Friendly and Professional
Background of Social Issues
Throughout the course of your degree program, you have had the opportunity to examine various topical issues that are addressed by professionals in the health and
human services field. To demonstrate your mastery of the program learning outcomes, you will synthesize your knowledge of various content areas related to a social
issue of your choosing, and use this to develop an original intervention (i.e., strategy, technique, or application) to address this particular topic in your Final
Paper. To facilitate in the development of this final assignment, you will prepare and submit the first of four written assignments, which will involve a thorough
overview of your proposed social issue.
More specifically, your task will involve addressing the following content areas:
Identify a social issue that health and/or human service organizations address in some capacity and discuss its current impact on group(s) affected by it. When
selecting an area of focus, take into account broad topics that have been exhaustively scrutinized at the scholarly level, such as homelessness, mental health, aging,
substance abuse, child welfare, etc. A good place to begin your search on an area of interest is the HHS A to Z Index.
Describe the historical underpinnings of this issue. Factors to consider include: where and how it originated, pertinent events and their dates, and its current
status.
Discuss specific factors contributing to the social issue. Consider environmental, social, political, and economic reasons that have attempted to explain why this
issue persists.
Evaluate the impact of this social issue on the delivery of health and human service efforts by reviewing the scholarly literature and relevant
professional/governmental resources for evidence of formal responses in the form of policy implementation, legislation, or Acts related to this social issue. What
impact has this had on how health and/or human service organizations provide support in terms of direct practice with clients and within communities?
At minimum, your submission must include three scholarly sources (excluding the required course readings), two of which must come from the Ashford University Library
(e.g., articles, professional critiques, research reports, etc.). The third source can come from either the library or from a professional website ending in .gov.
The Background of Social Issues Paper
Must be three to four double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing
Center.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Must use at least three scholary sources (excluding the required course readings), two of which must come from within the Ashford University Library (e.g., articles,
professional critiques, research reports, etc.). The third source can come from either the library or from a professional website ending in .gov).
The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific
source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a
particular assignment.
Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
