Applying Theories to Regional Level Challenges Rural New Mexico

Challenge: Social services delivery and access in rural regions

Nearly 20% of welfare recipients live outside of large metropolitan areas and are a critically underserved population (WKKF, 2004). The regional level challenges of working in rural and remote areas like those in New Mexico are both similar and different to the challenges of meeting social services needs in urban areas. The most important difference between rural versus urban service delivery is geographic and transportation constraints. Surveys of rural regions in New Mexico show that there are insufficient service access points for almost every aspect of social welfare including child care and public assistance (WKKF, 2004). Therefore, addressing these needs using a combination of public policy, planning, and technology implementation is important.

Moreover, the costs for rural social services are in most cases greater than they are in urban centers because of the additional costs associated with transportation (WKKF, 2004). There are also specific problems related to human resources. As McClure (2016) points out, rural communities are often chronically underserved because of the lack of incentives for social services professionals to relocate or to enter the profession if they live locally. However, the same is true for social services professionals in any geographic region. Addressing the challenges...

Technology may also be the key to change, as services in rural regions can be improved via offering technological tools (McClure, 2016). I would apply advocacy theories in ways that suited the specific demographic needs of the community and would respond to measured assessments with evidence-based practice. Finally, the only real ethical challenges are to meet the needs of rural communities in New Mexico in an efficient manner in accordance with the principles of cultural competency.
References

McClure, K. (2016). 6 challenges of the human services worker. Relias. Retrieved online: https://www.reliaslearning.com/blog/6-challenges-of-the-human-services-worker

WKKF (2004). Meeting the challenge of social service delivery in rural areas. Retrieved online: http://www.wkkf.org/news-and-media/article/2004/02/meeting-the-challenge-of-social-service-delivery-in-rural-areas

National and International Challenges

National Challenge: Budget and other fiscal barriers.

International Challenge: Meeting the needs of people in spite of political obstacles.

The most important national challenge in social services professions is related to budget and finance. Malai (2012) and McClure (2016) are particularly clear about how social services professions are themselves underfunded, even…