What is the policy alternative?
What, if any, change(s) in the policy alternative are necessary, and where will they need to occur (local or state)?
Is this policy alternative congruent with social work values? Explain.
What is the feasibility of the alternative policy (political, economic, and administrative)?
Does the policy alternative meet the policy goals (e.g., social equality, redistribution of resources, social work values, and ethics)?
What are the forces that are for the policy? What are the forces that are against the policy?
What policy advocacy skills can be used to support the policy alternative?
How does the policy alternative affect clinical social work practice with clients?
What changes could be made in the policy to support the needs of clients seeking clinical services?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: Enhancing Access to Mental Health Services: A Policy Alternative
Introduction:
Access to mental health services is a pressing issue that requires attention and action. This paper proposes a policy alternative aimed at improving access to mental health services, addressing necessary changes, congruence with social work values, feasibility, policy goals, forces for and against the policy, policy advocacy skills, and its impact on clinical social work practice.
Policy Alternative:
The policy alternative proposed is the establishment of community mental health centers, strategically located at local and state levels. These centers would provide comprehensive mental health services, including counseling, therapy, psychiatric consultations, and crisis intervention.
Necessary Changes:
To ensure the success of this policy alternative, several changes must occur both locally and at the state level. At the local level, funding must be allocated to construct and maintain these community mental health centers. Additionally, there needs to be collaboration between mental health professionals, community organizations, and government agencies to ensure the effective implementation and coordination of services.
Congruence with Social Work Values:
The policy alternative aligns closely with social work values. Social workers are committed to promoting social justice, advocating for vulnerable populations, and enhancing access to resources. By establishing community mental health centers, this policy alternative aims to address inequities in mental health care and provide services to those who need it most.
Feasibility:
The feasibility of the policy alternative should be assessed in terms of political, economic, and administrative factors. Politically, garnering support from legislators and policymakers is crucial. Economically, adequate funding must be secured to establish and sustain these centers. Administratively, collaboration and coordination among various stakeholders are essential to ensure efficient service delivery.
Policy Goals:
The policy alternative aligns with various policy goals such as social equality, redistribution of resources, social work values, and ethics. By providing accessible mental health services, this policy aims to reduce disparities in access to care and promote equal opportunities for all individuals to improve their mental well-being.
Forces for and Against the Policy:
Forces in favor of the policy alternative include mental health advocates, social workers, community organizations, and individuals who have experienced difficulties accessing mental health services. They recognize the importance of increasing access and support this policy as a means of addressing the existing gaps in the system. Forces against the policy may include budget constraints, potential opposition from insurance companies or certain healthcare providers concerned about financial implications or increased competition.
Policy Advocacy Skills:
To support the policy alternative effectively, policy advocacy skills can be employed. These skills include coalition building, engaging in public education campaigns, mobilizing grassroots support, lobbying policymakers, conducting research to support the need for improved access to mental health services, and collaborating with other stakeholders to amplify the impact of advocacy efforts.
Impact on Clinical Social Work Practice:
The policy alternative has a direct impact on clinical social work practice. With improved access to mental health services, clinical social workers will have more resources available to address the needs of their clients. They can refer clients to community mental health centers for specialized care, collaborate with other professionals in a multidisciplinary approach, and focus on providing comprehensive support within their scope of practice.
Changes to Support Clinical Services:
To better support the needs of clients seeking clinical services, the policy should include provisions for integrating mental health services into primary care settings. This would promote a holistic approach to healthcare and facilitate early identification and intervention for individuals experiencing mental health challenges. Additionally, increased funding for training programs and incentives for mental health professionals can enhance the availability of qualified clinicians.
Conclusion:
By implementing the proposed policy alternative of establishing community mental health centers, we can significantly improve access to mental health services. This alternative aligns with social work values, promotes social justice, and aims to address disparities in mental healthcare. However, it requires political support, adequate funding, administrative coordination, and effective advocacy efforts. By engaging in policy advocacy skills and considering changes to better support clinical services, we can work towards a more equitable and accessible mental health system that benefits individuals and communities alike.
