Special Population In Need Of Human Services

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Special Population in Need of Human Services

Special Population in Need of Human Services

Introduction

The field of Human Services is a very broad and it incorporates within the objective of catering to human needs on the basis of knowledge that is interdisciplinary in nature. It focuses on the prevention and remediation of concerns and maintenance of a commitment to enhance the overall standards of living of the entire population, particularly for the special population.

The practitioners of this field indulge themselves to promote quality delivery systems of services which are capable of addressing the standards of direct services. In addition, these practitioners seek to make these services more accountable and intend to make the process of gaining access to them services easier. Also, they maintain a good coordination with other professionals and organizations to further enhance and expand the delivery of their services (Davidson , 2010).

The Need for Directing Efforts in the Field of Human Service

For any individual, the improvement of health is most essential. If a person is healthy, he can function to demonstrate his best possible potentials. However, for some underprivileged people, gaining access to education becomes another cause of concern. In this regard, the organizations dealing in human services help children, youth and adults in achieving their potentials, and to acquire a stable job so that they can become capable of strengthening and supporting their family at a later time in life. On the whole, these organizations work to promote independence and the financial stability of families throughout the nation (Department of Health and Human Services, 2009).

The Dynamics of Special Population

According to the World Health Organization, the term Special population refers to a group comprising of disadvantaged people. In health professions, special populations include those with disabilities, minors, and the elderly. Special populations often require accommodations for physical, mental or emotional differences. Therefore, meeting the "special needs" of special population is of the utmost importance (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2011).

The Need of Human Services for the Disabled Population during a Disaster

Fifty-four million people or 19% of the U.S. population have disabilities and 11 million of these individuals need personal assistance with activities of daily living. However, this only begins to define what is currently referred to as the "special needs" population during a disaster. It is generally accepted that the special needs population includes visually impaired, hearing impaired, mobility impaired, single working parents, non-English-speaking persons, people without vehicles, people with special dietary needs, people with medical conditions, people with intellectual disabilities, and people with dementia (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010).

No discussion of special needs populations during a disaster can begin without first defining special needs. This may seem a straightforward task, but the stakeholders have had difficulty agreeing on a definition that does not diminish, offend, or lessen the true humanity of individuals. Each individual has needs that necessarily must be addressed during a disaster. In addressing both the definition of special needs and ones approach to reaching that definition, ones ethical and theoretical approaches are ...
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