ABSTRACT
Social welfare, a subset of social policy, is a system of governmental laws, programs, benefits, and services that are designed to protect against the broadly distributed risks to income and general well-being inherent in a market economy (Hacker, 2002, p. 34; Richan, 1988). Examples of broadly distributed risks include economic downturns, employment downsizing, outsourcing of work to overseas labor markets, retirement, compromised and/or limited access to resources, ill health, disability, and dependency (Baldwin, 2010; Blau & Abranovitz, 2009; Day, 2009; Hacker, 2002; Hout & Cumberworth, 2012). Protections include but certainly are not limited to unemployment insurance, social security, supplemental nutritional aid programs, and supplemental security income, Medicare/Medicaid, and assistance programs for needy families. All of these protections come under the auspices of the American social welfare system (Baldwin, 2010; Day, 2009; Hacker, 2002; Roberts, 1992, 1996).
As a profession whose primary mission is to enhance human well-being, with particular attention to those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty, social work is inextricably linked to social welfare ( Jansson, 2009). For instance, social workers were instrumental in the development of the American social welfare system. Furthermore, the majority of social workers practice in the social service agencies that compose the American social welfare system. In doing so, they help their clientele on several levels, including direct service work to help solve problems (micro), making referrals to suitable programs (micro), and engaging in case and policy/cause advocacy (micro/mezzo/macro) ( Jansson, 2009; Kirst-Ashman & Hull, Jr., 2014).
