Policy III:Mentl/Physl Hlth

Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program and SCWK 508; or consent of MSW coordinator This advanced policy course will examine mental and physical health care policy to promote students' in-depth knowledge regarding policy in the United States and globally. Utilizing a social justice knowledge base, students will examine mental and physical health care policy, the history, present and future as it impacts various client systems, including individuals, families, groups and communities. The focus will include the role that social policy plays in social work practice as well as the role of the social work profession in the development of health care policy. Students will consider the social construction of “health” and “illness” as it relates to policy development. Students will explore issues relating to confidentiality, ethical practice, as well as equitable access to quality care. They will conduct in-depth examinations of the role of the various levels of government in the provision of services, as well as the organizational structures of service delivery, including financing and delivery of mental and physical health care. Finally, students will become knowledgeable in mental and physical health care policy in Massachusetts.