Social Policy

(Aging, Education, Social Welfare, and Health Services Management and Policy – HSMP)

Social Policy is the overarching program-of-study theme, which includes aging, education, health and social welfare policy. Each area represents a major and enduring aspect of public policy concern, in which the need for leadership in public management and policy analysis is critical and can be expected to grow.

                                   
The Social Policy program examines the roles and responsibilities of the public sector in designing, managing, and evaluating human resource programs for at-risk populations in the areas of health, education, and welfare.  It is concerned with issues related to distributional equity and equality of opportunity and access, particularly for those least able to help themselves in a market society—the elderly, children, the disabled, the sick and the unemployed.  Social policy involves elements of policy analysis, policy design, program evaluation, public management, and program implementation.

Aging policy involves social, economic and health problems of the aged, including income security, access to health care, and public policy needs of an aging society.  Social welfare policy particularly involves evaluation and alleviation of poverty, material deprivation and discrimination in American society.  Education Policy involves the finance and delivery of education services in the American education system (particularly elementary and secondary education); quality of education; equity of resources; and various other issues such as education finance alternatives and school choice. 

The Health Services Management and Policy is a unique effort aimed at a multiprofessional approach to managing the health care industry and developing appropriate public policies to meet the needs of a rapidly changing health care marketplace.  Interested parties will enroll in a yearlong seminar, which brings together public administration students with business, law, medical and social work students.  Public health issues such as legal and illegal drugs, child health, health care finance, and related topics are addressed both here and in the general social policy curriculum.

Faculty:

Douglas Wolf, Advisor

Thomas Dennison, Advisor HSMP

William Duncombe

Vernon Greene

Len Lopoo

John Palmer

Ross Rubenstein

David VanSlyke

Deborah Freund

Robert Bifulco

John Yinger

Public Administration Courses:

Education Policy

Child and Family Policy

Urban Policy

The US Federal Budget & Entitlement

Program Reform

Implementation of Social Policy

Changing American Health Care System

Health Services Management

Global Health Policy

Economics of Health and Health Policy

Demography, Aging and Public Policy

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