Policy, Advocacy & Social Justice Flashcards

The concept of 'structural racism' in social work refers to:

Answer: Systemic policies and institutional practices that perpetuate racial inequity

Structural racism refers to the cumulative and compounding effects of historical and contemporary policies, institutional practices, and cultural norms that produce racial inequity.

The Social Security Act of 1935 was significant because it:

Answer: Created the framework for federal social welfare programs in the US

The Social Security Act of 1935 established foundational social welfare programs including old-age benefits, unemployment insurance, and grants to states for public assistance.

Advocacy in social work is best defined as:

Answer: Speaking up and taking action on behalf of clients or groups to achieve social justice

Advocacy involves actively representing, defending, and promoting the rights and interests of clients or populations to effect change.

Which of the following best describes 'institutional oppression'?

Answer: Systematic mistreatment of a group perpetuated by societal institutions

Institutional oppression refers to the ways in which laws, policies, and practices within social institutions systematically disadvantage marginalized groups.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded access to mental health services primarily by:

Answer: Requiring mental health parity and expanding Medicaid eligibility

The ACA required insurers to cover mental health and substance use services on par with physical health (parity) and expanded Medicaid to cover more low-income adults.

In the context of social policy, 'means-tested' programs refer to benefits that are:

Answer: Provided only to those who meet specific income or resource criteria

Means-tested programs, such as Medicaid and SNAP, require applicants to demonstrate financial need by falling below established income or asset thresholds.