Social Policy Analysis

1. Policy goals

a. What are the stated goal(s) of the policy?

b. What are the achievable objective(s)?

c. What are the latent goal(s) of the policy?

d. Were client perspectives taken into consideration when formulating the goal(s) and objective(s)?

2. Benefits and services

a. What benefit and/or service does this policy provide?

b. Is the benefit or service designed to remove societal barriers that prevent people from meeting their needs?

c. Does the benefit and/or service focus primarily on correcting the behavior of the target population?

d. How much consumer choice is allowed?

e. Are the strengths and resources of the community taken into account?

f. Does the benefit or service alleviate the identified need and result in positive outcomes for your clients?

3. Eligibility rules

a. Who receives the benefit or service?

b. Is eligibility tied to employee contribution, attachment to the workforce, or means tested?

c. Do the eligibility rules create incentives for people to develop their capacity to meet their own needs?

d. Will positive steps results in a loss of benefits or services?

4. Service delivery system

a. How are services delivered (e.g., public vs. private, multiple locations/providers, etc.)

b. Is the service delivery system designed to build on assets that already exist in the community?

c. Does the delivery system offer clients choice?

d. Is the service delivery system staffed by workers who reflect the ethnic diversity found within the target population?

e. Are the services available to people of all ethnic backgrounds?

5. Financing

a. What is the source of funding (e.g., public, private, taxes, out-of-pocket)?

b. How are service providers reimbursed?

c. Can this service delivery system deliver services and/or benefits in a cost effective manner that achieves the desired outcomes for clients?