What Is Human Services?
Running head: WHAT IS HUMAN SERVICES?
What is Human Services?
Candice K. Holt
BSHS/302
University of Phoenix
August 24, 2009
The Goal of Human Services
Human Services is the practice of assisting needy and less fortunate individuals with meeting their basic needs in life. “The Human Services profession is one which promotes improved service delivery systems by addressing not only the quality of direct services, but also by seeking to improve accessibility, accountability, and coordination among professionals and agencies in service delivery” (Martin, 2007) The primary focus of a Human Services Professional is to help people meet their needs that without the assistance of a Human Service Professional, they would not be able to do on their own due to various economic or social issues. Human services arose from a concern for social problems that created barriers to people getting their needs met. The goal of human services is to assist individuals in need with overcoming barriers or obstacles in their lives that are preventing them from meeting their basic needs such as shelter, food, and healthcare. Human Service professionals are dedicated to helping people in developing the proper skills to become self-sufficient and be able to function in society. Human Service professionals also work on a macro level in various communities to remove barriers or obstacles that affect large groups of people. They accomplish this by advocating for changes to laws and policies that in some cases have established the barriers. The ultimate goal of a Human Services professional is to ensure that all members of society have an equal opportunity to live a happy and self-sufficient life.
The History of Human Services The practice of helping others in need has been around since the beginning of time. The current context of a Human Services professional can be traced back to the late 1800’s social welfare system in England. Prior to this, the Feudal System was
What is Human Services?
Candice K. Holt
BSHS/302
University of Phoenix
August 24, 2009
The Goal of Human Services
Human Services is the practice of assisting needy and less fortunate individuals with meeting their basic needs in life. “The Human Services profession is one which promotes improved service delivery systems by addressing not only the quality of direct services, but also by seeking to improve accessibility, accountability, and coordination among professionals and agencies in service delivery” (Martin, 2007) The primary focus of a Human Services Professional is to help people meet their needs that without the assistance of a Human Service Professional, they would not be able to do on their own due to various economic or social issues. Human services arose from a concern for social problems that created barriers to people getting their needs met. The goal of human services is to assist individuals in need with overcoming barriers or obstacles in their lives that are preventing them from meeting their basic needs such as shelter, food, and healthcare. Human Service professionals are dedicated to helping people in developing the proper skills to become self-sufficient and be able to function in society. Human Service professionals also work on a macro level in various communities to remove barriers or obstacles that affect large groups of people. They accomplish this by advocating for changes to laws and policies that in some cases have established the barriers. The ultimate goal of a Human Services professional is to ensure that all members of society have an equal opportunity to live a happy and self-sufficient life.
The History of Human Services The practice of helping others in need has been around since the beginning of time. The current context of a Human Services professional can be traced back to the late 1800’s social welfare system in England. Prior to this, the Feudal System was
References: Furman, R. (2009). Ethical Considerations of Evidence-Based Practice. Social Work, 54(1), 82-84. Martin, M.E. (2007). Introduction to Human Services: Through the Eyes of Practice Settings. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon Publishing.