Human services programs and facilities where designed for meeting basic health and welfare needs of society. According to the National Organization of Human Services (2009), “The field of human services is broadly defined, uniquely approaching the objective of meeting human needs through an interdisciplinary knowledge base, focusing on prevention as well as remediation of problems, and maintaining a commitment to improving the overall quality of life of service populations (pg.1).” There are several branches of human services which include social welfare services, educational services, and mental health services. In the paragraphs below the following topics will be discussed; the history of human services, the goal of human services, common intervention strategies in human services, and ethical considerations of human services.
The History of Human Services
Helping others in society is not a new concept. Neighbors have been lending a hand to each other since the beginning of time. Over the years this concept has grown into what is now known as the human services profession. During the Middle Ages England established a system called feudalism. Martin (2011) states, “Under this elitist system, privileged and wealthy landowners would parcel off small sections of their land, which would then be farmed by peasants or serfs (pg.1).” Feudalism was seen as an effective way for the government to control poverty, but it can also been seen as government imposed slavery. Those who became serfs were seen by the law as property of the landowner. The way the poor was treated in England lasted until the late 1800. The opening of the Hull House in Chicago was known as the first settlement house in the United States, a start of the significant social movement and a new change for the people in poverty.
The Goal of Human Service Profession
Human Service workers serve people by helping them to overcome problems that hinder them from meeting the basic needs of their lives....