Effects of Social Problems Symptoms Essay Example for Free

Effects of Social Problems Symptoms Essay The symptoms of social problems among teenagers in this day will give you an impression of the enormous impact and in the individual, society and the State. Teens on this day is the main asset and it is essential in the development of the country at the time to come. Effect of long term and short term will surely apply if teenagers and society on this day does not know how to menanganani problems that exacerbated the tapered, this makes the formation of identity and the glory of the morals of our societys eyes fragile self. Morals is mirrored themselves for personal and individual. If the individual has a bad character, then that personal individual will also be bad. Teens who have bad attitudes, and may give the impression to oneself, family, community, and country. One employee who was born this mortal circle like a white cloth sesuci no kotoranya, it is it is up on the individual it how he wants to mencorakkan his life. Individuals who mencorakkan himself with a good character will be seen noble and high, as opposed to the individual who mencorakkan himself with negative things will be perceived by the public and angle dicemuh round. For someone who had the title of Muslims are predominantly teens, good morals should be decorated with the things of faith and devotion to God. Instead, the muslim teenager kebanyankkan on today is not in accordance with the teachings of islam, by contrast, Nations and religions humiliating the country. Cannot be disclaimed warranties are also symptoms of social impression this gives a deep impression on a persons teens. Families play a role that is very important because of the happiness and harmony of the institution of kekeluargaanlah something that society was formed. The collapse of the family institution will cause a loss of happiness and harmony experienced something of the community. The morals of an individual good and noble juveniles comes from a family institution that harmony and happy. Therefore, the collapse of morals in the family institution will give a great impression upon the happiness and harmony of the family institution. something As a result of his careless harmonian in family a family no doubt will be the enactment of penceraian. This will make the future children will be left unattended and not well maintained, beyond missing site dependent and bermanja. The effect the enactment of social problems such as drugs, addictive lepak cultures, prostitution, gambling, same-sex relationships and other issues. Falls and ups something the State, religion and the nation at present is to see morals and moral thing for society. The disclaimed warranties not the morals of adolescents in todays highly membimbangkan society. If this is not dammed by the party – the party that, chiefly by the Empire, then it is not surprising, someday will come our society will crumble and collapse the morals of adolescents – Malay teen will chiefly rosak and perish. However there is the sharpest impression that will be seen on teen attitudes, and presumably today is not dammed quickly. People in this country will be porak-peranda, were divided and not United-ECE. As a result the bad feelings and prejudices will exist within the community. The nature of each curiga-mencurigai will be enthroned in the hearts of the people. This impression when menberi goes pergaduhan in the community. The incoherent issues will exist if pergaduhan this involves between two clans. As for the crime levels in the community will also increase to which this is due to the levels of moral collapse among teenagers has increased. The main implications against the State if the symptoms are not social ditengani soon will lead the country will lose the leadership generation upholstery in the future. This will make the countrys development will be terbantut kerancakan and State socioeconomic data into humid country because his social and moral collapse of the symptoms is high among the public. This makes the case for the crime levels in the country will also increase in line with increased social symptoms he while enhancing the perbelajaan of kos to reduce rates for the crime. Beyond the evils outside evils will seep into the country if the young generation today dont know keep their morals. And, the main impression is that teens today are predominantly of Islamic morals teenagers crushed and then view rosak Gentiles against religion that we anuti on this day surely gone Askew and bad.

Section 31, Children Act 1989 Threshold Criteria

Section 31, Children Act 1989 Threshold Criteria Before a court can make a care order, it must be satisfied that the ‘threshold criteria’ in Section 31 of the Children Act 1989 have been met.[1] The order must also promote the welfare of the child.[2] The main effect of a care order is to give parental responsibility for the child to the local authority.[3] If a care order is made, the child can be removed by the local authority at any time.[4] The threshold criteria, therefore, play a significant role in that they prevent care orders being made simply based on what is in the best interests of the child.[5] However, as this paper will demonstrate, the threshold for state intervention at various stages of the child protection process has been extremely controversial. Section 31 Children Act 1989: Threshold Criteria One of the great problems in the law of child protection is that if the wrong decision is made, great harm may result. As Bainham said: â€Å"The law in this area has to strike a careful balance between enabling the protection of children at risk of harm, with protecting the rights to respect for family life for children and their parents†[6] Not surprisingly, there is substantial case law on the interpretation of s.31 of the Children Act 1989 and the House of Lords have considered their interpretation in some important cases which will be assessed afterwards.[7] An analysis would be made about whether the courts have interpreted the threshold criteria in a strict or lax way. If interpreted in a strict way, this would imply that it would be more problematic for the local authority to satisfy the grounds for a care order. Under the first limb of threshold, the local authority must show that the â€Å"child concerned is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm† when applying for a care order.[8] Although quite straightforward, there have been concerns about when the alleged state of affairs must be shown to exist.[9] ‘Is suffering’ In Re M[10], the key issue was the meaning of ‘is’ in the threshold criteria. In this case, the children’s father had murdered their mother. Three of the four children were placed with their aunt. The remaining child was placed with foster carers, but later joined her aunt. However, the local authority still wanted a care order just in case it became necessary to remove the child from the aunt’s house. By the time the case came to court, it was hard to say that the child was, at that time, suffering from significant harm or that she was likely to. Their Lordships hence explained that the correct test was â€Å"whether the child was suffering from significant harm at the time when the local authority first intervened†.[11] Given that interpretation of the threshold, this was clearly satisfied. That decision is clearly correct, as their Lordships indicated or else it would be difficult for the local authority to obtain a care order in cases where child ren were put in excellent care.[12] It was a lax interpretation of the threshold criteria as a strict interpretation would have made the law hard to operate. ‘Likely to suffer significant harm’ The alternative ground on which the local authority can satisfy the first limb of the threshold criteria under s.31(2)(a) of the Children Act 1989 is the likelihood of future significant harm. One of the major issues that local authorities encounter is that predictions that child abuse will occur are difficult to make. Removing a child on the ground of speculative harm is controversial as it is impossible to know whether or not the harm would occur.[13] In Re H[14], there were several issues for the court. The first was the meaning of ‘likely’. Their Lordships held that ‘likely’ meant that significant harm was a ‘real possibility’.[15] It was not necessary to show that the harm was probable in the sense of ‘more likely than not’.[16] This is a notably lax interpretation of the threshold criteria. They also held that it must be shown, on the balance of probabilities, that the threshold was satisfied. They rejected the view that the criminal burden of proof should be applied. However, rather confusingly, Lord Nicholls said that â€Å"where there was a more serious allegation, more evidence would be required to establish it on a balance of probability than a case of a less serious allegation†.[17] This dicta was reconsidered by the court in Re B[18] where their Lordships made it clear that Lord Nicholls was not suggesting that, in cases of serious abuse, the criminal burden of proof should be used.[19] The civil balance of proof should be applied in all cases under the Children Act 1989. Instead, what Lord Nicholls implied, was that â€Å"some allegations will be inherently unlikely and they will require more evidence to establish them than others†. This interpretation was followed in Re S-B[20]. This aspect of the decision in Re B and Re H is perhaps best viewed as a lax interpretation, although it is probably not as lax as it could have been. Requiring a criminal burden of proof would have indeed made it very difficult for the local authority to obtain a care order. However, Lord Nicholls’ approach to the standard of proof, as well as its wider implications for protecting children at risk of harm has attracted strong academic criticism. Re B also confirmed another aspect of the decision in Re H. Risk of significant harm can only be established based on ‘primary facts’ which would then have to be proved on the balance of probabilities. Mere suspicions are not sufficient. In Re H, a 15 year old girl alleged that she had been raped by her stepfather. The local authority sought a care order in respect of the girl’s three younger siblings who continued to live with the man. There was a strong suspicion that the older girl had been abused and that the younger girls were at risk of being harmed. However, as it had not been proved on the balance of probabilities that the girl had been abused, no primary facts had been proved and thus, no care order was granted. As Lord Hoffman in Re B stated, â€Å"either a fact happened or it did not and there was nothing in between†. If there are no facts to support a finding of risk of future harm, the court is powerless to proceed.[21] This is, undoubtedly, a strict interpretation of the threshold criteria. The majority of their Lordships saw this issue in terms of parental rights; parents should not have their children removed on the basis of suspicions. However, it is suggested that this is not a safe approach to risk taking with children.[22] The reason why it is unsafe is that it would be very difficult for the local authority to safeguard a child’s right to be protected from abuse even when there is a serious risk of danger. As this analysis suggests, there are evidential problems and difficulties of predicting the future. The problems of proof partly explain the lengthy delays which can occur in child protection proceedings.[23] With the introduction of the Children and Families Act 2014, there is now a 26-week time limit for completing care proceedings with the possibility of extending the time limit for up to 8 weeks, if this is necessary to resolve the proceedings justly.[24] However, an important issue that arises here is whether this is achievable in complex cases. ‘Timescales can end up replacing professional judgment’.[25] ‘Harm attributable to the care given or likely to be given or the child’s being beyond parental control’ Uncertainty about who caused harm to the child is also another issue which local authorities and courts generally encounter.[26] The issue of the ‘unknown perpetrator’ was addressed in the case of Lancashire CC v B[27]. In this case, it was clear that the child had suffered harm. However, it was not clear whether it was the parent or the child minder who had caused harm to the child. Their Lordships held that as long as it was clear that the abuse was caused by a parent or a child minder, it did not matter which had perpetrated the abuse. On the other hand, where it is not clear whether the harm was caused by a parent or someone who was not a primary carer of the child, then no care order could be made. Although the House of Lords provided a clear guidance on when the threshold criteria would be satisfied in the case of an ‘unknown perpetrator’, they provided limited guidance on how the court should deal with an unknown perpetrator when deciding whether a ca re order should be granted.[28] Their Lordships returned to that issue in Re O and N[29], where it was emphasised that â€Å"just because the threshold criteria was satisfied, it did not automatically mean that a care order had to be made†. In one of the appeal cases, it was evident that the child was harmed by one of the parents, who had since separated. The child lived with the mother. The issue for their Lordships was whether the suspicions that the harm may have been caused by the mother should be considered. Their Lordships held that suspicions could be considered at the welfare stage. Lord Nicholls however emphasised that social workers should be careful in such cases to treat the parents as potential perpetrators, not proved perpetrators. Therefore, in Re S-B, it was confirmed that if both parents were possible perpetrators, the court might decide to remove the child as they were at risk of harm. It is therefore submitted that in Lancashire, the House of Lords took a noticeably lax interpretation of t he threshold criteria as the children could be removed from their parents even if they did not perpetrate the abuse. However, it was probably not as lax as it could have been as it was necessary to show that a primary carer of the child was harming the child. ‘Significant harm’ Even if the facts are known, there is much controversy over how much suffering the child should face before the local authority could intervene. Harm is very widely defined in s.31(9) of the Children Act 1989 as the â€Å"ill-treatment or the impairment of health or development.† ‘Health’ means ‘physical and mental health’. ‘Development’ includes â€Å"physical, intellectual, emotional or behavioural development†. As a result of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, the definition of ‘harm’ also includes the ‘impairment suffered by hearing or seeing the ill-treatment of another’. The legislation, however, does not define the line between ‘harm’ and ‘significant harm’. The Court of Appeal in Re C (A Child)[30] explained that to be significant, the harm had to be â€Å"great enough to justify the local authority interfering in the autonomous life of the family†. The test will therefore be subjective to the particular circumstances. This raises many questions. If a local authority finds that a child is living in a house where the family’s diet is unhealthy and where the children spend all their time in front of the television, what should be done? Joanna Nicolas, a child protection consultant, believes that â€Å"obesity should also be treated as a form of abuse as any type of under-feeding is, because of the physical impact on the child, the implications for their future health and the psychological impact.†[31] However, many would argue that this kind of situation is not sufficiently serious to justify intervention. This puts social workers in a difficult situation as they do not know in which circumstances it will be appropria te for them to intervene. Ward LJ also stresses the importance of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights when assessing the significance of the harm, highlighting that Article 8 requires that there must be a ‘†relevant and sufficient† reason for crossing the threshold’.[32] Additionally, if the state is to intervene in a child’s life, the level of state intervention must be proportionate to the risk that the child is suffering. There is a danger that a child who is genuinely suffering will be known to the local authority, but never, quite, be regarded as suffering sufficiently to justify intervention. In Re MA[33], the local authority found that a girl, who was not the biological daughter of the parents, had been badly treated by them. However, no care order was granted in respect of the parents’ other children as their Lordships found that there was no sufficient evidence of a risk of significant harm to their natural children. The decision in this case is controversial as the parents demonstrated a capacity for cruelty and thus gave rise to a real possibility that they would harm their own children. In deciding whether the child is suffering from ‘significant harm’, the ‘child’s health or development must be compared with that which could reasonably be expected of a ‘similar child’.[34] There are a number of issues in regards to the ‘similar child’ test. There is particular controversy over the extent to which the cultural background of the child should be taken into account.[35] It is also unclear to which extent the characteristics or capabilities of the parents should be considered. Reforms and recommendations For the last 40 years, several reforms have been intended to improve the law on ‘child protection’ and compensate for failures in practice. Many of these reforms responded to the cumulative evidence inspections and high-profile reviews into children’s deaths including: the 1974 Maria Colwell inquiry which led to the Area Review Committees, the 1988 Cleveland inquiry which formed the early versions of the statutory guidance Working Together To Safeguard Children and the Victoria Climbià © Report which contributed to the Every Child Matters green paper with recommended policies designed to ensure that it never happened again. Since the individual reforms of the past have all seemed intelligent and well-designed, it seems puzzling that they have not achieved their intended goals.[36] It is submitted that there may have been too many unnecessary targets. Instead of addressing existing practical problems, such as poor system management and inadequate funding, the prev ious reforms have focussed too much on the process of case management and increasing regulation. This may have impeded the real issue of child protection. The Munro report has provided some interesting recommendations to improve the law on child protection with particular focus on early intervention, the transparency and accountability of the system and the expertise of the social work profession. In conclusion, it is submitted that there is no consistent theme in the approach of their Lordships in regards to the threshold criteria. There is however increasing evidence to suggest that the thresholds need to be lower. Witnesses from the courts found little or no evidence of inappropriate removal of children and many instances where earlier removal would have been appropriate.[37] This is backed by academic research. Professor Ward noted that â€Å"there is substantial evidence that many children remain for too long with or are returned to abusive and neglectful families with insufficient support.[38] Word Count: 2500 Bibliography Primary Sources Cases Lancashire CC v B [2000] 1 FCR 509 Re B (Children) (Care Proceedings: Standard of Proof) [2008] UKHL 35 Re C (A Child) [1993] 1 FLR 257 Re D (Care: Threshold Criteria) [1998] Fam Law 656 Re D (A Child) (Care Order: Evidence) [2010] EWCA Civ 1000 Re H and Others (minors) (sexual abuse: standard of proof) [1996] AC 563 Re L (Children) [2006] EWCA Civ 1282 Re M (A Minor) (Care Order: Threshold Conditions) [1994] 2 FLR 577 Re MA (Care Threshold) [2009] EWCA Civ 853 Re O and N (Children) (Non-accidental injury) [2003] 1 FCR 673 Re O (A Minor) (Care Order: Education: Procedure) [1992] 4 All ER 905 Re P (Care Proceedings) [2012] EWCA Civ 401 Re S-B (Children) [2009] UKSC 17 Re T (A Child) (Care Order) [2009] 2 FCR 367 Statutes and statutory instruments Adoption and Children Act 2002 Children Act 1989 Children Act 2004 Children and Families Act 2014 Secondary Sources Books Herring J, Family Law (6th edition, Pearson Education Ltd, 2013) Harris-Short S and Miles J, Family Law: Text, Cases and Materials (2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 2011) Journal articles Bainham A, ‘Striking the Balance in Child Protection’ [2009] CLJ 42 Hayes M, ‘Uncertain Evidence and Risk-Taking in Child Protection Cases’ [2004] CLFQ 63 Keating H, ‘Shifting Standards in the House Of Lords’ [1996] CFLQ 157 Lowe N and Cobley C, ‘The statutory â€Å"threshold† under Section 31 of the Children Act 1989-time to take a stock’ LQR 396 Masson J, ‘Reforming Care Proceedings- Time for a Review’ [2007] CLFQ 411 Websites Department for Education, ‘Landmark Children and Families Act 2014 gains royal assent’ (Press release, 13 March 2014)

MIND Charity Analysis Expansion Plan

MIND Charity Analysis Expansion Plan Evaluation of MINDs Internal and External Environment in  Light of Its Expansion Plans The aim of this report was to analyze the internal and external environments of MIND in relationship to its expansion plan. MIND is one of the leading mental health care providers around the UK and wanted to provide special services to domestic violence victims from the London Borough of Camden. There are various internal factors that determine the success of the organization. These factors include the management, the employees and the investors while the external factors include the government regulations and natural causes. Others include political, economic, ecological, socio-cultural and technological issues. MIND could proceed with its expansion plan but it needed to establish networks on the ground beforehand, carry out more extensive research and legally prepare itself for the launch in the area. Introduction In this report, the first part present the internal environment of the MIND containing the corporate governance, mission and vision statement , stakeholders and analysis organizational structure of MIND . The second part describe evaluation and analyses of the external environment of MIND followed by conclusion and recommendations on how the MIND should manage its enlargement to succeed a professional service in the London borough of Camden . MIND is a mental health charity in the United Kingdom that provides counsel and support to empower mental health patients by carrying out campaigns on service improvement, creation of awareness and promotion of understanding of the mental health issues in the UK.       An organizations corporate governance, mission, stakeholders and vision are the most important aspects of the organization. They are the ones that provide the management with the direction and guidance with respect to what to do when, where and how in order to maintain the public image and performance of the organization (Bartkus Glassman, 2008, p.207). MIND is alive to this facts and that is why it has these important organizational fabrics in place. These form the internal environment of the organization. Stakeholders of MIND Stakeholder refers to an individual or a group of individuals that have justifiable interest in an organization and can either be affected or affect the organization. Stakeholders can be classified as either primary or secondary (Menassa Baer, 2014, p.207). Primary stakeholders refer to individuals or groups that are directly affected by the decisions of the organization and they include investors, strategic customers and employees. Secondary stakeholders on the other hand are those with indirect interests in the organization and they include associations, the media, competition, government and customers (Menassa Baer, 2014, p.208). Stakeholders can also be classified as either internal or external. Internal stakeholders are those within the organization including managers, board of trustees, employees and investors while external stakeholders include individuals or groups that are not within the organization itself but affect or are affected by the operations and performance of th e organization and they include suppliers, regulators, consumers and investors (Menassa Baer, 2014, p.210). The internal stakeholders of MIND include the donors, the Council of Management, Trustees, employees and other investors. On the other hand, the external stakeholders include the suppliers, people with mental health problems and their close families for instance their spouses, government regulators like the Charity Commission, competitors such as SANE and donors. Corporate Governance of the MIND Youssef (2010, p.1) defines corporate governance as a system of practises, processes and rules on which a companys management bases their management functions of planning, controlling, directing and coordinating. It encompasses the process of striking a balance between the interests of the various stakeholders which include the management, the shareholders, the suppliers, the customers, the government, financiers as well as the community. It addresses the issues that emanate from the separation of ownership and control while establishing a distinct relationship between the managers and shareholders of any organisation. Harford, et al., (2012, p.108) state that corporate governance provides a scaffold for achieving the objectives of the company thus comprising every sphere of management including action plans, internal controls, corporate disclosure and measures of performance. The corporate governance framework for MIND is founded on the Board of Trustees which is referred to as the Council of Management and aims at ethical management and transparent use of donations as the MIND is a charity organization that relies on donations for its activities. The MIND President is in charge of the day-to-day running of the organisation and reports to the Council of Management (MIND, 2017b). The president is regarded as the organisations figurehead and primary emissary in charge of promoting the organisations courses. The MINDs president is the embodiment of the organisations credibility, values, authority and trustworthiness (MIND, 2017b). Mission Statement of MIND A Mission Statement is a written statement of declaration that describes an organizations central function, markets and competitive advantage with an unchanging focus over time (Cady, et al., 2011, p.63). Mission statements serve to sieve what is important to the organization and what is not while clearly stating the organizations target markets and how they will be served while communicating a clear sense of direction to the organization (Cady, et al., 2011, p.63). MINDs mission is providing advice and support while empowering individuals with mental health problems (MIND, 2017). Additionally, the organization pushes for service improvement, creation of awareness and promotion of understanding. Vision Statement of the MIND According to Cady, Wheeler, DeWolf and Brodke (2011, p.63), a vision statement refers to a description of what a firm yearns to achieve in its mid- and long-term future in the form of mid-term and long-term goals. Vision statements act as comprehensible guide to selecting current and prospective courses of action. The vision statement of MIND is that the organization wont give up until everyone with mental health problems is accorded support and respect (MIND, 2017). Organizational Structure of MIND The system with which an organization uses to establish a form of structure and hierarchy within its management is referred to as an organizational structure (Dees, 2012, p.232). An organizational structure has clear-cut and definite job descriptions within the company and where each of the job levels are supposed to report. This structure is created to determine the way in which the firm operates and helps in the attainment of the organizational goals for purposes of future growth. The structure is often exemplified by an organizational chart. There are different classifications of organizational structures with each classification depending on the classifiers school of thought (Dees, 2012, p.233). The most common organizational structures include the functional, divisional, traditional hierarchy and matrix organizational structure. The organizational structure at MIND is divisional. In a divisional organizational structure, the leadership of the organization is structured according to the various projects, geographical territories, products, or a combination of several of these. This structure is synonymous with large organizations that either operates in a large geographic area or has several separate smaller firms operating semi-autonomously under the umbrella group to cover different market segments, product ranges or service types (MIND, (2017c). At the peak of MINDs management structure is the Council of Management whose functions include acting as trustees to the charity and directors of the company. However, the organization also has a subsidiary called the MINDs Matter Limited which deals in the organizations trading activities. Additionally, the charity has other connected trustees including the Elliott Charity and the Mary Hemingway Rees Memorial Fund (MIND, 2016, p.23). At the very bottom level of th e management structure is the MIND Network which is made up of local MIND Associations operating as separate entities complete with individual financial activities and related estimates. Advantages of Divisional Organizational Structure There are a number of advantages associated with the divisional organizational structure. First, due to its foundation on a massive delegation of power and authority, the performance of individual sections and divisions within the organization can directly be measured (Bao Wang, 2011, p.81). This is because each of the divisions executes their activities independently. Consequently, unprofitable divisions can be done away with while measures can be taken to provide the necessary support for the profitable divisions. Secondly, the development of division heads ensures that each of the managers takes care of all the functions that are related to the products under their division. Consequently, there is increased accountability for sales and profits for each division. This helps in the skills development among the division heads while enhancing their performance and employee morale for each of the divisions (Bao Wang, 2011, p.81). With autonomous local MIND Associations and the variou s charities within the MIND Management structure, the charity is able to meet its performance goals and objectives as employees are motivated and there is increased accountability among the autonomous structures (MIND, 2017c). Thirdly, a divisional structure shortens the decision-making process as every division within the organization is independent ((Bao Wang, 2011, p.82). Consequently, it is easy to change the size of the business by simply adding or removing divisions as the division heads can execute any decision that affects their division without necessarily consulting with other heads of other divisions. Furthermore, there is more efficient and effective ability with respect to the various coordinating activities between and among the various divisions within the organization as there is role distinction between them. There is equally enhanced flexibility when it comes to responding to alterations and modifications in the local market. Lastly, divisional organizational structure leads to more specialization of divisional expertise among employees. With specific skills being brought on board within the management structure of the MIND, the organization ensures that there is specialization of expert ise which enhances the performance of the MIND. Disadvantages of Divisional Organizational Structure In spite of its numerous advantages that the divisional organizational structure presents to MIND, there a several disadvantages that the structure has that may be detrimental to the organization. First, there is a likelihood of experiencing conflicts between divisional heads as everyone would want to establish their supremacy within the organization by demanding maximum resources for their divisions to gratify their own ego (Bao Wang, 2011, p.84). Secondly, there is a high likelihood of duplication of functions among the various divisions within the organization. For instance, some of the roles undertaken by the MINDs Matter subsidiary could be done by Local MIND Associations. This role duplication leads to misuse of resources within the organization and the cost of operation eventually increases gratuitously. There is equally a reasonable likelihood of the various divisional heads having a selfish attitude as they try to exhibit their better performance even at the expense of other divisions within the organization (Bao Wang, 2011, p.83). When this selfish interest spreads across the organization, it becomes a concern for the various stakeholders within the organization. Office politics are a common phenomenon in firms that practice divisional organizational structure (Bao Wang, 2011, p.86). This may lead to wastage of important time and other resources that would have been used in the strategic thinking that is beneficial to the organization. Additionally, divisions within the organization lead to compartmentalization which in the end results in incompatibilities among company products and services (Bao Wang, 2011, p.87). Since when it was founded in 1946, MINDs organizational structure has proved to be beneficial to the organization. Therefore, it is an effective structure owing to t he numerous advantages that it presents to the organization. An organizations external environment comprises of all the outside that elements and factors that impact the organizations operations (Al-Debei Avison, 2010, p.359). In order for the organization to survive, it must act or react upon these factors. The external environment is subdivided into micro and macro environment with the micro environment being made up of all the elements that directly affect the operations of the firm and the macro environment being made up of all the factors that the firm typically has no control over (Al-Debei Avison, 2010, p.359). The triumph of the firm depends on how quickly it adapts to these factors within the external environment. MIND is set to undertake an expansion exercise aimed at providing specialized services in the area of London borough of Lewisham. The London borough of Camden is one of the 32 local authority districts found within the Greater London administrative area. This London borough is found towards the north-west of London with its principal settlement being Camden. The borough is administered by the Camden London Borough Council. Geographically, the London Borough of Camden is located to the northern of London city stretching from Bloomsbury and Holborn towards the south to Hampstead Heath towards the north. The borough borders the City of Westminster and the City of London on its southern side, Barnet and Haringey towards its north and Brent and Islington to the west and east respectively. External Environmental Analysis using PEST According to Blery, Katseli and Tsara (2010, p.58), PEST analysis refers to one of the concepts in marketing principles that is used as a tool by organizations to keep an eye on the environment in which they are transacting their day to day operations or in which they are planning to launch a new product, service or project. PEST is in fact an acronym standing for political, economic, social and technological. These are the external factors that often influence the various activities the organization undertakes. The tool was created in 1967 by a Francis Aguilar and can work alone or be used in combination with other tools to help organizations and companies to enhance their decision making process and timing (Blery, et al., 2010, p.59). POLITICAL Camden community law centre Squatting law SOCIO-CULTURAL High male and female life expectancy (above 80) High Children conception rate of between 17% 24% High rates of worthlessness among the population High prevalence of childhood obesity of between 19% 22% High rates of children being looked after ECONOMIC Very low economic growth Low number of jobs per resident of working age Business survival rates are satisfactorily over 70% Poor employment rates of below 18% High rates of education levels TECHNOLOGICAL Division of Information Technology Use of technology in policing efforts City-wide IT utilization efforts Political Environment for Camden The political environment for Camden refers to factors such as the trends in government policies and the various relationships between government agencies and the business community. These factors affect the legal framework that MIND will adopt when launching its operations in Camden. Additionally, these factors affect the specific market conditions that affect the behavior of the consumers of the services offered by MIND and the amount of assistance the charity stands to obtain from the area government. With the Labour party having the most representation in the local council followed by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats respectively, there is optimism for favorable political environment for the operations of the Charity in Camden. The security status in the area is guaranteed and therefore, the organization can feel safe while undertaking its operations in the region. Additionally, there have been a number of legislations that are aimed at providing the best environment f or the charity (Blery, et al., 2010, p.59). Economic Factors The two year business survival rate in Camden is rated at over 70% but the economic growth rate in the area is very low. The population is highly educated with a sizeable number of people having attained higher education with degrees. The number of jobs available for each resident of the borough of working age is very low leading to high unemployment rates in the area. The London Community foundation has a number of funding opportunities for the Camden region that are aimed at transforming the living conditions of the region. In 2016, the borough received $13.2 from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The grant was meant for the replacement of the substandard housing that was widespread in the region with mixed-income housing. Apart from these grants, there are several other grants that have given out in Camden to support victims of domestic violence. For instance the Camden/Wollondilly Domestic Violence Committee received a $1,000 grant from the NSW government to support the committees projects that aim at creating awareness on domestic violence as well as family violence (Patterson, 2016). Before this, there was the Verizon Foundation grant of $7,500 that was awarded to the Centre for Family Services that is based in Camden and provides human services (Rutolo, 2011). This grant was directed to the establishments domestic violence solution that involved the creation of a teen dating violence awareness video. These therefore provide precedence for what MIND expects to get when it launches its operations in the region with regards to the economic factors of the region. Socio-cultural Environment Aspects of the socio-cultural environment include the lifestyles of the population, the sex distribution, social classes, minorities, emphasis on safety, population growth rate, age distribution and life expectancy. Others include the size and structure of the families, their attitude towards career, work, leisure and retirement among others. The London borough of Camden has high life expectancy for both men and female at 80 years but the children conception rate of 17% 22% is very high for such a region with most of this happening in the rural. More adults feel worthless as attributed to the high rates of unemployment which leads to high dependency ratios. According to Hopscotch Asian Womens Centre, 80% of Asian women in Camden experience sexual abuse, over 60% undergo financial abuse while 50% experienced physical and emotional abuse from their family members (Hotscotch, 2012, p.5). This information presents a dire need for domestic abuse services for people in this area. This the refore presents an opportunity for MIND to launch their product in the area. Technological Environment There has been a lot of technological developments that have happened and these affects the way in which businesses carry out their operations. These technological influences include product and process innovations that affect the way in which businesses transact their businesses. They present opportunities and threats to organizational operations that are important for gaining competitive advantage and are important drivers of organizational expansion. The London borough of Camden has witnessed the double edge of technology. Technology has played an important role in the reporting of domestic violence cases as well as collection of evidence from scenes such as screenshots, recordings and printing abusive emails. However, abusers have equally exploited technology to cover their tracks and commit criminal acts. According to Cogno (2016), there has been a rise in the number of domestic violence crimes in Camden prompting the establishment of a victims centre that is technologically enh anced to help victims recover as well as address other domestic violence related cases. This centre is enhanced by technology. Recommendations for Managing Expansion MIND can expand its operations to cover Camden because the area is in need of domestic violence counseling and assistance from a charity organization of MINDs magnitude. However, there are several recommendations that I believe if the organization needs to succeed in the provision of services in the area, it must consider them. First, there is need for the organization to carry out an extensive background research of the area from time to time to ensure that it sets achievable goals in its operations in the area. Secondly, there is need to align the charity with the regulations and registration requirement for the London borough of Camden in order to avoid litigations that could drain its resources or even stop its provision of services in the area. Thirdly, there is need for the organization to find ways of providing funding for their operations. Charity organizations rely on donor funding and volunteerism to carry out their operations in regions they operate. Additionally, there will be need for the charity to capitalize on the available resources and build networks around the Camden area in order for the organization to establish itself around the borough. Since there are organizations that are already working to address the problem in the area, MIND will be better placed if it sought for partnership opportunities with these organizations. MINDs response toward the internal and external environments is responsible for its success over the years. With its planned expansion to the London Borough of Camden, it is noteworthy that the area really needs the special services that MIND plans to offer to the populations. However, before venturing out, it is important for the organization to ready itself as this expansion will take a toll on its resources. The recommendations outlined in this report will keep MIND on a success path even as it launches operations to support victims of domestic violence in Camden. Al-Debei, M.M. and Avison, D., 2010. Developing a unified framework of the business model concept. European Journal of Information Systems, 19(3), pp.359-376. Bao, T. and Wang, Y. (2011). Incomplete contract, bargaining and optimal divisional structure. Journal of Economics, 107(1), pp.81-96. Bartkus, B.R. and Glassman, M., 2008. Do firms practice what they preach? The relationship between mission statements and stakeholder management. Journal of business ethics, 83(2), pp.207-216. Blery, E.K., Katseli, E. and Tsara, N., 2010. Marketing for a non-profit organization. International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, 7(1), pp.57-68. Cady, S.H., Wheeler, J.V., DeWolf, J. and Brodke, M., 2011. Mission, vision, and values: what do they say?. Organization Development Journal, 29(1), p.63. Cogno, L. (2016). Refuge for domestic violence victims. [online] Dailytelegraph.com.au. Available at: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/macarthur/refuge-for-domestic-violence-victims-planned-for-camden-or-wollondilly-after-campbelltown-declared-a-hot-spot-for-the-crime/news-story/3bdac7034385a283249c71f546cf708a [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. Dees, J.G., 2012. A tale of two cultures: Charity, problem solving, and the future of social entrepreneurship. Journal of business ethics, 111(3), pp.321-334. Harford, J., Mansi, S.A. and Maxwell, W.F., 2012. Corporate governance and firm cash holdings in the US. In Corporate Governance (pp. 107-138). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Hopscotch, (2012). Survey of Domestic Violence wi thin Camdens Asian Communities. Hopscotch Asian Womens Centre, pp.1 15. Menassa, C.C. and Baer, B., 2014. A framework to assess the role of stakeholders in sustainable building retrofit decisions. Sustainable Cities and Society, 10, pp.207-221. MIND, (2016). Mind (The National Association for Mental Health). Report and financial statements For the year ended 31 March 2016. London, pp.1 75. MIND, (2017). Our mission | Mind, the mental health charity help for mental health problems. [online] Mind.org.uk. Available at: http://mind.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/our-mission/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. MIND, (2017b). Our President | Mind, the mental health charity help for mental health problems. [online] Mind.org.uk. Available at: http://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/celebrity-support/our-president/ [Accessed 23 Mar. 2017]. MIND, (2017c). Our impact | Mind, the mental health charity help for mental health problems. [online] Mind.org.uk. Available at: http://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-impact/ [Accessed 23 Mar. 2017]. Patterson, C. (2016). Camden/Wollondilly Domestic Violence Committee Receive Grant Chris Patterson. [online] Chris Patterson. Available at: http://www.chrispatterson.com.au/media/n/camdenwollondilly-domestic-violence-committee-receive-grant-161122 [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. Rutolo, M. (2011). CFS Awarded Domestic Violence Solution Grant | Center for Family Services. [online] Centerffs.org. Available at: https://www.centerffs.org/cfs-awarded-domestic-violence-solution-grant [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. Youssef, M.T., 2010. Corporate Governance An Overview-Around the Globe. pp.1-13

Racism and White Privilege in the Education System Essay -- Finding Fr

Many people in the United States society believe that people of all cultures, races, and ethnicities are now on an even playing field. People with this belief support their logic with the argument that since equal rights for people of color and women have been required by law for some time now, we are all inherently as equal as claimed in the Declaration of Independence. Many believe that race is no longer an issue, a viewpoint frequently referred to as color-blindness. National polling data indicated that a majority of whites now believe discrimination against racial minorities no longer exists. (Gallagher, 96) Color-blindness allows a white person to define himself or herself as politically and racially tolerant and then proclaim their adherence to a belief system that does not see or judge individuals by the â€Å"color of their skin.† (Gallagher, 98) Many Caucasians in particular are of the opinion that because they listen to hip-hop or cheer for their favorite black, prof essional sports player that they are not racist. Still others believe that because they have a black president, we see black people in the commercial of products we consume, or enjoy television shows with black people that they are actually acknowledging race. In order to examine and dismantle this series of misconceptions, we will turn to the work of various scholars of social justice and privilege, including Peggy McIntosh, Patricia Hinchey and Johnathon Kozol as well as the story of Patricia J Williams. Through a careful examination of these works with the support of some key statistics, it is the goal of this paper to demonstrate the existence of a privileged and unprivileged America, despite the color-blindness many may profess to have integrated into their p... ...hools. New York: Crown Pub. McIntosh, P. (1988). White Privilege and Male Privilege. Wellesley College Center for Research on Women: Working Paper No. 189, 1-20. SueN. (2011, Nov 10). Thom Hartmann Program. Retrieved from Transcript: Thom Hartmann: The Big Picture: A "Race Based" Bake Sale? 26 September '11: http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2011/11/transcript-thom-hartmann-big-picture-race-based-bake-sale-26-september-11 Wight, V. R., Chau, M., & Aratani, Y. (2010, Jan). National Center for Children in Poverty. Retrieved from Who are America’s Poor Children?: http://www.nccp.org/publications/pub_912.html Williams, P. (2010). Of race and risk. In Race, Class, & Gender: An Anthology (7th ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth. Zinn, H. (2007). Why Students Should Study History. In W. e. Au, Rethinking Our Classrooms, Volume 1 (pp. 179-181). Milwaukee: Rethinking Schools.

Naturalization of Ideology Essay example -- Social Change, Power Relat

Introduction CDA adopts an interdisciplinary approach, different methodologies, and varying perspectives for the analysis of data which is predominantly obtained from social topics such as â€Å"racism, identity, social change† (Wodak: 2006). Power relationships between the dominant and the dominated social class are the foci of CDA, and considers language use or discourse as a defining characteristic in understanding varied social patterns that emerge as a result of the discursive practices, naturalization of ideology, and orders of discourse. It blends the historical context with the contemporary contexts to interpret the element of social change. CDA believes in the practice, application, and availability of results to the experts so that select discursive and social practices could be both interpreted and transformed. How does the naturalization of ideology come about? Ideologies are mental systems that organize socially shared attitudes, and these mental systems are social representations that function as â€Å"models which control how people act, speak or write or how they understand the social practices of others† (van Dijk, 1995: 2). Naturalization can be understood as an unconscious process whereby beliefs, values, ideas, perceptions, and modes of thinking of a society and a class are internalized at a certain point in time (Yewah: 1993). Naturalization gives to particular ideological representations the status of common sense, and thereby makes them opaque and no longer visible as ideologies (Fairclough, 1995a: 42). A certain discourse type dominates other discourses to the extent that it is no longer arbitrary and is viewed as natural. However, the ‘balance of forces’ in social struggle determine the extent of naturaliza... ...iwanese press. Discourse and Society, 16(3): 393-418. Lefevere, A. (1992b). Translation/ History /Culture: A Sourcebook. New York: Routledge. Martinez-Roland, C. M. & Malave, G. (2004). Language Ideologies Mediating Literacy and Identity in Bilingual Contexts. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 4(2): 155-180. van Dijk, T. (1993) Discourse and Elite Racism, London: Sage. Wodak, R. (1996) Disorders of Discourse, London: Longman. Wodak, R. (1997) ‘Critical discourse analysis’, in T. van Dijk (ed.) Discourse as Social Interaction, London: Sage. Wodak, R. (2006). Critical linguistics and critical discourse analysis in Verschueren, J. and Ãâ€"stman, J. (eds) Handbook of Pragmatics John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam. Emmanuel Yewah, E. (1993). Ideology and the de/naturalization of meaning in the Cameroonian novel, Afrika Focus, Vol. 9, Nr. 3-4, pp. 179-192.

Call for Freedom Essay

From the days pilgrims first kissed the land so rich, to the days they proclaimed the songs of liberty, America was indeed â€Å"the land of the free,† as Francis Scott Key once said. Those who flocked to America had the same dreams of freedom which they have been denied the right of in their mother land. They came to America with the pursuit of happiness. Once they obtained their happiness, their new found freedom, they undoubtedly revolted against all those who stood against their beloved treasure. Before any of this could be achieved, many struggled. Tears of anguish, disappear, and agony have been shed through years of hunger and slavery, yet little was done to give people the right to live as if â€Å"all men [were] created equal.† Many groups struggled to get the freedom we now have. I am Joaquin, Necessary to Protect Ourselves, and What Is An American all portray group struggles for freedom, which persuade others to fight for freedom many of us still have not ach ieved through the reader’s appeal to their emotions. I am Joaquin is a story of an immigrant â€Å"lost in a world of confusion.† This epic poem traces the adventure of Joaquin through his courageous deeds, which portray the values of his race. Using â€Å"loaded language† rich in connotations and vivid imagery, the author captures a scene of suffering, not just the suffering of one individual, but of his whole race. Phrases such as, â€Å"I shed the tears of anguish/ as I see my children disappear,† (lines 24-25) and â€Å"I have survived the toils and slavery/ of the fields,† (45-46) creates such imagery and terror in ones heart that they sympathize for the speaker and move them to agree with their call for freedom. The whole poem is a connotation for the speaker’s cry to just accept him for who he is. The reader can sympathize with the speaker’s feeling of rejection. This sympathy leads to acceptance, acceptance of the speaker and his call for freedom. Rejection is one of man’s greate st fears, fear that no one wants to feel. Out of the dread of feeling fear, one is inspired to fight, fight for freedoms they have not yet achieved. A little weaker on its emotional appeal is Malcom X’s interview with Les Crane, Necessary to Protect Ourselves, and What is an American. Malcom X  uses more of a logical and ethical appeal by making comments such as â€Å"I think all of us should be critics of each other. Whenever you can’t stand criticism you can never grow.† This comment, in contrast to the style of those made in I am Joaquin, which were more emotional rather than ethical, creates less of the urge to go out and make a difference. Rather than doing this, it creates a tone of hate, unlike in I am Joaquin where his comments created a tone of sympathy. This hate can be taken many negative ways which may cause someone’s intention to do good by turning to doing wrong by offending someone with criticism. The same tone is created in What is an American. By making Europe seem as a place that takes advantage of its people and makes them work laboriously, the reader is exposed to an anti-European feeling. Such phrases from What is an American as, â€Å"Can a wretch who wanders about, who works and starves, whose life is a continual scene of sore affliction or pinching penury-can that man call England or any other kingdom his country,† give this anti-European feeling and exaggerates to the truth to appeal to ones ethical senses that one should not have to live under these conditions. These stories do create inspiration, but inspiration that tells one to cause an uprising, which in the end might not be the most effective way to go. With much evaluation and contrast, it can be seen that the most effective call for freedom using appeals to ones emotional side is I am Joaquin. The â€Å"loaded language† rich in meanings and vivid imagery persuades one to go make a difference, a difference that is not only beneficial to themselves, but to generations after.

American Retirement Corporation Essay

American Retirement Corporation (ARC) is an operator of senior living communities. The company is a senior living and health care services provider offering a broad range of care and services to seniors, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and therapy services. The company operates around 65 senior living communities in 14 states, with an aggregate unit capacity of approximately 12,900 units and resident capacity of approximately 14,500. Across the United States, the company owns 19 communities, leases 41 communities, and manages five communities pursuant to management agreements. The company operates in three distinct business segments: retirement centers, free standing assisted living communities (ALCs), and management services. The company operates large continuing care and retirement communities (CCRCs) and independent living communities (retirement centers) that provide an array of services, including independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s and skilled nursing care. The company’s retirement centers are the largest segment of the company’s business and comprise around 27 of the 65 communities that the company operates, with unit capacity of approximately 8,100, representing approximately 63% of the total unit capacity of the company’s communities. The company’s free standing ALCs provide specialized assisted living care to residents in a comfortable residential atmosphere. Most of the free standing ALs provide specialized care such as Alzheimer’s, memory enhancement and other dementia programs. These communities are designed to provide care in a home-like setting. At each of its free standing ALCs, the company provide personalized care plans for each resident, extensive activity programs, and access to therapy or other services as needed. Jack C. Massey, Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Sr. , and a small group of prominent local businessmen founded American Retirement Corp. in February 1978. Historically, the company operated large CCRCs and independent living communities that provided an array of services, including independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing care in large, often campus style settings. The company formed American Retirement Communities in February 1995, through a combination of certain entities that owned, operated, or managed various senior living communities. American Retirement became a wholly owned subsidiary of American Retirement Communities in February 1997 (Datamonitor, December 2005). ARC began to develop and acquire a number of free-standing assisted living communities in 1999, most of which began operations during 1999 and 2000. In 2001, the company purchased assisted living residences in partnership with CNL Retirement, namely the Broadway Plaza at Pecan Park in Arlington, Texas and the Homewood Residence in Boca Raton, Florida. In Boca Raton, ARC could be availed through the Homewood Residence, a senior community designed to help those who need assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing and administering needed medication. According to the Homewood Residence Website, the service they provide is â€Å"just like family†, the extra assistance their clients may need with their daily activities, while helping them maintain the privacy, dignity and independence (Homewood Residence Website). Boca Raton, located in the Palm Beach County, has a healthy economy and wealthy retirees. Its primary growth is relying mainly on the tourism industry. Palm Beach County’s growth, on the other hand, is concentrated in biotechnology, electronics, and computer industries. The largest employers are in the public sector, federal and state government, public schools, and Florida Atlantic University. In Boca Raton, there is also an increased number of older populace. Businesses must deal with the shifts in demands for goods and services brought on by the desires and needs of older consumers (Howell, 1997). The issues facing the delivery of goods and services in general are magnified in the health care arena. Efforts to reach older consumers often are hampered by failure to understand the requirements and preferences of this population. According to the Boca Raton Comprehensive Annual Report (September 2005), the Milken Institute Index listed the Boca Raton market as the fourth in the â€Å"2004 Best Performing Cities Index† in the country for economic strength and job and wage growth. With a shortage of affordable housing, Boca Raton has introduced a workforce housing ordinance and is in the process of developing mixed use options as tools for providing additional housing in areas previously reserved for non residential uses. The Report also proudly states that Boca Raton is the location of several Fortune 500 companies and nearly 3,000 businesses, employing over 38,000 people because of its low taxes, strong employment base, and quality of life, Boca Raton’s business community is thriving (See Table 1). Table 1. Boca Raton’s Top Employers Among the three counties in Florida, Palm Beach has experienced the greatest population growth – in absolute numbers and in population density. It also has the oldest population. According to the 2000 US Census, Palm Beach County has 1,131,184 residents (See Table 2). Residents of Palm Beach County also have a higher per-capita income than in the other two counties. Miami-Dade County is clearly the largest of the three, in geographic size and population. Palm Beach and Broward Counties have similar proportions of their population that are uninsured, approximately 15 percent, and Miami Dade has the highest at 25 percent (Jackson & Beatty, 2003, p. 7). In the issue of income, Boca Raton has a high income per capita. Table 3 provides the data of income distribution by age group and by ethnicity in the year 1999. Table 2. Palm Beach Demographics PALM BEACH COUNTY FL US POPULATION Number Number Number Total population 1,131,184 Square miles (land) 1,974. 11 Population per square mile 573. 01 296. 37 79. 56 GENDER Number Pct Pct Pct Male 546,739 48. 3 48. 8 49. 1 Female 584,445 51. 7 51. 2 50. 9 AGE Number Pct Pct Pct 15 or younger 201,715 17. 8 19. 0 21. 4 16-24 113,057 10. 0 12. 2 13. 9 25-44 305,041 27. 0 28. 6 30. 2 45-64 249,295 22. 0 22. 7 22. 0 65+ 262,076 23. 2 17. 6 12. 4 Number Number Number Average age (years) 42. 55 39. 53 36. 22 RACE AND ETHNICITY Number Pct Pct Pct White 894,207 79. 1 78. 0 75. 1 Black or African American 156,055 13. 8 14. 6 12. 3 American Indian and Alaska native 2,466 0. 2 0. 3 0. 9 Asian 17,127 1. 5 1. 7 3. 6 Native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 692 0. 1 0. 1 0. 1 Some other race 33,709 3. 0 3. 0 5. 5 Two or more races 26,928 2. 4 2. 4 2. 4 Hispanic or Latino 140,675 12. 4 16. 8 12. 5 Sources: U. S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census; ePodunk Note: Hispanic ethnicity is a separate data category from race. This number should not be added to race totals. Table 3. Incomes in 1999 Boca Raton, Florida BOCA RATON FL US MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY AGE ($ IN 1999) Number Number Number Median household income 60,248 38,819 41,994 Householder under 25 24,080 22,861 22,679 Householder 25-34 49,871 39,021 41,414 Householder 35-44 73,110 46,291 50,654 Householder 45-54 82,033 50,347 56,300 Householder 55-64 71,315 42,971 47,447 Householder 65-74 52,321 32,398 31,368 Householder 75 and older 43,971 25,085 22,259 PER CAPITA INCOME BY RACE OR ETHNICITY ($) Number Number Number Per capita income 45,628 21,557 21,587 White 48,463 23,919 23,918 Black or African American 16,275 12,585 14,437 Native American 31,123 16,598 12,893 Asian 22,469 20,429 21,823 Native Hawaiian and Pacific islander 13,569 15,251 15,054 Some other race 14,023 11,431 10,813 Two or more races 20,589 13,514 13,405 Hispanic or Latino 25,476 15,198 12,111 Sources: U. S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census; ePodunk Moreover, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County provides a source of funding for low-income residents to gain access to health care coverage and maintains a comprehensive trauma system in Palm Beach County, Florida. Other services include: rehabilitation/long-term care, nurses in public schools, behavioral health professionals in public schools, senior services and children’s health insurance programs (HCDPBC Website). HCD’s mission is to â€Å"maximize the health and well being of Palm Beach County residents by addressing their health care needs and planning for the access and delivery of services. † Health care has become one of the most vibrant sectors of the American economy, frequently a leader in economic growth, and the largest employer. Its research-based medicine focused on the use of pharmaceuticals, mechanical devices, and surgery, intervention strategies that reflect an earlier view of the body as a machine, paying relatively little attention to internal processes of problem-solving that occur normally (Heirich, 1998, p. 343). According to Andersen, Rice and Kominski (2001), improving access to health care can be greatly facilitated by a new generation of access models and indicators. These should stress the importance of contextual as well as individual characteristics to promote policies to improve access for defined populations. Also, these should focus on the extent to which medical care contributes to people’s health. Access measures should be developed specifically for particular vulnerable population groups. These measures are especially important because of the cross-cutting needs of many of the vulnerable groups: persons with HIV/AIDS, substance abusers, migrants, homeless people, people with disabilities, and those suffering from family violence. Improving equity, effectiveness, and efficiency should be the guiding norms for research on access. Among the most important areas for research are: †¢ Promoting successful birth outcomes—research on the relationships among medical risk factors, the content of prenatal care and birth outcomes †¢ Reducing the incidence of vaccine-preventable childhood diseases—research on the relationships among race, barriers to access, and infectious disease †¢ Reducing the effects of chronic diseases and prolonging life—research concerning the differences in use of high-cost discretionary care according to gender, ethnicity, income, and insurance status and whether these differences represent overuse or underuse of these services. †¢ Reducing morbidity and pain through timely and appropriate treatment— research exploring methods to better define what constitutes timely and appropriate use of physician services References American Retirement Corp. (2005, November 5). Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Datamonitor Database at http://dbic. datamonitor. com/companies/company/? pid=BAC9B41D-2415-44CF-8228-1C8B736DCBA8 American Retirement Corporation Website. http://www. arclp. com/index. html Andersen, R. M. , Rice, T. H. , & Kominski, G. F. (2001). Changing the U. S. Health Care System. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Boca Raton Income Overview. Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Epodunk Website at http://www. epodunk. com/cgi-bin/incomeOverview. php? locIndex=8367 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the City of Boca Raton, Florida. (2005, Spetember 30). Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Boca Raton Government Website at http://www. ci. boca-raton. fl. us/city/Council3. cfm Heirich, M. (1998). Rethinking Health Care: Innovation and Change in America. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Homewood Residence Website. http://www. seniorhousingnet. com/seniors/search/brochure/pr_brochure. jhtml? pid=552999&name=hrbocaraton&trigger=shn&source=a1shzr2t070 Howell, W. C. (1997). Forward, perspectives, and prospectives. In A. D. Fisk & W. A. Rogers (Eds. ), Handbook of human factors and the older adult (pp. 1–6). San Diego, CA: Academic Press. Jackson, C. A. , & Beatty, A. (2003). Organization and Financing of Indigent Hospital Care in South Florida. Santa Monica, CA: Rand. Palm Beach Population Overview. Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Epodunk Website at http://www. epodunk. com/cgi-bin/popInfo. php? locIndex=8814