Social work practice takes place in accordance with policies large and small, such as federal public welfare legislation, state guidelines for Medicaid reimbursements, court orders removing abused children from their homes, etc. Few novice social workers have a good grasp of how to analyze and evaluate the policies that will affect their work.This book provides a detailed foundation for policy analysis and provides information on social policy as it affects each of the major areas of social work: poverty, aging, mental health, health, and child welfare.