Drug Testing Welfare Recipients - Term Paper Example

? Drug testing among the federal aid recipients Introduction The debate concerning drug testing among the federal aid recipients is a central issue in diverse institutions. There are claims people who receive federal aids are the major portion of drug users in the societies. Therefore, philanthropists assert that they have to perform drug tests on these people to ascertain eligibility for the federal aid. This idea was because the philanthropists advocate for a fair use of the taxpayers’ money. The decision regarding undertaking drug test on the federal aid recipients has caused application of different decision criteria in determining the extent of the benefits of the activity. This paper will apply the use of PROACT and cycle of change model to make decision concerning this given subject. The decision and its rationale The decision concerning the drug test on federal aid recipients require a rational thinking. However, the decision not to adopt the policy of drug testing on federal aid recipients is an integral choice. There are many reasons that back up the claim drug testing among federal aid recipients should not apply. Firstly, the policy does not have a clear theoretical view. This implies that it is founded on assumptions, which the federal aid recipients are the largest drug users. A study conducted by some human rights activists proclaim that the other part of the public uses drugs in an intensive manner compared to the minority aid recipients. This has prompted this decision because the core argument in this case does not possess reasonable facts based on statistics. The current statistics among people using drugs and at the same time receiving federal aid stands at 2.6% in a survey of 4000 applicants (Turley, 2013). Additionally, drug testing involves different activities that would render the whole process ineffective due to cost. Factors involved in carrying out this exercise encompass great costs impact on the administrators of the policy. The cost elements that may exist in this case include costs of securing the testing kits, of human personnel involved in executing the program, and keeping of records pertaining to the exercise (Turley, 2013). Cost elements will always drug the rationality and eligibility of a given program. In this case, the cost factors would imply burden on the federal state. It would also affect the amount of aid, which final recipients were to receive. This cost factors provide the rationale behind the ineffectiveness of the program regarding drug testing among the federal aid recipients. Another significant contributing factor to this decision involves the privacy aspect in the medical field. Medical community has policies that guide its operations especially those concerning privacy. This implies that there are extents to which medical practices should not exceed. Drug testing implies medical practitioners will have access to the vital elements of the human body with regard to the experiment. This idea of drug testing may violate policies of medical practices, which practitioners and other related personnel ought to uphold. The constitution cites that certain factors in the medical practice are likely to invade one’s privacy (Chaberg, 2012). The uterine tests will mean consequences of violation of given practices. This condition makes it unnecessary for the implementation of the drug testing policy among the federal aid recipients. The other primary factor that backs up the claim characterizing this issue is the composition of federal aid recipients. People who fall within the brackets include children and the elderly in the society. Research has shown these two categories comprise the majority of people who are prone to receive federal aid. The claim in this section is that this age group has lower chances of engaging in drug and substance abuse. Therefore, children may not be at the right age to begin the consumption of drug and substance abuse. Additionally, the elderly also may not be in the right health conditions to engage in such immoral activities. This shows there is no clear basis of instituting a mandatory drug test on the federal aid recipients. This is because the composition involved in the activity does not pose the right target for the programs. Applying the PROACT decision model to the decision made Different elements that exist in the PROACT model may apply in explaining core decision taken in this study. There is a clear definition of the problem entailing effective decision (Hammond, Keeney, & Raffia, 1999). The problem in this case has a clear statement. For example, it is clear that the investigation in this case looks onto the decision dilemma on whether drug tests among recipients of federal aid should apply. The element exists in that it attempts to investigate the basis of problem at hand. Problem element exists in this case because there are two desirable results, which evaluators must choose on in their assessments. The objective element also exists in this study. For instance, perpetuators of the program intend to evaluate essentiality of undertaking actions that exist. They intend to provide a clear way of accounting for taxpayers’ funds. This objective stimulates the need for assessment of the two alternatives, which exist for this incidence whereby it experiences diverse challenges that may not make the adoption of this project. The objective element exists in this case study because the decision aims at reducing unnecessary costs, which the implementation of the program will prompt planners to incur during the project (Chaberg, 2012). The goal of the decision is also to minimize constitutional challenges that would impair implementation of this program by completely avoiding the practice (Chaberg, 2012). The only potential alternative in this case was to accept the policy in support of drug testing for federal aid recipients. The element of consequence also applied in the decision of rejecting drug test program on federal aid recipients. The decision attempted to evaluate the consequence that would accrue to the executors of the program of drug tests. Hence, this consequence analysis exists for both the alternative of the decision criteria. For example, there are results that would apply in adopting the policy. These consequences as included in the rationale for the decision are huge costs on the executors of the program, constitutional difficulties, and lack of clear theoretical proves concerning the intents of the project. On the other hand, the alternative not to adopt the policy of drug testing also has results. There would be less constitutional constraints in rejecting the program (Chaberg, 2012). There would be also minimal incurrence of costs in evaluating administering federal aid programs. Lastly, this decision has a consequence of good level o theoretical explanations. In contrast with the positive outcomes, the decision has a consequence of inserting doubts in the minds of taxpayers about the use of their money. Applying the cycle change model The cycle change model investigates changes that may apply in a given line of operations. The most fundamental stage of the cycle change model that applies in this case is the loss aspect. In this case, the decision made is concerning the loss factors that would accrue due to adopting a different program like drug test on federal aid recipients (Maurer, R2010). This change will insinuate many loss elements upon its adoption. The decision in for rejecting the drug test program help in minimizing losses such as the illegitimate drug testing costs that would affect the program during operation. The other cycle of change that decisively accrues to the decision is doubt. There is skepticism concerning the implementation of the program. The new program of launching drug testing among the federal aid recipients pose doubts on the mind individuals concerning the real purpose of federal aids (Pollack & Danziger, 2013). This implies that people will not be responsive to the change. An evaluation of the two alternatives render the rejection of the program as an outstanding decision due to the different blames and claims attached to the incoming change. The discovery stage also prompted the decision of adopting the reject of the program. This aspect investigates the outcome that the policy makers of this project intend to accomplish. The choice of whether a drug tests policy should exist to federal aid recipients present a valuation of the choices that exist to provide the one with a favorable outcome. In the decision made, there is a consideration of prospectus outcome, which has undergone an evaluation before adopting the decision. The evaluation has dwelt on the cost factors that the outcome of resenting the change would imply (Pollack, Danziger, Seefeldt, & Jayakody, 2002). Understanding is also a central factor that has added to the decision in evaluating the policy. Understanding phase has played a role of ensuring that all forces under consideration are always in place. The understanding of the change factor has prompted the adoption of the old ways of practice in administering federal aid to the various recipients. The consideration of the age group involved in the program has contributed to this decision. Additionally, the understanding of constitutional implications of adopting the change has also favored the decision of not adopting the act. Decision evaluation The decision made that involves rejecting the adoption of drug test policy among the recipients of federal aid is subject to evaluation. The interaction with stakeholders including the beneficiaries of federal aid asserts that the decision serves the best interest of the stakeholders. To the federal aid recipient, the decision implies that there would be trust on the ways in which they use the aid granted to them by the federal states. Additionally, the stakeholders in the panel also assert that the execution of the policy would imply unnecessary costs that would hinder accomplishment of purpose. In terms of risk management, the decision comprises of given risks that it might accrue during operation. The risk of recklessness in the use of the federal aid among the recipients is one of the fundamental factors. The decision recognizes that the consequence would imply greater risks in the use of federal aid funds. Additionally, the decision considers a tradeoff management. The objectives have diversified scenarios. For example, failure to adopt the policy in question would lead a trade off within a given level of accountability in terms of the uses of the taxpayers’ money. Nevertheless, upon weighing the alternatives it is still best that the drug test policy should not apply among the federal aid recipients. In terms of uncertainty, inconveniences that the decision made would cause little future to the future operation. There are uncertainties like the fear of lack of contribution among the taxpayers. The taxpayers may retaliate by not giving support towards the development o0f sound federal aid system. The uncertainty party is however at a minimum level in this evaluation. This means that there are little chances of taxpayers’ retaliation towards federal aid programs. Decision plan Many activities can take place to ensure the achievement of the decision of regarding the issue of drug test among the federal aid recipients. One of the fundamental plans in this case is to avoid giving cash to the federal aid recipients. The program should resort to providing the elaborate needs of the federal recipients instead of acquiring cash that may prompt them to drug abuse. This plan is intended to offset the uncertainties while at the same time delivering the intents of the programs. Additionally, reinforcement in terms of education can lead to the achievement o f this program. This implies that education to the federal recipients would imply good practices. This would stimulate a fair use of aid that the government submits to the people. This plan would monitor the progress of a fair use of funds. This would promote the decision in this case. This is because the plan minimizes decision retaliations. Summary The decision involving whether to adopt drug test among the federal aid recipients is a subject to many factors. The policy makers who wish to carry out this activity has the basis that it would help in a wise use of the federal aid and taxpayers’ money. However, the decision not to adopt the policy constitutes a central factor that proves it as the right option. This implies that adopting the policy would contribute to negative factors ranging from cost elements to constitutional difficulties. The decision not to adopt drug-testing policies among federal aid recipient remains outstanding. References Chaberg, A. E. (2012). State Drug Testing Requirements for Welfare Recipients: Are Missouri and Florida's New Laws Constitutional? Missouri Law Review, 77(2), 567-589 Hammond, J. S., Keeney, R. L., & Raffia, H. (1999). Smart Choices: A practical guide to making better life decisions. New York, NY: Broadway Books. Maurer, R. (2010). Beyond the Wall of Resistance: Why 70% of All Changes Still Fail and What you can do about It. Austin: Bard Press. Pollack, H. A., Danziger, S. (2013). The Washington post. House Republicans want drug tests for food-stamp recipients. There is no good reason for that. Retrieved November 1, 2013 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/08/21/house- republicans-want-drug-tests-for-food-stamp-recipients-theres-no-good-reason-for-that/ Pollack, H. A., Danziger, S., Seefeldt, K. S., & Jayakody, R. (2002). Substance Use among Welfare Recipients: Trends and Policy Responses. Social Service Review, 76(2), 256- 274. Turley, J. (2013). The thing itself speaks. Drug Testing Welfare Recipients to Prevent Abuse. Retrieved November 1, 2013 from http://jonathanturley.org/2013/04/14/drug-testing- welfare-recipients-to-prevent-abuse/ Read More