Essay On Charity Organization Society

The concern of what to do when relatives, friends, neighbors, and even strangers have needs that they are not able to address is an issue that dates back to the Colonial Period. Since the 1600s social welfare has been shaped by different people, policies, political decisions, and a shifting in one’s values and beliefs. During these times, the social welfare system has been shaped and molded by different situations that have occurred such as the Civil War, the Progressive Era, the Great Depression and World War I and II. Social Welfare programs and the provisions of services during the progressive era were embodied into two distinct movements: the Charity Organization Societies and the settlement movement. (Segal, 2013)
THE CHARITY ORGANIZATION

(Segal, 2013). The goal of the COS was to eliminate poverty by discovering what caused it and then to rid the individuals of those situations, issues, or causes of poverty. The COS believed they could get their idea of relief to the individuals best by modeling the behavior they wanted to see. The society wanted the behavior demonstrated because they also believed that poverty was rooted in the character of the person. Many of us have used the old adage of change your mindset, change your life and that was the message they wanted to portray. In helping individuals today, the best way for some to learn new behavior is for them to be taught and be allowed to demonstrate that behavior. Like the COS, many of our social welfare programs today promote independence for the individuals involved. The mental health system would like for those diagnosed with mental illnesses to learning coping skills that would allow them to live a normal, independent life. Services that are put in place are time limited to allow the individual to learn the needed behavior and then to demonstrate those appropriate behaviors in daily living. The Department of Health and Human Services offers to help with financial needs, food assistance, and protection. With all services that are provided, there is a time limit or a financial cap put on how much the family can receive. These time limits and

Although she worked as an administrator and friendly visitor, she also advocated for the training of social workers. In 1917, Miss Richmond wrote Social Diagnosis, a textbook for caseworkers that taught them how to identify problems clients were experiencing. Her text focused on theoretical aspects and practical application of the profession. Just as the COS, Miss Richmond utilized their approach of identifying needs through a scientific approach. Rather than blaming the individual or family for their situation, Miss Richmond took into account their strengths. Through her development of diagnosis, Miss Richmond identified six sources of power available to the individual and their social worker. She identified sources to be within the household, within the individual, neighborhood, civil agencies, and in private and public agencies (Stayaert, 2010). Miss Richmond taught other workers that there should be some type of method or system to social