Social Services Explained: What They Are and What They Do
Not everyone in society operates from the same level of privilege. Some adults may have had their college paid for by their parents, while others had to take out loans and incur debt for the same education.
Because society works in these imbalances, social services are government-run programs that act as a safety net for children and adults who may be facing issues such as economic hardship. In the United States alone, 99.1 million people participated in a social services safety net program.
In this article, we’ll look at the benefits of social services, what they do, and how you can contribute to society through social service.
What Are Social Services?
First and foremost, social services are government programs that provide for low-income individuals, children without a family, those with mental health issues, veterans, and more. In the federal government, these services are pioneered by the Department of Health and Human Services. Each state has separate programs as well, such as California’s Department of Social Services.
Outside of government programs, types of social services can broadly be defined as any academic or professional field dedicated to advancing social welfare, social transformation, and social justice. Its goals include enhancing quality of life and fostering the growth of each person’s, group’s, and community’s potential.
Social service can also be characterized as anything that offers services to support people’s general social well-being. This can involve providing counseling or case management to any community or group of people.
To build a compassionate, diverse, and successful society, social services are a must-have. They set themselves apart from other services of popular interest by being person-centered, created to meet people’s basic needs, and typically guided by the idea of solidarity.
Social services help to protect fundamental rights, human dignity, anti-discrimination, and the provision of equal opportunities for all. This ensures that people of all backgrounds can actively participate in society’s social and economic life.
The Importance Of Social Services
A strong community is built on several pillars, including contented employees, nourished families, safe housing for residents, and great role models for children. The social services network works together to support all of its clients’ independence in a variety of ways, from linking them with resources to helping them develop new skills.
All social services are meant to fulfill fundamental requirements for a person’s health and welfare. For instance, if a child is in danger in the United States, family social services will step in to intervene and relocate them to a secure location by placing them with a foster care family. Approximately 600,000 children are currently in foster care. The federal foster care system is absolutely critical to ensure every child has a safe place to live and sleep in the United States.
Who Is a Social Services Worker and What Are Their Responsibilities?
A social services worker is someone who works within social services to help clients secure the help they need. This is different than a social worker, who is a case management professional who creates a plan for clients to attain optimal psychological and social functioning. Additionally, there are different types of social workers with distinctive duties based on their level of schooling and area of study.
Although social workers and social service professionals may have comparable responsibilities, there are some significant distinctions between these two professions’ practice areas, educational qualifications, and pay scales.
Both social workers and social service providers address issues that are personal, interpersonal, and societal in a range of environments. The duties of social workers and social service providers will change depending on where they operate.
Social service providers frequently work in community-based health facilities, such as group homes, shelters, and programs for young people and income maintenance. However, social workers frequently operate in a wider range of settings, including hospitals, community centers, schools, social service organizations, and government agencies.
Both social workers and social service providers have high employability. There are professionals in social services who have pursued formal postsecondary education and earned a bachelor of social work, master of social work, or doctor of social work.
Who Benefits from Social Services?
If a person doesn’t need social services themselves, it can be easy to dismiss the importance of these programs. However, thousands of people in the United States utilize social services every year to meet their basic needs. Some of the most common individuals utilizing social services include:
- Low-income families: Parents who recently lost their jobs and are unable to pay bills can look to social services to provide for their children and stay housed.
- Child care assistance: The annual cost of childcare for an infant can cost over 15k. Federal social services offer vouchers to offset these costs.
- Military families: 23% of veterans experience PTSD. Social services ensure they receive health care, job opportunities, and child support.
List of Social Services Provided by the Government
In the United States, HHS offers a wide variety of social services to ensure that every member of society is cared for. You can find examples of government social services in the federal programs outlined below.
Unaccompanied Children
Children may enter the United States with a guardian through illegal trafficking or other means. The Unaccompanied Children program requires HHS to place the child in a restrictive setting that secures the child’s best interest. The average length of time a child remains in the program is 28 days, and home studies may be done before unifying a child with a sponsor.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) provides federal funding to states, and territories, and tries via bloc TANF grants to ensure that low-income families grow into economic independence. TANF grants come in the form of monthly cash assistance payments or services to aid one of TANF’s four purposes:
- Provide assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives
- End the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage
- Prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies
- Encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families
To secure assistance via TANF, call the numbers listed for each state here.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
SNAP provides funds to low-income families to ensure that they can access nutritious food. This is critical for the health of both children and adults. Healthy eating increases longevity, boosts immunity, supports muscles, ensures the digestive system can function, and more.
To secure assistance through SNAP, fill out the application for your state of residence.
Programs for People with Disabilities
Individuals with disabilities have conditions where their bodies and minds may not operate the same way a typical individual would. Therefore, they may need extra care and support to achieve a satisfactory quality of life. The federal government offers many resources and programs for people with disabilities, including:
- Healthfinder: A website to learn more about disabilities so you can assess if you have one. It links to resources for each disability so you can achieve the care you need.
- MedlinePlus: Information about disabilities from the National Library of Medicine.
- Administration for Community Living: Critical links to find help for people with disabilities.
Programs for Seniors
Seniors are some of the most vulnerable people in the population, who need extra care to complete daily tasks toward the end of their lives. Federal services to support seniors can be found at Long Term Care and the Eldercare Locator.
Homelessness Programs and Resources
Homelessness is one of the biggest areas for social services that the United States has to offer. Some of the homelessness programs and resources HHS offers include:
Most of the funding goes to grants for local and statewide services. Search homelessness help and your city into Google to find applicable resources. For example, anyone in Los Angeles can use LAHSA to find immediate assistance.
Foster Care
The Children’s Bureau provides funding for states and territories through the Title IV-E Foster Care program. This guarantees that every child can have stable, secure out-of-home care until their parents can provide for them again. When reunification is not possible, Foster Care seeks to find an adoptive parent or at least care for the child until they age out of the system.
If you are aware of a child in an unstable household that would benefit from foster care system placement, contact your state’s local child abuse and neglect reporting numbers.
Additional Social Services Programs
The United States Government offers a plethora of social services programs to ensure that every individual has the care they need to live a healthy and full life. More of their services include
- Child care assistance
- Adoption services
- Home visiting programs
- Home energy assistance for low-income families
- Support for veterans and military families
- Benefits such as disaster relief, medical assistance, and loans
Top Social Services Careers You Can Pursue
Careers in psychology, healthcare, counseling, and social work are available to degree candidates and aspiring professionals with an interest in social services. Some of the most well-known careers in this subject are described below:
Social and Human Service Assistant
These entry-level positions operate under the supervision of psychologists or social workers. They support the implementation of specific activities within treatment programs and aid in connecting clients with providers.
Health Education Specialist or Community Health Worker
On behalf of the community, community health workers advocate for healthy habits and interact with healthcare professionals.
Mental Health Counselor
The cognitive and emotional well-being of their clients is supported by mental health counselors by providing therapeutic advice and suggesting coping mechanisms.
Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist
These criminal justice specialists arrange rehabilitation programs for those who have committed crimes legally, including those who are in jail or on probation.
Addiction/Substance Abuse Counselor
Counselors who specialize in substance abuse and assistance provide support to people who are struggling with addiction or substance misuse. They create treatment plans and deliver preventative care in addition to giving counsel and behavioral insight.
Social and Community Service Manager
These social workers oversee and plan community engagement initiatives. They typically serve populations or challenges that are specific to nonprofit organizations or regional government organizations.
School and Career Counselors and Advisors
These counselors assist their clients in developing the scholastic and professional abilities necessary for success. They recognize social limitations or behavioral difficulties and provide guidance to help clients resolve their problems.
Clinical Social Worker
Clinically trained social workers can work in hospitals, mental facilities, and private practices. Clinical social workers need master’s degrees, although other social work positions just call for a bachelor’s degree.
Other career options in social services work include psychiatrists, psychologists, rehabilitation counselors, marriage and family therapists, and more.
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