, the United States General Accounting Office published a seminal report which declared that 75 percent of the communities in the regions around hazardous landfill locations were of color and this formed the initial federal acknowledgment that the distribution of industrial placements was disproportionate towards communities of color (Medical News Today, 2024). Twenty years of further study have supported and added to this finding. A 2022 study established that oil and gas wells were twice as common in formerly redlined neighborhoods as they were in non-redlined areas, establishing that the long tail of mid-twentieth century housing discrimination has an impact on current environmental exposure (Brown Undergraduate Journal of Public Health, 2024).

    Health effects of this form of sitting are dire and documented. Black Americans experience higher-than-average levels of the fine particulate matter, PM2.5, of all 14 major categories of sources of this pollutant monitored by researchers, including power plants and industries, construction, and agriculture, but white Americans experience lower-than-average levels of nearly every one of those same sources (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.). According to a study conducted by the EPA in 2018, people of color were exposed to a 28% greater health burden due to facilities that produce particulate pollution compared to the general population; in the case of Black people and families, in particular, the health burden was 54% higher (Climate Reality Project, 2025). These exposures directly translate into high rates of asthma, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and cancer within Black communities. In the national context, Black children are disfavored by lead poisoning in the housing stock, which is also old and is concentrated in the historically redlined urban areas, bordering today the industrial areas.

    The underlying mechanisms that cause these disparities are residential segregation, exclusionary zoning, and the political disenfranchisement of weaker communities resisting unwanted land use. The literature shows that race, regardless of income, is a predictor of pollution exposure, and racial disparities in air pollution persist across income, state, and urban-rural differences (EPA, n.d.). This is because the issue cannot be narrowed down to poverty. The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2022) reported that although the overall air quality in the United States has substantially improved since the Clean Air Act, it has been the white neighborhoods that have increased by a significant margin, and have left Black neighborhoods exposed to the worst quality air in the 1980s, in basically the same relative standing as of today.

    **Ethical Considerations Under the NASW Code of Ethics**

    The NASW Code of Ethics sets out explicit professional expectations for social workers in terms of environmental justice. The whole value of social justice in the Code also involves social workers seeking transformation as advocates of vulnerable and oppressed groups about poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of injustices (NASW, 2017). The Code (6.04) guides social workers to accept social and political action to broaden the availability of resources and ensure that everyone has equal access to participate in society. This mandate includes environmental racism, which involves a systematic cutting from clean air, clean water, and a fresh neighborhood to the Black communities.

    Ethically, social workers cannot be passive when structural harm is a reality. The Code puts the responsibility on the practitioners to do all they can to avoid and eliminate domination, exploitation, and discrimination against any individual based on race or ethnicity (NASW, 2017). This implies that, for social workers who visit Black clients in communities surrounding industrial plants or highways, they should screen them for environmental health issues, promote environmental cleanup, and refer them to legal and policy support. Ethically, it is a deficiency in the practice level not to consider the environmental context of client health. Bigger implications towards benefiting clients are integrating environmental health evaluations into the intake protocols, collaborating with communities to attach environmental and health agencies, and endorsing community-based organizations as advocacy entities as part of the anti-oppressive and culturally competent practices.

    **Current Enacted Policies**

    The history of federal environmental justice policy is disputed. The earliest federal directive that mandated that agencies acknowledge and remedy disproportionately large and negative health or environmental outcomes in minority and low-income neighborhoods was Executive Order 12898, signed by President Clinton in 1994 (EPA, n.d.). On that basis, in 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order 14008 that created the Justice40 Initiative, a government-wide program of directing 40 percent of the advantages of some federal investments in clean energy, clean water and climate resilience to underprivileged neighborhoods (GAO, 2025). Signed in April 2023, E.O. 14096 broadened this whole-of-government strategy to a larger group of federal agencies and mandated the incorporation of environmental justice analyses in reviews of the National Environmental Policy Act (Federal Register, 2023).

    The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-169) allocated about 370 billion to the climate transition and 60 billion specifically to environmental justice investments, making it the largest effort in U.S. history to commit resources to environmental justice (NCBI, 2025). Although the Clean Air Act is not an environmental justice law itself, it gives the EPA legal power to address the air pollutants, which are disproportionately affecting Black communities. The action on the state level has also made progress; in New Jersey, an example of a dedicated Environmental Justice Law passed in 2024, before certain facilities may be approved within an overburdened community, servers will be required to conduct an environmental impact analysis (NJ State Policy Lab, 2025).

    **Effects of policies and limitations**

    These policies have had uneven success. The Clean Air Act has also generated nationwide aggregate air quality improvements, but has not resulted in equal distribution of improvements, which has been accompanied by racial disparities in exposure or has even increased them (JASN, 2022). Justice40 Initiative: As of November 2023, 518 qualifying programs in 19 agencies have been identified through the Justice40 Initiative, though the Government Accountability Office has stated that continued measurement of whether benefits reaching disadvantaged populations is challenging, and the initiative was terminated in January 2025 (GAO, 2025). The cancellation of both E.O. 14008 and E.O. 12898, on January 20, 2025, by Executive Order 14148, and the order to abolish all federal environmental justice offices, constitute a significant limitation of the policies that have left the impacted communities without the federal infrastructure that has been developed over thirty years (Congress.gov, 2025).

    Key policy constraints include enforcement gaps, inadequate community participation mechanisms, and the absence of a standalone federal environmental justice statute with binding legal requirements. It is only natural that executive orders are so weak that they can be reversed in January 2025, which is the case. Policy gains can be swept away overnight without codification by Congress. Also, cumulative impact assessments, where the burden of multiple sources of pollution in one community would be measured, have not been consistently practiced, so regulators tend to assess the impact of individual facilities independently of their cumulative impact on neighborhoods already overburdened.

    **Advocacy Methods: Strengths, Challenges, and Next Steps**

    Environmental justice advocacy can be fueled in various forms, each with its own strengths and drawbacks. CBP-based participatory research enables residents to record and report local environmental damages, which form evidence bases that underpin litigation and legal action. Efforts by grassroots coalitions, like the one that brought about the original Environmental Justice movement in the 1980s, have a history of forcing policy concerns. Environmental and civil rights litigation has been successful as a method of legal advocacy against discriminatory permitting decisions on the case-by-case level. Legislation promotion – such as the introduction of a federal Environmental Justice Act – envisages the possibility of sustainable, enforceable defense.

    The main problem with all these approaches is the power asymmetry between the affected communities and the industry and the government, which must address this problem. Regulatory procedures are also time-consuming, complex technically and are costly, and disadvantageous to communities with less Economic and legal means. The rollback of federal environmental justice infrastructure in 2025 has shifted a larger share of the advocacy burden to state and local governments, which are highly diverse in their commitment and capacity to do so. In response to these issues, social workers and concomitant advocates can act to foster capacity-building in frontline communities, advance state-level levels of environmental justice legislation where federal safeguards have been rescinded, forge coalition-building that weds environmental justice to housing, health, and economic equity movements, and propose reinstatement and codification of federal environmental justice requirements into law.

    **References**

    Beard, S., Freeman, K., Velasco, M. L., et al. (2024). Racism as a public health issue in environmental health disparities and environmental justice: Working toward solutions. Environmental Health, 23, 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01052-8

    Brown Undergraduate Journal of Public Health. (2024). Racial disparities in urban city planning: 'Environmental racism.' Brown University.
    [https://sites.brown.edu/publichealthjournal/2024/04/04/racial-disparities-in-urban-city-planning-environmental-racism/](https://sites.brown.edu/publichealthjournal/2024/04/04/racial-disparities-in-urban-city-planning-environmental-racism/)

    Climate Reality Project. (2025). Environmental racism.
    [https://www.climaterealityproject.org/environmental-racism](https://www.climaterealityproject.org/environmental-racism)

    Congress.gov. (2025). Trump administration environmental-justice-related executive orders: Potential implications for EPA programs (IF12922). Congressional Research Service.
    [https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12922](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12922)

    Federal Register. (2023, April 26). Revitalizing our nation's commitment to environmental justice for all (E.O. 14096).
    [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-08955/revitalizing-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-08955/revitalizing-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all)

    Government Accountability Office. (2025). Environmental justice: Agency actions to implement past Justice40 Initiative (GAO-25-107516).
    [https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107516](https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107516)

    Medical News Today. (2024, January 11). Environmental racism: Research, current events, and global impact.
    [https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/environmental-racism](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/environmental-racism)

    National Association of Social Workers. (2017). NASW code of ethics.
    [https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English](https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English)

    National Institutes of Health. (2025). Emerging public health and environmental justice concerns of Black communities. NCBI Bookshelf.
    [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK611582/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK611582/)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Study finds exposure to air pollution higher for people of color regardless of region or income.
    [https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/study-finds-exposure-air-pollution-higher-people-color-regardless-region-or-income](https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/study-finds-exposure-air-pollution-higher-people-color-regardless-region-or-income)

    **## Week4Instructions.docx**

    Assignment Instructions

    To complete this assignment, select a local, state, or federal policy that targets the form of oppression and discrimination you described in Week 2
    **(Executive Order 14096: Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All)**

    Then, complete the following:

    Describe the purpose of a currently enacted policy that addresses the social justice problem for a chosen population, using scholarly literature for support.

    Remember, this policy must be enacted—in other words, it must be passed legislation.

    Describe the programs and services provided through the policy, using scholarly literature for support.

    What are examples of the programs and services that are being offered as a result of your chosen policy?

    Who is the target population for these programs and services?

    Describe how the policy connects to the chosen social justice problem, using scholarly literature for support.

    Connect the policy to the social justice problem you selected by giving a brief description of the problem. Is it a new problem, something that has recently arisen, or an old problem that has never been resolved?

    Describe the historical issues and context that led to the creation of the social problem and policy development.

    Include information about the voting outcomes for the policy and the legislative leaders who influenced the policy historically and in the present.

    Include the impact these historical features have had on the policy's implementation.

    Guidelines

    Use scholarly, peer-reviewed literature to support your claims.

    Review the Policy Selection and Background rubric for information on how your work will be graded.

    Remember that your instructor will be providing feedback on your assignments. Use that feedback to improve the content of your final assignment submission in Week 9, Policy Analysis and Recommendations.

    Additional Requirements

    The assignment you submit is expected to meet the following requirements:

    Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.

    APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style and formatting standards.

    Cited resources: A minimum of five scholarly sources. Most literature cited should be current, with publication dates within the past five years.

    Length of paper: 4–6 typed, double-spaced pages.

    Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

    **## Week2Final.docx**

    1

    **Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice: Oppression, Policy, and Advocacy for Black Communities**

    Maya Winfrey

    Capella University

    Social Welfare Hist Plcy Prac SWK5002

    Prof. Adrianne Weaver

    April 26, 2026

    **Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice: Oppression, Policy, and Advocacy for Black Communities**

    **Oppression and Discrimination: Mechanisms and Impact**

    Environmental racism is not a geographical accident, but rather the result of intentional, race-conscious, policy choices that are added to each other through the decades. In 1983, the United States General Accounting Office published a seminal report which declared that 75 percent of the communities in the regions around hazardous landfill locations were of color and this formed the initial federal acknowledgment that the distribution of industrial placements was disproportionate towards communities of color (Medical News Today, 2024). Twenty years of further study have supported and added to this finding. A 2022 study established that oil and gas wells were twice as common in formerly redlined neighborhoods as they were in non-redlined areas, establishing that the long tail of mid-twentieth century housing discrimination has an impact on current environmental exposure (Brown Undergraduate Journal of Public Health, 2024).

    Health effects of this form of sitting are dire and documented. Black Americans experience higher-than-average levels of the fine particulate matter, PM2.5, of all 14 major categories of sources of this pollutant monitored by researchers, including power plants and industries, construction, and agriculture, but white Americans experience lower-than-average levels of nearly every one of those same sources (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.). According to a study conducted by the EPA in 2018, people of color were exposed to a 28% greater health burden due to facilities that produce particulate pollution compared to the general population; in the case of Black people and families, in particular, the health burden was 54% higher (Climate Reality Project, 2025). These exposures directly translate into high rates of asthma, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and cancer within Black communities. In the national context, Black children are disfavored by lead poisoning in the housing stock, which is also old and is concentrated in the historically redlined urban areas, bordering today the industrial areas.

    The underlying mechanisms that cause these disparities are residential segregation, exclusionary zoning, and the political disenfranchisement of weaker communities resisting unwanted land use. The literature shows that race, regardless of income, is a predictor of pollution exposure, and racial disparities in air pollution persist across income, state, and urban-rural differences (EPA, n.d.). This is because the issue cannot be narrowed down to poverty. The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2022) reported that although the overall air quality in the United States has substantially improved since the Clean Air Act, it has been the white neighborhoods that have increased by a significant margin, and have left Black neighborhoods exposed to the worst quality air in the 1980s, in basically the same relative standing as of today.

    **Ethical Considerations Under the NASW Code of Ethics**

    The NASW Code of Ethics sets out explicit professional expectations for social workers in terms of environmental justice. The whole value of social justice in the Code also involves social workers seeking transformation as advocates of vulnerable and oppressed groups about poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of injustices (NASW, 2017). The Code (6.04) guides social workers to accept social and political action to broaden the availability of resources and ensure that everyone has equal access to participate in society. This mandate includes environmental racism, which involves a systematic cutting from clean air, clean water, and a fresh neighborhood to the Black communities.

    Ethically, social workers cannot be passive when structural harm is a reality. The Code puts the responsibility on the practitioners to do all they can to avoid and eliminate domination, exploitation, and discrimination against any individual based on race or ethnicity (NASW, 2017). This implies that, for social workers who visit Black clients in communities surrounding industrial plants or highways, they should screen them for environmental health issues, promote environmental cleanup, and refer them to legal and policy support. Ethically, it is a deficiency in the practice level not to consider the environmental context of client health. Bigger implications towards benefiting clients are integrating environmental health evaluations into the intake protocols, collaborating with communities to attach environmental and health agencies, and endorsing community-based organizations as advocacy entities as part of the anti-oppressive and culturally competent practices.

    **Current Enacted Policies**

    The history of federal environmental justice policy is disputed. The earliest federal directive that mandated that agencies acknowledge and remedy disproportionately large and negative health or environmental outcomes in minority and low-income neighborhoods was Executive Order 12898, signed by President Clinton in 1994 (EPA, n.d.). On that basis, in 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order 14008 that created the Justice40 Initiative, a government-wide program of directing 40 percent of the advantages of some federal investments in clean energy, clean water and climate resilience to underprivileged neighborhoods (GAO, 2025). Signed in April 2023, E.O. 14096 broadened this whole-of-government strategy to a larger group of federal agencies and mandated the incorporation of environmental justice analyses in reviews of the National Environmental Policy Act (Federal Register, 2023).

    The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-169) allocated about 370 billion to the climate transition and 60 billion specifically to environmental justice investments, making it the largest effort in U.S. history to commit resources to environmental justice (NCBI, 2025). Although the Clean Air Act is not an environmental justice law itself, it gives the EPA legal power to address the air pollutants, which are disproportionately affecting Black communities. The action on the state level has also made progress; in New Jersey, an example of a dedicated Environmental Justice Law passed in 2024, before certain facilities may be approved within an overburdened community, servers will be required to conduct an environmental impact analysis (NJ State Policy Lab, 2025).

    **Effects of policies and limitations**

    These policies have had uneven success. The Clean Air Act has also generated nationwide aggregate air quality improvements, but has not resulted in equal distribution of improvements, which has been accompanied by racial disparities in exposure or has even increased them (JASN, 2022). Justice40 Initiative: As of November 2023, 518 qualifying programs in 19 agencies have been identified through the Justice40 Initiative, though the Government Accountability Office has stated that continued measurement of whether benefits reaching disadvantaged populations is challenging, and the initiative was terminated in January 2025 (GAO, 2025). The cancellation of both E.O. 14008 and E.O. 12898, on January 20, 2025, by Executive Order 14148, and the order to abolish all federal environmental justice offices, constitute a significant limitation of the policies that have left the impacted communities without the federal infrastructure that has been developed over thirty years (Congress.gov, 2025).

    Key policy constraints include enforcement gaps, inadequate community participation mechanisms, and the absence of a standalone federal environmental justice statute with binding legal requirements. It is only natural that executive orders are so weak that they can be reversed in January 2025, which is the case. Policy gains can be swept away overnight without codification by Congress. Also, cumulative impact assessments, where the burden of multiple sources of pollution in one community would be measured, have not been consistently practiced, so regulators tend to assess the impact of individual facilities independently of their cumulative impact on neighborhoods already overburdened.

    **Advocacy Methods: Strengths, Challenges, and Next Steps**

    Environmental justice advocacy can be fueled in various forms, each with its own strengths and drawbacks. CBP-based participatory research enables residents to record and report local environmental damages, which form evidence bases that underpin litigation and legal action. Efforts by grassroots coalitions, like the one that brought about the original Environmental Justice movement in the 1980s, have a history of forcing policy concerns. Environmental and civil rights litigation has been successful as a method of legal advocacy against discriminatory permitting decisions on the case-by-case level. Legislation promotion – such as the introduction of a federal Environmental Justice Act – envisages the possibility of sustainable, enforceable defense.

    The main problem with all these approaches is the power asymmetry between the affected communities and the industry and the government, which must address this problem. Regulatory procedures are also time-consuming, complex technically and are costly, and disadvantageous to communities with less Economic and legal means. The rollback of federal environmental justice infrastructure in 2025 has shifted a larger share of the advocacy burden to state and local governments, which are highly diverse in their commitment and capacity to do so. In response to these issues, social workers and concomitant advocates can act to foster capacity-building in frontline communities, advance state-level levels of environmental justice legislation where federal safeguards have been rescinded, forge coalition-building that weds environmental justice to housing, health, and economic equity movements, and propose reinstatement and codification of federal environmental justice requirements into law.

    **References**

    Beard, S., Freeman, K., Velasco, M. L., et al. (2024). Racism as a public health issue in environmental health disparities and environmental justice: Working toward solutions. Environmental Health, 23, 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01052-8

    Brown Undergraduate Journal of Public Health. (2024). Racial disparities in urban city planning: 'Environmental racism.' Brown University.
    [https://sites.brown.edu/publichealthjournal/2024/04/04/racial-disparities-in-urban-city-planning-environmental-racism/](https://sites.brown.edu/publichealthjournal/2024/04/04/racial-disparities-in-urban-city-planning-environmental-racism/)

    Climate Reality Project. (2025). Environmental racism.
    [https://www.climaterealityproject.org/environmental-racism](https://www.climaterealityproject.org/environmental-racism)

    Congress.gov. (2025). Trump administration environmental-justice-related executive orders: Potential implications for EPA programs (IF12922). Congressional Research Service.
    [https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12922](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12922)

    Federal Register. (2023, April 26). Revitalizing our nation's commitment to environmental justice for all (E.O. 14096).
    [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-08955/revitalizing-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-08955/revitalizing-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all)

    Government Accountability Office. (2025). Environmental justice: Agency actions to implement past Justice40 Initiative (GAO-25-107516).
    [https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107516](https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107516)

    Medical News Today. (2024, January 11). Environmental racism: Research, current events, and global impact.
    [https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/environmental-racism](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/environmental-racism)

    National Association of Social Workers. (2017). NASW code of ethics.
    [https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English](https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English)

    National Institutes of Health. (2025). Emerging public health and environmental justice concerns of Black communities. NCBI Bookshelf.
    [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK611582/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK611582/)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Study finds exposure to air pollution higher for people of color regardless of region or income.
    [https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/study-finds-exposure-air-pollution-higher-people-color-regardless-region-or-income](https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/study-finds-exposure-air-pollution-higher-people-color-regardless-region-or-income)

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    Please See attached. **files (2)** – ## SWK5002ExplorationofSocialJustice.docx – Week4Assignment-PolicySelectionandBackground.pdf **## SWK5002ExplorationofSocialJustice.docx** 2 **Exploration of Social Justice** Tierainie C. Johnson, MS, MCAP Capella University SWK 5002-Social Welfare History Policy…

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    **## SWK5002ExplorationofSocialJustice.docx**

    2

    **Exploration of Social Justice**

    Tierainie C. Johnson, MS, MCAP

    Capella University

    SWK 5002-Social Welfare History Policy Practice

    Professor Anna Richmond, LAPSW, LISW

    April 23, 2026

    **Exploration of Social Justice**

    **Social Problem: Criminalization of Substance Use Disorder**

    Substance use disorder (SUD) is a long-term medical condition that burdens millions of Americans, yet the prevailing societal reaction is criminalization, as opposed to treatment. The practice drives recidivism, stigmatization, and morbidity, especially in already marginalized groups. This paper examines oppression and discrimination faced by individuals with SUD, ethical issues, contemporary policies, and analyzes advocacy techniques to resolve this existing social justice crisis.

    **Forms and Mechanisms of Oppression and Discrimination**

    **Racial Discrimination:** One of the most institutionalized oppressive processes related to individuals with SUD is racial bias. Although racial groups have similar drug consumption rates, the criminal justice ramifications of drug consumption are considerably more humiliating to the Black and Native American communities. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE, 2023) concluded that criminalization of substance use resulted in disproportional criminal justice engagement, especially with Black and African American individuals who are disproportionately targeted, arrested, convicted, and incarcerated on drug charges. This difference is indicative of policies that perceive addiction as a criminal offense when it happens in a community of color and offer medical compassion to White communities.

    **Socioeconomic Oppression:** Low-income people with SUD have an added disadvantage that further marginalizes them. Individuals who are unable to post bail are in jail awaiting trial, which cuts them off of jobs, housing, and treatment. Schumacher et al. (2025) observe that the War on Drugs spurred the growth of mass incarceration and overpopulated correctional facilities with those convicted of nonviolent, drug-related crimes and that jails are the crucial yet often insufficient contacts of healthcare among justice-involved people. Poverty is the ultimate determinant of an individual into the treatment system or criminal justice pipeline.

    **Stigma as a Structural Barrier:** Stigma is a type of oppression because it deters seeking help and allows discriminatory policies. When SUD is presented as a moral failure, instead of a medical condition, people are not willing to disclose, professionals provide substandard care, and policymakers reduce their focus on treatment funding. Xu et al. (2023) highlight that Blacks are more likely to receive methadone maintenance treatment, compared to the more accessible office-based buprenorphine, which also highlights how stigma is a contributing factor to unequal treatment pathways even within the healthcare system.

    **Impact on the Population**

    The extent of the harm associated with the criminalization of SUD is massive. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, 2020) estimates that about 65 percent of the prison population in the U.S. has an active SUD, with 20 percent having been under the influence at the moment of their offense, but only a small percentage receive evidence-based treatment in prison. Moreover, when released, most individuals resume earlier levels of use unaware that their tolerance has decreased, a significant risk of overdose.

    The racial influence is particularly strong. According to ASPE (2023), the Black and Hispanic people who need treatment have lower rates of treatment utilization than their White counterparts, despite their equal rates of substance use. This difference is not motivated by a clinical need, but instead a systematic injustice of the implementing system, referral procedures, and access to care.

    **Ethical Problems**

    **Ethical Considerations**

    The NASW Code of Ethics (NASW, 2021) gives rise to several fundamental ethical considerations. First, the human dignity value necessitates social workers to oppose any policies that consider people with SUD as criminals not patients since this will essentially infringe on the right of humane care by non-judgmental professionals. Second, social justice requires practitioners to determine and address policies that yield racially and economically unfair results in drug enforcement. Third, confidentiality is an ethical issue when court-mandated care requires disclosure in other areas where legal ramifications may follow, sabotaging the therapeutic relationship and deterring potential participants into truthful participation.

    **Implications for Social Work Practice and Positive Client Outcomes**

    These ethical requirements have a number of important practice implications. Social workers should be prepared to use non-stigmatizing and trauma-informed approaches because clients who have undergone criminalization have a layer of trauma and mistrust that requires resolution prior to effective treatment contact with the client. Practitioners are also required to refer clients to evidence-based treatment, especially medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which can greatly decrease overdose deaths. Tarfa et al. (2026) affirm that the strongest empirically supported interventions in reentry involve peer navigation and opioid agonist medications, and case management. Lastly, social workers need to participate in macro-level advocacy, which involves the diversion of resources away out of incarceration into community-based services that can lead to sustainable recovery impacts.

    **Current Enacted Policies**

    **The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (2018)**

    The SUPPORT Act, signed into law on October 24, 2018, was the biggest federal investment in overdose prevention to date (Bryant, 2024). It increased Medicaid and Medicare coverage of SUD treatment, permitted nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe MAT, and mandated states to maintain the eligibility of incarcerated youth to Medicaid to facilitate a smooth reentry process. The law also instructed the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services to collaborate with the states to increase capacity of treatment by providing demonstration grants.

    **Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act (2023)**

    The MAT Act was signed into law as an extension of the Consolidated Appropriations Act on January 3, 2023, and repealed the federal X-waiver requirement that previously limited prescribing buprenorphine to opioid use disorder by licensed providers (Center for Excellence on Addiction, 2023). Before this change, more than 40 percent of the U.S. counties had no authorized prescriber. The Act lessened bureaucratic hurdles that had long prevented a proven, life-saving drug to millions of Americans, especially in rural and underserved populations.

    **The First Step Act (2018)**

    The First Step Act changed the federal sentencing system, decreased mandatory minimums on some drug crimes, and increased programming within federal prisons (Haber et al., 2023). Drug treatment post-release lowers the recidivism rates, and the First Step Act established structural avenues towards that goal by focusing on reentry planning and linking incarcerated people to rehabilitation programs.

    **Policy Effectiveness**

    The SUPPORT Act has led to increased access to treatment through legal frameworks, but has had inconsistent implementation. NIDA (2023) attests that decades of research confirm the effectiveness of SUD treatment during and after incarceration in reducing drug use and criminal recidivism. The MAT Act is more promising as it has directly eliminated a structural impediment to prescribing. The First Step Act reduced penalties without addressing the root causes of criminalization. Graves and Fendrich (2024) discovered that community-based treatment programs demonstrate beneficial effect on substance use outcomes, but limited studies have addressed racial and rural disparities in access.

    **Policy Constraints**

    **Medicaid Inmate Exclusion**

    Medicaid is prohibited by the federal law to provide healthcare services to incarcerated individuals. This implies that individuals with SUD in jails and prisons miss MAT at the time they need it the most, and re-enrollment delays at release pose a fatal gap at the most dangerous time of overdose.

    **Racial Gaps in Access**

    Structural inequities exist, even in the context of increased prescribing authority under the MAT Act. ASPE (2023) discovered that communities of color are less likely to access SUD treatment as compared to White populations, and that people of color face barriers that directly lead to racial differences in health outcomes. Equitable implementation is not guaranteed by policy change on paper.

    **Stigma Within Systems**

    Stigma is a limitation even within institutions that are meant to assist. Numerous correctional systems and health care providers are opposed to providing MAT because of deeply ingrained moral framing of addiction. According to NIDA (2023), the lack of pre-release counseling and post-release follow-up is one of the reasons behind the alarming post-incarceration mortality rates, highlighting how the impediments to attitudinal changes turn into life-or-death outcomes.

    **Advocacy Methods**

    **Strengths and Challenges**

    The two most notable strategies to this problem are legislative advocacy and community organizing. The policy of legislative advocacy yielded tangible victories like the MAT Act, which has brought systemic change on a large scale. The community organizing focuses on the voices of people with lived experience, counters stigma, and generates political will. Nonetheless, legislative advocacy is cumbersome, susceptible to political changes and may not reach the most vulnerable communities. Community organizing is often underfunded, lacking the capacity to impact lasting policy change.

    **Addressing the Challenges**

    Both approaches would be empowered with long-term investment in peer-recovery support programs, which would combine lived experience with policy power. Recovery workers are in an ideal position to access populations that are difficult to reach and decrease shame-based refusal to seek treatment. Also, advocates need to urgently seek the repeal of the Medicaid inmate exclusion permanently since allowing uninterrupted coverage both during incarceration and upon release would close one of the deadliest structural loopholes that this group is currently experiencing.

    **References**

    ASPE. (2023, November 21).
    _Substance Use and SUDs by Race and Ethnicity_. ASPE. https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/substance-use-suds-race-ethnicity

    Bryant, B. (2024).
    _Six years of the SUPPORT Act: Ongoing behavioral health policy priorities for counties_. National Association of Counties. https://www.naco.org/news/six-years-support-act-ongoing-behavioral-health-policy-priorities-counties

    Center for Excellence on Addiction. (2023, February 7).
    _Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act Signed into Law_. Center for Excellence on Addiction. https://nhcenterforexcellence.org/resource/mainstreaming-addiction-treatment-mat-act-signed-into-law/

    Graves, B. D., & Fendrich, M. (2024). Community-based substance use treatment programs for reentering justice-involved adults: A scoping review.
    _Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports_,
    _10_, 100221–100221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2024.100221

    Haber, L. A., Boudin, C., & Williams, B. A. (2023). Criminal Justice Reform Is Health Care Reform.
    _JAMA_,
    _331_(1), 21–21. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.25005

    National Association of Social Workers. (2021).
    _Code of ethics_. National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English

    NIDA. (2020).
    _Criminal justice drug facts_. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/criminal-justice

    Schumacher, J. E., Ahsan, A., Simpler, A. H., Natoli, A. P., & Cain, B. J. (2025). An investigation of drug use among first-time arrestees from 25 county jails across the United States in 2023.
    _Addiction Science & Clinical Practice_,
    _20_(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-025-00550-5

    Tarfa, A., Borker, M., Lancaster, M., Santiago, R., Di Paola, A., Frank, C., & Springer, S. A. (2026). Real-time peer-navigation support during community re-entry for adults with opioid use disorder.
    _Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment_,
    _183_, 209903. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.josat.2026.209903

    Xu, K. Y., Schiff, D. M., Jones, H. E., Martin, C. E., Kelly, J. C., Bierut, L. J., Carter, E. B., & Grucza, R. A. (2023). Racial and Ethnic Inequities in Buprenorphine and Methadone Utilization Among Reproductive-Age Women with Opioid Use Disorder: an Analysis of Multi-state Medicaid Claims in the USA.
    _Journal of General Internal Medicine_,
    _38_(16), 3499–3508. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-023-08306-0

    **Week4Assignment-PolicySelectionandBackground.pdf**

    This file is too large to display. [View in new window](https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/week4assignment-policyselectionandbackground-pdf)

    **Week4Assignment-PolicySelectionandBackground.pdf**

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    **## SWK5002ExplorationofSocialJustice.docx**

    2

    **Exploration of Social Justice**

    Tierainie C. Johnson, MS, MCAP

    Capella University

    SWK 5002-Social Welfare History Policy Practice

    Professor Anna Richmond, LAPSW, LISW

    April 23, 2026

    **Exploration of Social Justice**

    **Social Problem: Criminalization of Substance Use Disorder**

    Substance use disorder (SUD) is a long-term medical condition that burdens millions of Americans, yet the prevailing societal reaction is criminalization, as opposed to treatment. The practice drives recidivism, stigmatization, and morbidity, especially in already marginalized groups. This paper examines oppression and discrimination faced by individuals with SUD, ethical issues, contemporary policies, and analyzes advocacy techniques to resolve this existing social justice crisis.

    **Forms and Mechanisms of Oppression and Discrimination**

    **Racial Discrimination:** One of the most institutionalized oppressive processes related to individuals with SUD is racial bias. Although racial groups have similar drug consumption rates, the criminal justice ramifications of drug consumption are considerably more humiliating to the Black and Native American communities. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE, 2023) concluded that criminalization of substance use resulted in disproportional criminal justice engagement, especially with Black and African American individuals who are disproportionately targeted, arrested, convicted, and incarcerated on drug charges. This difference is indicative of policies that perceive addiction as a criminal offense when it happens in a community of color and offer medical compassion to White communities.

    **Socioeconomic Oppression:** Low-income people with SUD have an added disadvantage that further marginalizes them. Individuals who are unable to post bail are in jail awaiting trial, which cuts them off of jobs, housing, and treatment. Schumacher et al. (2025) observe that the War on Drugs spurred the growth of mass incarceration and overpopulated correctional facilities with those convicted of nonviolent, drug-related crimes and that jails are the crucial yet often insufficient contacts of healthcare among justice-involved people. Poverty is the ultimate determinant of an individual into the treatment system or criminal justice pipeline.

    **Stigma as a Structural Barrier:** Stigma is a type of oppression because it deters seeking help and allows discriminatory policies. When SUD is presented as a moral failure, instead of a medical condition, people are not willing to disclose, professionals provide substandard care, and policymakers reduce their focus on treatment funding. Xu et al. (2023) highlight that Blacks are more likely to receive methadone maintenance treatment, compared to the more accessible office-based buprenorphine, which also highlights how stigma is a contributing factor to unequal treatment pathways even within the healthcare system.

    **Impact on the Population**

    The extent of the harm associated with the criminalization of SUD is massive. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, 2020) estimates that about 65 percent of the prison population in the U.S. has an active SUD, with 20 percent having been under the influence at the moment of their offense, but only a small percentage receive evidence-based treatment in prison. Moreover, when released, most individuals resume earlier levels of use unaware that their tolerance has decreased, a significant risk of overdose.

    The racial influence is particularly strong. According to ASPE (2023), the Black and Hispanic people who need treatment have lower rates of treatment utilization than their White counterparts, despite their equal rates of substance use. This difference is not motivated by a clinical need, but instead a systematic injustice of the implementing system, referral procedures, and access to care.

    **Ethical Problems**

    **Ethical Considerations**

    The NASW Code of Ethics (NASW, 2021) gives rise to several fundamental ethical considerations. First, the human dignity value necessitates social workers to oppose any policies that consider people with SUD as criminals not patients since this will essentially infringe on the right of humane care by non-judgmental professionals. Second, social justice requires practitioners to determine and address policies that yield racially and economically unfair results in drug enforcement. Third, confidentiality is an ethical issue when court-mandated care requires disclosure in other areas where legal ramifications may follow, sabotaging the therapeutic relationship and deterring potential participants into truthful participation.

    **Implications for Social Work Practice and Positive Client Outcomes**

    These ethical requirements have a number of important practice implications. Social workers should be prepared to use non-stigmatizing and trauma-informed approaches because clients who have undergone criminalization have a layer of trauma and mistrust that requires resolution prior to effective treatment contact with the client. Practitioners are also required to refer clients to evidence-based treatment, especially medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which can greatly decrease overdose deaths. Tarfa et al. (2026) affirm that the strongest empirically supported interventions in reentry involve peer navigation and opioid agonist medications, and case management. Lastly, social workers need to participate in macro-level advocacy, which involves the diversion of resources away out of incarceration into community-based services that can lead to sustainable recovery impacts.

    **Current Enacted Policies**

    **The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (2018)**

    The SUPPORT Act, signed into law on October 24, 2018, was the biggest federal investment in overdose prevention to date (Bryant, 2024). It increased Medicaid and Medicare coverage of SUD treatment, permitted nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe MAT, and mandated states to maintain the eligibility of incarcerated youth to Medicaid to facilitate a smooth reentry process. The law also instructed the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services to collaborate with the states to increase capacity of treatment by providing demonstration grants.

    **Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act (2023)**

    The MAT Act was signed into law as an extension of the Consolidated Appropriations Act on January 3, 2023, and repealed the federal X-waiver requirement that previously limited prescribing buprenorphine to opioid use disorder by licensed providers (Center for Excellence on Addiction, 2023). Before this change, more than 40 percent of the U.S. counties had no authorized prescriber. The Act lessened bureaucratic hurdles that had long prevented a proven, life-saving drug to millions of Americans, especially in rural and underserved populations.

    **The First Step Act (2018)**

    The First Step Act changed the federal sentencing system, decreased mandatory minimums on some drug crimes, and increased programming within federal prisons (Haber et al., 2023). Drug treatment post-release lowers the recidivism rates, and the First Step Act established structural avenues towards that goal by focusing on reentry planning and linking incarcerated people to rehabilitation programs.

    **Policy Effectiveness**

    The SUPPORT Act has led to increased access to treatment through legal frameworks, but has had inconsistent implementation. NIDA (2023) attests that decades of research confirm the effectiveness of SUD treatment during and after incarceration in reducing drug use and criminal recidivism. The MAT Act is more promising as it has directly eliminated a structural impediment to prescribing. The First Step Act reduced penalties without addressing the root causes of criminalization. Graves and Fendrich (2024) discovered that community-based treatment programs demonstrate beneficial effect on substance use outcomes, but limited studies have addressed racial and rural disparities in access.

    **Policy Constraints**

    **Medicaid Inmate Exclusion**

    Medicaid is prohibited by the federal law to provide healthcare services to incarcerated individuals. This implies that individuals with SUD in jails and prisons miss MAT at the time they need it the most, and re-enrollment delays at release pose a fatal gap at the most dangerous time of overdose.

    **Racial Gaps in Access**

    Structural inequities exist, even in the context of increased prescribing authority under the MAT Act. ASPE (2023) discovered that communities of color are less likely to access SUD treatment as compared to White populations, and that people of color face barriers that directly lead to racial differences in health outcomes. Equitable implementation is not guaranteed by policy change on paper.

    **Stigma Within Systems**

    Stigma is a limitation even within institutions that are meant to assist. Numerous correctional systems and health care providers are opposed to providing MAT because of deeply ingrained moral framing of addiction. According to NIDA (2023), the lack of pre-release counseling and post-release follow-up is one of the reasons behind the alarming post-incarceration mortality rates, highlighting how the impediments to attitudinal changes turn into life-or-death outcomes.

    **Advocacy Methods**

    **Strengths and Challenges**

    The two most notable strategies to this problem are legislative advocacy and community organizing. The policy of legislative advocacy yielded tangible victories like the MAT Act, which has brought systemic change on a large scale. The community organizing focuses on the voices of people with lived experience, counters stigma, and generates political will. Nonetheless, legislative advocacy is cumbersome, susceptible to political changes and may not reach the most vulnerable communities. Community organizing is often underfunded, lacking the capacity to impact lasting policy change.

    **Addressing the Challenges**

    Both approaches would be empowered with long-term investment in peer-recovery support programs, which would combine lived experience with policy power. Recovery workers are in an ideal position to access populations that are difficult to reach and decrease shame-based refusal to seek treatment. Also, advocates need to urgently seek the repeal of the Medicaid inmate exclusion permanently since allowing uninterrupted coverage both during incarceration and upon release would close one of the deadliest structural loopholes that this group is currently experiencing.

    **References**

    ASPE. (2023, November 21).
    _Substance Use and SUDs by Race and Ethnicity_. ASPE. https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/substance-use-suds-race-ethnicity

    Bryant, B. (2024).
    _Six years of the SUPPORT Act: Ongoing behavioral health policy priorities for counties_. National Association of Counties. https://www.naco.org/news/six-years-support-act-ongoing-behavioral-health-policy-priorities-counties

    Center for Excellence on Addiction. (2023, February 7).
    _Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act Signed into Law_. Center for Excellence on Addiction. https://nhcenterforexcellence.org/resource/mainstreaming-addiction-treatment-mat-act-signed-into-law/

    Graves, B. D., & Fendrich, M. (2024). Community-based substance use treatment programs for reentering justice-involved adults: A scoping review.
    _Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports_,
    _10_, 100221–100221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2024.100221

    Haber, L. A., Boudin, C., & Williams, B. A. (2023). Criminal Justice Reform Is Health Care Reform.
    _JAMA_,
    _331_(1), 21–21. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.25005

    National Association of Social Workers. (2021).
    _Code of ethics_. National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English

    NIDA. (2020).
    _Criminal justice drug facts_. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/criminal-justice

    Schumacher, J. E., Ahsan, A., Simpler, A. H., Natoli, A. P., & Cain, B. J. (2025). An investigation of drug use among first-time arrestees from 25 county jails across the United States in 2023.
    _Addiction Science & Clinical Practice_,
    _20_(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-025-00550-5

    Tarfa, A., Borker, M., Lancaster, M., Santiago, R., Di Paola, A., Frank, C., & Springer, S. A. (2026). Real-time peer-navigation support during community re-entry for adults with opioid use disorder.
    _Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment_,
    _183_, 209903. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.josat.2026.209903

    Xu, K. Y., Schiff, D. M., Jones, H. E., Martin, C. E., Kelly, J. C., Bierut, L. J., Carter, E. B., & Grucza, R. A. (2023). Racial and Ethnic Inequities in Buprenorphine and Methadone Utilization Among Reproductive-Age Women with Opioid Use Disorder: an Analysis of Multi-state Medicaid Claims in the USA.
    _Journal of General Internal Medicine_,
    _38_(16), 3499–3508. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-023-08306-0

    **Week4Assignment-PolicySelectionandBackground.pdf**

    This file is too large to display. [View in new window](https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/week4assignment-policyselectionandbackground-pdf)

    **## SWK5002ExplorationofSocialJustice.docx**

    2

    **Exploration of Social Justice**

    Tierainie C. Johnson, MS, MCAP

    Capella University

    SWK 5002-Social Welfare History Policy Practice

    Professor Anna Richmond, LAPSW, LISW

    April 23, 2026

    **Exploration of Social Justice**

    **Social Problem: Criminalization of Substance Use Disorder**

    Substance use disorder (SUD) is a long-term medical condition that burdens millions of Americans, yet the prevailing societal reaction is criminalization, as opposed to treatment. The practice drives recidivism, stigmatization, and morbidity, especially in already marginalized groups. This paper examines oppression and discrimination faced by individuals with SUD, ethical issues, contemporary policies, and analyzes advocacy techniques to resolve this existing social justice crisis.

    **Forms and Mechanisms of Oppression and Discrimination**

    **Racial Discrimination:** One of the most institutionalized oppressive processes related to individuals with SUD is racial bias. Although racial groups have similar drug consumption rates, the criminal justice ramifications of drug consumption are considerably more humiliating to the Black and Native American communities. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE, 2023) concluded that criminalization of substance use resulted in disproportional criminal justice engagement, especially with Black and African American individuals who are disproportionately targeted, arrested, convicted, and incarcerated on drug charges. This difference is indicative of policies that perceive addiction as a criminal offense when it happens in a community of color and offer medical compassion to White communities.

    **Socioeconomic Oppression:** Low-income people with SUD have an added disadvantage that further marginalizes them. Individuals who are unable to post bail are in jail awaiting trial, which cuts them off of jobs, housing, and treatment. Schumacher et al. (2025) observe that the War on Drugs spurred the growth of mass incarceration and overpopulated correctional facilities with those convicted of nonviolent, drug-related crimes and that jails are the crucial yet often insufficient contacts of healthcare among justice-involved people. Poverty is the ultimate determinant of an individual into the treatment system or criminal justice pipeline.

    **Stigma as a Structural Barrier:** Stigma is a type of oppression because it deters seeking help and allows discriminatory policies. When SUD is presented as a moral failure, instead of a medical condition, people are not willing to disclose, professionals provide substandard care, and policymakers reduce their focus on treatment funding. Xu et al. (2023) highlight that Blacks are more likely to receive methadone maintenance treatment, compared to the more accessible office-based buprenorphine, which also highlights how stigma is a contributing factor to unequal treatment pathways even within the healthcare system.

    **Impact on the Population**

    The extent of the harm associated with the criminalization of SUD is massive. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, 2020) estimates that about 65 percent of the prison population in the U.S. has an active SUD, with 20 percent having been under the influence at the moment of their offense, but only a small percentage receive evidence-based treatment in prison. Moreover, when released, most individuals resume earlier levels of use unaware that their tolerance has decreased, a significant risk of overdose.

    The racial influence is particularly strong. According to ASPE (2023), the Black and Hispanic people who need treatment have lower rates of treatment utilization than their White counterparts, despite their equal rates of substance use. This difference is not motivated by a clinical need, but instead a systematic injustice of the implementing system, referral procedures, and access to care.

    **Ethical Problems**

    **Ethical Considerations**

    The NASW Code of Ethics (NASW, 2021) gives rise to several fundamental ethical considerations. First, the human dignity value necessitates social workers to oppose any policies that consider people with SUD as criminals not patients since this will essentially infringe on the right of humane care by non-judgmental professionals. Second, social justice requires practitioners to determine and address policies that yield racially and economically unfair results in drug enforcement. Third, confidentiality is an ethical issue when court-mandated care requires disclosure in other areas where legal ramifications may follow, sabotaging the therapeutic relationship and deterring potential participants into truthful participation.

    **Implications for Social Work Practice and Positive Client Outcomes**

    These ethical requirements have a number of important practice implications. Social workers should be prepared to use non-stigmatizing and trauma-informed approaches because clients who have undergone criminalization have a layer of trauma and mistrust that requires resolution prior to effective treatment contact with the client. Practitioners are also required to refer clients to evidence-based treatment, especially medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which can greatly decrease overdose deaths. Tarfa et al. (2026) affirm that the strongest empirically supported interventions in reentry involve peer navigation and opioid agonist medications, and case management. Lastly, social workers need to participate in macro-level advocacy, which involves the diversion of resources away out of incarceration into community-based services that can lead to sustainable recovery impacts.

    **Current Enacted Policies**

    **The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (2018)**

    The SUPPORT Act, signed into law on October 24, 2018, was the biggest federal investment in overdose prevention to date (Bryant, 2024). It increased Medicaid and Medicare coverage of SUD treatment, permitted nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe MAT, and mandated states to maintain the eligibility of incarcerated youth to Medicaid to facilitate a smooth reentry process. The law also instructed the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services to collaborate with the states to increase capacity of treatment by providing demonstration grants.

    **Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act (2023)**

    The MAT Act was signed into law as an extension of the Consolidated Appropriations Act on January 3, 2023, and repealed the federal X-waiver requirement that previously limited prescribing buprenorphine to opioid use disorder by licensed providers (Center for Excellence on Addiction, 2023). Before this change, more than 40 percent of the U.S. counties had no authorized prescriber. The Act lessened bureaucratic hurdles that had long prevented a proven, life-saving drug to millions of Americans, especially in rural and underserved populations.

    **The First Step Act (2018)**

    The First Step Act changed the federal sentencing system, decreased mandatory minimums on some drug crimes, and increased programming within federal prisons (Haber et al., 2023). Drug treatment post-release lowers the recidivism rates, and the First Step Act established structural avenues towards that goal by focusing on reentry planning and linking incarcerated people to rehabilitation programs.

    **Policy Effectiveness**

    The SUPPORT Act has led to increased access to treatment through legal frameworks, but has had inconsistent implementation. NIDA (2023) attests that decades of research confirm the effectiveness of SUD treatment during and after incarceration in reducing drug use and criminal recidivism. The MAT Act is more promising as it has directly eliminated a structural impediment to prescribing. The First Step Act reduced penalties without addressing the root causes of criminalization. Graves and Fendrich (2024) discovered that community-based treatment programs demonstrate beneficial effect on substance use outcomes, but limited studies have addressed racial and rural disparities in access.

    **Policy Constraints**

    **Medicaid Inmate Exclusion**

    Medicaid is prohibited by the federal law to provide healthcare services to incarcerated individuals. This implies that individuals with SUD in jails and prisons miss MAT at the time they need it the most, and re-enrollment delays at release pose a fatal gap at the most dangerous time of overdose.

    **Racial Gaps in Access**

    Structural inequities exist, even in the context of increased prescribing authority under the MAT Act. ASPE (2023) discovered that communities of color are less likely to access SUD treatment as compared to White populations, and that people of color face barriers that directly lead to racial differences in health outcomes. Equitable implementation is not guaranteed by policy change on paper.

    **Stigma Within Systems**

    Stigma is a limitation even within institutions that are meant to assist. Numerous correctional systems and health care providers are opposed to providing MAT because of deeply ingrained moral framing of addiction. According to NIDA (2023), the lack of pre-release counseling and post-release follow-up is one of the reasons behind the alarming post-incarceration mortality rates, highlighting how the impediments to attitudinal changes turn into life-or-death outcomes.

    **Advocacy Methods**

    **Strengths and Challenges**

    The two most notable strategies to this problem are legislative advocacy and community organizing. The policy of legislative advocacy yielded tangible victories like the MAT Act, which has brought systemic change on a large scale. The community organizing focuses on the voices of people with lived experience, counters stigma, and generates political will. Nonetheless, legislative advocacy is cumbersome, susceptible to political changes and may not reach the most vulnerable communities. Community organizing is often underfunded, lacking the capacity to impact lasting policy change.

    **Addressing the Challenges**

    Both approaches would be empowered with long-term investment in peer-recovery support programs, which would combine lived experience with policy power. Recovery workers are in an ideal position to access populations that are difficult to reach and decrease shame-based refusal to seek treatment. Also, advocates need to urgently seek the repeal of the Medicaid inmate exclusion permanently since allowing uninterrupted coverage both during incarceration and upon release would close one of the deadliest structural loopholes that this group is currently experiencing.

    **References**

    ASPE. (2023, November 21).
    _Substance Use and SUDs by Race and Ethnicity_. ASPE. https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/substance-use-suds-race-ethnicity

    Bryant, B. (2024).
    _Six years of the SUPPORT Act: Ongoing behavioral health policy priorities for counties_. National Association of Counties. https://www.naco.org/news/six-years-support-act-ongoing-behavioral-health-policy-priorities-counties

    Center for Excellence on Addiction. (2023, February 7).
    _Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act Signed into Law_. Center for Excellence on Addiction. https://nhcenterforexcellence.org/resource/mainstreaming-addiction-treatment-mat-act-signed-into-law/

    Graves, B. D., & Fendrich, M. (2024). Community-based substance use treatment programs for reentering justice-involved adults: A scoping review.
    _Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports_,
    _10_, 100221–100221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2024.100221

    Haber, L. A., Boudin, C., & Williams, B. A. (2023). Criminal Justice Reform Is Health Care Reform.
    _JAMA_,
    _331_(1), 21–21. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.25005

    National Association of Social Workers. (2021).
    _Code of ethics_. National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English

    NIDA. (2020).
    _Criminal justice drug facts_. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/criminal-justice

    Schumacher, J. E., Ahsan, A., Simpler, A. H., Natoli, A. P., & Cain, B. J. (2025). An investigation of drug use among first-time arrestees from 25 county jails across the United States in 2023.
    _Addiction Science & Clinical Practice_,
    _20_(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-025-00550-5

    Tarfa, A., Borker, M., Lancaster, M., Santiago, R., Di Paola, A., Frank, C., & Springer, S. A. (2026). Real-time peer-navigation support during community re-entry for adults with opioid use disorder.
    _Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment_,
    _183_, 209903. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.josat.2026.209903

    Xu, K. Y., Schiff, D. M., Jones, H. E., Martin, C. E., Kelly, J. C., Bierut, L. J., Carter, E. B., & Grucza, R. A. (2023). Racial and Ethnic Inequities in Buprenorphine and Methadone Utilization Among Reproductive-Age Women with Opioid Use Disorder: an Analysis of Multi-state Medicaid Claims in the USA.
    _Journal of General Internal Medicine_,
    _38_(16), 3499–3508. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-023-08306-0

    **Week4Assignment-PolicySelectionandBackground.pdf**

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