Democratic Trends Essay

It is inevitable for things to change. The trends in American change daily. There are various factors that influence change. There are many political and economic events and trends that effect the human services field. One of the events that have affected the U.S. is the recession. The recession has caused a trickle down affect. There has also issue with financial budgets. The deficits are attached to various resources that help countless communities throughout the U.S. A few of the demographic trends that have cause change are the aging and healthcare act. There are both good and bad changes that happens in life, and the human service field adapts to that change. We have seem dramatic changes in our government. The political events that effect human services have an outcome that may not be what’s best for the people that are effect. This change in politics have affected millions of Americans that depend on the government system. Minority groups that are recipients of programs that are funded by the government are the ones that are most affected when the government faces distress. The future of human services is always at the edge when crisis arise. The way politicians run their itinerary is by making decisions to what seems convenient for them at the time. Politics is about taking care of one thing at a time and what does not seem important are often left undone. The future of human services faces crisis daily. Budgets are always slash to fix other areas of need. Human services providers are the ones that are in charge of being the voice of the less fortunate pleading to the government to change laws in favor of those in need. If the government does not budget the finances available there is a risk of bankruptcy. Bankruptcy will terminates food stamps, medical, section 8, and many other programs that assist families in need. The future of human services is in limbo it will take for our government to prioritize and put families first. Political Trends that Effect Human Services There are various political event that effect the human services field. One particular event that stands out was the U.S. government shut down due to the recession. The shutdown of government agencies which fund the countless resources and organizations was detrimental to the citizens. There was a boost in varying agencies for those seeking assistance. Some of the organization only assist one specific need. But the consumers requires various aid for needs that may or may not overlap. Some of those needs are general public assistance, unemployment, food stamps, and homelessness. According to â€Å"Human Services in a time of Crisis† studies have shown that food stamp caseloads have a strong correlation to the unemployment rate. It also states a poor economy with high unemployment typically spurs an increase in demand for public assistance (HSTC p. 4). Food stamps are usually the first part of government assistance sought after. Food Stamps are the first part of security for fam ilies in the program for which most applicants are eligible. Government Cuts and Its Consequences The significant cuts made to human services program operating budgets do not promise well for the vulnerable families who are seeking assistance or for their communities. There were various cuts made by government officials to help Americans, but some will cause more damage. The budget cuts to unemployment for instance, means millions of Americans could be left without their sole source of income while they look for work according to U.S.A. Today. About 3.6 million Americans would have become eligible for the program in 2014, in addition to those facing an immediate end to the assistance. The millions that have to survive without unemployment will seek aid through human services agencies throughout the United States. Although homelessness have decreased slightly, there is still an extraordinary need for homes for those experiencing homelessness. According to The State of Homelessness in America (2013), â€Å"The national rate of homelessness was 20 homeless people per 10,000 people in the general population and the rate for veterans was 29 homeless veterans per 10,000 veterans in the general population† (para. 1). Society Facing Economic and Demographic Insecurities As changes are growing, so is the instability of clients that are coping with  depression, anxiety, mental disabilities, and the elderly population. As the country continues in an era of economic insecurity, Americans living close or lower than the poverty line are more at risk. Nonetheless, the assistance they need to acquire jobs, housing, healthcare, or provide for their children is less likely as agencies face impending financial problems of their own. The economic decline began at the end of 2007 subsequently resulting in increased lay-offs, unemployment and underemployment, foreclosures, retirement income and savings loss, and a drop in the value of real estates, placing a larger demand for services on federal, state, and local human service systems. These service delivery systems faced shortages and budget complications of their own. Human service professionals must learn to efficiently and effectively negotiate and bridge this economic gap while meeting their agency’s potentials and needs, respecting their clients and assisting them towards betterment. Economic trend also relating to the production, development, and management of material wealth. Trends will involve jobs, housing, children, and health care. Economic impacts the human services department dealing with the wellbeing of children in many ways, mainly because of all the budget cuts. For example, school is one of the many trends. Teachers are around there students at least 30 hours they’re considered the third parent, good teachers help to mentor their children to become more productive and motivates them to become lifelong learners. Teachers have the training and incite to notice incidence of child sexually, mental and physical abuse. It is the teacher’s responsibility to warn human service of the danger that the child might encou nter. The use of managed care by human service is defined as a set of tools to manage resources and the delivery of human services in the areas of health and mental health care (Woodside, 2011). The impact of managed care organization does not only position a risk to human service values and practice, but also generate an ethical dilemma. Managed care allows the human service profession to develop its professional field increasing from advocating and aftercare for the indigent, severe and chronic mentally ill to providing private non-medical psychotherapy. One challenge of the human service profession is how to sustain improvements within a profession that is characterized by an overlying of roles and functions, and the challenge to meeting the demands of managed care organizations as well as the preservation of values and  ethical practices which make the profession distinctive. The human service profession would need to develop tools to maintaining stability between the needs of clients and the demands of the managed care organizations. Aging in American, which is another demographic trend has taken a toll on society in dealing with housing, confronting death, dying and depression. As the number of elderly people increase, the more help from human services will be required in dealing with their health and living situations. Most elderly men and women will not be financial stable and unable to provide for themselves. The demographic trends targets a diverse population that is in need of strategies and intervention plans to be able to succeed daily. The more communities grow there will be fewer opportunities for the majority of the people to get jobs to support their families. People rely on human services for a boost dealing with unemployment, food, or even help finding better jobs. Human service professionals can also provide assistance to those who are cop ing with trauma from terrorism, disasters, and other traumatic events. Accounts of trauma and violence are characteristically entwined with histories of substance abuse and/or mental health disorders. A few examples are the 9/11 bombing which killed a lot of people and also left many hurt emotional and physical. The effects that terrorism has on people could either be long term (installs fear) or short term (traumatization). Hurricane Katrina, which left everybody in destruction and homelessness. A traumatic event could even include a serious car crash. Societal changes can only begin when an extensive network of service providers integrate their knowledge, resources, and services to the economic and demographic trends within their communities. Conclusion Demographic trends reveal developments and changes in human population (Melva Wilson, 2014). As America is aging we are able to see the changes in human services. Technology has taken over and providers are able to service clients in a more effective and quicker way than a decade ago. As the population grows, the problems in America are also growing. The delivery of services through human services have change and more changes will be implemented in the future. Human services does not only focus on delivering services to the less fortunate, they also have to assure that funds are available to service clients. There will always be changes that will benefit  society and changes that will make their life more complicated. References County Welfare Directors Association of California. (2009). Retrieved from www.cwda.org Grovum, J., (2013). Stateline Unemployment Benefits. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com National Alliance to End Homelessness (2013). Retrieved from http://www.endhomelessness.org National Association of Social Workers. Retrieved from www.socialworkers.org National Organization for Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.nationalhumanservices.org Stein, S., (2013). Government Shutdown’s Impact Detailed in Report. Retrieved from TheHuffingtonPost.com Woodside, M. & McClam, T. (2011). An Introduction to human services. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole