Bshs 301 - What Is Human Services?

What is Human Services?

BSHS/301

What is Human Services?

Human services are professionals helping those who lack basic needs for whatever reason. Human Services could be anyone in the career of psychologist, social worker, counselors, family therapist, etc. Human Services work on the macro level of society helping support certain individuals or neighborhoods to function the best way they can in the matter of which they live in. Human services professionals also help those who have been through abuse and have trauma. It is clear that the people in these difficult situations that need help are not at fault, and they need to be taught how to make it through society. This quote stated by Martin (2007) "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime" (p. 7). This is a very significant quote that represents how Human Services works. Professionals in the Human Services field teach people how to fish in that case. Human Services also reduces discrimination and prejudice by allowing those people with needs to have the same opportunities of those with an ideal life.

Since our founding fathers, Human Services has grown little by little. Obviously the tremendous increase in federal budget throughout the years made the responsibility of government increase as well. As the population grew in the United States during these years made the government varied more in our lives whether we are the professionals or those in need of certain services. Human Services was not called Human Services in the early 1930s and 1960s but instead community organizers is what they use to call it. The Council For Standards On Human Service Education (CSHSE) was recognized in 1979 to standardize education and training to teach Human Services programs. In the 1900s some people worked in the Social Worker profession without degrees, some did have his or her BSW. Nowadays one must have a degree or one need to pass an examination to become a Human Service professional in psychology, sociology, social work, etc.

The general practice of Human Services starts by knowing the individual who needs help background, where he or she come from, what is his or her grasp of life, etc. Generalist is also another way to name these Human Services professional. Generalists need to know the individual's case before they can choose a theory he or she will incorporate. Generalists may use the psychoanalytic theory of Freud or the cognitive behavior perspective, whichever they believe would be best in their case. Based on a person's culture, ethnicity, gender, and historic era one chooses a theory of human behavior.

As a generalist one may use many theoretical frameworks. According to Martin (2007) The Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems is a main theory based on analyzing the individual's life and relationship to four systems that surround him. The Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems theory consists of analyzing four parts. The first part would be the Microsystem, which are him, and his family. The Microsystem is important because if we are discussing about a child generalists need to know the type of relationship they have with their parents and siblings. The second part is the Mesosystem; this includes an individual's community. A generalist must know how the neighborhood children are with them as well as how things are at school. The third part is the Exosystem meaning the state government. Last would be the Macrosystem, implicating their cultures values and beliefs taken as a whole. A Human Services professional must consider what culture the child's family is from because it can make a huge impact to his life because of cultures acquiring different values, etc. These schemes would help obtain a fair understanding of an individual. Along with these speculations, there is also some intervention strategies generalists could use. Some programs that generalists use causes an intervention to stop children experiencing taken away from their homes called family preservation programs. It is better to preserve a family than to tear it apart, I believe children need to see therapist, deal with a large amount of drama, and will not live a normal life from there on.

Counseling agencies where the child, and the parent can get help to move forth or just for the child if it is in the child's best interest. Counseling agencies that help the child's mental health and well-being. Family Assessment Counseling and Education Services is one of those counseling agencies where one helps face to face whether the parent or child in danger. F.A.C.E.S. includes Human Services professionals to give safety to children as well as healing for kids who has parents going through a divorce. F.A.C.E.S. focus is on single parent children; they make sure the kids receive the proper care and specialized therapy. This was co-founded by Mary O'Connor in 1988 and was previously named Family Assessment, Counseling and Education Services. Community people and celebrity's kept getting involved and supporting this organization made it what it is today. Shelley Anthony, Cheryl Ramirez, Mary O'Connor stated, "They imagined a place where parents and children could get affordable help and learn to stop the bitter fighting, heal and even help others." This is a great way to view how people who want to go into Human Services think, they just