Research & Subject Guides: Social Welfare: Community, Policy and Political Social Action Specialization

Strategies for Researching Public Policy

What is the social problem you are interested in learning more about?

Strategy 1: Identify a PUBLIC LAW that addresses the social problem you are interested in.

Search these databases for the Legislative History of a National, State or County Public Law (PL) addressing your chosen social problem.

ProQuest Congressional
National

Strategy 2: Identify a PROGRAM that addresses the social problem you are interested in.

The government provides assistance to the American public in the form of projects, services, and activities. It supports a broad range of programs—such as education, health care, research, infrastructure, economic development and other programs—through grants, loans, scholarships, insurance, and other types of financial assistance. These listings provide detailed, public descriptions of federal, state and county assistance available

National Assistance Listings (Formerly CFDA)
California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare Searchable database of child welfare related programs. Description and information on research evidence for specific programs.
New York State Legislative Initiatives
211 Community Database 2-1-1 Long Island connects people to local health and human service agencies and programs. The 211 Database has been around for over 25 years and used to be called the Community Resource Database of Long Island. It is maintained by a partnership between United Way and the Middle Country Public Library.
Suffolk County Social Services
Nassau County Social Services

Strategy 3: Identify REPORTS related to the social problem you are interested in.

CQ Researcher
This database provides in-depth reports on current and controversial issues with complete summaries, pro and con discussions of all sides of the issues, bibliographies, and more.

US Government Accounting Office Key Issues
The Key Issues pages provide information about GAO's work on a range of issues facing the nation and highlight some of our most relevant reports. These pages are updated periodically to reflect recent GAO reports.
New York State Assembly Committee Reports

Note

adapted from San Diego State University Government Publications LibGuide

Social Welfare

Strategies for Researching Public Policy

Strategy 2: Identify a PROGRAM that addresses the social problem you are interested in.

Strategy 3: Identify REPORTS related to the social problem you are interested in.

Note

Library

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