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Human Services Definition

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Although there are discrepancies the author has provided an ad hoc generic definition of human services that includes a solid ground for conceptual analysis. “Human services is defined here as social services designed to meet human needs that are required for maintaining or promoting the overall quality of life of the prospective service populations. A social service is a systematically organized communal response, namely human services refers to institutionalized systematic services rather than sporadic help given by family members, friends, or occasional good Samaritans” (pp. 6-7). Defining human services as social services designed to meet human needs also leads to six elements that are common to all human services. These are provider, recipient, environment, organization, need, and method (Zins, 2001, pp. 6-7). There is a large history associated with helping profession. It was once believed that mental illness was caused by evil spirits. In early forms of treatment the focus was on eliminations of the demons within the person. One procedure used was called trephining the skull, which removed a disk of bone in the head to let the evil spirit escape. Another common treatment …show more content…

He used a scientific approach to explain and treat mental illness. This included his belief that it was a natural illness which was caused by brain disease, heredity, and head injuries. Prior to the 1500s it was the primary responsibility of the Catholic Church to provide human service. Some people consider St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Francis of Assisi to be the first human service professionals. During this time institutions were created for the poor, orphans, elderly, and disabled under the guidance of the church. After 1500 AD the power of government increased and caused the church to decline which created church and state conflict (Woodside & McClam, 2015, pp.

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