HUS-102 Human Services in Cont America
An introduction to the contemporary Human Service field. It includes a philosophical and theoretical orientation to Human Services; exploration of agency structure, personnel and services and an agency visitation. Professional and personal human services competencies, ethics and the law are also examined.
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Course Outline
Course Description
An introduction to the contemporary Human Service field. It includes a philosophical and theoretical orientation to Human Services; exploration of agency structure, personnel and services and an agency visitation. Professional and personal human services competencies, ethics and the law are also examined.
Credit Hours
3Course Learning Outcomes
- Identify local human service agencies and the services they offer for meeting the needs of their target populations.
- Describe the functions and occupations within the field of human services.
- Relate human services concepts to current topics at micro, meso, and macro levels.
- Describe the evolution and development of human services in the United States.
Topic Outline
- 1. Human needs and human services
- a. Overview of human services
- b. The impact of contemporary problems on human needs and the human services addressing those needs
- c. Theories addressing human needs
- i. Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs
- ii. Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development
- d. Political controversies surrounding human services and their influence on the delivery of human services
- 2. History and evolution of human services
- a. Exploring various eras in history as they relate to human services
- b. Early reforms in human services
- c. Future trends in human services
- 3. Groups requiring human services
- a. Defining who the poor are in the U.S.
- b. Unemployed
- c. Children
- d. Survivors of domestic violence
- e. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- f. Senior citizens
- g. People with mental illness
- h. People who abuse alcohol and other substances
- i. Criminals
- j. Homeless
- 4. Theoretical perspectives in human services
- a. Levels of observation
- b. Biopsychosocial model
- c. Psychoanalysis
- d. Behaviorism
- e. Humanistic (person-centered) theory
- 5. The human services worker
- a. Characteristics of effective helpers
- b. Essential helping skills
- c. The human services worker in the community
- d. Human rights
- 6. Careers in human services
- a. Current occupations in human services
- b. Generalist human services worker
- 7. Social policy in human services
- a. What is social policy?
- b. Identifying unmet needs
- c. Research
- d. Decision makers
- e. Funding
- f. Establishment and implementation of policy
- 8. Prevention in human services
- a. Primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention
- b. Primary prevention strategies