Advanced Social Policy Gerontology

(3 Credits)

Advanced Social Policy courses examine social problems from the perspective of their impact on individuals, families and communities, focusing on at-risk populations in the context of an urban environment. The course builds on the policy content offered in MSWPF-GS 2003 and links policy to practice and research skills that have been developed. Emphasis is placed on the link between social and economic justice and issues relating to diversity. This course focuses on policies and programs for older adults, including the multiple constituencies involved in and affected by them. The course covers the history of aging policy in the United States including; processes of policy development, implementation and analysis; and the current status of the aging network, income security, health, employment, housing and long-term care policies and programs. The first part of the course is an examination of the policy making cycle, inclusive of social problem definition, policy formulation, implementation and critical analysis of policy. A detailed section on evaluation of policies as they affect societal structures, communities, agencies, clients and practitioners is then discussed. Finally, a major section of the course presents strategies for practitioners to influence policies and promote change at the client level, the agency level, the community level and the broader society.