– Respond to a colleague with a discussion of:(Use sub-headings and be detailed in response with 2 APA references)

– Why the evaluation of policies is often controversial and political and

– How the values of evaluation conflict adhere to social work values.

– What policy advocacy skills can social workers use to ensure that appropriate evaluations are being conducted on policies?

Response to Joey Wallace

Response to Jansson's assertion that evaluating specific policies is strongly influenced by values with respect to the case of the evaluation of special services.

I agree with Jansson’s assertion that policies are influenced by values when it concerns evaluation of specific services. Jansson states, “assessing/evaluating policies is the start of creating a world where both evidence and ethical values of social work goes together” (Jansson, 2018). Every person has their own values and beliefs and even when some services have or do not have evidence-base, their values will be their foundation to stand upon when deciding to support or not support these specific services.

How do the values of evaluation conflict adhere to social work values?

Social workers must be competent and possess the knowledge and skills to justify the outcome of services, this is a core component of the social work values. Even when there is a personal conflict with a specific policy under evaluation a professional social worker should adhere to the values of the NASW because these values where designed to protect all vulnerable populations.

What practices would you use to defend the feasibility of and effectiveness of your evidence-based policy?

I would use my self-efficacy, which is the belief in my ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task, no matter what the evidence may produce. Having a sense of self-efficacy can play a major role in how I would approach goals, tasks, and challenges; such as evidence-based policies.

Gervin, D., Davis, S., Jones, J., Counts-Spriggs, M., & Farris, K., (2010). Evaluation development and use in social work practice. Journal of Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation; 6(14): 85-101. Retrieved November 7, 2018, from http://www.jmde.com/

Jansson, B. S. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice (8th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning Series.

Chapter 14, "Assessing Policy: Toward Evidence-Based Policy During Task 8" (pp. 488-503)