Introduction
The coronavirus pandemic has presented two significant challenges for American society: public health and economic crises. The two are closely connected as the challenges, which the healthcare sphere has experienced, have significantly reduced the capacity of communities for economic activity and general spending. Furthermore, COVID-19 has had broader distributional implications compared with any other occurrences in recent times, influencing the majority of aspects of human life, including daily routines, work, and doing business.
The significant challenges that Black Americans have faced as a result of the pandemic are illustrative of their generally lower economic position and health quality that they have already experienced before the onset of the pandemic (Bambra et al., 2020). Specifically, the population has had lower levels of wealth and income, higher rates of unemployment, and high food and housing insecurity. Those households that have had fewer buffers to absorb economic shocks have been left scrambling and vulnerable when COVID-19 encouraged the rapid development of severe financial challenges.
Thus, it is not COVID itself that brought significant economic limitations for Black Americans but rather the higher rate of pre-existing disadvantages and disparities, both in health and in socioeconomic life. Due to lower wealth and income and weaker labor market outcomes, the population experiences a lack of safety and stability during the health crisis, which increases the risks of poor health as well as low quality of life. Consequently, in the current health crisis, what has emerged is a highly plausible connection between coronavirus and race, with economic status considered a crucial, although incomplete, mechanism. It has been a persistent challenge for social workers to address the needs of underserved and disadvantaged populations affected by the COVID-19 crisis and promote equality of access and opportunity.
Within the context of social welfare, it appears that the target population needs assistance from social services through the consistent delivery of relevant programs, namely, health care, unemployment compensation, housing assistance, food stamps, as well as education on vaccinations. The agencies addressing the pressing needs of the populations should have access to the resources that could provide the necessary levels of support to the group. Specifically, the social agencies should have the resources to educate the population on how to act in the context of the adverse health climate or be able to connect clients to household and unemployment assistance programs. For example, NAACP has been offering comprehensive services to the African American communities across the US and is available in most cities.
Addressing the Problem at the Micro Level
The micro-level of social work practice, which is defined as a ‘traditional’ type of social work, entails working in close collaboration with individuals, households, and small groups to provide one-on-one assistance as clients navigate through the complex system of social challenges. Considering the fact that the target population has reported experiencing housing and food security issues, unemployment, and limited access to health care, social workers at the micro-level are tasked with addressing these challenges. Thus, the best way to intervene in economic disparities that the Black community faces during the COVID-19 healthcare crisis on the micro-level is to address pressing daily life issues that affect individuals.
In the present economic climate, housing insecurity represents a significant risk for Black Americans because of the dangers of foreclosures and evictions. Housing-related distress is more persistent among African American families, at 30% of renters compared to 15% of their white counterparts (Hardy & Logan, 2020). Therefore, urgent and specific efforts are needed to exert additional pressure on households. For example, Atlanta Housing (AH) can work with households to provide them with housing support to low-income families, the elderly, as well as individuals with special needs. In addition, the organization can provide financial support for households to cover rent or advocate for individuals falling under the non-eviction policy. In this context, it is imperative that social workers connect with their clients and listen to their stories individually to align their challenges with appropriate solutions. The housing needs are expected to differ from one client to another: some may need assistance filing for governmental assistance while others are in a crisis and require emergency housing.
Another suggestion for micro-level social work entails working closely with individuals and families in the healthcare setting to help them apply for benefits based on health insurance and cope with the trauma and life changes that occur during the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Importantly, social workers should educate their clients on the essential need to get vaccinated from coronavirus as the target group has almost six times the death rate compared to their white counterparts (Wen & Sadeghi, 2020). Educating clients is necessary to make them more aware of the challenges as they have higher chances of contracting COVID-19 due to living in densely-populated urban areas and working in disproportionately higher-risk environments. In addition, social workers must be aware that Black Americans also experience higher rates of chronic illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, and kidney disease, all of which are risk factors from a severe illness from coronavirus (Yancy, 2020). In addition to the socioeconomic disparities, the community is at a significant disadvantage when it comes to health care status and access to services.
Addressing the Problem at the Mezzo Level
At the mezzo-level of social work practice, professionals mainly focus on helping vulnerable populations at the large group, organizational, and small community levels. The main objective of social work at this level is to help vulnerable and underserved populations at the large organizational, group, and small community levels. Specifically, the best way to address the identified challenge is to take a step back and identify factors that have negatively influenced the well-being of groups within smaller communities. In the context of the identified challenge, social workers are tasked to identify the main disadvantages that contribute to the identified problem. For instance, it is necessary to acknowledge such socioeconomic challenges as food insecurity and unemployment as significant contributors to the disadvantaged position of Black Americans during COVID-19.
For instance, through the services provided by the Atlanta Community Food Bank, social workers can fight hunger and food insecurity within the African American community by educating and empowering it. The organization has worked with seven hundred non-profit partners, ranging from community kitchens to senior centers (Atlanta Community Food Bank, 2021). Social workers will collaborate with the organization to determine whether their clients are eligible to participate in programs aimed at addressing food insecurity. This is especially relevant to low-income families with children that require the support of social work organizations to maintain their good quality of life.
Occupational segregation has been shown to worsen the unemployment gap during the pandemic as pre-existing public policies restricted tens of millions of Black workers to jobs with lower wages and benefits as well as limited security (Maxwell & Solomon, 2020). Therefore, job assistance is an imperative mezzo-level social service aimed at addressing the economic disparities faced by Black communities. This is crucial because the significant and long-term decreases in revenue may jeopardize the livelihood of households, especially among families whose core breadwinners cannot work remotely to comply with social distancing policies (Maxwell & Solomon, 2020). As a result, many Black Americans are left without work and with fewer opportunities to find new jobs. Social work professionals should work with groups of clients and provide them with the resources and education necessary for them to succeed in pursuing work and getting it. The support of social workers is imperative for ensuring that clients understand the peculiarities of the job market, can differentiate between their strengths and weaknesses, and develop persuasive CVs that are more likely to get them hired and allow them to maintain their jobs long-term and gain financial stability. Connecting clients with such agencies as WorkSource is necessary to facilitate an inflow of the workforce while also helping individuals and groups gain more access to broader opportunities.
Another way to address the challenge at the mezzo level is by social workers operating at advocacy centers to design programs focused on encouraging and supporting Black communities in speaking about their COVID-19-related disparities and participating in social justice politics. For example, NAACP has been at the forefront of fighting for economic equity for Black communities, suggesting that existing policies are insufficient (NAACP, 2020). The organization has aimed to educate communities about the lack of racial equality in the socioeconomic sphere and facilitate investments in community-driven strategies that support inclusion, equity, and diversity. Therefore, it is necessary not only to work with a group of clients to help them be proactive in social justice efforts. However, at the mezzo level, social workers can also engage in expanding access and participation in markets for African American workers, business owners, and consumers to create more paths for entrepreneurship.
Addressing the Problem at the Macro Level
At the macro-level of social work practice, professionals tend to work with a comprehensive view of the systematic causes of social injustices at a more extensive community scale and state, national, and international levels. Macro social work is rooted in helping large groups of a population indirectly through political advocacy, research, as well as far-reaching programs that will help address persistent social issues. The convergence of the economic and public health crises associated with the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, the already weaker financial position of Black populations has been worsened by the economic shock and high risks of exposure to disease when doing essential frontline work (Maxwell & Solomon, 2020). Specifically, African Americans are twice as likely as average workers to be employed in the healthcare service industry, which has experienced severe stress during the pandemic (Hardy & Logan, 2020). The population is also disproportionately represented in the essential worker industry, which has been highly subjected to outbreaks (Hardy & Logan, 2020). Besides, on average, Black Americans share their living spaces with more people, which increases the scope of exposure to COVID-19. Overall, the environments to which many communities of the target population are exposed have consistently been unfavorable, resulting in adverse outcomes, both in terms of health and economic stability.
Therefore, social workers at the macro level are recommended to work on calling for and supporting economic relief packages across the population and create systematic safety nets to facilitate better financial well-being and security. For Black households that have been adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, such policies proposed in the recent Heroes Act should receive significant support from macro-level social workers (NASW, 2020). The Heroes Act provides emergency supplemental appropriations, offers assistance to state, local, and territorial governments, expands the Paycheck Protection program, eliminates cost-sharing for coronavirus treatments, and more (“H.R.6800 – The Heroes Act,” 2020). Considering the fact that Black Americans are more financially vulnerable during the healthcare crisis, any uncertainty surrounding the provision of relief and social safety-net benefits disproportionately affects the population. Therefore, it is the job of social workers to ensure that the communities know about the financial benefits and unemployment compensation and use them to cope with the effects of the pandemic.
NAACP and other organizations supporting Black communities must speak on behalf of the population and ensure the provision of benefits to supplement lower incomes. Before COVID-19, the evidence pointed toward the significant differences in the level of unemployment insurance benefits, cash assistance, employment security, as well as minimum wages. It is unreasonable to believe that with the healthcare crisis, these issues would not exacerbate. Because of this, social workers operating at macro levels should advocate for boosts to the aggregate economy to help maintain the public-sector economy, which is the largest sector of the labor market for Black Americans. The aid is also necessary for supporting state governments’ safety-net programs as well as non-profits funded by the government that provide housing and food assistance.
The issue of economic inequality that Black communities face is a matter of race and justice, and social workers can exercise the standard of cultural awareness and diversity to encourage local, state, and national transformation. To reform the system, it is necessary to address the structural inequalities that allow Black communities with lower incomes to be at a disadvantage that their white counterparts do not experience. At the macro level, the best way to advocate is to create programs for Black communities that continue to be discriminated against, marginalized, put behind bars, and limited in their access to safe and reliable health care.
Applying Social Work Values and Ethical Standards
Social work values and ethical standards are crucial to consider concerning the identified challenges that the target population experiences. The core moral values such as service, social justice, and dignity and worth of the person all play a role in the provision of support to the African American population of the US during the coronavirus pandemic. Through the value of service, social workers will empower individuals, families, and communities to seek the help that they need and not being afraid (Ferguson et al., 2021). Social workers will act as educators and supporters and go beyond their own personal skills to improve the well-being of others. For instance, during the pandemic, social workers may coordinate efforts to provide mutual aid, community meals, organize temporary housing, and so on.
Through the value of social justice, professionals advocate on behalf of the disadvantaged and marginalized groups to amplify their voices and fall for public policy change. In this case, social workers assume the role of advocates who openly speak about socio-economic injustices that Black communities have been experiencing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They will also provide valuable information, help, and other resources to the communities seeking equality. It is crucial to educate clients about the need to speak for themselves and push for the socioeconomic disparities to be addressed. Notably, the efforts of social workers to address injustices include the examination and acknowledgment of one’s own privileges and biases to create an equitable system of support that will contribute to eliminating the disparities in the community’s quality of life.
Finally, it is important that when addressing the socioeconomic challenges Black Americans face during the pandemic, social workers are expected to be considerate of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. By treating each person with respect and dignity, social workers can support their clients’ capacity and opportunity to deal with their own needs and improve their individual situations in the context of the pandemic (Banks et al., 2020). Through a decentered approach that considers the differences of individuals and honors self-determination, social workers aim to eliminate factors that threaten the well-being and dignity of populations. Instead of imposing their values, the professionals will leverage their clients’ values.
As to the ethical dilemma, it is possible to experience it in terms of the dignity and worth of the person, which is exercised by protecting clients’ rights to self-determination, which means how to live one’s life without interference. However, it is possible that social workers encounter individuals posing a threat to their families. For example, on a micro level, a social worker may encounter a single mother who may be struggling from addiction but has two children in need of food and financial resources. However, the mother’s condition is unstable, and she is not in full capacity to care for her children. The dilemma, in this case, is whether to report the mother to Child Protective Services, with the risk of children being taken away until her recovery, or referring her to mental health and addiction specialists to pursue treatment, with children remaining at risk. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is complicated for social workers to resolve ethical dilemmas because of the added financial challenges and mental and physical health issues that define clients’ situations. Resolving the moral dilemma is possible by collaborating with mental health and addiction specialists as well as having transparent communication with the client herself. Assessing her support systems is also necessary for discovering ways to care for children and provide additional assistance if needed.
Conclusion
The economic environment in the United States has significantly deteriorated since the onset of the coronavirus crisis. The pandemic has exposed and further highlighted the existing racial inequalities that have existed previously, posing significant challenges to the safety and stability of Black households. For social workers operating at micro, mezzo, and macro levels, it is imperative to identify the most pressing challenges that the population faces and address them through various approaches to social work, whether at individual or significant community levels. On the one hand, it is essential to work with clients individually and ensure that they have enough support to deal with pressing issues that reduce their quality of life. Specifically, it is necessary to provide housing, employment, and food assistance to individuals and families with low incomes. However, on a larger scale, it is imperative that social workers push for a systematic and comprehensive change of governmental policies and structures that guide society. In order to prevent the socioeconomic disadvantages from lowering the health and well-being of Black populations, an inclusive economy is necessary. While case-by-case social work allows addressing emergent challenges, it is only effective short term, and the resources are likely to get exhausted soon. Many social agencies have temporarily stopped receiving applications because they lack resources to cover all clients.
In the role of a Master Social Worker, it is imperative to advocate for economic equality for Black Americans to make sure that the population does not have to scramble to live when emergencies hit the country. Both mezzo and macro levels are appropriate settings for such advocacy as it is imperative that the systems themselves face, not only small fractions of it. It is necessary to establish robust and reliable policies of economic parity and emergency financing funds to reduce the negative impacts of external factors. If the financial and public health crises continue at the pace they have had, many Americans will require significant and systematic support, especially Black communities. As the US economy and social policy are riddled with long-standing inequities, the path to reaching equality is expected to be long. However, with the persistence and advocacy exhibited by social workers, it is possible to secure social, economic, educational, and political equality.
References
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