Social Policy in the Eyes of Social Workers

Executive Summary

Providing 800,000 pap tests, 1 million breast exams, and 6 million STD tests in 2015 alone, Title X Family Planning Program is an essential aspect to adequate health care. With current proposed budget cuts to federal funding of Title X, over 4 million people that rely on Title X yearly would be affected and lose health care they would otherwise not be able to afford. That would mean losing contraceptive services, lifesaving cervical and breast cancer screenings, yearly exams and STD treatments, just to name a few. Title X is absolutely imperative to our healthcare system and budget cuts would have detrimental effects of people everywhere.

Introduction

            Taking a look back at history, women have come a long way, from fighting for the right to vote, the ability to work, to present day simply fighting for their voices to be heard. In the recent months especially, the empowerment of women seems to be a relevant and prominent aspect of our society. With this passion and drive, women come together to fight for equality and fairness and to fight for the ability to control their own decisions and life. Title X does just that. This program grants women more control over their health decisions, such as deciding exactly if and when they choose to have children by preventing unintended pregnancies. In 2014 alone, services offered through Title X helped prevent 1.9 million unintended pregnancies. This program acts almost as a security blanket to help women with early detection of cancers, treatment for STDs, etc. So with all these positive aspects to this program, why would legislators ever propose defunding this program that could put these women into harms way, directly impacting their health? The message is simple, defunding or cutting the budget for this program would directly negatively impact millions. Over 4 million people rely on Title X yearly, and 80% of those people are low-income individuals living below the poverty line. So instead of potentially harming our most vulnerable groups in society, shouldn’t legislators look for ways to empower and protect them?

Approaches and Results

            With roughly 38 million women in need of contraceptive services in the US and a whopping 4.7 million of women with low income without adequate coverage for family planning, Title X is essential. The facts are clear, Title X has helped decrease these numbers immensely and taking it away or defunding it would only cause more people, especially women, to lose out on proper health care for planning for starting and maintaining families. This program has immense benefits and is actually a program that saves taxpayers money, unlike a lot of our programs in society. Specifically, it was found that for each dollar invested into the Title X program; the government saves around $7 in Medicaid costs. This program is worth the investment, saving people money, and is saving lives.

Conclusion

            Title X has provided low-income families, especially women with health care they once could not afford. From life-saving screenings, to testing and treatment methods, to educational information on prevention and protection from disease, Title X is a necessary program in our society. The majority of Title X beneficiaries are vulnerable populations and people of color, and as a society we should foster this program to help these groups flourish and survive.

 Implications and Recommendations

Get involved and get informed by learning more about Title X and Planned Parenthood at: https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/health-care-equity/title-x And Click this link to help donate to Planned Parenthood Action Fund today: https://secure.ppaction.org/site/Donation2?df_id=23692&23692.donation=form1&s_subsrc=4NALz1705S1N1V&s_src=ElectionResults_1116_News_c4_c4web&_ga=1.253198409.1780154547.1492091542

The zero-tolerance policies that have been in place throughout a majority of the United States’ schools has created a phenomenon now referred to as the “school-to-prison pipeline.” These policies, rather than deterring misbehavior and improving schools, are pushing our youth to prison; more specifically, our African American students.

Introduction

Before continuing, I want to bring to everyone’s attention one the issue of mass incarceration in the United States. Our incarceration rates began increasing with our War on Drugs and “tough on crime” periods. Mass incarceration in our country has increased over 500% in the last 40 years, making us the country with the highest prison population at 2.2 million.

While there have been several policies that have contributed to these rates, one has specifically affected students. The school-to-prison pipeline phenomenon has emerged in great part of the zero-tolerance policies. Such policies make African American students three times more likely of being expelled than white students. These students are also three times more likely of coming into contact with the criminal justice system. Our schools are targeting your children, the future of our country, and sending them to prison unfair and disproportionately applied policies, contributing to our mass incarceration population.

Approaches and Results

The Zero-tolerance polices began as a method to discourage drug use in schools as well as to punish those students who brought firearms on school grounds. By the md 90s, many schools throughout the country had adopted these types of policies, expanding them to include zero-tolerance for violence and alcohol use, all with the goal to deter misbehavior.

So what has zero-tolerance policies gotten all wrong? Let’s take a look:

One of the ideas of these policies was the belief that removing students who disrupted the classroom would better the educational environment. Yet there have also been studies that have found students who are punished through these zero-tolerance policies by being removed from school (i.e. receiving out-of-school suspensions, referred to alternative schools), are more than likely to continue their negative behavior, more likely to do worse academically, and more likely to drop out. Both African American and Latino students are two times more likely to drop out than white students.

Another idea behind such policies was to also establish a set of rules that could be applied to everyone equally, yet studies have shown that African American students are disproportionately being punished than white students. While African American students make up only 16% of the entire student population, they account for 31% of arrests and 41% of suspensions.

Conclusions, Implications, and Recommendations

The idea use punishment as a buffer for misbehavior has backfired. Research has shown that zero-tolerance policies has done more harm than good, especially for African American students. It is slowly feeding our youth into our prison system, which already targets men of color.

Some states have begun to take initiatives against such policies. Illinois, for instance, has banned the use of zero-tolerance policies in their public and charter schools. But this is not enough.  Zero-tolerance policies take little to no initiative to help prevent misbehavior or properly managing it. Instead, they are pushing these students away, directly to our criminal justice systems. We need to become more involved in our schools and encouraging them to stop using zero-tolerance policies and opt for more preventative measures, such as the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS).

For more information on this preventative approach – and how this method can actually help make a difference in our youth’s lives – visit https://www.pbis.org/ for more information.

With the recent increase of political tension in the United States, the issues of environmental preservation and conservation has been increasingly prevalent in the mainstream media as a result. The conversation on “global warming” and “fossil fuels” occur frequently in these discussions, but one topic that causes a great deal of harm to the environment is often neglected but critical: plastic bags. Plastic bags are a global hazard to animals, as well as the environment as a whole.

It is estimated that 100,000 aquatic animals die each year as a direct result of plastic shopping bags. Not only do plastic bags cause direct harm to animals, they also indirectly harm the ecosystem at large via a toxin called dioxin. Dioxin is a main toxin found in plastic bags which functions as an endocrine disruptor. When fish consume these bags it pollutes their bodies, which are then fed upon by larger animals such as polar bears. This causes large quantities of manmade pollutants to reach areas such as the arctic where these substances are harming an already frail ecosystem (Plastic Bags and Climate Change, n.d.). It is possible for the harmful effects of these toxic fish to be passed up the food chain to humans. A field test done in Europe found similar hazardous results caused by plastic bags and found that 40% of these bags were only single use (Green et al, 2015, pg 5380). Annually, roughly 12 million barrels of oil are used to make the plastic bags used by Americans. This wasteful use of precious fossil fuels contributes heavily to the increasing CO2 build-up in the atmosphere (Plastic Bags and Climate Change, n.d.).

There is a very simple solution to quickly slow the level of global pollution caused by plastic bags. The answer is to get people to start using reusable bags as an alternative to plastic. These bags are inexpensive, less likely to rip, and much more environmentally friendly. If the United States alone were to use even half of the plastic bags annually that they do right now, that would cut CO2 emissions down immensely.

I am proposing that new laws and policies be put into place that regulate the maximum number of plastic bags allowed to be used in the United States, as well as offer reusable bags as a feasible alternative. It is not plausible to think that plastic bags will completely cease causing environmental damage, but if world leaders and citizens work together, we can limit the damage caused to a fraction of what it is today.

Introduction

            Recent legislation passed in Glasgow will open the Scotland’s first ever facility which offers heroin addicts a safe space and medical attention. The facility will not act as a rehabilitation center; instead it will provide on-site medical professionals and equipment to aid in the injection of heroin. The facility will provide medical-grade heroin to certain patrons, and aims to reduce the number of deaths directly related to unsanitary injection methods.

Importance

            Heroin-related deaths are most often attributed to over dosage, and infection based illness through contaminated needle usage. The currently estimated number of heroin users within Glasgow city limits is roughly 500 active users. Recent outbreaks of infectious disease deaths, as well as a severe HIV outbreak, lead Glasgow board members to look for prevention methods. The concept of a facility in which drug users can continue their habit under medical supervision, often referred to as a “shooting gallery” or “supervised injection site,” is not original to the Glasgow. Current records show as many as 65 operating facilities, across eight countries, including Canada. The results of effectiveness of the facilities have been found to reduce: decease transmission, overall mortality of active heroin addicts, and usage in public places.

Conclusion

            The debate over “supervised injection sites” is rooted in the idea that it would encourage the usage of heroin. While some may see the supervision of medical professionals as incentive to utilize the facility, it does not provide incentive to begin abusing the drug. Heroin users, as a population, are decreasing over the past decades, as the awareness of the dangers of heroin increase. The aging community of active heroin users averages significantly lower annual incomes than the general public, many users currently experiencing unemployment and homelessness. This lack of money explains the neglectful sanitary procedures associated with injection by syringe. While the facilities may not lower the number of heroin users within the cities, they are reducing the dangers linked to heroin addiction.

Society values categories and labels such as sex and gender. These labels are meant to simplify the context of individuals; however, there are a mass number of individuals who do not fit into the societal categorical label. Sex is the biological genitalia of female or male set by societal norms. Gender is the social role associated with the sex of an individual. Gender identity is important to take into consideration because it is what people will self-identify as. Those who have a hard time fitting into a category they do not feel identifies with them go through gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a medical diagnosis and can refer to severe distress for many transgender individuals.

History was made on the 30th of June in 2016 when the Department of Defense announced those who identified as transgender members may now go through a transgender transition within the military. This is a new milestone for the United States as a whole and will affect the lives serving and the lives supporting of those serving in order to function as a strong country. In addition to this particular policy, let it be known by the 1st of July in 2017, the military service will now accept transgender applicants if the general standard requirements are met. Former Secretary of defense, Ash Carter, requested the Department of Defense to assess the impact of issues related to transgender military personnel serving and the possible plans for addressing these issues.

Policy Guidance

With the announcement on Jun 30^th, 2016, it was expected for the policy to change the entire military force: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The purpose of this decision supports the mission to defend the United States at all times. This means there needed to be an elimination of all barriers preventing those who are capably qualified to protect the United States and fulfilling the overall tasks of mission accomplishment and troop welfare. This policy establishes the recognition of transgender service members serving our military in present times. Those who choose to serve should be able to meet the general requirements in order to have the chance to serve alongside other military personnel. Those who are not familiar with the new policy are expected to go through a deliberate brief explaining the new implementations within each service. There is also a DoD Transgender Implantation Handbook easily accessible on the web that outlines the transition for service members and for those who command the service members.

Policy Approaches

Gender Transition Process (Figure 1) is the process in which the individual who wishes to undergo the transition process from male to female or from female to male. The plan is to initiate the diagnosis by some certified medical personnel once the chain of command of the individual is informed. The medical treatment and planning of the individual is accordingly with the unit’s timeline and there are no detrimental tasks coming up for both the individual and the unit. The next approaches of the gender transition will take place and there will be the execution of the medical treatment and recovery process. The final steps will be when the individual requests a service member gender marker change, and the chain of command follows through with the request. Once the gender marker is changed, the service member is expected to meet the general standards are the completed gender marker. This transition can only take place for once for an individual.

Implications

The Department of Defense is approaching a new culture when they decided to open the military service to all civilians. The point is to acknowledge those who can complete the mission to protect and defend the United States of America. Through the implementation of transgender individuals into the armed forces, the culture of the military might go through a backlash. This assumption is supported by the history of women in the military and the Department of Defense’s approval of women in combat roles announced on the 3^rd of December in 2016. However, the message is clearly stated by the Department of Defense. If you can perform, the military needs you.

Executive Summary                             

Many individuals fight passionately for the protection of the second amendment‐the right to bear arms‐in a society with circumstances and weaponry that has evolved in the past two hundred years. Over the decades many gun laws have been enacted, including the Brady Act, with a goal to decrease the amount of violence and deaths like Sandy Hook through measures such as background checks. Although this is a step in the right direction, our present society needs more gun law regulation to combat modern dangers, rather than those of a past society.

Introduction        

The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, as well as many other gun laws, have been enacted to reduce the high rates of gun violence in the US. Yet, it is still an issue that every person living in America has to consider, because of the prevalence of preventable gun-related deaths. It may not be possible to predict and eradicate, but a key piece in continuing to address gun violence is to consider how tightening regulation can further decrease gun violence. Looking into the Brady Act and discovering its possible effects on gun violence may help us decide if reacting to mass shootings and high gun violence with tighter gun control can decrease the amount of suffering people.

Approaches and Results

The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (1993) is one example of a gun law that intended to decrease gun related deaths by promoting backgrounds checks on customers who want to buy firearms from federally licensed dealers. A few examples of those prohibited from buying guns include, individuals who were convicted and served in jail for over a year, and individuals who may have extreme mental disorders. At one point, the Brady Act tried to expand and have people buying from private sellers, like gun shows, to get background checks as well. It failed to pass.

In fact, there has been a drop in deaths by gun violence since the early 1990’s. In 1993, when the Brady Act passed, seven out of 100,000 Americans died because of firearm violence. Years later, in 2013, the number dropped to 3.6 firearm deaths out of 100,000 Americans. It is not a simple matter that can be credited only to gun control, but standard precautions such as a National Instant Criminal Background Check System done by the FBI since 1998 is said to have prevented more than two million gun sales and potential disasters.

The US leads in the amount of violent gun deaths, with murder by gun-use being seven times higher in the US than in other industrialized nations. Most of these countries have more strict gun laws, and backgrounds checks are quite common. For example, in Italy in order to receive a gun permit you need to pass a criminal and mental health background check, and you have to provide a valid reason for needing a gun. Because of its complexity, murders and suicides by guns have not completely disappeared because of these laws, but are considerably lower than in the US.

Conclusion

Having strict gun control laws is not going to prevent tragedies by firearms, but it is a step in the right direction toward reducing the amount of people who die because a gun was placed in the wrong hands. While gun laws have been enacted, loopholes exist, and our society does not respond to mass shootings, high gun-related murder, and suicide rates as it should. If we take example from other countries, there is a connection between tighter gun control laws and lower rates of firearm homicide and suicide. Fighting for more gun control, whether by enforcing more widespread background checks or by other means, places more responsibility on the individual buying a gun and could lead to a further decrease in gun violence.

Implications and Recommendations

As with any issue, doing research and educating yourself on gun control is always key. More gun control could be possible in the future if citizens take a stand and speak out. Resources that could be of interest include learning about federal gun laws. Armed with knowledge, action can be taken. You can even write a letter to a newspaper, or contact your state and local representatives through email, Facebook, or a various other means. When an issue concerning gun violence presents itself, be active and vote! It is our responsibility to engage in this gun control debate.

Executive Summary

This brief focuses on aspects of the American Healthcare Act of 2017, Trumpcare, that contributed to the recent withdrawal of the bill. President Trump asserts that the ultimate goal of this healthcare plan is to repeal and replace Obamacare.

Trumped Healthcare 

This healthcare proposal was met with disapproval from House Representatives because many low income and middle class families would be met with the challenge of paying for healthcare with increased premiums or choosing to live uninsured. Yet, research shows that individuals who are insured live longer than those uninsured, and those uninsured are  either more likely to be from the low-income bracket, a woman, or unemployed.  These individuals are often at highest risk for developing preventative health problems. Research also suggests a consistent decline in the uninsured population among the non-elderly population from 2010, when the Affordable Care Act passed, to 2015 by 8 %. The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, has served its purpose of expanding healthcare to all Americans, especially the employed with out insurance coverage.

A stark difference in Obamacare and AHCA is where financial liability of health insurance is placed. AHCA would have required citizens to purchase health insurance with increased premiums in addition to funding a Health Savings Account (HSA). This is done with the intent of reducing government regulations on price competition of the healthcare system, which is the culprit of increasing premiums with limited coverage. A benefit of the AHCA is that any money accumulated from the HSA goes untaxed, saving both the tax payer and the government from financial liability of public healthcare. However, this plan is not feasible for all Americans, especially the unemployed, low wage workers, and working families with no existing health benefits. Saving for a healthy-single adult is reasonable, they are more than likely to forfeit any medical coverage while healthy. Therefore, their account accumulates wealth. A family of  4 with a single income may not share that luxury due to expenses for child care and regular pediatrics visits.

So, how will families receive medical coverage if they choose to opt out of Trumpcare? Medicare and Medicade will still be provided, but under Trumpcare these programs will be federally funded through block grants given to each individual state.

Conclusion and Implications

American healthcare will regress back towards privatization now that conservatives have reclaimed majority seat in both the House of Representatives and Senate. Long term, Obamacare will require more funding for serving only a small portion Americans who require medical assistance often. Long term,  Trumpcare provides an opportunity for Americans to claim an additional welfare benefit through the taxes system. Currently, this policy does little to replace Obamacare in a feasible manner for Americans who have little to no options for health coverage. The goal of this is solely to repeal and replace Obamacare. So, this policy seems biased towards low and middle class Americans who cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket expenses for medical coverage.

A current option would be to redraft the Affordable Care Act. It is important to consider the best fiscal alternatives when addressing healthcare. The financial burden must be addressed. There is a discrepancy of those insured who use their policy the most versus whom the the Affordable Healthcare Act was created to cover, working class Americans who are not senior citizens. Promoting the use of HSAs would not be detrimental to the long term well being of the individual. Even though citizens cannot vote directly on this policy issue, they and House members must consider whether they need immediate access to healthcare for a non-existing issue or should they just receive coverage at the time that it is needed.

Imagine waking up cold in a dark, unfamiliar place—surrounded by the sounds of startled whimpers. The collective whimpers of pubescent children who are not even old enough to think concretely and make sense of what is about to happen to them.  According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 1 in 6 runaways in 2016 were likely to be trafficked for sex.

Unfortunately, sexual abuse and sex trafficking is the harsh reality of 4.5 million of people around the world. According to the Department of Homeland Security, human trafficking is the illegal trade of people for exploitation or commercial gain by the use of force, fraud, or coercion. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and it is also one of the largest, global crimes that is committed daily; trafficking is a profitable business at $150 billion globally (ILO, 2014). I wanted to focus on sex trafficking because it is a major issue in every community and those who partake in sex exploitation cold be anyone. Meredith Dank, a senior research associate with the Justice Policy Center, stated that “there tends to be a failure with the child welfare system, with the educational system, or within the family unit that leaves the young person in a particularly vulnerable state in which they can be emotionally coerced because they never felt that someone has cared for them the way that their assailants have (Tilsley, 2016).

The victims that suffer through these heinous acts—that is their live—are often criminalized after a long history of being forced into prostitution. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was the first major milestone in providing protection for victims of assault and abuse, while also prosecuting their assailants with federal crimes (Polaris). It was reported that many victims of sexual exploitation did not feel safe reporting their cases to the authorities because they are led to believe that they are the criminals (Alvarez, 2016). There was a lack of trust in the justice system and with the law enforcement units but the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 made it possible for victims to feel safe, protected, and supported. “Between the fiscal years 2001-2007, there was a 360 percent increase in convictions (Alvarez, 2016), and the reported cases of sexual abuse has had a 35% increase in 2016 with 8,042 cases just within the last year,” (Polaris).

The reality of the matter is that sex trafficking is a large network of interconnected individuals that work worldwide to keep victims under their control. Over the years, the cases reported has risen as a result of public awareness about the issue and courageous individuals from all backgrounds reaching out to in order to put a stop to sex trafficking. There are a variety of ways that you can get involved in helping and supporting the victims of sex trafficking. It is important to recognize the signs of human trafficking. Report any suspicious behavior. Educate yourself about the cruel realities of survivors and victims. Sign up for the newsletter or discover local organization where you can volunteer your time. Sign a petition to strengthen anti-human trafficking programs at the polarisproject.org. Learn more about the laws and policies that are in place to protect our victims and catch our criminals (Polaris). One of the most important things that I have learned in my undergraduate career is to use your voice; it may seem simple but a single voice can be used to give victims the voices that they never had.

 

Executive Summary 

Human Trafficking is an issue that is so often swept under the rug, but Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 certainly shed some much-needed light on the growing issue. This act was put in place to encourage communities and citizens to be proactive in preventing human trafficking, to be aware of the signs, and to be an aid in the victim’s recovery. This includes all law enforcement, social services, health care workers, first responders, and everyone in between.

Introduction

Unfortunately, Human trafficking has become more than just a dreaded phrase that we hear on the morning news. It has become a global phenomenon, a rising epidemic, and a devastating encounter.  Human trafficking can be considered a form of modern day slavery. To be trafficked is to take one’s freedom away; to control their decisions, and their lives. It is a heinous crime, and should always be treated as such. Many women or children are forced into trafficking, who may come from poor families, ran away from home, or some who may not even have a family.  It could begin right in your house, in your family, in your community, or in your life. Who is looking out for the safety of your children, the future of our society? Fortunately, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 (JVTA) has taken the steps to ensure the well-being of our countries precious children. JVTA did this by not only training community members to become more aware of human trafficking signs, but to ensure that the victims of human trafficking were provided with justice and recovery services, such as grants through the state for counseling, legal services, etc.

Approaches and Results

After thorough examination of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, it appears there are nothing but potentially positive aspects to the Act. The JVTA mainly works to provide justice to human trafficking victims, especially children and minors, who may have previously felt ashamed, or unable to seek services. The Act allowed for the Department of Justice to administered grants, which were to help encourage the development of programs for law enforcement, as well as other public service workers. Some of these programs were things such as deterrence programs, specialized trainings and workshops, and court assistantships. Through the state grants and these created programs, law enforcement and all other participating parities are able to work to enhance and rebuild the lives of trafficking victims. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act also enforces restricted guidelines, requirements, and procedures for handling child abuse, missing children, and runaways. Missing children reports are now required to have a picture attached them, which will aid in the efficiency of the searches for the children. Homeless and runaway children are now eligible for grants if they were victims of abuse or trafficking, and grants are being created to help develop communication systems between trafficking victims and agencies. In addition, the Department of Justice was required to compile an accessible online list of all the resources available to victims, such as counseling, hotlines, and foster care agencies.

 Conclusion

These changes and development of programs are steps towards helping to rebuild the lives of trafficking victims, and ensuring that all members of our communities are prepared and trained to see the signs of such a dangerous epidemic. Human trafficking is, and always will be an issue that needs to be addressed with as most urgency, sensitivity, and rationale as possible, and I think that the Justice for Human Trafficking Act does a great job of doing just that, and even involves all levels of our society.

My fear of this Act is that although many guidelines were put into place to sure the prevention of trafficking, that some may turn a blind eye to the issue and the trainings will not be enforced. To aid in this, I encourage all of you to become an ally for a victim, and to be aware of the signs of a trafficking victim. YOU could save their life just by becoming knowledgeable about who you are trying to save. Learn the indicators! To assist you in this, the Department of Homeland Security has created a “online self-training” and human trafficking tips to learn how to be aware of trafficking. The link is included below! Once you are prepared, you could even host your own fundraising event for the anti-trafficking organization! You have the tools to make a difference in someone’s life, you just have to use them Remember that every 30 seconds, another person becomes a victim of human trafficking. Take action today!

https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/training/dhs_awareness_training_fy12/launchPage.htm

Executive Summary

Injuries are inevitable. At some point in your professional life, you are most likely going to suffer an injury that will prevent your from going about your daily routine. Whether it’s a broke hand or a concussion, missing an extended amount of time at work due to an injury can have a serious impact on your life. The adoption of Workers Compensation programs in the early 20th century allowed for peace of mind amongst the population, but this peace of mind has been on a downfall according to a 2015 study.

Introduction

 Whether you are working in a construction zone or in a typical American office space, It is crucial to understand what Workers Compensation is and how it works. Workers compensation policy is something that almost everyone has an idea about, but most people don’t really know what injuries are covered by Workman’s Compensation or what constitutes receiving Workers Compensation. Unless you are living off your 50 million dollar lottery winnings or benefiting off a large inheritance from your parents, you have a main source of income and missing work could result in a late mortgage payment or not being able to pay your phone bill. The goals of my research were to uncover what how worker’s compensation works on a very basic level that the average employee could understand and some statistics about the decline of Worker’s compensation in present day America.

Approaches and Results

According to the Social Security Office, Workers Compensation programs are programs that are designed to, “provide the payment of lost wages, medical treatment, and rehabilitation services to workers suffering from an occupational injury or disease.” Each Workers Compensation program is regulated by the state governments and were adopted and implemented in the early 20th century. Therefore, different states will have different requirements and other stipulations that warrant receiving Workers compensation or what benefits you will receive if you qualify for Workers Compensation. With that being said, when researching workmens compensation, it’s important to look for information regarding your own State’s policies revolving around Workers comp because not all states provide the same coverage.

This discrepancy between States Workers Compensation policies is one of the factors leading towards the deterioration of Workers Compensation in the United States that is described in Jessica Schneider’s article in the Center for Effective Government article. Schneider points out that the national average maximum compensation for arm injuries in the United States is $168,878, but in Alaska, the maximum is only $106,200. Schneider also provides other statistics like that the amount the employers pay into workers compensation programs are at a historic low point and that workers compensation is only 44 cents out of the roughly $30 that employers spend on workers per hour. These statistics show us that Workers Compensation is slowly falling by the way side to employers in exchange for more profits. If this current trend continues, any future work-related injury could send you into spiraling debt because “there isn’t enough money in the budget” to provide you with benefits due to your injury.

Conclusion

 Workers Compensation is slowly deteriorating which is a real problem for everyone who isn’t lucky enough to win the lottery. Not only has it become unequal from state to state, but employers are slowly putting less money to Workers Compensation programs that leave employees responsible for paying for their work-related injuries. If there is nothing done to combat the current downward trend in support for Workers Compensation programs, there is a strong possibility that your next injury could result in massive debt because your employer has decided to spend less money on Workers Compensation to increase their profit margins.

Implications and Recommendation

My best recommendation to readers is to educate yourself about your State’s workers compensation laws and programs. As stated earlier, all 50 states have a completely different workers comp program and benefits, and your injury may not be equally covered. You should also talk to your employer and fellow employees to better understand the workers compensation benefits provided through your employer’s. Workers Compensation has been on a decline because most people think that injuries are rare and it won’t happen to them. Educating yourself and your peers about Workers compensation could lead to a more equal system and better protection for all of us.