Social Policy, Welfare & Change (ANSWERED)

QUESTION

For each policy (Social Security Act, Economic Opportunity Act, Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act), briefly:

Explain how the policy is addressed at the federal, state, and local level.
What programs were developed from this policy?
Reflect on how the policy affects or may affect your community, geographic area, or potential clients.

Then, address this unique prompt for this week’s Quick Guide:

Identify one opportunity for change for one of the policies.

ANSWER

Social Security Act

The Social Security Act is considered the single largest federal program at the federal level. The federal government, through congress, expanded the program’s coverage, helping the nation keep out of poverty. The current payroll is used to fund the benefit payments currently.

On the other hand, state and local governments allow Social Security coverage to be voluntary. Moreover, the local governments require that the employees in their government meet certain requirements. Social Security coverage is compulsory for state and local employees without alternative retirement systems (Martin and Martin, 2005).

Following the Act’s amendment and enactment, various federal, state, and local programs have been created. Such programs include old-age insurance, unemployment insurance, and AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) (Martin and Martin, 2005).

The Social Security Act impacts the local communities without homes and a steady source of income by providing aid to them. It also assures protection through access to health care and guaranteed income security during old-age, unemployment, sickness, or loss of a sole provider.

Opportunity for Change: The Social Security Act has possible solutions to save the programs within. These opportunities include the elimination of the cap on taxable income and raising the payroll tax rates.

Economic Opportunity Act

The EOA is addressed at the federal, state, and local levels through the efforts to ensure various social programs have the desired impact. The federal, state, and local governments mobilize human and financial resources to combat poverty in the US. The expected impacts include; facilitating education, health, and employment. At the same time, the policy will ensure the general welfare of impoverished Americans.

Programs developed from this policy include the Neighborhood Youth Corps, work-study, and community action programs. The impact of the policy on the community will be helping young people obtain significant academic and vocational skills to secure lasting employment and reduce overall joblessness and poverty.

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act

Since this policy is based on expectations, the federal government has to spend money to help and be sure. At the state level, the policy helps states in protecting, promoting, and implementing all human rights and freedoms by adopting personal responsibility steps. On the other hand, local governments address personal responsibility through their delegated authority to protect public health and ensure residents’ safety and welfare. The Act also eliminates blocks caused by AFDC’s open entitlement creating a grant for states to provide limited cash assistance and work requirements for most needy recipients.

Therefore, the major program arising from this policy is the social welfare programs. As per the program’s name, the policy will likely affect the local communities’ welfare by improving their quality of life and overall welfare.

References

Martin, P. P., & Martin, P. P. (2005). Social Security: A Program and Policy History. Soc. Sec. Bull., 66, 1. https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v66n1/v66n1p1.html#:~.

Pickering, K., Harvey, M. H., Summers, G. F., & Mushinski, D. (2021). Welfare Reform in Persistent Rural Poverty. In Welfare Reform in Persistent Rural Poverty. Penn State University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780271030395