Section II: Policy Solutions and Advocacy Plan (approx. 5-7 pages, including the advocacy plan) – Students will provide a rationale and preliminary recommendations for policy changes in currant social welfare programs or additional policies designed to address the social problem selected, based on the analyses conducted in Section I.

The following topics must be thoroughly covered:

• Briefly describe the current social welfare program, and public or administrative

policies existing in your state to address your social problem, if any. Make sure

the geographical region of focus is consistent with the data provided in Section I.

2

• Provide a policy recommendation and rationale for a particular proposed policy

change to existing programs or policies or creation of new ones. The

recommendation and rationale should be tied closely to the analysis in Section I:

o Provide an evidenced-based argument established on your analysis of the

problem for why your proposed change is needed;

o Describe (using evidence) why the recommendation will likely yield an

improvement in the social problem; and

o Discuss why, considering current economic, social, cultural, and political

realities, your proposal is the most appropriate at this time compared with

other options.

• Using the Advocacy Plan Template (available on Blackboard), speculate on at

least three key initial steps for moving forward with your proposal. Specifically:

o List the groups and established advocacy organizations which you would

attempt to engage in the agenda-building process.

o Be specific, name names. Include why they are important to include.

o Describe the additional data and evidence your advocacy group would need

to amass in the agenda-building phase. What sources of information would

you utilize to make your argument?

o Speculate on what type of opposition you might experience and describe how

you might respond or prepare for refuting the opposition.

o Consider and discuss the feasibility of your proposal to be adopted, both fiscal

and political. Is the potential opposition strong enough to derail the effort? Is

the funding needed unrealistic? Is there political will or adequate awareness

of the proposal to move it towards passage