Foundations of Human Services

University of Phoenix Material

Foundations of Human Services Worksheet

Answer, in a 50- to 100-word response, each of the following questions: 

1. Identify the four themes of human services.

The four themes of human services are as follows:

Problems in living

It can be a result of an individual’s environment; i.e., living conditions, poor education, and or family and friends. It is also applies to mental illness, elderly, people of crimes or disasters, and immigrants. These are all circumstances that can play a part in people not capable of providing support to themselves or their families.

The Growing Number of Problems in the Modern World

This can consist of changes in households, and neighborhoods; children moving out of the home or going to college can have an impact on that particular household. He or she could have been helping the family grow mentally or financially. There are also less neighborhood organizations, helping families get closer with their communities. As the world advances, new technology may be needed and people may be fired because of lack of said technology.

Self-Sufficiency

Is helping a person get self-sufficient by giving them resources that assist them in maintaining basic household functions and needs. If they were poorly educated, encourage them to return to school in hopes of getting a better job to provide for their family. Helping them understand the necessity of paying rent and utility bills and giving them a since of accomplishment.

Social Care, Social Control, and Rehabilitation

These are three distinct functions of the human services profession. They also have specific areas of focus than the other three themes. Social care is more focused on those that cannot provide for themselves, either short term or long term. However, social control is focused on those who can provide for themselves but choose not to do so or have done something illegal or inappropriate. Lastly, rehabilitation focuses on helping a person get back to a level they were once at.

1. Identify professional disciplines that influence human services.

One professional discipline that influences human services is sociology; which helps a human services professional identify with the client they are assisting. Also the worker tries to identify with the client’s needs and individuality; such as race, religion, and or immigration status. Another professional discipline is psychology. This discipline is focused more on studying an individual’s mind and behavior. By allowing the client to talk to them, a human service worker gets a broader understanding of what an individual is going through. The last discipline is anthropology. In this discipline, an individual not only studies the cultural, physical, and social needs of an individual; but they also often times lives among those they are studying to get a better understanding of what behaviors are being learned.